By Lance Jennings and surfnsprint.com
VENTURA, CA – MAY 10, 2010… Ojai’s Troy Rutherford charged to the 30-lap feature victory at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. With thirty-two VRA 360 Sprint Cars on hand in the pit area, the win made Rutherford the seventh different winner in as many races at “The Best Little Dirt Track In America.”
Driving the #11 Trench Shoring / L&H Consulting entry, Rutherford started in the ninth spot. The point leader made some early moves to work his way forward as he battled with Cory Kruseman, Josh Ford, Steve Conrad, Justin Kierce, Brent Camarillo, and Kevin Kierce. The main event became a three lap shootout between veteran drivers and a young hard charger going three wide for the checkered flag. When the action packed finale was over, Troy scored his first win of the season. “I’m not looking at the points championship,” said Rutherford. “It would be a great thing to do, but I’m here to win races and put on a show for the fans.” Troy now enjoys a 115 point advantage over Reseda’s Kevin Kierce.
The twenty car field was paced by Justin and Kevin Kierce. It marked the first time in VRA history that a father and son shared the front row of a main event. As the green flag flew, Justin got the jump on his dad. Coming out of turn two, it was Kevin with the momentum off the high line that took the point away from his son. Justin battled hard for family bragging rights but had to contend with Steve Conrad. Conrad found the bottom groove to his liking and pressured Kevin for the lead. The pair battled back and forth, with two distinct grooves on the Ventura clay.
Action was slowed for Brian Camarillo who flipped his #22C Agromin / Waste Management special. Camarillo walked away uninjured and as racing resumed, Justin Kierce left the race. A new battle was unfolding between Kevin Kierce and Brent Camarillo for the lead. Brent found a line at the east end of the racetrack that served him well and wrestled the lead from Kierce. Camarillo continued his inspired drive as the pair headed into lapped traffic.
A yellow flag on lap twenty-seven for a slowing Ronnie Case set up a three lap shootout for the victory. With the field bunched together, Camarillo was trailed by Kevin Kierce, Troy Rutherford, Josh Ford, Steve Conrad, and 2006 USAC/CRA Champion Cory Kruseman. After Camarillo hit the throttle on the restart, Kierce turned the tables on Brent in turn one. The two leaders drag raced down the back straight and Kevin emerged with the lead. Camarillo fired back in turn three, but Kierce was too strong and led the next lap. Rutherford slipped past Camarillo for second and after Kierce accepted the white flag, Troy fired past Kierce with a turn one slide job. With Rutherford up high and Kierce in the middle groove, Camarillo shot to the bottom line to make a three wide battle for the lead. Coming out of turn four, Rutherford powered by Kierce and Camarillo spun in front of Steve Conrad, Rick Hendrix, and Cory Kruseman. The dramatic ending had Rutherford in front of Kierce, Ford, and Kenny Perkins. As this writing goes to press there is a scoring review underway for the fifth and sixth place finishes between Brody Roa and Rick Hendrix.
Kevin Kierce, the 2008 and 2009 Series Champion, took the #2 Fast Undercar / Direct Tire entry to his fifth top-5 finish of the season. Kierce has two heat race wins and with the top two in points finishing first and second in the main event, the points battle is heating up. Every point counts as Kierce looks to make history with another title.
Oxnard’s Josh Ford drove the #73 Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply / A&A Precision Machine car to third place after starting seventh. Josh has four top-5 finishes and three heat race wins in the 2010 campaign. The March 20th All Coast Construction Challenge winner is third in the point chase and has his eyes on a championship run.
Kenny Perkins of Victorville had his best finish of the season with the VRA Sprint Cars. The pilot of the Sprint Car Experience / Bumblebee Plastics #5K entry crossed the finish line in the fourth spot after starting eighth. Perkins also splits his time with the USAC/CRA and Victorville Sprint Cars.
Brent Camarillo drove the #51 Agromin / Waste Management car to victory in the night’s first 10-lap heat race. It was Camarillo’s second heat race win of the 2010 season and for his efforts, Brent won a $25 certificate from LRB Manufacturing. Camarillo had a strong run in the feature until the last corner spin resulted in a thirteenth place finish. Brent has one top-5 finish on the season and is currently seventh in the point standings.
Ventura’s Cory Kruseman took his Lucas Oil / Agromin #21K machine to the second heat race win. For Kruseman, it was his first heat race triumph of the year and earned him a $25 certificate from Steve Watt Enterprises. Cory was involved in the last lap tangle and had a fourteenth place finish in the feature. The versatile driver also splits his time with the USAC/CRA Sprints and USAC Western Midget Series.
Steve Conrad of Quartz Hill scored the night’s third heat race win. The pilot of the #56 Roy Miller Freight Lines / SC Grafix car earned a $25 certificate from Kaeding Performance. Also involved in the last corner tangle, Conrad broke free and scored a seventh place finish. Steve has two top-5 finishes and is currently sixth in the point chase.
Brian Camarillo drove the #22C Agromin / Waste Management entry to the evening’s fourth heat race win, sponsored by Fast Undercar. That drive earned Camarillo a certificate that is good for a case of Lucas Racing Oil. Brian’s flip resulted in a seventeenth place in the main event and he is ninth in the point standings. Camarillo has two top-5 finishes and two heat race wins in the 2010 season.
Gardena’s Greg Alexander won the twelve-lap semi-main event in the #22A NNJFI Properties car. Following Alexander to the feature were Simi Valley’s Tom Hendricks, Camarillo’s Ronnie Case, and 2007 Champion Greg Taylor of Ventura. Hendricks, by virtue of his tenth place finish in the main event, won a $50 certificate from Snap On Tools.
The VRA Sprint Car Series would like to thank Fast Undercar, Kaeding Performance, LRB Manufacturing, Lucas Oil, Snap On Tools, Steve Watt Enterprises, Sushi Fresh, and Twister-X for their support.
Ventura Raceway held four other companion features during the night’s action. San Diego’s Jesse Denome took the VRA Senior Sprint Car victory, while Santa Maria’s Danny Lauer won with the IMCA Modifieds. El Segundo’s Angel Figueroa scored his fourth straight win in VRA Pro Dwarf Car action, while Lakewood’s Chriss Gibb was victorious in the VRA Go Kart division.
This Saturday, May 15th, Ventura Raceway returns to action with VRA Sprint Cars, Senior Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Sport Compacts and the VRA Go Karts. The Front Gates will open at 3:00pm with Racing to start at 5:30pm. Adult tickets are $14, Senior, Military, and Student tickets (ID Required) are $11, while Children’s tickets (12 and under) are FREE. For more event information, please visit www.venturaraceway.com.
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VRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California
May 8, 2010
ENTRIES: ( Car / Driver Name / Points)
2 Kevin Kierce 235; 3 Marcus Niemela 10; 5K Kenny Perkins 210; 7 Greg Taylor 100; 7G Don Gansen 10; 8 Ronnie Case 120; 09 Luis Espinoza 0; 11 Troy Rutherford 250; 14 Tom Hendricks 150; 15 Rick Hendrix 195; 19 Brandon Thomson 10; 20K Dakota Kershaw 20; 21K Cory Kruseman 150; 22A Greg Alexander 110; 22C Brian Camarillo 135; 24 Guy Woodward 110; 27K Cody Kershaw 15; 29K Hobie Conway 150; 33 Scott Hansen 170; 43 Justin Kierce 135; 47K Mike Evans 5; 49X Jeff Fillingame 10; 51 Brent Camarillo 155; 55S Kyle Smith 15; 56 Steve Conrad 185; 65 Austin DeBlauw 15; 73 Josh Ford 220; 83 John Nock 160; 91R Brody Roa 180; 92 Dwayne Marcum 150; 96K Charlie Butcher 5.
HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Brian Camarillo, 2. Kevin Kierce, 3. Hobie Conway, 4. Dwayne Marcum, 5. Tom Hendricks, 6. Kyle Smith, 7. Jeff Fillingame, 8. Luis Espinoza.
HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Cory Kruseman, 2. Josh Ford, 3. Troy Rutherford, 4. John Nock, 5. Dakota Kershaw, 6. Austin DeBlauw, 7. Brandon Thomson, 8. Charlie Butcher.
HEAT RACE 3: (10 laps)
1. Steve Conrad, 2. Justin Kierce, 3. Scott Hansen, 4. Brody Roa, 5. Greg Alexander, 6. Ronnie Case, 7. Marcus Niemela, 8. Mike Evans.
HEAT RACE 4: (10 laps)
1. Brian Camarillo, 2. Kenny Perkins, 3. Rick Hendrix, 4. Guy Woodward, 5. Greg Taylor, 6. Cody Kershaw, 7. Don Gansen.
SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. Greg Alexander, 2. Tom Hendricks, 3. Ronnie Case, 4. Greg Taylor, 5. Kyle Smith, 6. Marcus Niemela, 7. Dakota Kershaw, 8. Brandon Thomson, 9. Charlie Butcher, 10. Don Gansen, 11. Cody Kershaw, 12. Austin DeBlauw, 13. Jeff Fillingame, 14. Mike Evans, 15. Luis Espinoza.
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Troy Rutherford (9th), 2. Kevin Kierce (2nd), 3. Josh Ford (7th), 4. Kenny Perkins (8th), 5. Rick Hendrix (10th), 6. Brody Roa (15th), 7. Steve Conrad (3rd), 8. Scott Hansen (11th), 9. John Nock (14th), 10. Tom Hendricks (18th), 11. Dwayne Marcum (13th), 12. Hobie Conway (12th), 13. Brent Camarillo (6th), 14. Cory Kruseman (4th), 15. Ronnie Case (19th) 16. Justin Kierce (1st), 17. Brian Camarillo (5th), 18. Greg Alexander (17th), 19. Guy Woodward (16th), 20. Greg Taylor (20th).
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VRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: (5/8)
1. Troy Rutherford 1610
2. Kevin Kierce 1495
3. Josh Ford 1340
4. Greg Taylor 1295
5. Rick Hendrix 1275
6. Steve Conrad 1180
7. Brent Camarillo 995
8. Guy Woodward 985
9. Brian Camarillo 965
10. Don Gansen 940
11. John Nock 935
12. Justin Kierce 880
13. Ronnie Case 720
14. Dakota Kershaw 715
15. Luis Espinoza 675
16. Cody Kershaw 670
17. Brody Roa 590
18. Scott Hansen 455
19. Clark Templeman III 435
20. Nic Faas 405
NEXT VRA SPRINT CAR RACE:
May 15 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California