By Scott Daloisio
(OCTOBER 16, 2010, PERRIS, CA) When the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series brings Major League Sprint Car racing back to Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday, October 23rd, one of the big hitters in the sport will be making a rare Southern California appearance. Concord, California native Damion Gardner will be on hand to challenge the best drivers Southern California has to offer on the brightly lit Riverside County clay oval. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM and the first race will be at 7:00. The 23rd is a military night at The PAS and any current military member with proper id will be admitted for only $5.00.
For Gardner, who now races out of Pittsboro, Indiana, Saturday’s race will only be his second at The PAS in 2010. In his only appearance on February 27th, he won the Sokola Shootout. Despite not being a regular in the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series, his four wins have him tied for the most victories on the circuit with Mike Spencer and David Cardey. He will lock horns with both of them as they strive to be the first to five wins in 2010.
Since Gardner made his PAS debut on February 9, 2002 when he finished sixth in the A-main, his exploits in a Sprint Car have become legendary. He is arguably the most exciting driver ever to set a tire to The PAS surface. From day one the slender racer has displayed a fierce racing style that has today catapulted him to the top of the traditional Sprint Car racing world. He won the 2005 USAC/CRA title and the 2008 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This year, his fourth as a full time competitor in the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series in the Midwest, Gardner is third in the championship point standings.
“Damion Gardner is a great addition to the October 23rd race at The PAS,” promoter Don Kazarian said with a grin. “He alone is worth the price of admission when he comes to town. Some of the moves he has executed over the years just leave you shaking your head in awe. He is one of the best drivers we have ever had the pleasure of watching at The PAS. I can’t wait to see him in action again.”
In addition to Gardner competing in the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series on the 23rd, there will be a special winner take all “Legends of Ascot Match Race” featuring Tony Jones, Danny Sheridan, David Cardey and National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Rip Williams. The purse for the winner take all race now stands at over $5,200.00! As of now if the same driver wins the match race and the regular 30 lap main event, he will take home $7,700.00! And, there will more than likely be more money coming in for the match race by the 23rd.
“Those four guys will have their elbows up in that match race,” Kazarian said. “That is serious money and they are already pumped up about it. It is going to be wild. Between the regular program, Damion Gardner coming back and the match race, this is destined to be one of the most exciting nights of racing we have ever had at Perris Auto Speedway.”
Earlier in the day the 6th Legends of Ascot festivities will take place at the track. This year, the Agajanian family will receive the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, the 2010 legends that will be honored are Evelyn Pratt, Tony “The Tiger” Simon, Paul Jones and Vel Miletich. Special guests in attendance will include Parnelli Jones, Andy & Vince Granatelli, the lovely Linda Vaughn and racers, owners and officials from legendary Ascot Park. There will also be a huge vintage racecar show at the Legends. Attendees to the Legends of Ascot event will receive a gift bag, lunch and tickets to the night’s USAC/CRA race. To order tickets to the Legends of Ascot call: (310) 549-3562.
If that is not enough, also on the racing program that night will be the USAC Ford Focus Midgets, USAC Western Dirt Young Guns and the WRA Vintage Cars.
You can keep up with all of the latest news from Perris Auto Speedway on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/perrisautospdwy.
For more information call The PAS at: (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of October’s Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds.
Video and DVD productions of all racing events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from Jeff Kristensen’s Raceway Video. For more information on these productions you can call: (818) 618-9764 or visit the web site at: racewayvideo.com.
racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment
2010 AMSOIL USAC/CRA POINT STANDINGS
1. Mike Spencer – Temecula, CA – 1130
2. Danny Sheridan – Santa Maria, CA – 877
3. Cory Kruseman – Ventura, CA – 845
3. Blake Miller – Yorba Linda, CA – 770
5. Matt Mitchell – Yorba Linda, CA – 745
6. Greg Bragg – Visalia, CA – 590
7. Tony Jones – Orange, CA – 557
8. David Cardey – Riverside, CA – 529
9. Cody Williams – Yorba Linda, CA – 518
10. Austin Williams – Yorba Linda, CA – 509
2010 AMSOIL USAC/CRA MAIN EVENT WINNERS
David Cardey … 4
Damion Gardner … 4
Mike Spencer … 4
Blake Miller … 2
Cory Kruseman … 2
Greg Bragg … 1
Levi Jones … 1
Matt Mitchell … 1