By Lance JenningsDamion Gardner. – T.J. Buffenbarger Photo
PERRIS, CA – MARCH 16, 2014… Taking the lead from Mike Spencer on lap 14, “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord sliced his way through heavy traffic to claim Saturday’s “Sokola Shootout” at Perris Auto Speedway. Earning an extra $500 bonus from AMA Plastics, Gardner’s second straight Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car triumph was worth $3,000 for his efforts. Spencer, Nic Faas, Matt Mitchell, and Ronnie Gardner followed “The Demon” to the checkered flags.
Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Advanced Racing Suspension Spike, Damion Gardner swept the night’s program and earned the first “Dean Thompson Award” of the campaign. The defending champion out-qualified the 31 cars in the pit area and claimed his first Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of 2014. Damion won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1 and would leave Perris with a 20 point advantage over the competition.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer led eleven laps of the feature before taking second at the finish. Driving Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer closed to within striking distance in the closing laps until Gardner split heavy traffic with a daring move. The five-time champion was third quick in time trials and won the Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #3. With his runner-up finish, Mike took home an extra $300 from AMA Plastics and has climbed to fourth in the point standings.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach placed third in the “Sokola Shootout.” Racing Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Faas qualified second overall and won the program’s DJ Safety Heat Race #2. The former USAC Western Midget Champion earned an extra $200 from AMA Plastics and ranks second in the USAC/CRA point chase.
Yorba Linda’s Matt Mitchell battled hard to run fourth in the 30-lap main event. Piloting his #37 MPD Racing / A.R.T. Enterprises Maxim, the hard charger was fourth quick in time trials and scored third in his heat race. Mitchell currently sits fifth in championship points as the series will take a short break in the schedule.
Ronnie Gardner of Norco led the first two laps of the main event before scoring fifth in the “Sokola Shootout.” Driving his #93 Esslinger Engineering / Six8 Motorsports Sled, Gardner qualified eighth overall and won the Pyrotect Racing Cells Heat Race #4. The defending USAC Western Midget Champion left Perris Auto Speedway twelfth in the standings.
Corona’s “The Cadillac” Cody Williams earned the night’s Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a tenth place run from twentieth. Racing Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams was twenty-first quick in time trials and placed third in his heat race. The former National Rookie of the Year is currently ninth in the point chase.
Brody Roa of Huntington Beach won the 12-lap Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main. Piloting the BR Performance owned #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Spike, Roa qualified ninth overall, placed fifth in his heat race, and scored eleventh in the main event. As this writing goes to press, the former Wagsdash Champion sits tenth in the point standings.
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: The Hoosier HTW/HT2 Right Rear Tires can be run at the next race (4/12 Perris). At Perris Auto Speedway’s May 3rd show, the Hoosier 105/16 Medium will be the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier tires. Fuel-injected iron block 360 sprints must use the Hoosier 105/16 Medium and carbureted spec sprints can still use their local track legal Hoosier tires with USAC/CRA.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will be back in action on Saturday, April 12th, at Perris Auto Speedway for the “So-Cal Sprint Car Spectacular.” The event will mark the first time in history that the USAC/CRA 410s will race on the same card with the famed World of Outlaw Sprints. The PAS Senior Sprints will join the action on the “Power of Purple Night and The Drive to $100,000.” Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, more event information can be found at www.perrisautospeedway.com or calling (951) 940-0134. To catch all of the action of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, Loudpedal Productions has DVD videos available for purchase. For more information, call (805) 407-7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Engler Machine & Tool, Extreme Mufflers, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, Saldana Racing Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
1. Nic Faas, 2. David Bezio, 3. Johnathon Henry, 4. Corey Ballard, 5. Verne Sweeney, 6. Gary Potter, 7. Austin Williams, 8. Tony Everhart. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #3: (10 laps)
1. Mike Spencer, 2. R.J. Johnson, 3. A.J. Bender, 4. Josh Pelkey, 5. Gary Taylor, 6. Logan Williams, 7. J.J. Ercse. NT
PYROTECT RACING CELLS HEAT RACE #4: (10 laps)
1. Ronnie Gardner, 2. Richard Vander Weerd, 3. Matt Mitchell, 4. Cody Swanson, 5. Seth Wilson, 6. Cal Smith, 7. Chris Gansen. 2:53.97
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INC. / ROD END SUPPLY SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. Brody Roa, 2. Gary Taylor, 3. Cory Kruseman, 4. Seth Wilson, 5. Verne Sweeney, 6. Logan Williams, 7. Chris Gansen, 8. Cal Smith, 9. Tony Everhart, 10. Jeremy Ellertson, 11. Gary Potter. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Damion Gardner (6th), 2. Mike Spencer (4th), 3. Nic Faas (5th), 4. Matt Mitchell (3rd), 5. Ronnie Gardner (1st), 6. Richard Vander Weerd (11th), 7. Jake Swanson (2nd), 8. Josh Pelkey (10th), 9. R.J. Johnson (14th), 10. Cody Williams (20th), 11. Brody Roa (8th), 12. Gary Taylor (7th), 13. Cory Kruseman (12th), 14. Jace Vander Weerd (16th), 15. Johnathon Henry (17th), 16. David Bezio (9th), 17. Cody Swanson (15th), 18. Logan Williams (22nd), 19. Corey Ballard (13th), 20. Seth Wilson (19th), 21. Verne Sweeney (21st), 22. A.J. Bender (18th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Ronnie Gardner, Laps 3-13 Mike Spencer, Laps 14-30 Damion Gardner.
KEIZER WHEELS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Cody Williams (20th to 10th)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Damion Gardner-142; 2. Nic Faas-122; 3. R.J. Johnson-108; 4. Mike Spencer-103; 5. Matt Mitchell-99; 6. Gary Taylor-92; 7. Jake Swanson-91; 8. Josh Pelkey-79; 9. Cody Williams-75; 10. Brody Roa-61; 11. Charles Davis Jr.-58; 12. Ronnie Gardner-52; –. Richard Vander Weerd-52; 14. Josh Hodges-51; 15. Cory Kruseman-50; –. Mike Martin-50; 17. Colby Copeland-40; 18. Logan Williams-39; 19. Dave Darland-37; 20. Austin Williams-34.
