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THE DEMON RETURNS TO PAS GLORY
By Robert Mayson
Perris, Calif…(October 18, 2008) Damion Gardner, Concord, Calif., returned to the Perris Auto Speedway Saturday night and snapped Tony Jones’ (Norco, Calif.) four-race Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Car winning streak at the PAS.
Driving the Leffler Racing / Pace Electronics No. 71 DRC, “The Demon” started sixth in the 30-lap event before scoring his first series win at Perris in over two years. Even with the Gardner’s absence from the series full-time, his win Saturday was the 33rd of his USAC/CRA career, giving him six more than his nearest rival.
“This was home for a long time because we used to come here so much,” Gardner said. “I kind of made my name here and it gave me a lot of opportunities because I was successful here. So, I like to come back here and race anytime I get the chance.”
Rip Williams and Jones shared the front row for the start of the race before “The Ripper” grabbed the lead on the opening lap. By the end of the second lap, Jones had put his Alexander Trucking / La Villa Restaurant No. 4 DRC into the lead thanks to a nice drive exiting turn-four.
After a lap-five caution period for an incident involving Rickie Gaunt and Greg Bragg, Danny Sherdian, Santa Maria, Calif. and Gardner each moved ahead of Williams in turn-one. One lap later, Gardner jumped ahead of the Kittle Motorsports / Scott Sales No. 18 Stinger driven by Sheridan to secure the second-position.
Gardner quickly caught Jones and immediately challenged for the lead. Jones did a masterful job of holding back Gardner until they reached lapped traffic just past the midway point of the race. Taking advantage of the situation, Gardner decisively darted past Jones and a lapped car driven by Henry Clarke on the 18th lap. Jones tried to follow Gardner into turn-three, but wound up spinning into the wall after clipping Clarke’s tail tank. Jones returned to action and still managed a sixth-place finish.
“Tony was looking around (for a better line) and trying to hold me off at the same time. I was just searching for a way to get by and was going where he wasn’t,” Gardner recalled. “I felt that I had the advantage and I just kind of forced it through there using the lapper. My crew chief Daryl Saucier had the thing hooked up really good tonight and we were able to get a hold of those patches coming off the corners and I knew once I got by Tony that I could put some good laps together and keep my car up front.”
Gardner did keep his car up front for the remainder of the race. Behind him there were a number of terrific battles including the one for second-place between title contenders Mike Spencer, Temecula, Calif., and Blake Miller, Yorba Linda, Calif. Spencer and his Ron Chaffin / Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply No. 50 Maxim eventually prevailed over Miller, who started the event in the eighth position. Earlier in the evening, Miller set fast time in the Jeff Gardner / Roy Miller Frieghtlines No. 93 Sled.
Sheridan finished fourth, one spot ahead of the Billy Boat Motorsports / RS Service No. 30 Maxim driven by Chad Boat of Phoenix, Arizona. Former Oval Nationals winner Rodney Argo received Hard-Charger honors with his 22nd to eleventh-place run.
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