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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
#4 “The Demon” Damion Gardner. Photo by Mike Grosswendt / surfNsprint.com.
DAMION GARDNER WINS 47TH USAC/CRA FEATURE AT CANYON
By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – MARCH 2, 2014... In one of the most dramatic opening night races, “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord, California slipped by R.J. Johnson and Gary Taylor to lead the final two laps and claim Friday’s “Copper On Dirt” feature. Recording his 47th Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car win, the defending series champion earned the $2,500 victory at Canyon Speedway Park and sits atop the point standings. Johnson, Taylor, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., and Josh Hodges followed Gardner to the checkered flags as rain would cancel Saturday’s program.
Making a rare appearance with USAC/CRA, Gary Taylor outdueled pole sitter Charles Davis Jr. to grab the early command. Looking for his first series victory, the veteran driver began to inch away from the field as track conditions were changing with every passing lap. Gardner, Johnson, and fast qualifier Mike Spencer gave chase as Taylor increased his advantage to a near straightaway lead. Entering lapped traffic, Spencer broke through to second and began to reel in the leader. Closing to within striking distance, Spencer challenged Taylor for the top spot, but the leader continued to hold strong.
On lap 24, Spencer saw opening in turn one and executed “slide job” that misfired and resulted in a 360-spin. Remaining under power, a caution flag had come out and the five-time champion had to tag the field per USAC rules. Now in second, R.J. Johnson took advantage of the restart and powered past Taylor to take to the lead. Gary stayed close to Johnson and Gardner entered the skirmish two laps later. Racing through slower traffic, the three racers became locked in a torrid battle for the top spot. “The Demon” emerged with the lead and took the white flag before claiming the season opening victory.
Driving Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Advanced Racing Suspension Spike, “The Demon” Damion Gardner was fifth quick in time trials and placed third in his heat race. “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” left Canyon with a three-point advantage heading to Perris Auto Speedway for the “Sokola Shootout” on March 15th.
After leading five laps, Phoenix, Arizona’s R.J. Johnson had to settle for second in the Canyon Speedway main event. Piloting Bobby Martin’s #51 Weiler Farms / Pecon Builders Maxim, the defending USAC SouthWest Champion timed in fourth fast on the night and ran fourth in his heat race. Johnson will have a short week, as he is expected to compete on Thursday in Las Vegas’ “Sin City Showdown” in USAC 360 action.
Making his first start in Gerry Cook’s #4X Lucas Oil / Beaver Stripes RSS, Gary Taylor of Snohomish, Washington claimed third in Friday’s “Copper On Dirt” feature. Qualifying sixth and taking fourth in his heat race, Taylor officially led the first twenty-three laps of the main event. The versatile driver made some new fans with his Friday night performance at Canyon.
Buckeye, Arizona’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. scored fourth in the 30-lap main event. Racing the Massey Motorsports #50X RSS Industries / MPe RSS, the five-time Arizona Champion timed in eighth fast and claimed second in his heat race. Like Johnson, look for Davis to compete in Las Vegas on Thursday night in the USAC 360 “Grudge Series” opener.
Josh Hodges of Tijeras, New Mexico earned the night's Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fifth place run from eleventh. Driving the family owned #74X Parts Plus / Mesilla Valley Transportation Maxim, Hodges qualified eleventh and placed sixth in his heat race. The young driver is sixth in points as he gains valuable experience with and without a wing before heading to the Midwest.
Temecula, California’s Mike Spencer out-qualified the 21 car field and earned the first Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of 2014. Piloting Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer claimed second in his heat race and nearly took the lead from Taylor before the heartbreaking spin. Scoring sixteenth, Mike is fifteenth in points as USAC/CRA returns to their “home track” on March 15th.
Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Racing Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams qualified sixteenth overall and scored fourteenth in the main event. The former Rookie of the Year is currently sixteenth in points and will be looking for the “Sokola Shootout” victory at Perris.
Ventura, California’s “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman raced to victory in the DJ Safety Heat Race #3. Driving Mark Priestley’s #7 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Sander Engineering Bullet, Kruseman was fourteenth in time trials and scored twenty-first in the feature after mechanical issues ended his night. The 2006 Champion is tied for seventeenth in the standings and will have his sights on rebounding at Perris with his 35th career USAC/CRA win.
Josh Pelkey of Peoria Arizona won the program’s Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #3. Piloting Robbie & Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / NAPA Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey qualified fifteenth overall and claimed thirteenth in the main event. The 1997 ASCA Champion is fourteenth in the standings and is another driver expected to compete in Thursday’s “Sin City Showdown.”
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: The Hoosier HTW/HT2 Right Rear Tires can be run at the next two dates (3/15 Perris, and 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, March 15th, at Perris Auto Speedway for the “Sokola Shootout.” 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 [email protected].
For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/USAC_CRA).
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
February 28, 2014 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park – “Copper On Dirt”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TIME TRIALS:
1. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-13.476; 2. Nic Faas, 73, Ford-13.810; 3. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-13.814; 4. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-13.942; 5. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-13.968, 6. Gary Taylor, 4X, Cook-14.027; 7. Colby Copeland, 74, Williams-14.071, 8. Charles Davis Jr., 50X, Massey-14.078; 9. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-14.109; 10. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-14.137; 11. Josh Hodges, 74X, Hodges-14.211; 12. Dave Darland, 45, Grady-14.268; 13. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-14.330; 14. Cory Kruseman, 7, Priestley- 14.399; 15. Josh Pelkey, 12, Allen-14.406; 16. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-14.456; 17. J.J. Ercse, 14, Springstead-14.675; 18. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-14.783; 19. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-14.862; 20. Michael Curtis, 11C, Turner/Wheeler-17.488; 21. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE #1: (8 laps)
1. Austin Williams, 2. Mike Spencer, 3. Matt Mitchell, 4. R.J. Johnson, 5. Colby Copeland, 6. Jake Swanson, 7. Logan Williams. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE #2: (8 laps)
1. Cory Kruseman, 2. Charles Davis Jr., 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Nic Faas, 5. J.J. Ercse, 6. Josh Hodges, 7. Michael Curtis. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #3: (8 laps)
1. Josh Pelkey, 2. Cody Williams, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Gary Taylor, 5. Mike Martin, 6. Brody Roa, 7. Chris Gansen. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Damion Gardner (3rd), 2. R.J. Johnson (4th), 3. Gary Taylor (2nd), 4. Charles Davis Jr. (1st), 5. Josh Hodges (11th), 6. Nic Faas (5th), 7. Mike Martin (7th), 8. Jake Swanson (10th), 9. Colby Copeland (8th), 10. Matt Mitchell (13th), 11. Dave Darland (12th), 12. Cody Williams (9th), 13. Josh Pelkey (15th), 14. Austin Williams (16th), 15. Brody Roa (21st), 16. Mike Spencer (6th), 17. Logan Williams (19th), 18. Michael Curtis (20th), 19. J.J. Ercse (17th), 20. Chris Gansen (18th), 21. Cory Kruseman (14th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-23 Gary Taylor, Laps 24-28 R.J. Johnson, Laps 29-30 Damion Gardner.
KEIZER WHEELS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Josh Hodges (11th to 5th)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Damion Gardner-68, 2. R.J. Johnson-65, 3. Gary Taylor-60, 4. Charles Davis Jr.-58, 5. Nic Faas-55, 6. Josh Hodges-51, 7. Mike Martin-50, 8. Jake Swanson-42, 9. Colby Copeland-40, 10. Matt Mitchell-39, 11. Dave Darland-37, 12. Brody Roa-36, --. Cody Williams-36, 14. Josh Pelkey-35, 15. Mike Spencer-34, 16. Austin Williams-33, 17. Logan Williams-21, --. Cory Kruseman-21, 19. Michael Curtis-19, --. J.J. Ercse-19.
2014 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
March 15: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout)
April 12: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (So Cal Sprint Car Spectacular)
May 3: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
May 10: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
May 24: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute to Indy / $3,000-to-Win)
June 14: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
June 27: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
June 28: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Firecracker 40 / $3,000-to-Win)
July 5: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
August 16: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 30: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
August 31: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 4: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week / $2,750-to-Win)
September 5: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week / $2,750-to-Win)
September 6: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (California Sprint Week / $2,750-to-Win)
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 11: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Cotton Classic / $2,750-to-Win)
November 7: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 8: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $20,000-to-Win)
November 14: *Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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