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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
#4 “The Demon” Damion Gardner – Perris “Firecracker 40” Winner. Photo by Doug Allen.
DAMION GARDNER WINS PERRIS “FIRECRACKER 40”
By Lance Jennings
PERRIS, CA – JULY 6, 2014... “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord continued his winning ways last Friday night at Perris Auto Speedway. The defending Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Champion and current point leader scored the $3,500 “Firecracker 40” triumph in front of a packed house. Fast Qualifier Mike Spencer, Nic Faas, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, and Ryan Bernal followed “The Demon” to the checkered flags.
Racing past Matt Mitchell on the third circuit, Gardner was running away from the field until a flip by Cody Swanson halted the action. On the restart, seventh starting Mike Spencer challenged for the top spot and Gardner shook free by stepping up his pace. As the laps counted down, Damion’s near straightaway advantage began to shrink as he dealt with slower traffic. Spencer looked to capitalize on the opportunity and began to reel in the leader. Gardner had to use some daring moves to cut through the lapped traffic and even bounced his mount off a thick cushion. From there, “The Demon” claimed the annual “Firecracker” victory for the second time in his career.
Driving Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike, Damion Gardner earned his sixth main event win of the campaign. Qualifying sixth out of the twenty-nine racers in the pit area, the point leader also won the 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” left Perris with four Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, eight heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 137 feature laps led.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer pressured Gardner for the lead, but had to settle for second in the “Firecracker 40.” Piloting Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer earned his fourth Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, placed seventh in his heat race, and won the 12-lap Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main. The five-time champion headed to Santa Maria with one feature win, two heat race victories, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, eight top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led to his credit.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach claimed third at Perris Auto Speedway after starting sixth. Racing Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Faas was second quick in time trials and took fourth in his heat race. The former USAC Western Midget Champion left Perris with three heat race victories and nine top-10 finishes on the season.
Corona’s “The Cadillac” Cody Williams scored fourth in the 40-lap main event. Driving Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams qualified seventh overall and placed third in his heat race. “The Cadillac” headed to Santa Maria with one heat race victory, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, five top-10 finishes, and 3 feature laps led.
Hollister’s Ryan Bernal charged to fifth in the “Firecracker 40” after starting twelfth. Piloting Mike Phulps’ #56 Core Power / Metal Works ART, Bernal was twelfth fast in time trials and won the Pyrotect Racing Cells / Weld Racing Heat Race #4. The defending USAC Western Classic Sprint Champion left Perris with two heat race victories and three top-10 finishes in USAC/CRA competition.
Gary Taylor of Snohomish, Washington earned his first Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a twelfth place finish from twenty-second. Racing Gerry Cook’s #04G Lucas Oil / Beaver Stripes RSS, Taylor qualified twenty-fifth overall, ran sixth in his heat race, and took sixth in the semi-main. The versatile driver headed to Santa Maria with one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, three top-10 finishes and 23 feature laps led.
Stockton’s D.J. Johnson won the 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Driving the family owned #33 Unique Breeds / Proplant Farm Services Eagle, Johnson was seventeenth quick in time trials and scored eighteenth in the main event. Last season’s USAC Western Classic Sprint Rookie of the Year left Perris with one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win and one top-10 finish with USAC/CRA.
Brody Roa of Huntington Beach won the Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #3. Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa qualified eleventh overall and charged to sixth in the feature from eleventh. The former Wagsdash Champion headed to Santa Maria with three heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and six top-10 finishes on the season.
Phoenix’s Shon Deskins earned the night’s Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror Award. Piloting his #4X MP Environmental / Spike Chassis entry, Deskins was twenty-second fast in time trials, ran fifth in his heat race, and finished seventh in the semi-main. The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car feature winner missed the transfer to the main event.
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, Weld Racing, 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 CAR RACE RESULTS:
July 4, 2014 – Perris, California – Perris Auto Speedway – “Firecracker 40”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TIME TRIALS:
1. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-16.814; 2. Nic Faas, 73, Ford-16.900; 3. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-17.025; 4. Rickie Gaunt, 66, Miller-17.048; 5. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-17.076; 6. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-17.090; 7. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-17.097; 8. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-17.223; 9. Josh Pelkey, 12, Allen-17.270; 10. Richard Vander Weerd, 10. Vander Weerd-17.282; 11. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-17.284; 12. Ryan Bernal, 56, Phulps-17.343; 13. Cory Kruseman, 7, Priestley-17.355; 14. David Bezio, 37X, Bezio-17.357; 15. Cody Swanson, 36, Springstead-17.415; 16. Ronnie Gardner, 93, Gardner-17.500; 17. D.J. Johnson, 33, Johnson-17.605; 18. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-17.619; 19. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-17.704; 20. Seth Wilson, 6W, Wilson-17.740; 21. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-17.940; 22. Shon Deskins, 4X, Deskins-17.975; 23. Corey Ballard, 34, Ballard-17.979; 24. Jeremy Ellertson, 98X, Ellertson-18.019; 25. Gary Taylor, 04G, Cook-18.211; 26. Jesse Denome, 6, Denome-18.377; 27. Tony Everhart, 55, Everhart-18.541; 28. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-18.612; 29. Kyle Edwards, 39E, Edwards-18.943.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE #1: (10 laps)
1. D.J. Johnson, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Josh Pelkey, 4. Jace Vander Weerd, 5. Austin Williams, 6. Gary Taylor, 7. Mike Spencer, 8. Kyle Edwards. 2:59.53
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE #2: (10 laps)
1. Damion Gardner, 2. R.J. Johnson, 3. Richard Vander Weerd, 4. Nic Faas, 5. Shon Deskins, 6. David Bezio, 7. Jesse Denome. 2:51.54
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #3: (10 laps)
1. Brody Roa, 2. Jake Swanson, 3. Cody Williams, 4. Cody Swanson, 5. Corey Ballard, 6. Logan Williams, 7. Tony Everhart. 2:52.66
PYROTECT RACING CELLS / WELD RACING HEAT 4: (10 laps)
1. Ryan Bernal, 2. Ronnie Gardner, 3. Matt Mitchell, 4. Seth Wilson, 5. Jeremy Ellertson, 6. Chris Gansen, 7. Rickie Gaunt. NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INC. / ROD END SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. Mike Spencer, 2. Austin Williams, 3. Logan Williams, 4. Rickie Gaunt, 5. David Bezio, 6. Gary Taylor, 7. Shon Deskins, 8. Jeremy Ellertson, 9. Corey Ballard, 10. Kyle Edwards, 11. Chris Gansen, 12. Tony Everhart. 3:42.16
FEATURE: (40 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Damion Gardner (4th), 2. Mike Spencer (7th), 3. Nic Faas (6th), 4. Cody Williams (3rd), 5. Ryan Bernal (12th), 6. Brody Roa (11th), 7. Richard Vander Weerd (10th), 8. Cory Kruseman (13th), 9. Josh Pelkey (1st), 10. Jake Swanson (5th), 11. Austin Williams (9th), 12. Gary Taylor (22nd), 13. David Bezio (14th), 14. R.J. Johnson (18th), 15. Ronnie Gardner (16th), 16. Seth Wilson (20th), 17. Logan Williams (19th), 18. D.J. Johnson (17th), 19. Chris Gansen (23rd), 20. Rickie Gaunt (8th), 21. Jace Vander Weerd (21st), 22. Cody Swanson (15th), 23. Matt Mitchell (2nd). NT
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**Matt Mitchell and Cody Swanson flipped during the feature.
**Chris Gansen used a provisional.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Matt Mitchell, Laps 3-40 Damion Gardner.
KEIZER WHEELS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Gary Taylor (22nd to 12th)
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