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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
Top 3 in Santa Maria Victory Circle. (L-R) Austin Williams (2nd), Damion Gardner (1st), Geoff Ensign (3rd). Photo by Mike Grosswendt / surfNsprint.com.
DAMION GARDNER WINS CALIFORNIA SPRINT WEEK TITLE AFTER SANTA MARIA WIN
By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – SEPTEMBER 8, 2014... Concord’s “The Demon” Damion Gardner continued his winning ways by claiming his third straight $2,750 Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car feature. Taking the lead from “The Cadillac” Cody Williams on lap twenty-five, “The Demon” sailed to victory at Santa Maria Speedway and won the inaugural “California Sprint Week” championship. Williams, “The Human Highlight Reel” Geoff Ensign, Brody Roa, and Mike Spencer followed Gardner to the checkered flags.
Racing Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike, Damion Gardner won his tenth main event of the season after starting fifth. Qualifying second out of the twenty-five racers in the pit area, Gardner also scored third in his heat race. To date, the point leader heads to Saturday’s “Glenn Howard Classic” with a 242 point lead on the strength of seven Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, fourteen heat race victories, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 191 feature laps led to his credit.
After grabbing the lead from “Super” Rickie Gaunt and leading fourteen laps, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams of Corona took second at Santa Maria. Piloting Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams was sixth quick in time trials and ran second to Luke Boles in his heat race. Currently, the former National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year is fourth in points with one feature win, one heat race victory, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, nine top-10 finishes, and 29 feature laps led on the season.
Sebastopol’s “The Human Highlight Reel” Geoff Ensign scored third in the “California Sprint Week” finale. Driving Ted Finkenbinder’s #3F Western Industrial X-Ray Eagle, Ensign qualified fourth overall and ran third in his heat race. In limited starts, the former USAC Western Classic Champion is twenty-second in points with one heat race win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and four top-10 finishes in 2014.
Brody Roa of Huntington Beach placed fourth in the Santa Maria feature after starting sixth. Racing the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa earned his first career USAC/CRA Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and took fourth in his heat race. The former Wagsdash Champion heads to Perris ranked third in the point chase with five heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and eleven top-10 finishes on the year.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer charged to fifth in USAC/CRA’s return to Santa Maria after starting eighth. Piloting Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer was eighth quick in time trials and claimed fourth in his heat race. To date, the five-time champion is second in the standings with one feature win, five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, fourteen top-10 finishes, and 75 feature laps led.
Garrett Hansen of Manhattan Beach earned his second Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a thirteenth place finish from nineteenth. Driving Mark Priestley’s #7 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Sander Engineering Bullet, Hansen qualified nineteenth overall, took seventh in his heat race, and placed fifth in the semi-main. Making his return to USAC/CRA competition, Hansen sits thirty-fifth in points with one top-10 finish.
Hollister’s Ryan Bernal drove to victory in the 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Racing Mike Phulps’ #56 Tri-C Mandarin Ranch / Core Power ART, Bernal was sixteenth fast in time trials and charged from sixteenth in the main event to claim eleventh. Currently, the defending USAC Western Classic Champion is thirteenth in USAC/CRA standings with four heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win, four top-10 finishes, and 26 feature laps led in the campaign.
“Super” Rickie Gaunt of Torrance won Santa Maria’s 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. Piloting David Miller’s #66 Tom Roberts Design / Barnes Systems Eagle, Gaunt qualified fifth overall and led the first ten laps of the main event before taking seventh. In limited action, the 1999 Oval Nationals Champion is twenty-first in points with three top-10 finishes.
Goleta’s Luke Boles claimed his first USAC/CRA checkered flags by winning the Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #3. Driving the family owned #56A Larry’s Auto Parts / Specialty Tool & Bolt TCR, Boles was eighteenth fast in time trials and was the highest ranked 360 entry with a sixteenth place run in the main event. After two appearances with USAC/CRA, the Ventura regular is sixtieth in the points chase.
Austin Williams of Yorba Linda won his first 12-lap Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main of the season. Racing Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams qualified seventh overall, ran fifth in his heat race, and placed sixth in the main event. The former Rookie of the Year left Santa Maria ranked sixth in points with one feature win, one heat race victory, seven top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to action on Saturday, September 13th, at Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, California. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, the “Glenn Howard Classic” will also showcase the PAS Senior Sprints, PAS Young Gun Sprints, and the California Lightning Sprints. For more information, visit www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 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, 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:
September 6, 2014 – Santa Maria, California – Santa Maria Speedway – “California Sprint Week”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TIME TRIALS:
1. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-14.612; 2. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-14.631; 3. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-14.985; 4. Geoff Ensign, 3F, Finkenbinder-15.099; 5. Rickie Gaunt, 66, Miller-15.196; 6. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-15.205; 7. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-15.218; 8. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-15.317; 9. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-15.389; 10. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-15.435; 11. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-15.560; 12. D.J. Johnson, 33, Johnson-15.672; 13. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-15.690; 14. Jeremy Ellertson, 98X, Ellertson-15.714; 15. Ronnie Gardner, 4X, Gansen-15.724; 16. Ryan Bernal, 56, Phulps-15.778; 17. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-15.894; 18. Luke Boles, 56A, Boles-15.985; 19. Garrett Hansen, 7, Priestley-16.203; 20. Tyler Schmidt, 49, Schmidt-16.397; 21. Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-16.541; 22. James Herrera, 16J, Jones-16.963; 23. Bill Jones, 16, Jones-NT; 24. Kevin Thomas Jr., 73, Ford-NT; 25. Cotton Farmer, 15, HAL-NT; 26. Eric Rossi, 17 Shanoian-NT
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE #1: (10 laps)
1. Bernal, 2. Mitchell, 3. Ensign, 4. Roa, 5. A.Williams, 6. J.Vander Weerd, 7. Hansen, 8. Herrera. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE #2: (10 laps)
1. Gaunt, 2. Ellertson, 3. D.Gardner, 4. Spencer, 5. L.Williams, 6. Gansen, 7. Schmidt (#17 Shanoian), 8. Jones. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #3: (10 laps)
1. Boles, 2. C.Williams, 3. Hurst, 4. R.Vander Weerd, 5. Swanson, 6. Johnson, 7. R.Gardner, 8. Farmer (#7D HAL). NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INC. / ROD END SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. A.Williams, 2. Johnson, 3. Swanson, 4. J.Vander Weerd, 5. Hansen, 6. R.Gardner, 7. L.Williams, 8. Gansen, 9. Schmidt, 10. Farmer, 11. Herrera, 12. Jones. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Damion Gardner (5th), 2. Cody Williams (1st), 3. Geoff Ensign (3rd), 4. Brody Roa (6th), 5. Mike Spencer (8th), 6. Austin Williams (7th), 7. Rickie Gaunt (2nd), 8. Jace Vander Weerd (13th), 9. Jake Swanson (9th), 10. D.J. Johnson (12th), 11. Ryan Bernal (16th), 12. Matt Mitchell (10th), 13. Garrett Hansen (19th), 14. Landon Hurst (20th), 15. Logan Williams (11th), 16. Luke Boles (18th), 17. Chris Gansen (17th), 18. Tyler Schmidt (22nd), 19. Ronnie Gardner (15th), 20. Jeremy Ellertson (14th), 21. Cotton Farmer (21st), 22. Richard Vander Weerd (4th), 23. Kevin Thomas Jr. (23rd). NT
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*Kevin Thomas Jr. used a provisional.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-10 Gaunt, Laps 11-24 C.Williams, Laps 25-30 Gardner
KEIZER WHEELS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Garrett Hansen (19th to 13th)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Damion Gardner-1118, 2. Mike Spencer-876, 3. Brody Roa-743, 4. Cody Williams-701, 5. Matt Mitchell-692, 6. Austin Williams-664, 7. Nic Faas-628, 8. Jake Swanson-611, 9. Richard Vander Weerd-551, 10. Logan Williams-439, 11. Cory Kruseman-381, 12. Chris Gansen-333, 13. Ryan Bernal-317, 14. Jace Vander Weerd-312, 15. Kevin Thomas Jr.-311, 16. Gary Taylor-263, 17. Colby Copeland-260, 18. Ronnie Gardner-214, 19. A.J. Bender-199, 20. Cody Swanson-198.
FINAL CALIFORNIA SPRINT WEEK POINT STANDINGS:
1. Damion Gardner-332, 2. Brody Roa-247, 3. Kevin Thomas Jr.-246, 4. Mike Spencer-245, 5. Cody Williams-218, 6. Geoff Ensign-186, 7. Matt Mitchell-175, 8. Ryan Bernal-166, 9. D.J. Johnson-160, 10. Austin Williams-157, 11. Colby Copeland-151, Jake Swanson-151, 13. Christopher Bell-135, 14. Rico Abreu-132, 15. Bradley Terrell-129, 16. Logan Williams-118, 17. Bud Kaeding-101, 18. Chris Gansen-99, 19. Austin Liggett-96, 20. Terry Schank Jr.-85, 21. Richard Vander Weerd-80, 22. Robert Ballou-76, 23. Jace Vander Weerd-72, 24. Scott Hall-69, 25. Rickie Gaunt-52, 26. Tim Barber-49, 27. Andy Forsberg-47, 28. Danny Faria Jr.-46, 29. Marty Hawkins-44, 30. Garrett Hansen-42, 31. Adam Brenton-39, 32. Tyler Schmidt-36, 33. Kyler Shaw-35, 34. Jeremy Ellertson-34, 35. Brett Rollag-32, Landon Hurst-32, 37. Luke Boles-29, 38. Eric Rossi-25, 39. Jeff Sibley-22, Keith Bloom Jr.-22, 41. Kyle Hirst-20, 42. Ronnie Gardner-16, 43. Tim DeCarlo Jr.-14, Trevor Schmid-14, Cotton Farmer-14, 46. Jimmy Trulli-1, Mason Moore-1, Cody Myers-1, Koen Shaw-1, Jim Richardson-1, Tony Richards-1, Chase Johnson-1, Greg Higginbotham-1, Gary Deemer-1, Rowdy McClenon-1, Eli Deshaies-1, Justyn Cox-1, James Herrera-1, Bill Jones-1.
2014 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
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 Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway Park - 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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