|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
“THE DEMON” DAMION GARDNER IS BACK ON TOP AT PERRIS
By Lance Jennings
PERRIS, CA – MAY 4, 2015... Powering past Mike Spencer on lap twelve, “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord, California earned Saturday’s $2,500 victory at Perris Auto Speedway. For Gardner, the 30-lap feature win was his 59th career Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car triumph. Richard Vander Weerd, Spencer, Austin Williams, and fast qualifier Jake Swanson rounded out the top-five drivers.
Starting fifth, Damion Gardner was able to break Vander Weerd’s two-race “home track” win streak. Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Weld Racing Spike, Gardner qualified second out of the twenty-one racers and finished second to Vander Weerd in his heat race. With the victory, “The Demon” extended his lead to eleven points heading to Saturday’s “All Coast Challenge” at Ventura.
Visalia, California’s Richard Vander Weerd charged from eighth to claim second in the Perris main event. Driving the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Vander Weerd was eighth quick in time trials and won the 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. With two wins on the season, the former USAC West Coast Champion left Perris ranked sixth in the standings.
Looking for his first win of the campaign, Mike Spencer of Temecula, California led ten laps before taking third at the checkered flags. Racing Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer qualified third overall and won the Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #3. The five-time champion is currently second in championship points.
Yorba Linda, California’s Austin Williams raced from seventh to a fourth place finish at Perris Auto Speedway. Driving Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams was seventh fast in time trials and ran second to Matt Mitchell in his heat race. The former rookie of the year is tied for fourth in points and will be looking for his first Ventura win.
Jake Swanson of Anaheim, California took fifth in the Saturday night main event. Piloting Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Ram-Bull Racing Victory, Swanson claimed his fourth career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and ran third in his heat race. Currently tied for fourth in the standings, the former rookie of the year has his sights on the $5,000 “All Coast Challenge” win.
Yorba Linda, California’s Anthony Lopiccolo earned the night’s DMI / Keizer Wheels “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a thirteenth place run from twenty-first. Racing John & Evelyn Springstead’s #36 Jasper Ray Foundation / Trabuco Vaper Company Buckley, Lopiccolo qualified twenty-first and ran seventh in his heat race. The rookie of the year contender left his home track placed thirty-seventh in the standings.
Yorba Linda, California’s Matt Mitchell won the night’s 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Driving his #37 Campbell Bros. Storage / Pit Boss Jacks Maxim, Mitchell was thirteenth fast in time trials and scored sixth in the main event after starting thirteenth. The defending USAC West Coast Champion heads to Ventura’s All Coast Challenge third in points.
This Saturday, May 9th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will invade Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway for the 40-lap, $5,000-to-win, $500-to-start “All Coast Challenge.” Located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, California, more event and ticket information can be found at www.venturaraceway.com or calling 805.648.RACE.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra Shield Race 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). Mike Truex's Loudpedal Productions has DVDs available for purchase that feature the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. For more information, call 805.407.7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
-----------------------------------------------
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
May 2, 2015 – Perris, California – Perris Auto Speedway
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TIME TRIALS:
1. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-16.636; 2. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-16.644; 3. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-16.669; 4. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-16.773; 5. David Bezio, 37X, Bezio-16.806; 6. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-16.808; 7. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-16.849; 8. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-16.873; 9. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-17.023; 10. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-17.052; 11. Parker Colston, 64, Gore-17.155; 12. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-17.179; 13. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-17.203; 14. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-17.203; 15. Verne Sweeney, 98X, Tracy-17.547; 16. Jesse Denome, 6, Denome-17.571; 17. Tony Everhart, 55, Everhart-17.600; 18. Jeremy Ellertson, 98, Ellertson-17.900; 19. Cal Smith, 39, Cal-Sun-17.983; 20. Tom Hendricks, 14, Hendricks-18.048; 21. Anthony Lopiccolo, 36, Springstead-18.722.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE #1: (10 laps)
1. Mitchell, 2. A.Williams, 3. Swanson, 4. C.Williams, 5. J.Vander Weerd, 6. Denome, 7. Smith. 2:52.06.
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE #2: (10 laps)
1. R.Vander Weerd, 2. Gardner, 3. Colston, 4. Bezio, 5. L.Williams, 6. Hendricks, 7. Everhart. 2:49.50.
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #3: (10 laps)
1. Spencer, 2. Roa, 3. Bender, 4. Sweeney, 5. Gansen, 6. Ellertson, 7. Lopiccolo. 2:52.70.
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Damion Gardner (5th), 2. Richard Vander Weerd (8th), 3. Mike Spencer (4th), 4. Austin Williams (7th), 5. Jake Swanson (6th), 6. Matt Mitchell (13th), 7. Jace Vander Weerd (10th), 8. David Bezio (2nd), 9. Logan Williams (14th), 10. Parker Colston (11th), 11. A.J. Bender (1st), 12. Chris Gansen (12th), 13. Anthony Lopiccolo (21st), 14. Tom Hendricks (20th), 15. Cody Williams (3rd), 16. Jeremy Ellertson (18th), 17. Jesse Denome (16th), 18. Brody Roa (9th), 19. Tony Everhart (17th), 20. Cal Smith (19th), 21. Verne Sweeney (15th). NT
------------------------------------
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Bezio, Laps 2-11 Spencer, Laps 12-30 Gardner.
DMI / KEIZER WHEELS HARD CHARGER: Anthony Lopiccolo (21st to 13th)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Damion Gardner-332, 2. Mike Spencer-321, 3. Matt Mitchell-270, 4. Austin Williams-233, -. Jake Swanson-233, 6. Richard Vander Weerd-226, 7. Cody Williams-178, 8. Logan Williams-147, 9. Brody Roa-146, 10. Brady Bacon-136, 11. R.J. Johnson-114, --. Parker Colston-114, --. David Bezio-114, 14. Dave Darland-110, 15. Jace Vander Weerd-108, 16. Mike Martin-92, 17. Charles Davis Jr.-88, 18. Ronnie Gardner-85, 19. Josh Hodges-83, 20. Michael Curtis-77.
2015 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
May 9: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (All Coast Challenge / $5,000-to-Win)
May 23: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute To Indy)
June 13: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
July 3: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial)
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Firecracker 40)
August 15: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 5: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 6: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 7: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 10: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week)
September 11: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial / California Sprint Week)
September 12: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 19: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 23: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 24: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 12: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 13: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 14: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 19: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 20: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 21: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships)
-----------------------------------------------
* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
---------------------------------------------
ATTACHED PHOTOS/IMAGES:
Perris Podium. (L-R) Richard Vander Weerd (2nd), Damion Gardner (1st), Mike Spencer (3rd). Photo by Doug Allen.
|
