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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
DAMION GARDNER TAKES “FIRECRACKER 40” VICTORY AT PERRIS
By Lance Jennings
JULY 8, 2015... Racing past Richard Vander Weerd on lap seventeen, “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord, California won Saturday’s “Firecracker 40” at Perris Auto Speedway. The $3,000 Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car triumph was Gardner’s fourth victory of the campaign. Vander Weerd, Austin Williams, fast qualifier Mike Spencer, and Brody Roa rounded out the top-five drivers.
Looking for his first series win, polesitter Jake Swanson led the first five circuits of the “Firecracker 40.” Richard Vander Weerd dashed Swanson’s hopes and controlled the event until Gardner’s pass for the top spot. Using the outside line to his advantage, Gardner pressured the Vander Weerd with extra momentum before successfully grabbing the lead. Once out front, Damion had to contend with slower traffic as Vander Weerd and Spencer began a spirited battle for second. Trading the position back and forth with “slide jobs” and crossovers, Vander Weerd managed to shake free from Spencer and began to pressure Gardner. Damion escaped from the challenger as Austin Williams rallied from the back to take second from Vander Weerd. Richard regained the runner-up spot on the last lap as “The Demon” powered to his third “Firecracker” victory.
Racing Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Weld Racing Spike, Damion Gardner claimed his 61st USAC/CRA win and the sixth 4th of July Classic for his car owner. The three-time champion had qualified fourth out of thirty-three racers and won the 10-lap Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Pyrotect Racing Cells Heat Race #4. “The Demon” left Perris ranked second in points with one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 89 feature laps led.
Visalia, California’s Richard Vander Weerd finished second in a hard fought main event. Piloting the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Vander Weerd was fifth quick in time trials and took fourth in his heat race. To date, the former USAC West Coast Sprint Champion is third in points with four feature wins, four heat race victories, one DMI / Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Award, eight top-10 finishes, and 120 feature laps led to his credit.
After an incident on the initial start, Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California raced through the field to score third in the “Firecracker 40.” Driving Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams qualified second overall and took third in his heat race. The former Rookie of the Year heads to Perris’ California Racers Hall of Fame Night seated fifth in the standings with one heat race victory and eight top-10 finishes on the season.
Temecula, California’s Mike Spencer battled hard with Richard Vander Weerd before claiming fourth at Perris Auto Speedway. Racing Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer earned his sixty-first Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and won the 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. The five-time champion has a three point lead over the competition with four fast time awards, five heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, nine top-10 finishes, and 17 feature laps led in the campaign.
Brody Roa of Garden Grove, California finished fifth in the annual “Firecracker 40.” Piloting Lee and Norma Leonard’s #48 HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa was seventh fast in time trials and placed third in his heat race. The former Wagsdash Champion left Perris ranked seventh in championship points with seven top-10 finishes to his credit.
Yorba Linda, California’s Logan Williams earned the night’s DMI / Keizer Wheels “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a tenth place run from twenty-first. Driving Jack Jory’s #5 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams qualified twenty-second overall and won the 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. Last season’s Rookie of the Year is currently ninth in the point chase with two top-10 finishes.
R.J. Johnson of Phoenix, Arizona won the night’s Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #3. Racing Bobby Martin’s #51 Weiler Farms / Pecon Builders Maxim, Johnson was eleventh quick in time trials and scored twentieth in the main event. In limited appearances, the two-time USAC SouthWest Sprint Champion is tied for seventeenth in points with three heat race victories and two top-10 finishes on the year.
Lake Elsinore’s “The Flying Peanut” Parker Colston raced to his first USAC/CRA victory by winning the 12-lap Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main. Piloting Richard Gore’s #64 Circle Track Performance / Jim Ruth Maxim, Colston qualified ninth overall, scored ninth in his heat race, and finished twenty-second in the main event. The leading Rookie of the Year candidate is thirteenth in the standings with two top-10 finishes.
On Saturday, August 15th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway for the “California Racers Hall of Fame Night.” Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California, more event information can be found at www.perrisautospeedway.com or calling 951.940.0134.
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 series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Facebook and Twitter pages. Loudpedal Productions has DVDs available for purchase that feature the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and for more information, call 805.407.7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
July 4, 2015 – Perris, California – Perris Auto Speedway – “Firecracker 40”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TIME TRIALS:
1. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-16.550; 2. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-16.629; 3. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-16.676; 4. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-16.733; 5. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-16.780; 6. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-16.789; 7. Brody Roa, 48, Leonard-16.874; 8. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-16.980; 9. Parker Colston, 64, Gore-16.993; 10. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-17.014; 11. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-17.018; 12. Rickie Gaunt, 66, Miller-17.066; 13. Tommy Malcolm, 5X, Napier-17.097; 14. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-17.184; 15. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-17.188; 16. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Bowman-17.306; 17. Josh Pelkey, 12, Allen-17.356; 18. Danny Sheridan, 9, McDonald-17.380; 19. Verne Sweeney, 98X, Tracy-17.567; 20. David Bezio, 37X, Bezio-17.641; 21. Jeremy Ellertson, 98, Ellertson-17.663; 22. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-17.699; 23. Anthony Lopiccolo, 42, Springstead-17.736; 24. Michael Curtis, 45C, Turner/Wheeler-17.759; 25. Tony Everhart, 55, Everhart-17.818; 26. Kyle Edwards, 39E, Edwards-18.047; 27. Austin Smith, 33, Smith-18.052; 28. Chris Dyson, 71K, Kruseman-18.094; 29. Braedon Enos, 00, Enos-18.105; 30. Tobey Sampson, 12B, Blair-18.602; 31. Eddie Tafoya, 51T, Tafoya-19.082; 32. Cal Smith, 39, Cal-Sun-19.131; 33. Terry Schank Jr., 1, Gleeson-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE #1: (10 laps)
1. Spencer, 2. Pelkey, 3. Malcolm, 4. R.Vander Weerd, 5. Schank, 6. Ellertson, 7. Enos, 8. Everhart, 9. Colston. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE #2: (10 laps)
1. L.Williams, 2. Swanson, 3. A.Williams, 4. Sheridan, 5. J.Vander Weerd, 6. Gansen, 7. Edwards, 8. Sampson. 2:57.66
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #3: (10 laps)
1. Johnson, 2. Mitchell, 3. Roa, 4. Bender, 5. Sweeney, 6. Lopiccolo, 7. Tafoya, 8. A.Smith. NT
HUNTINGTON BEACH GLASS & MIRROR / PYROTECT RACING CELLS HEAT RACE #4: (10 laps)
1. Gardner, 2. Faria, 3. C.Williams, 4. Bezio, 5. Gaunt, 6. Curtis, 7. C.Smith, 8. Dyson. 2:59.04
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INC. / ROD END SUPPLY SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. Colston, 2. Gaunt, 3. J.Vander Weerd, 4. Gansen, 5. Sweeney, 6. Schank, 7. Lopiccolo, 8. Curtis, 9. Everhart, 10. Edwards, 11. C.Smith, 12. A.Smith, 13. Ellertson, 14. Dyson, 15. Enos. NT
FEATURE: (40 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Damion Gardner (3rd), 2. Richard Vander Weerd (2nd), 3. Austin Williams (5th), 4. Mike Spencer (6th), 5. Brody Roa (7th), 6. Jake Swanson (1st), 7. Cody Williams (8th), 8. Josh Pelkey (17th), 9. Danny Faria Jr. (16th), 10. Logan Williams (21st), 11. Jace Vander Weerd (14th), 12. Tommy Malcolm (13th), 13. Terry Schank Jr. (22nd), 14. Chris Gansen (10th), 15. Jeremy Ellertson (23rd), 16. Verne Sweeney (19th), 17. Danny Sheridan (18th), 18. A.J. Bender (15th), 19. Rickie Gaunt (12th), 20. R.J. Johnson (11th), 21. Matt Mitchell (4th), 22. Parker Colston (9th), 23. David Bezio (20th). NT
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**Mitchell flipped during the feature.
**Ellertson used a provisional.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-5 Swanson, Laps 6-16 R.Vander Weerd, Laps 17-40 Gardner.
DMI / KEIZER WHEELS HARD CHARGER: Logan Williams (21st to 10th)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Mike Spencer-594, 2. Damion Gardner-591, 3. Richard Vander Weerd-547, 4. Matt Mitchell-545, 5. Austin Williams-542, 6. Jake Swanson-484, 7. Brody Roa-401, 8. Cody Williams-348, 9. Logan Williams-290, 10. Jace Vander Weerd-266, 11. Rickie Gaunt-250, 12. A.J. Bender-207, 13. Parker Colston-199, 14. Chris Gansen-181, 15. Tommy Malcolm-170, 16. David Bezio-150, 17. R.J. Johnson-136, ---. Brady Bacon-136, 19. Ronnie Gardner-135, 20. Jeremy Ellertson-134.
2015 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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 $5,000-to-Win)
September 6: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week / $5,000-to-Win)
September 7: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA (California Sprint Week / $3,000-to-Win)
September 10: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week / $3,000-to-Win)
September 11: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial / California Sprint Week / $3,000-to-Win)
September 12: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (California Sprint Week / $3,000-to-Win)
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 / $5,000-to-Win)
November 13: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals / $5,000-to-Win)
November 14: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals / $25,000-to-Win)
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)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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