- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
DEMON IS NOW 4-FOR-5 AFTER ‘SOKOLA SHOOTOUT” VICTORY!
Perris, CA…….Damion (The Demon) Gardner of Concord, Calif. sits atop both the 2010 USAC Amsoil National and CRA Sprint Car point standings after a dominant performance in Sunday night’s 30-lap “Sokola Shootout” at the Perris Auto Speedway. He passed leaders Chris Windom, Henry Clarke and Tracy Hines in a daring move on lap six and led the rest of the way in his Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver to beat Clarke, Windom, Hines and fast qualifier Mike Spencer. The victory was Gardner’s fourth in five 2010 series events! Former USAC/CRA Champion Tony Jones escaped injury in a flip on lap two of the feature. The Amsoil National Series resumes April 2-3 at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, while the Amsoil CRA series continues March 27 at Perris.
GARDNER 3-FOR-4 AFTER “LAS VEGAS SUPER SPRINT CLASSIC’ VICTORY
Las Vegas, NV…….Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. came from 15th starting position to win Thursday night’s 30-lap “Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic” USAC Amsoil National/CRA Sprint feature at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway dirt track. Gardner didn’t crack the “top-10” until lap 19, then methodically chased down the leaders and took the lead from Dave Darland on lap 28. He pulled away from the field in his Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver to beat Darland, Chris Windom, Tracy Hines and fast qualifier Jerry Coons Jr. Gardner leads the National standings entering Saturday night’s “Sokola Shootout” at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, but trails Coons by two points in the new CRA standings. Gardner also won the two National series openers in Tampa, Fla. earlier this month.
JONES GRABS “COPPER ON DIRT” SPRINT FEATURE AS WINDOM RUNS OUT OF FUEL; GARDNER CHARGES TO 4TH AND HOLDS ON TO POINT LEAD.
Tucson, AZ…….Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. led the final two laps of Sunday’s Rosemont Copper “Copper on Dirt” 40-lap USAC Amsoil National/CRA Sprint race at USA Raceway. He trailed Chris Windom for the first 38 laps but inherited the lead when Windom’s car ran out of fuel on the white-flag lap! Windom was relegated to a 17th-place finish! Trailing Jones and his Tony Stewart Racing Bass Pro Shops/Chevy Maxim/Kistler Chevy at the checkered flag were Jerry Coons Jr., Bud Kaeding, Damion Gardner and Robert Ballou. Gardner’s finish helped him retain the National series point lead entering Thursday night’s “Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic” events in Nevada. Jones emerged with the early lead in the CRA standings entering the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway dirt track. Kaeding was Friday’s fastest sprint qualifier and rains washed out Saturday’s events, moving them to Sunday.
EAST BAY SPRINT FIELD “DEMONIZED” AS GARDNER WINS AGAIN!
GARDNER DOMINATES “BUBBA ARMY SPRINT NATIONALS” OPENER
(Tampa), Fla…….Damion (The Demon) Gardner of Concord, Calif. took advantage of first-lap spins by both front-row starters Monday night and ended up leading all 30 laps of the 2010 Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series opener at East Bay Raceway Park. The “Bubba Army Sprint Nationals” continue Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the third-mile dirt oval. Gardner was slated to start fourth but a spin by rookie pole starter Ricky Williams on the first lap and a subsequent spin by outside-front row starter Shane Hmiel on the restart left Shane Cottle and Gardner lined up on the revised front row. Gardner fought off Cottle’s challenge to lead the first lap and stretched his lead in his Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver to a full straightaway before the field bunched up under the yellow flag at lap 23. Gardner then pulled away in the closing laps to win the race over Bryan Clauson, fast qualifier Brady Short, Cottle and Jon Stanbrough. Defending series champion Levi Jones finished seventh after starting 14th. The finish left Gardner and Clauson tied for the series point lead after the opening race.
“THE DEMON” (GARDNER) WINS THE “BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS"
Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. caught Mike Spencer on lap 37 and led the final four laps to win Saturday night’s 14th :”Budweiser Oval Nationals” 40-lap feature at Perris Auto Speedway, claiming the $12,500 winner’s prize in his Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver. Spencer took second ahead of Levi Jones, Bryan Clauson and Bud Kaeding.
Jones, of Avon, Ind., emerged from the 40-lap race with a 178-point lead over Dave Darland and has a mathematical lock on the 2009 title, looking forward to officially being crowned the USAC National Sprint Car Champion at next weekend’s series finale, the 30th “Pacific Coast Nationals” at the Tulare (Calif.) Thunderbowl Raceway. It will be Levi’s third series crown. Darland suffered car damage in a “B Main” incident and was unable to start the feature.
Jones’ finish also left the Tony Stewart Racing Team with an insurmountable point lead in the 2009 USAC National Car Owner standings.
Rip Williams led the first 21 laps of the race and Spencer led the next 15 before Gardner finally took the top spot.
Spencer, of Temecula, Calif., extended his Lucas Oil USAC/CRA point lead over David Cardey to 78 points going into next weekend’s Tulare races.
Austin Williams won Saturday’s C Main and Cole Whitt took the B Main. Whitt was one of five drivers who flipped during the 40-lap feature.
Gardner wins after making last lap pass!
26 Lawrenceburg Chevrolet Sprint Cars were on hand for another night of points racing for one of The Burg’s regular classes. Heat race winners were Damion Gardner, Ryan Pace, and Brent Beauchamp. Joss Moffatt would win the B-Main. What had been an already exciting night of racing at the Burg would keep getting better as the feature field was lining up. 19 cars were set to start the 25 lap feature race. Gardner and Pace would line up on the front row at the drop of the green. Pace would take the lead from his outside front row starting spot. It didn’t look like Pace’s lead was going to last for long, when Dave Darland would go for the lead on lap 1 in turn 3. As Darland was trying to slide in front of Pace in turn 4, his car shot back up against the race track into the wall and came to a rest upside down. It was a tough break for one of sprint car racing’s all time top drivers, but he was uninjured. Pace suffered minor damage when he clipped the Darland car trying to get by. Ryan Pace was able to continue, and for most of the race, Pace looked like he would win his first sprint feature of his career. Behind Pace, Damion Gardner Jerry Coons, Jr., and Robert Ballou were battling it out lap after lap. With Laps winding down, Ballou would lose control in turn 3, and flip his sprint into the fence in what was a very scary looking incident. Ballou was able to walk away under his own power. The green flag would come out with just 3 laps remaining. For the next 2 laps, Gardner was trying to get underneath Pace, but Pace was always able to close the door. Entering turn 3 on the last lap, Gardner was able to slip underneath Pace for the lead, and the win! He would only lead 1 lap, but it would be the only one that mattered. Pace came home second, followed by Jerry Coons, Jr., Bill Rose, and Joss Moffatt. The Lawrenceburg Chevrolet Sprints return to the track on Saturday may 30.
Gardner Claims Two Top 10 Finishes In A Row.
Lawrenceburg, IN…….Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif. led the final eight laps to win Saturday night’s 30-lap USAC National Sprint Car race at the Lawrenceburg Speedway. Wise took the lead from Brad Sweet exiting the second turn on lap 23 in his Indiana Underground Construction Maxim/Chevy. Levi Jones grabbed second from Sweet on the final lap, with Chad Boat and series point leader Dave Darland rounding out the “top five” at the checkered flag. Wise was also Saturday’s fastest qualifier.
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 18, 2009 – Lawrenceburg, Indiana – Lawrenceburg Speedway
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Josh Wise, 2. Levi Jones, 3. Brad Sweet, 4. Chad Boat, 5. Dave Darland, 6. Damion Gardner, 7. Jesse Hockett, 8. Cole Whitt, 9. Brady Short, 10. Jon Stanbrough, 11. Brett Burdette, 12. Tracy Hines, 13. Chad Boespflug, 14. Chris Windom, 15. Jerry Coons Jr., 16. Robert Ballou, 17. Jonathan Hendrick, 18. Jimmy Light, 19. Bryan Clauson, 20. Nic Faas, 21. Jeff Bland Jr., 22. Shane Cottle, 23. Hunter Schuerenberg. NT
Simon & Hmiel flipped during the second heat. Simon & Weber flipped at the start of the semi.
Gardner Holds On To Top 10 Finish At Gas City
Gas City, IN........USAC National Sprint Car point leader Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. passed Jesse Hockett in traffic on the 28th lap and led the final three laps in his Rotondo Weirich/Benic Enterprises Maxim/Chevy to win Friday night's 30-lap feature at the Gas City I-69 Speedway. Levi Jones finished second ahead of Hockett, Shane Cottle and Chris Windom. Josh Wise led the first three laps, then Hockett led the next 24 before yielding to Darland. Dave takes a 27-point lead over Hockett into Saturday night's race at the Lawrenceburg Speedway, which sports new clay and a revamped banking. Bryan Clauson was the fastest qualifier at Gas City but did not finish the feature event.
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 17, 2009 – Gas City, Indiana – Gas City I-69 Speedway
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Dave Darland, 2. Levi Jones, 3. Jesse Hockett, 4. Shane Cottle, 5. Chris Windom, 6. Jon Stanbrough, 7. Jerry Coons Jr., 8. Damion Gardner, 9. Brad Sweet, 10. Cole Whitt, 11. Josh Wise, 12. Tracy Hines, 13. Matt Westfall, 14. Blake Fitzpatrick, 15. Brett Burdette, 16. Chad Boat, 17. Hunter Schuerenberg, 18. Jonathan Hendrick, 19. Travis Welpott, 20. Shane Hollingsworth, 21. Landon Simon, 22. Ryan Kaplan, 23. Bryan Clauson, 24. Robert Ballou. NT
Robbins flipped during the first heat. Tracy Hines flipped during the semi.
Top Five Finish For Gardner
Returning to his home track where he is the current track record holder for turning a lap time of 15.950, Gardner and the Pace Lighting Team were eager for a good finish at Perris Auto Speedway.
Although it was Ricky Gaunt took the win, Gardner held on to a top finve finish behind second place finisher Brad Sweet, Tracy Hines and Jerry Coons, Jr.
With only a 31 point spread between point leader Cole Whitt and Gardner and only 3 races in the book Gardner is hoping to make this his Championship Winning Season with crew Davey Jones and Marty Williams turning the wrenches.
Hagen Wins Phoenix and Brings Sprint Point Lead to Las Vegas
Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. won Saturday night’s 40-lap Sands Chevrolet ""Copper on Dirt" USAC National & Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Car feature at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz.Hagen passed Kevin Swindell on lap 36 and led the final five laps in his Ark Welding/Simpson Maxim/Mopar to beat Swindell, Dave Darland, Cole Whitt and Jesse Hockett. Swindell led 22 of the 40 laps and Hagen led the rest. Jerry Coons Jr. was challenging Swindell for the lead on lap 37 when he and Swindell tangled and Coons flipped. He was uninjured.The USAC National and Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars compete this Wednesday night at the Dirt Track at Lat Vegas Motor Speedway in the "Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic." A 30-lap feature event is slated and the USAC Mopar National and Western Midgets share the program on the 1/2-mile dirt oval.Wednesday program marks the debut of the USAC National Sprint Cars at the LVMS dirt. The Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints raced there in 2008, wit Blake Miller and Levi Jones the victors.Saturday night, the two series again compete in the "Sokola Shootout" at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.
23rd Annual Chili Bowl Championship Saturday
A Main (50 laps)
1. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 2. #21 Tracy Hines, Greenfield, IN; 3. #17B Brad Kuhn, Avon, IN; 4. #11 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 5. #1J J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 6. #5 Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 7. #17 Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 8. #71 Cole Whitt, Alpine, CA; 9. #25 Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA; 10. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 11. #37X Casey Shuman, Tempe, AZ; 12. #5* Gary Taylor, Sapulpa, OK; 13. #05S Jon Stanbrough, Avon, IN; 14. #132 Ricky Stenhouse, Olive Branch, MS; 15. #4 Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN; 16. #2A Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, CA; 17. #55 Donnie Ray Crawford, Tulsa, OK; 18. #05H Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 19. #2S Damion Gardner, Pittsboro, IN; 20. #21P Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK; 21. #86 Justin Allgaier, Cornelius, NC; 22. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 23. #1S Shane Cottle, Kokomo, IN; 24. #20 Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 25. #8K Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH
Chili Bowl Friday Qualifier
A Main (25 laps – Top 3 advance to Saturday Night's Main Event)
1. #11 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 2. #20 Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 3. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 4. #21P Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK; 5. #71 Cole Whitt, Alpine, CA; 6. #15 Tim Siner, Dupo, IL: 7. #12 Trey Robb, Newcastle, OK; 8. #14W Matt Westfall, Ludlow Falls, OH; 9. #1DM Dustin Morgan, Collinsville, OK; 10. #7D Dakoda Armstrong, New Castle, IN; 11. #73X Mat Neely, Robinson, IL; 12. #38 Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA; 13. #8J Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH; 14. #2S Damion Gardner, Pittsboro, IN; 15. #8X Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 16. #67K Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA; 17. #36 Jonathan Beason, Broken Arrow, OK; 18. #12W Billy Wease, Noblesville, IN; 19. #14JR Matt Streeter, Galt, CA; 20. #007 Cole Carter, Brownsburg, IN; 21. #47 Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 22. #87X Rich Camfield, Decatur, IL; 23. #2B Oklahoma City, OK; 24. #97J Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA
Chili Bowl Race of Champions (20 Laps)
1. #1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN; 2. #5 Dave Darland, Lincoln, IN; 3. #11W Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 4. #67 Jay Drake, Val Verde, CA; 5. #1J J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 6. Kasey Kahne, Eunumclaw, WA; 7. #7C Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN; 8. #15H Scott Hatton, Roscoe, IL; 9. #38 Jason Leffler, Long Beach, CA; 10. #21 Tracy Hines, Newcastle, IN; 11. #2S Damion Gardner, Concord, CA; 12. #25 Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, PA; 13. #57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN; 14. #47 Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA.
July 19, 2008
Haubstadt, Indiana
Tri-State Speedway
(30 laps) 1. Hunter Scheurenberg, 2. Levi Jones, 3. Tracy Hines, 4. Jeff Bland Jr., 5. Damion Gardner, 6. Dave Darland, 7. Brady Short, 8. Jerry Coons Jr., 9. Thomas Meseraull, 10. Robert Ballou, 11. Darren Hagen, 12. Chad Boat, 13. Brady Bacon, 14. Bryan Clauson, 15. Scotty Weir, 16. Chris Windom, 17. Shane Cottle, 18. Cole Whitt, 19. Jon Stanbrough, 20. Daron Clayton, 21. Brad Sweet, 22. Dustin Morgan, 23. Hud Cone. NT