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| Santa Maria 6/16 Recap by Ed Hollowell |
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SANTA MARIA, CA -For the first time this season the Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Car series appeared at the Santa Maria Speedway. Michael Spencer went home the winner after starting in 14^th position in the 20 car field. It was Spencer's second feature win of the season and the first since his win on March 3 at Perris. The
normally damp, tacky clay of Santa Maria was unusually dry for this
event and it became clear that tires were going to be a problem as
some cars were reporting serious wear following hot laps. With only
20 cars participating it appeared that some were saving their tires
as all the cars were going to start the main. Rickie Gaunt Set fast
time at 14.320 The three ten lap heat races were run with only minor incidents. Rickie Gaunt slapped the wall twice in his heat while Brian Camarillo and Rodney Argo tangled at the start of their heat with Argo riding up on the back of Camarillo's car and being hooked and dragged through the first turn. The wrecker was needed to get them apart. Santa Maria local Danny Sheridan was the winner of the first heat. Josh Ford won the second heat and Jimmy Crawford won the third. The 30 lap feature started with Danny Sheridan on the pole and Rodney Argo on the outside of the first row. Argo took the lead at the start and held it for the first two laps. Tom Stansberry, who had started fourth then took the lead which he held until lap eleven. Josh Ford took over the lead at that point and held it through lap 20. On the eleventh lap series points
leader Tony Jones, who was in second place ran into trouble in the
second turn and lost about six positions. Jones recovered and by lap
20 he had worked his way up to fifth. The next lap he got into the
third turn wall and it took a quick trip to the work area to get
Tony back into the race at the back of the field. It On lap 21 Jimmy Crawford took the lead from Ford who was having tire problems and he held it until Rodney Argo took the lead back on lap 27. Argo lost the lead on the restart after the race was stopped for the Ford flip. After only one lap the caution came out for the final time as David Cardey and Blake Miller tangled. Rip Williams was running in fifth at that point but had a flat left rear tire and had to drop out. After Spencer took the lead Argo fell back to fourth place. Davey Pombo and Rickie Gaunt took second and third. Pombo was driving a 360 cubic inch engined car, which he credited with helping him save his tires for the end. The next Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Car event will be at Perris, California on June 23. Story Courtesy http:motorsportsforum.com |
