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PERRIS, CA-RIS- It was a brutally hot afternoon
for racing in Perris, California with the thermometer well over the
century mark as action started. It gave a special meaning to the
terms 'Heats' and 'Hot Laps'. As the special 40 lap Labor Day
feature started it was still well into the 90's. It appears that
David Cardey of Riverside, California likes hot.
Cardey won his first USAC/CRA Sprint Car feature on this late Summer
night. More than just a feature win, it was a 40 lap feature, which
is a very good win even if it isn't your first. Cardey took the lead
away from Michael Spencer two laps before the end after losing it a
lap previously.
Behind Cardey and Spencer, Tony Jones was on his way to a third
place finish when he jumped the cushion in the first turn on the
last lap and flipped hard. The race was stopped with 39 laps
complete and Tony was helped from his car. He was alert and moving
about on his own but complained of some pain and reports were that
he was going to the
hospital for a precautionary check out. The accident may be a
problem for Tony's plan to claim the series title early.
The Jones accident was the third time the race was stopped. The
first time was on lap 19 when Jonny Bates flipped in the fourth
turn. Blake Miller flipped his car on lap 38, also in the fourth
turn then Jones flipped one lap after the restart as he made an
attempt to catch second place Mike Spencer. What was evident after
all the red flag stops was the effect of the heat on the drivers.
They all were out of there cars as soon as they stopped because of
the heat which was coming up through the seats and burning some of
the drivers. Even the buckles on the seat belts were so hot they
became difficult to touch. Many cars dropped out of the race and
many of them were suffering from the heat. Josh Ford
failed to even start the feature due to over heating in his car.
Reports from Bruce Bromby, the owner of Spencer's car stated that
their motor was over heating at the end and was not making all the
power it should have.
Cardey's win was the first one by a driver other than Spencer or
Jones since Cory Kruseman won on June ninth, six races ago. During
that period Jones had won three and Spencer had won three. Jones
started the night leading by 174 points. Spencer has now closed to
157 back.
The feature race had four leaders. Garrett Hanson, starting from the
two spot, took the lead from polesitter Blake Miller at the start
but Miller got the lead back on lap three. Spencer went from fourth
starting position to take the lead on lap nine after three laps of
side-by-side racing with Miller. Spencer lead until lap 33 when
Cardey passed him. Following the red flag for Miller's flip Spencer
took the lead back on lap 38 as Cardey jumped the cushion in the
fourth turn and bumped the wall. Only one lap later the race was
stopped again for Jones' flip and Cardey was able to get the jump on
Spencer during the one remaining lap as the flagman showed the white
and green at the same time.
“Super” Ricky Gaunt was the fast qualifier with a time of 17.212
seconds and he added to his record as the 'King of the B Mains' with
an eighth season win this night. It was a light turnout with only 23
cars at the track and only 21 starting the feature. Ford dropped out
because of temperature problems and Jonas Reynolds flipped his new
car on the second lap of qualifying. This is the second time in a
row that Reynolds has wrecked his car before getting into a race. In
the August 18^th race he flipped during hot laps. Cory Kruseman had
been expected to race tonight following his Midwest tour but was not
able to get his equipment ready and had to skip it.
Rip Williams, Blake Miller and David Cardey were the three heat
winners.
The Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series returns to action next
Saturday, September 9^th at Ventura Raceway.
QUOTES
David Cardey- “I think I won it three times and gave it away about
three times. I didn't know what was going to happen there. Man it
was our night and I can't believe it, I can't thank everyone enough
that stuck with me. Crossno and ITI Performance number one, they
give me great cars. Empire Plumbing and Racer's Pub and everyone
that stuck with me.”
Michael Spencer- “The cushion was right up there against the
fence. I just kind'a bobbled and it was kind'a a fine line there and
he did a great job. My hat's off to him. I know what that's like to
to get your first win. It's an amazing feeling. Congratulations to
them and their team. I thought I had a run on him the last lap off
of two and was going to try and slide him down here, I had a great
run but I think he anticipated what I was going to do and went down
there to the bottom. Did a good job, I would have done the same
thing. My hat's off to them. I gotta thank the fans for coming out
in the heat!”
R. J. Johnson- “We started fifteenth. I just kind'a held my own
and made sure I didn't get involved in any of that stuff fur
sure.” “It was like an oven in there!”
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