PERRIS, CA, Sept. 23 -    Tony Jones only led a few yards Saturday night at the Perris Auto Speedway, but it was all he needed to earn his second Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) main event victory of the season.   

Jones' last lap heroics came at the expense of Rodney Argo who dominated the majority of the 30 lap run.  Interestingly, Jones' bother Davey is now the crew chief for Argo after he and his dad Bubby Jones recently left the Gene Cowherd / GC Aero Racing Team.  Dispelling any rumors of a family feud, there was nothing but smiles and congratulations for each their respective accomplishments on this night.

"My brother has Rodney Argo going fast and how about John Scott almost breaking the track record in qualifying with my dad helping him.  The Jones' boys were definitely around tonight and hopefully we'll be around for the rest of the year." Jones said with a big grin.

As it turns out, a change was needed in the Cowherd camp if for no other reason than to help get the team's driver back on track.  After an early season win and numerous top-five finishes, Jones ran into hard times.  A couple very hard crashes combined with some missed main event appearances set the tone for a difficult summer.        

"There was a span of about two months where I was driving with my elbows down, trying to save the car, and as a result we missed a couple of shows and finished poorly because that's not my style of driving. Tonight, I stuck my elbows up and drove like I used to," Jones candidly stated.  "I knew Rodney was fast, heck I followed him for 29 laps, I just decided that I was either going to pass him or put it over the fence.  I didn't know for sure if it was going to work, one thing was for sure it was going to be spectacular." 

Argo and Jones shared the front row for the main event and raced even to the green flag at the start of the race.  Argo put the Don Argo / Decore Plating No. 19 Okie into the lead using the bottom of turn two and was later followed by Jones, Rickie Gaunt, Rip Williams and Steve Ostling at the end of the opening lap. 

After watching his teammate, Troy Rutherford, flip and destroy one of the Jack Garnder, Jr.'s cars in the third heat race, Gaunt was left to carry the torch for the team.  Although significantly less severe than his teammate's fate, Gaunt saw his chances for victory end on lap six after a tangle with Williams left him parked in the turn two infield.
The Sharon Jory / Vista Paint No. 3 Stinger driven by Williams emerged unscathed from the contact and assumed the third position for the restart.

Jones managed to sneak underneath Argo exiting turn four on the restart and momentarily held the lead.  Refusing to relinquish the point, Argo fought back using the cushion and took back the top spot in turn two. Jones and Williams stayed close for a couple of laps after the restart, but then Argo began extending his lead.  That is until the caution flag appeared on lap 15 for Alex Grigoreas who spun in turn four.

Jones again stuck a wheel under Argo on the restart forcing Argo to battle hard to keep his lead.  Argo later pulled away for a few laps, but with ten circuits to go both Jones and Williams were once again within striking distance.  The action was slowed by yet another yellow flag one lap later after Gremett and Sander Engineering Fast Time Award winner Scott touched Hoosier tires in turn four.  The contact sent the seventh place Gremett into the wall preventing the rookie driver from earning his best career SCRA finish.

Since each prior restart was an adventure for Argo, he strategically moved down to the extreme bottom for this one.  Jones responded by going to the cushion.  Jones had momentum on his side coming out of turn four, but Argo was able to slide up in front of him to hold the lead.  Richard Griffin was the big winner on this restart passing both Ostling and Williams to move the Ron Chaffin / Arizona Race Mart No. 50 Jon Boy into third.

Jones took a couple of shots at the lead after the restart, but Argo held the better line each time.  Jones narrowed the gap between himself and Argo coming down to accepted the white flag.  Argo might very well have won the race had it not been for a hobbled car directly in front of him.  Unaware that he would close on the slower car as quickly as he did, Argo drove to the turn three cushion like he had done for most of the race. 

Seizing the moment without hesitation, Jones darted to the bottom of turn three and grabbed the lead exiting turn four just before reaching the checkered flag.  "You have such an advantage running second to the leader because you can pick where he's not going to go," Jones sited after giving his new crew chief Bob Harkins a main event.  Argo and Griffin earned podium finishes with the Harlan Willis / TCR Performance No. 45 driven by Cory Kruseman edging Williams for fourth.   
        ###

RACE #33 - PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY
PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 09/23/00


SCRA TIME TRIALS
1. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83 , 16.400 2. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50 , 16.638 3. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45 , 16.703 4. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, Geurin 5 , 16.740 5. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA.,Gardner Jr. 96 , 16.746 6. Hank Winter, Tucson AZ, Winter 33, 16.835 7. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA.,Gremett 85 , 16.870 8. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47, 16.900 9. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA.,Jory 3 , 16.930 10.  Rodney Argo, Hawthorne CA, Argo 19, 16.960 11.  Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr 6 , 16.976 12.  Cal Smith, Montclair CA, Pratt, 39 , 16.989 13, Mike Boat, Glendale AZ, Boat 74, 17.025 14.  Tony Jones, Corona CA, Cowherd 48, 17.050 15, Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17 , 17.085, 16. Troy Cline, Santa Clarita CA, Morales 27, 17.115 17.  J Hicks, Torrance CA, Alexander 89, 17.119  18. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Pratt 12 , 17.157 19.  Keith Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95 , 17.160  20. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 10 , 17.170 21.  Bob Ellis, Riverside CA, Giardina 59, 17.178, 22. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69 , 17.230 23. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99 , 17.247  24. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sheridan 18 , 17.250 25.  Michael Smith, Trona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 17.252 26. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA, Nation 3N , 17.364 27.  Alex Grigoreas, Chino CA, Keene 84 , 17.367  28. George Gervais, Mira Loma CA, Gervais 9 , 17,413 29.  Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14 , 17.437 30. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Acosta 77, 17.463 31.  Tom Stansberry, Bakersfield CA, Stansberry. 75T, 17.540 32. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Lloyd. 41, 17.588 33.  Bobby Michnowicz, Harbor City CA, Michnowicz 21, 17.601 34.  Mel Murphy, Riverside CA, Murphy 62 ,  17.634  35.  Larry Brown, Bakersfield CA, Brown 36 , 17.635 36. Sid Carlson, San Diego CA, Carlson 73 , 17,639 37.  Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24 , 17.665 38. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82 , 17.705 39.  Ronnie Clark, Tucson AZ, Winter, 33C , 17.712 40. Michael Hinrichsen, Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts 2 , 17.770 41.  D.J. Ruth, Riverside CA, Ruth 25 , 17.807 42. John Franklin, Huntington Bch. CA, Franklin 20, 17.811 43. Tony Lima, Industry CA, Lima 30, 17.817 44. Rick Hinrichen, Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts 22, 17.876 45. Matt Felio, Alpine CA, Felio 26,  17.972  46. Will Perkins, Victorville CA, Perkins 70 , 18.023 47. Steve Venard, Silverado CA, Glover 86, 18.115  48. Charlie Ekiss, La Mesa CA, Ball 78 , 18.408 49.  Dan Tedrick, Hesperia CA, Tedrick 88X ,  18.575

HEAT 1
1. Michael Smith, 2. J Hicks, 3. Rickie Gaunt, 4. Rip Williams, 5. John Scott, 6. Bobby Graham, 7. Mike Boat, 8. Bob Ellis, 9. Bobby Michnowicz,

HEAT 2
1. Rodney Argo, 2. Richard Griffin, 3. Steve Ostling, 4. Tony Jones, 5. Jarrett Chaney, 6. Hank Winter, 7. Mark Nation, 8. Ronnie Clark, 9. Jordan Hermansader,

HEAT 3
1. Alex Grigoreas, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Tom Stansberry, 4. Adam Mitchell, 5, Lance Gremett, 6, Keith Williamson, 7. Greg DeCalres, 8. Sid Carlson, 9. Troy Rutherford,

HEAT 4
1, Mike English, 2. Jeremy Sherman, 3. Danny Sheridan, 4. George Gervais, 5. Mike Kirby, 6. Troy Cline, 7. Cal Smith, 8. Brian Venard, 9. Mel Murphy,

DASH           Time: 1:41.69
1. Rodney Argo. 2. Tony Jones. 3. Rickie Gaunt. 4. Rip Williams. 5. Richard Griffin. 6. Steve Ostling. 7. Cory Kruseman. 8, J Hicks.


B FEATURE Time: NO TIME
1. Mike Kirby,  2. John Scott. 3. Brian Venard. 4. Hank Winter. 5. Lance Gremett. 6. Troy Cline. 7. Mike Boat. 8. Greg DeCaires. 9. Jordan Hermansader. 10.  Bobby Graham. 11.  Mark Nation. 12.  Ronnie Clark. 13.  Bobby Michnowicz.  14. Cal Smith. 15. Sid Carlson. 16.  Bob Ellis. 17.  Mel Murphy. 18.  Jarrett Chaney.

A FEATURE Time: NO TIME
1. Tony Jones, 2. Rodney Argo. 3. Richard Griffin. 4. Cory Kruseman. 5. Rip Williams. 6. John Scott. 7. Steve Ostling. 8. Troy Cline. 9. Mike Kirby. 10.  Brian Venard. 11.  Michael Smith. 12.  Jeremy Sherman, 13. Danny Sheridan. 14.  Mike English. 15.  J Hicks. 16.  Adam Mitchell. 17.  Hank Winter. 18, Alex Grigoreas. 19. George Gervais, 20.  Tom Stansberry, 21.  Lance Gremett. 22.  Rickie Gaunt. 

Laps Led: Argo 1-29, Jones 30