SCRAFAN.COM - Press Release

PERRIS, CA, March 10 --   Even though the weather in Southern California has been unseasonably cold, Cory Kruseman remains hot. After Saturday's Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) victory at Perris Auto Speedway, Kruseman has now compiled three wins and one second place finish after only four races this season.

"Things have just gone our way this year and we're walking on water right now. We're going to try to stay on top as long as we can, because I know when I fall through it's a long way down, " Kruseman said, after completing the 30 lap run exactly nine seconds under the track record he established last month (8:33.11).

Kruseman's win extended his early point lead, which in turn fueled more questions as to whether he will race for the SCRA driving title or will he be lured elsewhere by other racing opportunities?

"I plan on running the whole Silver Crown deal and what everyone has to realize is that, yeah, we're leading the points right now and we're doing real good, but once bad luck starts it can hit you big," said Kruseman. "We're not scheduled to miss any (SCRA) races until May, so we'll just have to take a look then and see how we're doing and that's when decisions will be made. As it stands now, my intention is not to chase points because when you chase points you're not having fun. This is the first year that we have made a commitment to not chase points and we've won three races already. I know if we keep winning races the points will come and the championships will come, but we just have to wait and see how long our luck lasts."

One driver hoping to change his early season luck was John Scott, who won the JE Pistons Dash. Starting from the pole, Scott and outside front row starter Charles Davis, Jr. touched tires before accepting the green flag. Scott put his Pace Electronics No. 83 TCR into the lead heading into turn one and was followed back to the line by Davis, Rip Williams, Jeremy Sherman and the Harlan Willis / Omni Turn No. 45 TCR driven by Kruseman.

As Davis fought to keep the Joe Morales / Ron's Racing Products No. 94 Buckley in second place, Scott opened up a comfortable lead in just a couple of laps. Williams relieved Davis of his position on lap three and quickly narrowed the gap between himself and Scott.

Kruseman spent much of the first half of the race looking for a way around the Dave Ellis Race Cars No. 21 driven by Sherman. Working lap 12, Sherman was pressuring Davis for third when he lifted his front wheels off the ground exiting turn two. Kruseman took advantage of this brief opportunity and passed Sherman. Kruseman then quickly moved ahead of Davis, but found himself some distance back from the first two cars.

With Williams continuing to hound him, Scott reached lapped traffic on lap 14. Five laps later, Scott slipped off the cushion while passing a lapped car in turn two. Williams stuck the nose of his Sharon Jory / Vista Paint No. 3 under Scott and nearly took the lead. During this tussle for the lead, Kruseman suddenly appeared and was now close enough to challenge for the win. Williams made his bid for the win on lap 23 as he raced even with Scott along the backstraight. Not willing to relinquish his lead without a fight, Scott closed the door on Williams entering turn three. After a slight bump with Scott, Williams drifted up the banking allowing Kruseman to move into the second spot. Williams eventually finish third ahead of Sherman and Davis.

Picking up where Williams left off, Kruseman pressured Scott through heavy lapped traffic. One corner away from the white flag, Scott elected to pass a slower car using the high groove. Kruseman stayed low and was able take the lead just before passing beneath the white cloth. Kruseman survived the final lap despite unbelievably heavy traffic and was able to avenge his only defeat of the season from a week ago. Ironically, Kruseman's lone loss came in similar fashion when he was passed while working lapped traffic with less than two laps to go.

"Last week lapped traffic lost the race for me, this week lapped traffic won the race for me," Kruseman smiled. "John is a good friend and I would have liked to have seen him win, just not when I'm out here. After last week, I know what it's like to lose a race with two laps to go and I know how he must feel inside, but second place is good for him because he's had such horrible luck this year."

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2001 SPRINT CAR RACING ASSOCIATION POINT STANDINGS

1. Cory Kruseman    294
2. Rip Williams 224
3. Troy Rutherford 204
4. Steve Ostling    195
5. John Scott   190
6. Troy Cline   187
7. Tony Jones   179
8. Mike Kirby   172
9. Richard Griffin 166
10. Charles Davis, Jr. 165

RACE #4 - PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY
PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 03/10/01

SCRA TIME TRIALS
1. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Gardner Jr. 2, 16.365 2. Tony Jones, Corona CA, Cowherd 48 , 16.435 3. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45, 16.490 4. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 16.503 5. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 16.516 6. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14, 16.567 7. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47, 16.600 8. Alex Grigoreas, Chino CA, Keene 84 , 16.655 9. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr. 4 , 16.673 10. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94, 16.677 11. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83 , 16.723 12. Mike Spencer, Temecula CA, Engstrom 44, 16.752 13. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7 , 16.759 14. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B Racing 5 , 16.765 15. Casey Shuman, Tempe AZ, Lake Mtrsprts 6 , 16.835 16. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85 , 16.879 17. Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA, Sweeney 98, 16.898 18. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Ellis 21 , 16.920 19. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99, 16.930 20. Michael Smith, Trona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 16.933 21.  George Gervais, Mira Loma CA, Gervais 9,    16.938 22. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Pratt 12 , 16.964 23. Jimmy May, Ventura CA, Witherill 61X, 16.992 24. Hank Winter, Tucson AZ, Winter 33, 17.013 25. Rodney Argo, Hawthorne CA., Argo 19 , 17.033 26. Michael Hinrichsen, Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16, 17.077 27. Tom Downing, Lakewood CA, Downing 90 , 17.097 28. Rick Becker, Highland CA, Becker 67, 17.098 29. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA., DeArmond, Sr. 24 , 17.099 30. Matt Felio, Alpine CA, Felio 26,   17.165 31. Tony Everhart, El Cajon CA, Everhart 55, 17.181 32. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sertich 92 , 17.197 33.    Greg Taylor, Ojai CA, Taylor 7T, 17.211 34. Glenn Crossno, Alta Loma CA, Crossno 38 , 17.242 35. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17, 17.291   36. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA, Ruth 25 , 17.407 37. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Franklin 20 , 17.431   38. Wiley Miller, Yorba Linda CA, Miller 75X , 17.475 39. J.J. Ercse, Lakewood CA, Peck 81 , 17.581 40. Dan Tedrick, Hesperia CA.,Tedrick 88X , 17.634 41. Jimmy Gardner, Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96 , 17.640 42. Jeff Schildmeyer, Alpine CA., Ball 87 , 17.757 43. Steve Venard, Silverado CA, Glover 49 , 17.800 44. Bob Ferro, Sherman Oaks CA, Ferro 91X , 17.800 45. Steve Koster, El Cajon CA, Koster 42 , 17.806 46. Sid Carlson, San Diego CA, Carlson 73, 17.815 47. Mel Murphy, Riverside CA, Murphy 62, 17.878 48. Arie Prins, Glen Avon CA, Wall 37X , 17.887 49. Jim Scribellito, El Cajon CA, Scribellito 57X , 17.898 50. Ronnie Clark, Tucson AZ, Winter 138 , 18.385 51. Marc Hart, Ventura CA, Hart 15, No Time

D FEATURE
1. Ronnie Clark. 2. Bob Ferro. 3. Sid Carlson. 4. Steve Koster. 5. Mel Murphy. 6. Arie Prins. 7. Jim Scribellito.

C FEATURE
1. Greg DeCaires. 2. Gary W. Howard. 3. Jordan Hermansader. 4. Ronnie Clark, 5. J.J. Ercse. 6. Jeff Schildmeyer. 7. Dan Tedrick. 8. Wiley Miller. 9. Jimmy Gardner. 10. Bob Ferro. 11. Greg Taylor. 12. Glenn Crossno.

HEAT 1
1. Rodney Argo, 2. Rip Williams, 3. Jack DeArmond, Jr., 4. Verne Sweeney, 5. Rickie Gaunt, 6. Troy Rutherford, 7. Greg DeCaires, 8. George Gervais, 9. Mike English,

HEAT 2
1. Michael Hinrichsen, 2. Charles Davis, Jr, 3. Jeremy Sherman, 4. Steve Ostling, 5. Mike Kirby, 6. Tony Jones, 7.   Bobby Graham, 8. Gary W. Howard, 9. Matt Felio,

HEAT 3
1. Tom Downing, 2. John Scott, 3. Adam Mitchell, 4. Cory Kruseman, 5. Jimmy May, 6. Brian Venard, 7. Casey Shuman, 8. Jordan Hermansader, 9. Tony Everhart,

HEAT 4
1. Danny Sheridan, 2. Rick Becker, 3. Richard Griffin, 4. Alex Grigoreas, 5. Michael Smith, 6. Hank Winter, 7. Lance Gremett, 8. Ronnie Clark, 9. Mike Spencer,

DASH
1. John Scott. 2. Charles Davis, Jr. 3. Rip Williams. 4. Cory Kruseman, 5. Alex Grigoreas. 6. Jeremy Sherman. 7.Richard Griffin. 8. Verne Sweeney,

B FEATURE
1. Mike Kirby. 2. George Gervais. 3. Casey Shuman. 4. Greg DeCaires. 5. Hank Winter. 6. Mike English. 7. Jordan Hermansader, 8. Michael Smith. 9. Troy Rutherford. 10. Tony Everhart. 11. Jimmy May. 12. Ronnie Clark. 13. Gary W. Howard, 14. Tony Jones. 15. Bobby Graham. 16. Rickie Gaunt, 17. Brian Venard. 18. Lance Gremett. 19. Matt Felio. 20. Mike Spencer.

A FEATURE
1. Cory Kruseman, 2. John Scott, 3. Rip Williams. 4. Jeremy Sherman, 5. Charles Davis, Jr. 6. Mike English. 7. Steve Ostling. 8. Richard Griffin. 9. Mike Kirby. 10. Rodney Argo. 11. Verne Sweeney. 12. Adam Mitchell. 13. Danny Sheridan. 14. George Gervais, 15. Casey Shuman. 16. Troy Rutherford, 17. Hank Winter. 18. Greg DeCaires. 19. Michael Hinrichsen. 20. Jack DeArmond, Jr.. 21. Tom Downing. 22, Rick Becker.
Laps Led: Scott 1-28, Kruseman 29-30