PHOENIX, AZ, March 17 --    Tony Jones was the man Saturday night at Manzanita Speedway during the running of the 1st Annual Gary Sokola Classic.  Driving the Gene Cowherd / GC Aero No. 48 Avenger, Jones led all but two of the 40 main event laps en route to his first career win at the famed half-mile track.

"It's been a longtime dream of mine to win a race at Keith Hall's Manzanita Speedway.  I watched my dad (Bubby Jones) win here a lot, then I also had to watch guys like Ron Shuman, Lealand McSpadden and Richard Griffin kick all our butts," Jones said after his eighth career Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) win.  "Manzanita was the next track we wanted to win at and we did it tonight, which was real nice, since there with a big purse up for grabs."

This event was named in honor of Gary Sokola who served as CRA President and Race Director from 1977 to 1987 before accepting a position with USAC. Sokola passed away on November 8, 2000 at the age of 59.  Anne Wilkerson and her husband Billy (who was the 1967 and '70 CRA Driving Champion) were instrumental in collecting lap money and donations for the race.  Jones took home the lion's share of the purse which resulted in a $7,985 payday.

"Gary ran the CRA when my dad was around and he accomplished a lot of things in his life.  I take my hat off to anyone who has done the things he did," Jones reflected  "I used to race against his son, Mark, and it's pretty cool and pretty emotional for me to win the first ever Sokola Classic."

Despite the fact that Jones entered the weekend with one main event win to his credit this season, most of the attention was directed towards last night's winner Richard Griffin who was starting on the outside of the first row.  But the complexion of the race soon changed after Griffin smacked the wall exiting turn four on the opening lap.  Griffin was not hurt, but he was done for the evening.

After moving up a row to take Griffin's spot on the restart, Jones passed JE Pistons Dash winner John Scott using the bottom of turn four as the field came down to complete the opening lap.  SCRA's hottest driver, Cory Kruseman ran third ahead of Troy Rutherford, Derek Davidson and fast qualifier J.J. Yeley.

Scott and Kruseman battled for several laps allowing Jones to extend his lead until the  caution flag appeared on the 14th lap for a slowing Rip Williams.  Driving the Tony Smiley / Extreme Chassis No. 60A, Yeley went from fifth to third on the subsequent restart.  Three circuits later, Yeley slid up in front of Scott in turn three for second place. Seventh place Rickie Gaunt seemed to being slowing with a steering problem on lap 20 when he was collected by Jay Drake and Davidson.  Drake's car slammed hard into an infield barrier that protected a light post during the incident.  Fortunately, none of the drivers involved were injured.

Kruseman moved ahead of Yeley for second on the restart as Jones continued to hold the point.  The near capacity crowd was in the midst of enjoying a tremendous six-car battle for fourth when Charles Davis, Jr. hooked a turn two rut on lap 23, drifted up the race track, and sent Danny Sheridan flipping hard into the billboards.  Sheridan was not hurt.

Having finished no worse than second place in any main event this year, Kruseman stole the lead from Jones heading down the backstraight on the restart.  Jones quickly regrouped and tried to use his momentum from the turn four cushion to retake the lead.  Jones' strategy might have worked had Kruseman not skated into his path exiting the corner.  In a move reminiscent of something his father would have done, Jones gave Kruseman's rear nerf bar a fairly stout bump just to remind him that he was still running the cushion.
   

"I was really fast on the top and had momentum coming off turn four.  I really didn't think he was going to come up that far and I got into the back of him," Jones explained.  "It's not like I'm trying to take anybody out, but you have to let them know that you're behind them. Sometimes when a guy slides up in front of you like that, it's hard not to get in the back of him because you're traveling so fast here."

Jones was traveling pretty fast on lap 25 as well, when he darted off the turn four cushion and down to the inside of Kruseman to secure the lead heading into turn one.  From there, Jones was never challenged and went on to score an impressive win.  Kruseman seemed to develop a problem late in the race and had to settle for sixth.  Yeley finished second after a tough fight with the Alexander & Geurin / Statewide Towing No. 5 driven by Mike Kirby and the Pace Electronics No. 83 TCR driven by Scott.  Jeremy Sherman had another fine drive coming from the 12th starting position to finish fifth.
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2001 SPRINT CAR RACING ASSOCIATION POINT STANDINGS
           
1. Cory Kruseman    420
2. Tony Jones   327
   John Scott   327
4. Troy Rutherford  293
5. Mike Kirby   286
6. Rip Williams 275
   Steve Ostling    275
8. Jeremy Sherman   269
9. Troy Cline   266
10. Richard Griffin  243


RACE #6 - MANZANITA SPEEDWAY / GARY SOKOLA CLASSIC
PHOENIX, AZ
Date of Race: 03/17/01
TIME TRIALS 
1. J.J. Yeley, Phoenix AZ, Smiley 60A , 19.536 2. Derek Davidson, Lafayette IN, BWB Racing 26 , 19.605  3. Tony Elliott, Kokomo IN, M&B Racing. 5X, 19.729 4. Hank Winter, Tucson AZ, Winter 33 , 19.779  5. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr  4, 19.789 6. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Gardner Jr. 2 , 19.873  7.  Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sertich 92 , 19.882  8. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Ellis 21, 19.932  9. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47 ,   19.943  10. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99,   19.982  11. Troy Cline, Santa Clarita CA, Cline 11, 19.999  12. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B Racing 5, 20.040  13. Tracy Hines, New Castle IN, BWB Racing 62, 20.065  14. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 20.162  15. George Gervais, Mira Loma CA, Gervals 9, 20.230  16. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94, 20.252  17. Mike Boat, Glendale AZ, Boat 74 , 20.265  18.  Jimmy May, Ventura CA, Witherill 61X , 20.280  19. Bob Ream Jr, Glendale AZ., Brat Racing 8 , 20.296  20. Rick Ziehl, Las Cruces NM, G&N Motorsports 35 , 20.300  21. Steve Ostling, Corona CA., Pratt 12, 20.300  22. Justin Marvel, Pittsboro IN, Wall/Vermeer 37 , 20.325  23. Michael Hinrichsen, Lakeside CA., Lake Mtrsprts. 16 , 20.365  24. Michael Smith, Trona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 20.417  25. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17 , 20.490  26. Jay Drake, Val Verde CA, Priestley 7X, 20.498  27. Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA, Sweeney 98 , 20.500  28. Fred Bryan, Higley AZ, Bryan 7A , 20.512  29. Kaylene Verville, Phoenix AZ, Warner 01, 20.518  30. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7, 20.520  31. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85, 20.543 32. Casey Shuman, Tempe AZ, Lake Mtrsprts 6 , 20.667  33. Mike Spencer, Temecula CA, Engstrom 44 , 20.724  34. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24 , 21.004  35. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14 , 21.077  36.  Ronnie Clark, Tucson AZ, Winter 138 , 21.322  37. Cal Smith, Montclair CA, Francis 65 , 21.334  38. Glenn Crossna, Alta Loma CA, Crossno 38 , 21.554 39. Jimmy Gardner, Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96 , 22.215  40. Jeff Slinkard, Scottsdale AZ.,Taylor 61, No Time 40. Rodney Argo, Hawthorne CA, Argo 19, No Time

HEAT 1
1. Steve Ostling, 2. J.J. Yeley, 3. Tracy Hines, 4. Troy Rutherford, 5. Mike Boat, 6. Brian Venard, 7. Kaylene Verville, 8. Jack DeArmond, Jr., 9. Greg DeCaires,

HEAT 2
1. Jay Drake, 2. Mike English, 3. Derek Davidson, 4. Rip Williams, 5. Rickie Gaunt, 6. Adam Mitchell, 7. Justin Marvel, 8. Ronnie Clark, 9. Jimmy May,

HEAT 3
1. Bob Ream Jr, 2. Troy Cline, 3. Tony Elliott, 4. Lance Gremett, 5. Verne Sweeney, 6. Danny Sheridan, 7.  George Gervais, 8. Michael Hinrichsen, 9. Mike Spencer,

HEAT 4
1. Jeremy Sherman, 2. Fred Bryan, 3. Mike Kirby, 4. Rick Ziehl, 5. Charles Davis, Jr, 6. Casey Shuman, 7.  Hank Winter, 8. Michael Smith, 9. Cal Smith,

DASH
1. John Scott. 2. Richard Griffin. 3. Cory Kruseman. 4. Tony Jones. 5. J.J. Yeley. 6. Troy Rutherford. 7. Tony Elliott. 8. Derek Davidson.

C FEATURE
1. Jack DeArmond,   Jr.. 2. Ronnie Clark. 3. Mike Spencer. 4. Cal Smith. 5. Glenn Crossno. 6. Jeff Slinkard. 7. Jimmy Gardner.

B FEATURE
1. Rickie Gaunt. 2. Hank Winter. 3. Charles Davis, Jr. 4. Danny Sheridan. 5. Adam Mitchell, 6. Brian Venard. 7. George Gervais, 8. Michael Hinrichsen. 9. Casey Shuman. 10. Jimmy May. 11.  Michael Smith, 12.  Justin Marvel. 13. Ronnie Clark. 14.  Cal Smith. 15.  Kaylene Verville. 16.  Mike Boat. 17. Verne Sweeney. 18.  Mike Spencer.

A   FEATURE (40 Laps)
1. Tony Jones. 2. J.J. Yeley. 3. Mike Kirby. 4, John Scott. 5. Jeremy Sherman. 6. Cory Kruseman. 7. Troy Rutherford. 8. Steve Ostling. 9. Troy Cline, 10.  Tracy Hines, 11.  Bob Ream Jr. 12.  Mike English. 13. Tony Elliott. 14.  Charles Davis, Jr. 15.  Hank Winter. 16. Fred Bryan. 17.  Lance Gremett. 18. Derek Davidson. 19. Danny Sheridan. 20.  Rickie Gaunt. 21.  Jay Drake, 22.  Rick Ziehl. 23.  Rip Williams. 24.  Richard Griffin.
Laps Led: Jones 1-22, Kruseman 23-24, Jones 25-30