VENTURA, CA, May 5 --
Saturday night's Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) visit to Ventura Raceway
was named the Jeff Bagley Classic to honor the memory of an up-and-coming young
driver who lost his life in a 1989 sprint car race at Ascot Park.
Since Bagley's tragic accident, a Harlan Willis owned race car has always
carried a small 21 on the side as a tribute to his fallen friend. Willis
retired from sprint car racing in 1993 after a spectacular flip at Ventura
Raceway. Since assuming the role of just an owner, Willis and his driver
Cory Kruseman have continued to do their part to keep the spirit of Bagley
alive. Naturally, it made for an emotional victory when Kruseman drove
from the 12th starting position to win the inaugural Jeff Bagley Classic.
"Harlan and Jeff were best friends and I remember helping Jeff when he
raced TQ's," Kruseman reflected. "After Jeff's accident,
we've all become good friends with his parents Paul and Helen.
Unfortunately, this race was
scheduled at the same time I was supposed to be in Nazareth (PA) for a Silver
Bullet race. It was a heck of a decision that I had to make, but I wanted
to stay here and race for my friend and two special people that mean the world
to me. We were just fortunate enough to be able to win." Kruseman has
been extremely fortunate this year, gathering four SCRA wins in just nine races.
Kruseman's latest win, his fifth career win at Sea Side Park, helped to pad his
growing SCRA point lead which might hinder some of his other racing interests.
"I still plan on running Indiana Sprint Week, so that means missing a race
here. We'll just have to wait and see when the time comes to make that decision.
But, the only commitment we have as a team is that when we stop
having fun we'll start doing other stuff. Everyone's heart is in it this
year and we're all like brothers again."
Since Bagley drove car number 21, twenty-one cars earned the right to start in
the 30 lap main event. Alex Grigoreas won his first career JE Pistons
Passing Masters Dash and earned the right to start on the pole. With
Gardner Motorsports built Sled Chassis occupying the first three starting spots,
Rickie Gaunt jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag.
Gaunt and Richard Griffin touched in turn three causing both drivers, as well as
Rip Williams, to spin to a stop. Because all three drivers started on the
outside of their assigned rows, Kruseman was able to move up three rows for the
restart.
"Everything just kind of fell our way tonight," Kruseman later
admitted. "The accident on the opening lap moved us up from the 12th
starting spot to 6th which helps a lot here. I think you can win from 12th
here, but it would
have been tough. More than anything, the opening lap crash got rid of some
good cars which is what we needed."
Tony Jones also benefited from this situation, moving from the sixth starting
position to the outside front row. Jones put the Gene Cowherd / GC Aero
No. 48 Avenger into the lead at the start and completed lap one with Grigoreas,
Kruseman, Troy Rutherford and Sander Engineering Fast Time Award winner Mike
English still closely behind. Grigoreas had been running the bottom groove, but
developed a brake problem early causing him to slip up to the middle of the race
track on lap four. This allowed Kruseman and Rutherford to move ahead.
Jones reach lapped traffic in just ten circuits, but a series of yellow flags
soon followed preventing slows cars from being any kind of factor as the race
progressed.
Jones slid wide on the first of these restarts giving Kruseman all the help he
needed to move his Omni Turn No. 45 TCR into the lead on lap 13. Jones was
victimized on a lap 20 restart as well after Rutherford pulled off an
aggressive turn one slide-job. Kruseman controlled the remainder of the
race with the exception of a couple turn three miscues that momentarily gave the
second place car a smidgen of hope.
"When I'd run down the back chute it just seemed to suck me up to the
fence, and when it did, I'd hit that hole getting into turn three. I
really had to work to miss it," said Kruseman who also happens to run a
prominent sprint
car driving school at Ventura Raceway.
In the end, Kruseman was able to smooth-out turn three and went on to earn the
victory and the TW Metals Hard Charger Award. Jones passed Rutherford on
the final lap of the race to finish in the runner-up spot. Not to be out
done, Griffin completed his run from the back of the pack by nipping Rodney Argo
at the line for fourth place.
###
RACE #9 - VENTURA RACEWAY / JEFF
BAGLEY CLASSIC
VENTURA, CA
Date of Race: 05/05/01
SCRA TIME TRIALS
1. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7 , 12.165 2. Troy Rutherford, Ojai
CA, Gardner, Jr 4 , 12,259 3. Tony Jones, Corona CA, Cowherd 48 , 12.305
4. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47 , 12.313 5. Bobby Graham, Riverside
CA., Silver State 14 , 12.353 6. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3 ,
12.385
7. Alex Grigoreas, Chino CA., Keene 84 , 12.424 8. Mike Spencer, (R)
Temecula CA, Engstrom 44 , 12.502 9. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Gardner
Jr. 2 , 12.526 10. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45 , 12.543 11.
Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17 , 12.544 12. Casey Shuman, Tempe
AZ, Lake Mtrsprts 6 , 12.557 13. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin
50, 12.593 14. Rodney Argo, Hawthorne CA, Argo 19 , 12.596 15.
Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85 , 12.659 16. George Gervais, Mira Loma
CA, Gervais 9 ,
12.691 17. Greg Taylor, (R) Ojai CA, Taylor 7T , 12.711 18. Jeff
Heaton, Ventura CA, Heaton 52X 12.772 19. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona
CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24 , 12.829 20. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Pratt 12,
12.849 21. Hank Winter, Tucson AZ, Winter 33 , 12.854 22. Jarrett
Chaney, Clovis CA., Chaney 69 , 12.865 23. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B
Racing 5 , 12.873 24. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94 , 12.924
25. Tony Dighera, Thousand Oaks CA, Dighera 47X , 12.951 26. Shane Alach,
Aukland, New Zealand, Witherill 61X 12.964 27. Chris Wakim, Simi Valley
CA, Wakim 9W 12.981 28. John Scott,
Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83 , 13.011 29. Ronnie Clark, (R) Tucson AZ,
Winter 138 , 13.035 30. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99 13.090
31. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82, 13.116 32. Marc Hart, Ventura
CA, Hart 15, 13.121 33. Jimmy Gardner, (R) Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96
, 13.132 34. Michael Hinrichsen, (R) Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts 16 ,
13.194 35. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA, Ruth 25 , 13.221 36.
Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA, Nation 3N , 13.251 37. Dan Tedrick, Hesperia
CA, Tedrick 88X , 13.274 38. Steve Chuhaloff, Camarillo CA, Camland
Mtrspts 5C , 13.399 39. Glenn Crossno, (R) Alta Loma CA, Crossno 38 ,
13.406 40. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA., Sertich 92 , 13.420 41.
Troy Cline, Santa Clarita CA, Cline 11 , 13.449 42. John Franklin,
Huntington Bch. CA., Franklin 20, 13.464 43. Bill Welch, Ojai CA, Welch
54X , 13.516 44. Jeremy Ellertson, Hermosa Beach CA, Ellertson 98X , 13.522
45. Ben Astenious, Tucson AZ, Astenious 23A , 14.196 46. Ron Bach, Ventura
CA, Bach 49X , 14.712
C FEATURE
1. Michael Hinrichsen. 2. Mark Nation. 3. Jimmy Gardner. 4. Danny Sheridan 5.
Bill Welch. 6. Gary W. Howard. 7. Ron Bach. 8. Ben Astenious, 9. Steve Chuhaloff.
10. Dan Tedrick, 11. Glenn Crossno. 12. John Franklin. 13. Jeremy Ellerton.
HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. Greg Taylor, 2. Rickie Gaunt, 3. Mike English, 4. Richard Griffin, 5. Bobby
Graham, 6. Michael Hinrichsen, 7. Ronnie Clark, 8. Tony Dighera, 9. Hank Winter,
SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Troy Rutherford, 2. Rodney Argo, 3. Jeff Heaton, 4. Adam Mitchell, 5. Shane
Alach, 6. Cory Kruseman, 7. Jarrett Chaney, 8. Rip Williams, 9. Mark Nation,
KSE PRODUCTS HEAT 3
1. Mike Kirby, 2. Tony Jones, 3. Greg DeCaires, 4. Alex Grigoreas, 5. Dan
Hillberg, 6. Jimmy Gardner, 7. Lance Gremett, 8. Chris Wakim, 9. Jack DeArmond,
Jr.,
SIMPSON HEAT 4
1. Charles Davis, Jr, 2. Steve Ostling, 3. George Gervais, 4. John Scott, 5.
Brian Venard, 6. Marc Hart, 7. Casey Shuman, 8. Mike Spencer, 9. Danny
Sheridan,
JE PISTONS DASH
1. Alex Grigoreas. 2. Rickie Gaunt. 3. Troy Rutherford, 4. Richard Griffin. 5.
Mike English. 6. Tony Jones, 7. Rodney Argo. 8. Greg DeCaires.
B FEATURE
1. Cory Kruseman. 2. Rip Williams. 3. Bobby Graham. 4. Mike Spencer. 5. Casey
Shuman. 6. Ronnie Clark. 7. Michael Hinrichsen. 8. Danny Sheridan. 9. Chris
Wakim. 10. Hank Winter. 11. Lance Gremett. 12. Brian Venard. 13. Tony Dighera.
14. Shane Alach, 15. Jarrett Chaney. 16. Jimmy Gardner, 17. Dan Hillberg. 18.
Jack DeArmond, Jr. 19. Marc Hart.
A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1. Cory Kruseman. 2. Tony Jones, 3. Troy Rutherford. 4. Richard Griffin. 5.
Rodney Argo. 6. Mike English. 7. George Gervais, 8, Casey Shuman, 9. Jeff
Heaton, 10. Bobby Graham. 11. John Scott. 12. Greg DeCaires. 13. Adam Mitchell,
14. Mike Spencer. 15. Mike Kirby. 16. Greg Taylor, 17. Alex Grigoreas. 18.
Steve Ostling. 19. Rickie Gaunt. 20. Rip Williams, 21. Charles Davis, Jr.
Laps Led: Jones 1-13, Kruseman 14-30
CAR NAME
HOMETOWN STARTS
POINTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 45
Cory Kruseman
Ventura CA 9
625
2. 4
Troy Rutherford
Ojai CA
9 497
3. 83
John Scott
Hesperia CA
9 484
4. 48
Tony Jones
Corona CA 9
452
5. 50
Richard Griffin
Silver City NM 9
444
6. 12
Steve Ostling
Corona CA 9
397
7. 7
Mike English
Norwalk CA 9
379
8. 5
Mike Kirby
Lomita CA
9 376
9. 3
Rip Williams
Yorba Linda CA 9
372
10. 11
Troy Cline
Santa Clarita CA 7
341
11. 94
Charles Davis, Jr Chandler AZ
9 273
12. 21
Jeremy Sherman Phoenix AZ
5 269
13. 2
Rickie Gaunt
Torrance CA 9
246
14. 92
Danny Sheridan Santa Maria
CA 9 232
15. 19
Rodney Argo
Hawthorne CA 9
211
16. 17
Greg DeCaires Elk
Grove CA 9
195
17. 33
Hank Winter
Tucson AZ
9 161
18. 6
Casey Shuman
Tempe AZ
9 159
19. 14
Bobby Graham Riverside CA
8 158
20. 99
Adam Mitchell
Escondido CA 9
151
Point Standings as of: 05/05/01
