SCRAFAN.COM - Press Release

PERRIS, CA, May 27 --   Mike Kirby has earned a reputation for knowing how to save a race car. When the car is not right, Kirby admits that his main goal is to be able to roll the car into the trailer at the end of the night. When the car is right, Kirby is usually a force to be reckoned with.

In recent weeks, Kirby's had his elbows up higher than normal. A sign that the Mark Alexander & Brad Geurin / Statewide Towing No. 5 Stinger is now to his liking. After a 20th to fourth run the night before, Kirby returned to the Perris Auto Speedway Sunday night with his confidence high. He left with a 30 lap Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) main event win.

"I had a great race car," Kirby said with a familiar smile. "We've struggled for most of the year and Mark Alexander brought out one of his cars and told me that it would work and to try it. This car is really different from any other car that I've driven before. It's something that Mark asked Richard Harvey (Stinger Chassis) to make and they designed it together.   We've tried a couple different cars this year, but I think we'll keep this one for a while."

Richard Griffin won the JE Pistons Dash and was joined on the front row by last night's dash winner John Scott. Scott got the jump on Griffin twice, but both starts were negated by accidents on the opening lap. Learning from the two prior starts, Griffin altered his line and cleanly beat Scott to the turn one cushion. Griffin went on to lead the opening lap in the Ron Chaffin / Madera Produce No. 50 Jon Boy and was followed back to the line by Scott, Cory Kruseman, Troy Rutherford and Steve Ostling.

Kirby started seventh, but was up to fifth in three laps. On that same lap, Scott executed a perfect turn three slid job on Griffin to put his Pace Electronics No. 83 TCR into the lead. Griffin tried to reply in turn one, but wound up losing positions to Kruseman and Ostling. Wasting little time, Kruseman darted down to the bottom of turn four and took the lead from Scott four laps into the race.

Despite winning last night, Kruseman's team built him a new car for this race. Appearing not to miss a beat, Kruseman pulled away from Scott once out front. Alex Grigoreas came to a stop in turn two to bring out the yellow flag on lap eight. While the yellow flag was waving, Rickie Gaunt got up in the air after climbing the turn three wall. Gaunt's car somehow landed on all four wheels allowing him to drive away without stalling. Gaunt would go on to finish sixth in Kirby's back-up car.

None of the top-five positions changed on the restart. Scott was able to keep pace with Kruseman over the course of the next few circuits, but could never get close enough to challenge for the lead. Just before the halfway point of the race, Kirby passed both Ostling and Griffin to move into the third position.

Kruseman, who earlier won the Sander Engineering Fast Time Award, reached the first back marker on lap 19. Scott approached lapped traffic as well and Kirby immediately pounced on an opportunity to take the runner-up spot. Scott and Kirby exchanged positions on lap 22 before Kirby took control coming down to complete the lap. Once in second, Kirby rapidly closed on Kruseman.

With less than five laps to go, Kruseman found himself trapped behind a pack of slower cars. With Kirby only a few feet from his tail tank, Kruseman muscled his way between a couple lapped of cars and bravely put some distance between himself and Kirby. Not to be out done, Kirby made a spectacular outside pass on the same two cars so he could stay near to the leader.

Kruseman accepted the white flag as he adamantly worked to put Greg DeCaires a lap down. Feeling the urgency of the moment, Kruseman tapped DeCaires exiting turn two. Kruseman might have been hoping to slip around the outside of DeCaires, but instead climbed his tire and spun to a stop, giving the lead and the eventual win to Kirby.

"I took my time a little more than he did. I don't know if he thought we were too close, but we just made a little better decision than he did that one time, but that's racing," Kirby grinned. "I was hard on the brakes at the time because I could see it coming. I think Cory did the right thing, he just over did it. He just tried to move the guy. Had he been able to move him, I don't think I would have been able to beat him."

Scott finished second ahead of the Gene Cowherd / GC Aero No. 48 Avenger driven by Tony Jones. Griffin finished fourth as Danny Sheridan piloted the Tom & Lauri Sertich / Powerlock No. 92 Buckley to a fifth place finish.
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SCRA RACE #13 - PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY, PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 05/27/01

TIME TRIALS
1. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45 , 16.927 2. Tony Jones, Corona CA, Cowherd 48 , 17.099 3. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA.,M&B Racing. 5X , 17.127 4. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr 4 , 17.140 5. Steve Ostling, Corona CA., Fischer Mtrspts 29, 17.162 6. George Gervais, Mira Loma CA, Gervais 9 , 17.207 7. John Scott, Hesperia CA., Scott Mtrsprts 83, 17.235 8. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50 , 17.237 9. Brian Venard, Tustin CA.,Venard. 47 , 17.253 10. Alex Grigoreas, Chino CA, Keene 84 , 17.295 11. Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA, Sweeney 98 , 17.298 12. Hank Winter, Tucson AZ, Winter 33, 17.330 13. Kevin White, Anaheim CA, White 43 , 17.337 14. Michael Hinrichsen, (R) Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16, 17.353 15. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA, Ruth 25, 17.377 16. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B Racing 5, 17.397 17. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7 , 17.405 18. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sertich 92, 17.435 19. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory    3, 17.480 20. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14, 17.485 21. John Sarale, Stockton CA, DiDonato 57, 17.486 22. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99 , 17.490 23. John Franklin, Huntington Bch. CA, Franklin 20 , 17.498 24. Marc Hart, Ventura CA, Hart 15 , 17.549 25. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85 , 17.592 26. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17 , 17.670 27. Rodney Argo, Hawthorne CA, Argo 19 , 17.702 28. Keith Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95, 17.712 29. Casey Shuman, Tempe AZ, Lake Mtrsprts   6, 17.720 30. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94, 17.727 31. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 17.733 32. Greg Taylor, (R) Ojai CA, Taylor 7T , 17.737 33. Mike Spencer, (R) Temecula CA, Engstrom 44, 17.805 34. Ronnie Clark, (R) Tucson AZ, Winter 138, 17.810 35. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Pratt 12, 17.815 36.     Mark Nation, Los Glivos CA, Nation 3N, 17.848 37. Glenn Crossno, (R) Alta Loma CA, Crossno 38, 17.915 38.   Ken Coulston, Jr, Laquienta CA, Coulston, Jr. 32 , 17.969 39. Steve Venard, Silverado CA, Glover 49 , 18.020 40. Mel Murphy, Riverside CA, Murphy 62 , 18.029 41. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24, 18.042 42.    Chris Rahe, Corona CA, Rahe 51 , 18.045 43. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82 , 18.108 44. Jeff Schildmeyer, (R) Alpine CA, Ball 87 , 18.132 45. Wiley Miller, (R) Yorba Linda CA,   Miller 75X, 18.134 46. Jeff Heaton, Ventura CA, Camarillo 52 , 18.181 47. Cal Smith, Montclair CA, Francis 65, 18.205 48. Jimmy Gardner, (R) Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96 , 18.259 49. Shane Alach, New Zealand, Witherill 16X , 18.395 50. Dan Tedrick, Hesperia CA, Tedrick 88X , 18.440 51. Jeremy Ellertson, Hermosa Beach CA, Ellertson 98X , 20.733 52.   Tony Everhart, El Cajon CA, Everhart 55, No Time

D FEATURE
1. Dan Hillberg. 2. Shane Alach. 3. Jeff Heaton, 4. Jeff Schildmeyer. 5. Cal Smith. 6. Jimmy Gardner. 7. Jeremy Ellerson. 8. Dan Tedrick. 9. Wiley Miller.

C FEATURE
1. Jordan Hermansader. 2. Ronnie Clark. 3. Mark Nation. 4. Mike Spencer. 5. Ken Coulston, Jr. 6. Shane Alach. 7. Jack DeArmond, Jr.. 8. Chris Rahe, 9. Steve Venard. 10, Mel Murphy. 11. Dan Hillberg. 12. Glenn Crossno.

HEAT 1
1. Mike English, 2. Casey Shuman, 3. Cory Kruseman, 4. Steve Ostling, 5. Lance Gremett, 6. John Sarale, 7. Brian Venard, 8. Jordan Hermansader, 9. Kevin White,

HEAT 2
1. Tony Jones, 2. Greg DeCaires, 3. Charles Davis, Jr, 4. Danny Sheridan, 5. Michael Hinrichsen, 6. Adam Mitchell, 7. Alex Grigoreas, 8. George Gervais, 9. Ronnie Clark,

HEAT 3
1. Rip Williams, 2. Rodney Argo, 3. John Scott, 4. Verne Sweeney, 5. Rickie Gaunt, 6. Jarrett Chaney, 7.    Gary W. Howard, 8. Mark Nation, 9. John Franklin,

HEAT 4
1. Richard Griffin, 2. Mike Kirby, 3. Troy Rutherford, 4. Marc Hart, 5. Mike Spencer, 6. Greg Taylor, 7. Keith Williamson, 8. Hank Winter, 9. Bobby Graham,

DASH
1. Richard Griffin. 2. John Scott. 3. Troy Rutherford. 4. Cory Kruseman. 5. Steve Ostling. 6. Tony Jones, 7. Mike Kirby. 8. Verne Sweeney,

B FEATURE
1. Rickie Gaunt. 2. George Gervais. 3. Brian Venard. 4. Alex Grigoreas. 5. Kevin White. 6. Gary W. Howard. 7. Adam Mitchell. 8. Jarrett Chaney. 9. Lance Gremett. 10. Jordan Hermansader. 11. Mike Spencer. 12. Hank Winter. 13. Keith Williamson. 14. John Franklin. 15. Bobby Graham. 16. Ronnie Clark. 17. Mark Nation. 18. John Sarale. 19. Michael Hinrichsen. 20. Greg Taylor.

Revised Sunday (5.27) Finish 1. Mike Kirby. 2. John Scott. 3. Tony Jones. 4. Richard Griffin. 5. Danny Sheridan. 6. Rickie Gaunt. 7. Troy Rutherford. 8. Steve Ostling. 9. Mike English. 10. Casey Shuman. 11. Brian Venard, 12. George Gervais. 13. Rip Williams. 14. Cory Kruseman. 15. Marc Hart. 16. Gary W. Howard. 17. Charles Davis, Jr. 18. Kevin White. 19. Greg DeCaires, 20. Verne Sweeney. 21. Alex Grigoreas. 22. Rodney Argo.
Laps Led: Griffin 1-2, Scott 3-4, Kruseman 5-28, Kirby 29-30

A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1. Mike Kirby. 2. John Scott. 3. Tony Jones. 4. Richard Griffin. 5. Danny Sheridan. 6. Rickie Gaunt. 7. Troy Rutherford. 8. Steve Ostling. 9. Mike English. 10. Casey Shuman. 11. Brian Venard, 12. George Gervais. 13. Rip Williams. 14. Cory Kruseman. 15. Marc Hart. 16. Gary W. Howard. 17. Charles Davis, Jr. 18. Kevin White. 19. Greg DeCaires, 20. Verne Sweeney. 21. Alex Grigoreas. 22. Rodney Argo.
Laps Led: Griffin 1-2, Scott 3-4, Kruseman 5-28, Kirby 29-30

SCRA Point Standings as of: 05/28/01

            CAR - NAME - HOMETOWN - STARTS POINTS

    1. 45 Cory Kruseman   Ventura CA 13 920
    2. 50 Richard Griffin Silver City NM 13 732
    3. 4   Troy Rutherford Ojai CA 13 724
    4. 83 John Scott Hesperia CA 13 685
    5. 48 Tony Jones Corona CA   13 680
    6. 5   Mike Kirby Lomita CA   13 645
    7. 29 Steve Ostling   Corona CA   13 627
    8. 3   Rip Williams    Yorba Linda CA 13 571
    9. 7   Mike English    Norwalk CA 13 564
    10. 5X Rickie Gaunt    Torrance CA 13 478
    11. 94 Charles Davis, Jr   Chandler AZ 13 455
    12. 92 Danny Sheridan Santa Maria CA 13 380
    13. 19 Rodney Argo Hawthorne CA    12 345
    14. 11 Troy Cline Santa Clarita CA    7   341
    15. 6   Casey Shuman    Tempe AZ    13 288
    16. 21 Jeremy Sherman Phoenix AZ 6   283
    17. 17 Greg DeCaires   Elk Grove CA    12 281
    18. 33 Hank Winter Tucson AZ   13 234
    19. 16 Michael Hinrichsen (R) Lakeside CA 13 206
    20. 47 Brian Venard    Tustin CA   11 195