PERRIS, CA, August 11 --    Cory Kruseman became the first driver to win five consecutive Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) main events at the Perris Auto Speedway.  As Kruseman continues to lay claim to being the new king of the PAS, Rip Williams, who has been revered as the man to beat at Perris since the track opened in 1996, wasn't about to let one of his records be broken without a fight.

It was four years ago (nearly to the day), that Kruseman out-dueled Williams who was vying for his fifth straight win.  Williams did proceed to win the next three Perris events, which at the time served as some consolation.  Saturday night, Williams now found himself playing the role of spoiler. Williams played his role well.  In fact, he led Krusrman for the first 17 laps of the feature race until he tangled with a lapped car and spun. 

"Luck play a large part in tonight's outcome because Rip was a bullet and I think he knew he could have won this race.   Lapped traffic just went my way and not his," Kruseman said. "My guys did a fantastic job again tonight.  The track was a lot different and we really weren't that comfortable all night, so we just hopped around trying to find a spot."

It was obvious that the pole would be the place to be for the start of the 30 lap main event since track conditions were drier than normal.  Naturally, much emphases was placed on the JE Pistons Dash since the winner of that event earns the pole for the finale.  Kruseman started on the pole for the six lap dash only to have Williams steal the win and the pole. 

Kruseman started on the outside of Williams for the main event, but couldn't find enough traction exiting turn four to challenge for the lead heading into turn one.  As it turned out, the initial start aborted after Tom Downing spun in turn two forcing a complete restart.  Kruseman devised a strategy for the second restart.  Unfortunately, Kruseman's plan through turn one caused him to push up the race track and drop to fourth place.  Luckily for Kruseman, Marc Hart and Jordan Hermansader tangled before the end of the lap setting up another two abreast restart.

"It was tough out there coming off of (turn) four.  Rip knew that, and wasn't going to give me any kind of an advantage.  Luckily, we had three starts because I screwed the second one up.  On the third one, I figured I was better off following him and running in second than screwing up again and going to fourth of fifth," Kruseman explained.

The third restart resulted in the first completed lap of the race as Williams drove across the line in first ahead of Kruseman.  After being sidelined for two races due to a work related arm injury, Richard Griffin returned to action and ran third at the end of the first lap ahead of Rickie Gaunt, Steve Ostling and the Pace Electronic No. 83 TCR driven by John Scott .

With the first six cars all running the cushion, Williams reached lapped traffic for the first time in just nine laps.  One lap later, Troy Rutherford, who started eleventh, pushed the Gardner Motorsports / Sander Engineering No. 4 Sled into the top-five.  Back up front, Williams was faced with a heavy pack of lapped cars which allowed Kruseman and Griffin to close in by the 13th lap.

Williams made some nice moves in lapped traffic and increased his lead just before the midway point of the race after Kruseman nearly spun the Harlan Willis / WorldGate Networks No. 45 TCR in turn two.  Kruseman quickly regrouped and had the Mike Nigh prepared machine in a position to pressure Williams for the lead in just two circuits. 

Heading down the backstraight on lap 18, Williams dove down to the bottom of turn three trying to put rookie driver Ronnie Clark a lap down.  Much to the surprise of Williams, Clark suddenly went low as well resulting in contact that sent both men sliding up the race track.  Richard Griffin, Hart, Hermansader and Brain Venard were all left with nowhere to go and were also collected.  Also involved was fourth place Gaunt, who, in "rim rider" fashion, drove the Alexander-Geurin / Statewide Towing No. 5x Stinger to the Sander Engineering Fast Time Award in time trials.  There were no injuries, but only Williams and Gaunt were able to return to action. 

"Something I always try to remember when I'm in lapped cars is to look at the scoreboard," Kruseman said after the race.  "It was only about lap 13 when Rip pulled away from me a bit, but I knew the second guy usually has a better opportunity to get through them guys.  It's the last ten laps when you really have to push and that's what we did."

Even though lapped traffic was no longer a factor, Kruseman still pushed himself in the final ten laps and had built nearly a half a lap lead when he accepted the checkered flag for the eleventh time this season.  Rutherford finished second ahead of Scott and Mike Kirby and won the TW Metals Hard Charger Award.  Rodney Argo drove the Ford powered Don Argo / Decore Plating No. 19 Jon Boy to a fifth place finish.  Despite the earlier mishap, Williams finished sixth.   

Prior to the race, $7,860 was collected in the grandstands and the pit area for George Gervais who was critically injured on July 28th at Perris. Gervais remains unconscious in a Riverside hospital.                         
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SCRA RACE #26 - PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY, PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 08/11/01

TIME TRIALS
1. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, M&B Racing 5X, 17.035 2. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50 , 17.100 3. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83, 17.177  4. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3 , 17.225  5. Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA, Sweeney 98 , 17.251  6. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45 , 17.258  7. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sertich 92 , 17.425 8. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 17.495  9. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19 , 17.500  10. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94 , 17.544  11. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA, Nation 3N, 17.670  12.  Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr 4 , 17.760  13. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B Racing 5, 17.785  14.  Marc Hart, Ventura CA, Hart 15 , 17.843  15.  Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA., Ruth 25 , 17.914  16. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7 , 17.919  17. Tony Everhart, El Cajon CA, Everhart 55, 17.940 18. Ronnie Clark, (R) Tucson AZ, Winter 33 , 18.013  19. Mike Spencer, (R) Temecula CA, Engstrom 44, 18.055  20. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Pratt 12 , 18.075  21. Charlie Ekiss, La Mesa CA, Ball 78, 18.080  22. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47 , 18.116  23. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99 , 18.159  24. Michael Hinrichsen, (R) Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16 , 18.211  25.  Tom Downing, Lakewood CA, Downing 90 , 18.291  26. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14 , 18.314  27. Steve Venard, Silverado CA, Glover 49 , 18.325  28. Keith Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95 , 18.328  29. Tony Lima, Industry CA, Lima 30 , 18.331 30. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85 , 18.411  31. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82 , 18.417  32. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24, 18.597  33. Bobby Cody, Costa Mesa CA, Cody 41 , 18.686  34. Jeremy Ellerson, Hermosa Beach CA, Ellerton 98X, 18.808  35. Jimmy Gardner, (R) Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96, 19.021  36. Glenn Crossno, (R) Alta Loma CA, Crossno 38 , 19.114  37. Jeff Schildmeyer, (R) Alpine CA, Ball 87 , 19.255  38. Steve Koster, (R) El Cajon CA, Koster 42 , 19.463  39. Danny Miller, Yorba Linda CA, Miller 75 , 19.578  40. Dan Tedrick, Hesperia CA, Tedrick 88 , 20.305

C FEATURE
1. Jimmy Gardner. 2. Steve Koster, 3. Bobby Cody. 4. Glenn Crossno. 5, Jeremy Ellerson. 6. Jeff Schildmeyer. 7. Danny Miller, 8. Dan Tedrick,

HEAT 1
1. Rodney Argo, 2. Mike Kirby, 3. Rickie Gaunt, 4. Verne Sweeney, 5. Tom Downing, 6. Tony Lima, 7.   Charlie Ekiss, 8. Tony Everhart, 9. Jimmy Gardner,

HEAT 2
1. Richard Griffin, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Bobby Graham, 4. Charles Davis, Jr, 5. Brian Venard, 6. Steve Koster, 7. Ronnie Clark, 8. Marc Hart, 9. Lance Gremett,

HEAT 3
1. Adam Mitchell, 2. Gary W. Howard, 3. John Scott, 4, Mike Spencer, 5. Steve Venard, 6. Mark Nation, 7. Dan Hillberg, 8. Bobby Cody, 9. Danny Sheridan,

HEAT 4
1. Rip Williams, 2. Jordan Hermansader, 3. Troy Rutherford, 4. Steve Ostling, 5. Michael Hinrichsen, 6.  Jack DeArmond, Jr., 7. Keith Williamson, 8. Mike English,

DASH
1. Rip Williams. 2. Cory Kruseman. 3. Richard Griffin. 4. Rickie Gaunt. 5. Steve Ostling. 6. John Scott. 7. Verne Sweeney. 8. Rodney Argo,

B FEATURE
1. Marc Hart. 2. Mark Nation. 3. Mike English. 4. Brian Venard. 5. Tom Downing. 6. Ronnie Clark. 7. Michael Hinrichsen. 8. Lance Gremett. 9. Jack DeArmond, Jr. 10. Charlie Ekiss. 11. Keith Williamson. 12. Dan Hillberg. 13. Jimmy Gardner. 14.  Tony Everhart. 15.  Tony Lima, 16.  Bobby Cody, 17. Steve Koster. 18. Glenn Crossno. 19.  Steve Venard.

A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1. Cory Kruseman. 2. Troy Rutherford. 3. John Scott. 4. Mike Kirby. 5, Rodney Argo, 6. Rip Williams. 7.   Steve Ostling. 8. Mike English. 9. Rickie Gaunt. 10. Charles Davis, Jr. 11. Adam Mitchell. 12. Verne Sweeney. 13. Mark Nation, 14. Tom Downing. 15. Bobby Graham. 16. Gary W. Howard. 17. Richard Griffin, 18. Ronnie Clark. 19. Brian Venard. 20.  Marc Hart. 21. Jordan Hermansader. 22. Mike Spencer.
Laps Led: Williams 1-17, Kruseman 18-30

CAR          NAME                   HOMETOWN            STARTS POINTS
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    1.  45  Cory Kruseman         Ventura CA                        26  1799
    2.  50  Richard Griffin           Silver City NM                   24  1485
    3.  5   Mike Kirby                Lomita CA                          26  1467
    4.  4   Troy Rutherford         Ojai CA                              26  1463
    5.  83  John Scott                Hesperia CA                        26  1278
    6.  3   Rip Williams              Yorba Linda CA                  26  1192
    7.  29  Steve Ostling            Corona CA                          26  1146
    8.  5X  Rickie Gaunt            Torrance CA                       26  1140
    9.  7   Mike English              Norwalk CA                        25  1080
    10. 94  Charles Davis, Jr     Chandler AZ                         25  935
    11. 92  Danny Sheridan       Santa Maria CA                   26  885
    12. 50  Tony Jones              Corona CA                         17  874
    13. 2IJ Troy Cline                Santa Clarita CA                 16  718
    14. 19  Rodney Argo           Gardena CA                        19  629
    15. 99  Adam Mitchell          Escondido CA                     25  555
    16. 85  Lance Gremett          San Marcos CA                  26  456
    17. 16  Michael Hinrichsen  (R) Lakeside CA                   26  438
    18. 9   George Gervais         Mira Loma CA                    23  426
    19. 12X Casey Shuman        Tempe AZ                          19  419
    20. 17  Greg DeCaires         Elk Grove CA                     15  406