SANTA MARIA, CA, August 18 --    John Scott made a triumphant return to the Santa Maria Speedway, winning his second Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) main event of the season.

When the SCRA last visited SMS, Scott was just ten laps from the finish and running in the fourth position, when his car hit the wall and flipped. During the flip, Scott's car was struck by another car causing it to land flat on the belly-pan.  Saturday's victory celebration was a welcomed contrast to the site of Scott being removed from his car on a backboard just 41 days ago.  

"It feels real good to pull off a win after what happen here last time," Scott said, even though he was quick to downplay the severity of his injuries.  "I messed my back up a little and had to go to the hospital.  I fractured a couple vertebrae and was kind of bruised up, but it wasn't too bad."

Building a case for this year's iron-man award, Scott never missed a race while recuperating from his injuries and showed no signs of being intimated by the track that hurt him despite the lightening fast track conditions. Reminiscent of his other SMS win last October, Scott won the JE Pistons Dash and then proceeded to lead all 30 laps of the main event.

"We were fortunate to have great starting spots both times we won here and the track worked to our benefit tonight because it was so heavy.  I think this is the only place we run where the track is faster on the last lap of the main event than it is when we qualify.  It's insane out there," Scott laughed.  "I mean, it's like being on a Tilt O' Whirl at the carnival.  It's just brutal.  The last three laps I had no room to breath because the car was never neutral and the centrifugal force was there all the time.  I don't know what we were turning, but it was fast...really fast."

Since track conditions were so fast, Scott knew that it was imperative that he get his Pace Electronic No. 83 TCR out front at the drop of the green flag.  SCRA's hottest driver, Cory Kruseman,  knew this as well and was a bit premature on the initial start when he put the Harlan Willis / WorldGate Networks No. 45 TCR into the lead from the outside of the front row.  Starter Lee Jaskowiak promptly disallowed the start giving Scott his rightful opportunity to pace the field. 

Scott made the most of his second chance and beat Kruseman to the turn one cushion on the second start.  Troy Rutherford ran third in the Gardner Motorsports / Sander Engineering No. 4 Sled at the end of the opening lap and was followed by Richard Griffin, Charles Davis, Jr. and Rickie Gaunt.

Scott had a half a straightaway lead when Rutherford muscled his way passed Kruseman in turn four on the fifth circuit.  Three laps later, Scott reached lapped traffic for the first time.  Scott was smooth and clean through lapped traffic.  Still, Rutherford managed to pull within striking distance.  In fact, the top-five cars were running nose-to-tail when the caution flag flew on lap 15 for former track champion Mark Nation who spun exiting turn four.

The restart left SCRA fans holding their breath again after problems in the middle of the field triggered an incident involving Lance Gremett and Danny Sheridan.  Gremett was conscious and alert when taken to a local hospital as a precaution.  Sheridan was also shaken, but able to walk off the cobwebs from flipping the Moose Racing entry for a third straight week.   

Scott again took control of the race as the fog now began to roll in.  The yellow flag flew for the second time on lap 20 after the Joe Morales / O'Reilly Chevrolet No. 94 Buckley driven by Davis tangled with sixth place Gaunt.  Getting the worst of the altercation, Gaunt was left stopped in turn two. With a clear race track in front of him, Scott pulled away from Rutherford after the restart.  Scott reached lapped traffic again on lap 27, but the yellow flag waved for the final time one lap later for SCRA rookie point leader Michael Hinrichsen, who's disabled car slid off the racing surface after contact with fellow rookie Mike Spencer. 

Enjoying the luxury of no lapped cars to contend with, Scott smoothly went on to complete the remainder of the race without challenge from Rutherford. Ironically, Rutherford finished second at Santa Maria when Scott claimed his only other SMS win. 

"That last yellow didn't hurt my feelings any after I saw a (lapped) car between myself and Troy on the board for the restart." Scott smiled.  "Troy's got one of the cars that you can hear, and it's pretty distinctive.  I could hear him back there, but I wasn't too worried because our car was pretty strong and we were good in the right parts of the race track."

After a fierce tussle for most of the race, Kruseman edged the Ron Chaffin / Arizona Race Mart No. 50 Jon Boy driven by Griffin for the third spot.  Davis was rewarded for his 13 hour tow from Arizona with his fourth top-five finish of the season
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SCRA RACE #27 - SANTA MARIA SPEEDWAY, SANTA MARIA, CA
Date of Race: 08/18/01

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7 , 13.411  2. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, M&B Racing 5X,  13.440  3. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 13.465  4. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr 4 , 13.550   5. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94, 13.596  6. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B Racing 5, 13.616  7. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83, 13.632  8. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45, 13.657  9. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19 , 13.688  10.  Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69 , 13.860  11. Michael Hinrichsen, (R) Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16, 13.912  12. Mike Spencer, (R) Temecula CA, Engstrom 44, 13.923  13. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Silver State 14, 13.948  14. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17, 13.949  15. Troy Cline, Santa Clarita CA, Cheney. 21J , 13.953  16. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 14.005  17. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA, Nation 3N , 14.037  18. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Pratt 12, 14.128  19. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sertich 92 , 14.158  20. Ronnie Clark, (R) Tucson AZ, Winter 33, 14.160  21. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85 , 14.188  22. Eric Rossi, Gilroy CA, Family Auto 98F, 14.228  23. Gary Rayburn, Jr., Grover Beach CA, Rayburn, Sr. 98T , 14.231  24. David Addamo, Santa Maria CA, Addamo 27T, 14.402  25. Darren Simas, Santa Maria CA, Simas 91S , 14.476  26. Jeremy Ellerson, Hermosa Beach CA, Ellerson 98X, 14.565  27. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Sr. 24 , 14.649  28. Brian Campbell, Glendale CA, Hutchinson 8N, 14.884  29. Jimmy Gardner, (R) Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96 , 14.931  30. Glenn Crossno, (R) Alta Loma CA, Crossno 38 , 15.025

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1  
1. Mark Nation, 2. Charles Davis, Jr, 3. Lance Gremett, 4. Bobby Graham, 5. Darren Simas, 6. Jimmy Gardner, 7. Mike English, 8. Rodney Argo,  

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Jordan Hermansader, 2. Jarrett Chaney, 3. Greg DeCaires, 4. Rickie Gaunt, 5. Eric Rossi, 6. Mike Kirby, 7. Jeremy Ellerson, 8. Glenn Crossno,

KSE PRODUCTS HEAT 3
1. Danny Sheridan, 2. John Scott, 3. Richard Griffin, 4. Gary Rayburn, Jr., 5. Troy Cline, 6. Michael Hinrichsen, 7. Jack DeArmond, Jr.,

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT 4
1. Rip Williams, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Ronnie Clark, 4. Troy Rutherford, 5. David Addamo, 6. Mike Spencer, 7. Brian Campbell,

JE PISTONS DASH
1. John Scott. 2.   Cory Kruseman. 3. Troy Rutherford. 4. Richard Griffin. 5. Charles Davis, Jr. 6. Bobby Graham. 7. Jarrett Chaney, 8. Rickie Gaunt.

JB ENTERPRISE B FEATURE
1. Mike Kirby. 2. Mike English, 3. Michael Hinrichsen. 4. Troy Cline. 5. Rodney Argo, 6. Mike Spencer. 7. Eric Rossi.  8. Darren Simas. 9. Jack DeArmond, Jr. 10. David Addamo. 11. Jeremy Ellerson. 12. Glenn Crossno. 13.
Jimmy Gardner. 14. Brian Campbell.

A FEATURE (30 laps)
1. John Scott, 2.   Troy Rutherford. 3. Cory Kruseman, 4. Richard Griffin, 5. Charles Davis, Jr. 6. Jarrett Chaney. 7. Bobby Graham. 8. Mike Kirby. 9. Mike English. 10. Greg DeCaires. 11. Rodney Argo. 12. Troy Cline.  13. Ronnie Clark. 14. Rip Williams. 15. Jordan Hermansader. 16.  Mike Spencer. 17. Gary Rayburn, Jr..  18. Mark Nation,  19. Michael Hinrichsen. 20.  Rickie Gaunt. 21. Lance Gremett. 22.  Danny Sheridan.
Laps Led: Scott 1-30

SCRA DRIVER POINT STANDINGS as of 8/18/01

CAR            NAME                    HOMETOWN             STARTS POINTS

    1.  45  Cory Kruseman                    Ventura CA           27  1862
    2.  50  Richard Griffin                      Silver City NM       25  1552
    3.  4   Troy Rutherford                     Ojai CA                 27  1534
    4.  5   Mike Kirby                            Lomita CA             27  1511
    5.  83  John Scott                            Hesperia CA           27  1347
    6.  3   Rip Williams                          Yorba Linda CA     27  1227
    7.  5X  Rickie Gaunt                        Torrance CA          27  1169
    8.  29  Steve Ostling                        Corona CA           26  1146
    9.  7   Mike English                          Norwalk CA         26  1130
    10. 94  Charles Davis, Jr                 Chandler AZ          26  992
    11. 92  Danny Sheridan                   Santa Maria CA    27  904
    12. 50  Tony Jones                          Corona CA           17  874
    13. 2IJ Troy Cline                            Santa Clarita CA  17  749
    14. 19  Rodney Argo                       Gardena CA         20  661
    15. 99  Adam Mitchell                     Escondido CA       25  555
    16. 85  Lance Gremett                     San Marcos CA    27  475
    17. 16  Michael Hinrichsen (R)         Lakeside CA        27  456
    18. 17  Greg DeCaires                    Elk Grove CA       16  447
    19. 9   George Gervais                    Mira Loma CA      23  426
    20. 12X Casey Shuman                   Tempe AZ            19  419