SANTA MARIA, CA, September 29 --    Richard Griffin mounted a spectacular late race charge to win his second Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) main event of the year at Santa Maria Speedway.

Even though the commute from his home in New Mexico is lengthy, Griffin has to be sorry that Saturday's race was the final appearance of the season for the SCRA at SMS.  In three 2001 races, Griffin has now posted two wins and a fourth place finish. 

This particular win was undoubtedly satisfying for Griffin since track conditions made passing a difficult task.  In typical "Gasman" fashion, Griffin's high groove heroics were once again the difference between him finishing somewhere near his seventh starting spot and his ninth victory of the season.

"Starting back where we were we really had to go for it and everything just worked out," Griffin smiled. "Turns one and two were typical Santa Maria, but three was pretty slippery which made passing awfully tough.  Those guys were getting into three a little lower than we were because it was so slippery, and I think they were just trying not to spin out.  There was one little tacky spot right through the middle, but everyone was pretty much coasting through the black stuff.  We just started working the high line and trying to keep our momentum up.  We just kept working 'em on the outside and finally we were able to pick them off one at a time."

The 30 lap feature race started with Troy Rutherford and Cory Kruseman touching tires as they came down to accept the green flag from the front row.  Kruseman got the short end of the exchange and fell to third behind Sander Engineering Fast Time Award winner Charles Davis, Jr.  Davis' great move from the sixth starting spot proved to be for nothing, after he spun exiting turn three on lap six and collected fourth place John Scott and  Rodney Argo.  Of the cars involved, only Davis was able to restart.

While Rutherford held a comfortable lead in the Jack Gardner, Jr. / Shaver Engines No. 4 Sled, Griffin was engaged in a heated battle with Steve Ostling for the sixth position.  Looking for racing room on lap eight, Griffin tried to squeeze around the outside of Ostling and inadvertently clipped his rear nerf bar.  Griffin slid helplessly up the banking as a result of the contact and hit the turn four wall.  Griffin kept going, much to the surprise of Jarrett Chaney who drove up the wall and flipped trying to avoid hitting the Ron Chaffin / Madera Produce No. 50 Jon Boy.

"We had a lot of luck come into play tonight," Griffin candidly admitted after the race.   "We got into the fence and almost stalled the motor.  Three or four guys got by us and the red flag came out which gave us our spot back.
 It was just one of those deals tonight where you had to put your car up there and go for it.  We were just lucky enough to be able to pull off some passes."

Australian Peter Murphy was on hand for the second week in a row and passed Greg DeCaires for third five laps after the restart.  One lap later, Griffin passed DeCaires with the same turn three move.  Rutherford reached lapped traffic just prior to the halfway point of the race and Kruseman immediately put the Harlan Willis / WorldGate Networks No. 45 TCR within striking distance.

Some distance back from the leader, Griffin made a daring move around the outside of Murphy and a lapped car to take over the third position on the 19th circuit.  Rapidly closing on the first two cars, Griffin had a bird's-eye view of Kruseman sticking a wheel under Rutherford on lap 22. Hoping to rattle the second place driver, Griffin gave Kruseman a big tap on the rear bumper coming down to complete that same lap.

Figuring it was time to make a move, Kruseman tried make an outside pass for the lead on lap 24 only to slapped the front straight wall.  Griffin took advantage of a rare miscue by Kruseman and grabbed the runner-up spot.  Not willing to settle for second place, Griffin darted to the outside of Rutherford entering turn three on lap 28.  Still contending with lapped cars, Rutherford also decided to go high resulting in contact.  Rutherford did a masterful job to avoid hitting the wall, but could do nothing to prevent Griffin from taking the lead.  

"Troy and Cory were about a straight-away ahead when we got into third and I could tell that we were gaining on them pretty fast.  I didn't really know how many laps were left, but knew we'd have a shot at winning if we had time to catch them," Griffin recalled.  "It just goes to show what can happen if you want to win bad enough and don't mind risking a crash."

Of similar mind-set, Rutherford tried to reply and banged wheels with Griffin just prior to receiving the white flag.  Griffin drove away from the contact quicker than Rutherford and went to receive starter Lee Jaskowiak's checkered flag first.

Kruseman finished third.  Rickie Gaunt passed Murphy on the final lap giving the Alexander-Geurin / Statewide Towing No. 5 Stinger a fourth place finish. Jason Statler, who won a WoO race at SMS two years ago, finished ninth after starting 17th to win the TW Metals Hard Charger Award.
                                ###

SCRA RACE #33 - SANTA MARIA SPEEDWAY, SANTA MARIA, CA
Date of Race: 09/29/01

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS 
1. Charles Davis, Jr, Chandler AZ, Morales 94, 13.548  2. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, M&B Racing 5 , 13.563  3. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83, 13.765  4. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Hasebe 17, 13.766  5. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 13.769  6. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 45, 13.772  7. Peter Murphy, Sidney AU, Williams 0, 13.774   8. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner, Jr 4 , 13.887  9. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Priestley 7, 13.945 10. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19 , 13.955  11. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50 , 13.965  12. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, Sertich 92 , 14.025  13. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 14.037  14. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Lancaster 14, 14.050  15. Mike Spencer, (R) Temecula CA, Engstrom 44 , 14.068  16. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 14.092  17. Jason Statler, San Jose CA, Statler 00 , 14.160  18. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Pratt 12 , 14.211  19. Michael Hinrichsen, (R) Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16 , 14.362  20. Glenn Crossoo, (R) Alta Lama CA, Crossno 38, 14.400  21. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47, 14.421  22. Gary Rayburn, Jr., Grover Beach CA, Rayburn, Sr. 98T, 14.462  23. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99 , 14.608  24. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85, 14.713  25. Jimmy Gardner, (R) Garden Grove CA, Gardner Jr 96 , 14.782  26. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82, 14.833  27. Ronnie Clark, (R) Tucson AZ, Winter 33 , 18.062  28. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA, Nation 3N, No Time

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. Jason Statler, 2. Steve Ostling, 3. Rip Williams, 4. Charles Davis, Jr, 5. Brian Venard, 6. Mike English, 7. Jimmy Gardner,

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Jordan Hermansader, 2. Gary Rayburn, Jr., 3. Rodney Argo, 4. Cory Kruseman, 5. Rickie Gaunt, 6. Bobby Graham, 7. Dan Hillberg,

KSE PRODUCTS HEAT 3
1. John Scott, 2. Michael Hinrichsen, 3. Richard Griffin, 4. Mike Spencer, 5. Peter Murphy, 6. Ronnie Clark, 7. Adam Mitchell,

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT 4 
1. Jarrett Chaney, 2. Danny Sheridan, 3. Greg DeCaires, 4. Troy Rutherford, 5. Lance Gremett, 6. Glenn Crossno,

JE PISTONS DASH
1. Cory Kruseman, 2. Troy Rutherford. 3. Greg DeCaires. 4. John Scott. 5. Steve Ostling. 6. Charles Davis, Jr. 7. Richard Griffin. 8, Rodney Argo.

JB ENTERPRISE B FEATURE
1. Rickie Gaunt.    2. Peter Murphy. 3. Mike English. 4. Bobby Graham, 5. Ronnie Clark. 6. Dan Hillberg, 7. Brian Venard. 8. Adam Mitchell. 9. Jimmy Gardner. 10.  Glenn Crossno. 11.  Lance Gremett,

A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1. Richard Griffin. 2. Troy Rutherford, 3. Cory Kruseman. 4. Rickie Gaunt. 5. Peter Murphy. 6. Greg DeCaires. 7. Steve Ostling. 8. Mike English. 9. Jason Statler. 10. Mike Spencer. 11. Bobby Graham. 12. Jordan Hermansader. 13. Danny Sheridan. 14. Ronnie Clark. 15. Charles Davis, Jr. 16. Michael Hinrichsen. 17. Gary Rayburn, Jr., 18. Dan Hillberg. 19.  Jarrett Chaney. 20. John Scott. 21. Rodney Argo. 22. Rip Williams,
Laps Led: Rutherford 1-27, Griffin 28-30

2001 SCRA DRIVER POINT STANDINGS as of 9/29/01
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CAR            NAME                  HOMETOWN            STARTS POINTS
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    1.  45  Cory Kruseman       Ventura CA          33  2280
    2.  50  Richard Griffin         Silver City NM      31  1978
    3.  4   Troy Rutherford           Ojai CA             33  1936
    4.  5   Mike Kirby                Lomita CA           32  1727
    5.  83  John Scott                Hesperia CA        33  1687
    6.  5   Rickie Gaunt             Torrance CA        33  1537
    7.  3   Rip Williams          Yorba Linda CA      33  1487
    8.  29  Steve Ostling           Corona CA           32  1410
    9.  7   Mike English           Norwalk CA          32  1372
    10. 94  Charles Davis, Jr        Chandler AZ     32  1242
    11. 92  Danny Sheridan    Santa Maria CA      32  1137
    12. 37  Tony Jones             Corona CA           21  1055
    13. 2IJ Troy Cline              Santa Clarita CA    19  870
    14. 19  Rodney Argo              Gardena CA      25  839
    15. 85  Lance Gremett       San Marcos CA     33  673
    16. 99  Adam Mitchell       Escondido CA        29  650
    17. 16  Michael Hinrichsen  (R) Lakeside CA   33  623
    18. 69  Jarrett Chaney          Clovis CA           18  526
    19. 14  Bobby Graham        Riverside CA        24  510
    20. 17  Greg DeCaires       Elk Grove CA        17  507