PERRIS, CA, November 1 -    The 6th Annual Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply / Budweiser Oval Nationals kicked-off Thursday at the Perris Auto Speedway with the rebirth of the "Twin 20" lap main events. 

For the first three years of the Oval Nationals, the "Twin 20's" were a popular signature races of this event.  In fact, Rip Williams' unbelievable inaugural run in 1996 has become legendary.  After winning the first 20 lap
race, Williams started last in the second 20 lapper and drove to victory after passing 17 cars. 

Williams' wire-to-wire victory in this year's 20 lap opener conjured up memories of that race.  Troy Cline was one of a handful of hotshoes that ran into problems in the first race and consequently started near the front in the second race.  As Cline sped away to victory from the second row, Williams could only find satisfaction in the fact that his ninth place finish made him one of just five drivers to qualify for Saturday's 50 lap ($25,000 to win)
finale.       

"It's pretty nice to be able to start in the front row and be able to take off like that,"  Williams later said of his win in the first race. "l was trying to get through there (in the second race), but there were a couple cars running side-by-side in front of me which made it pretty difficult.  We did the best we could and we brought it home in one piece so we can race it on Saturday, which was our goal."  

Tony Elliott's Gardner Motorsports ride was not as lucky.  After tangled with Brain Venard along the back straight on the opening lap, Elliott's team later reported that they would need a new car for Saturday night.

Like he did on the initial start, Williams beat pole sitter Richard Griffin to the first turn and led Jarrett Chaney, Mike Kirby and J.J. Yeley at the end of the opening lap.  Setting a blistering pace in the Sharon Jory / Vista
Paint No. 3 Gambler, Williams was never seriously challenged during the first race.  For that matter, the only change in the top-five from the opening lap was Yeley's pass on Kirby five circuits into the race. 

With Williams and Griffin sharing the tenth row, the second feature race proved to be a different story.  Michael Hinrichsen was slated to start on the pole, but was unable to make the call in time, so Steve Ostling assumed
his position.  Ostling beat Cal Smith to the green flag and led the field into the first turn.  Driving the Haas CNC Machine Tools No. 11 TCR, Cline jumped into the second spot down the backstraight.

Cline, who's flat tire brought out the first caution flag of the prior race, followed the Fischer Motorsports / Watt Enterprises No. 29 driven by Ostling into lapped traffic on lap 14.  One circuit later, Cline used the lapped
traffic in turn four to his advantage and took the lead.   From there, Cline led the remainder of the nonstop race (5:43.00) and finished ahead of Ostling, Rodney Argo, Adam Mitchell and Andy Forsberg. 

"We didn't have any luck in the first 20 lapper," Cline said with a disappointed tone.  "The second 20 laps went real good.  I can't complain about the car, even though it's all bent up.  I just had some bad luck in the
first one and got involved in an accident on the back straightaway.  I don't know how the points are going to shake out, but I don't think we're in the feature for Saturday night."

Cline did, in fact, fail to transfer.  Griffin drove the Ron Chaffin / Arizona Race Mart No. 50 Jon Boy to a seventh place finish in the second race making him the top combined point earner for the night.  Bud Kaeding started
14th in both races and finished sixth in both races.  When the points were all sorted out, it was determined that Kaeding would have pole for Saturday's championship race.  Joining Griffin and Kaeding with direct transfers were Williams, Yeley and Argo.

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SCRA RACE #40 - OVAL NATIONALS, PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY, PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 11/01/01

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50 , 16.512 2. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3 , 16.620 3. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard, 47 , 16.706  4. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69 , 16.735  5. J.J. Yeley,
Phoenix AZ, G.T. Racing 76 , 16.753  6. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, M&B Racing 5 , 16.757  7. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA., Ruth 25 16.795  8. Michael Hinrichsen, (R) Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts., 16 , 16.856  9. Tony Elliott, Kokomo IN.,Gardner Jr. 2, 16.948  10. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 16.949  11. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA., Gremett, 85, 16.963 12. Mike Spencer, (R) Temecula CA, Engstrom 44 , 16.966  13. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA., Argo 19, 16.985  14. Troy Cline, Santa Clarita CA, Cline 11 ,
16.993  15. Bud Kaeding, Campbell CA, BK Motorsports 29K , 17.005  16.  Tim Crawley, Little Rock AR, Minks NX , 17.035  17. Tracy Hines, New Castle IN, Morales 27 , 17.039  18. Tyler Walker, Oxnard CA, Witherill 61X , 17.062  19.  Andy Forsberg, Auburn CA, Forsberg 192, 17.100  20. Rick Becker, (R)
Highland CA, Becker 67 , 17.103  21. Cal Smith, Montclair CA, Pratt 39 , 17.235  22. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99 , 17.283  23. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Priestley 7 , 17.351 24. Bobby Cody, Costa Mesa CA, Cody 41 , 17.915  25. Steve Venard, Silverado CA, Glover 49 , 18.733  26. Keith
Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95, No Time  27. Tom Downing, Lakewood CA, Downing 90, No Time

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. J.J. Yeley, 2. Cal Smith, 3. Richard Griffin, 4. Tony Elliott, 5. Rodney Argo, 6. Tracy Hines, 7. Steve Venard,

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Rip Williams, 2. Tyler Walker, 3. Troy Cline, 4. Steve Ostling, 5. Mike Kirby, 6. Adam Mitchell,

KSE PRODUCTS HEAT 3
1. Jeremy Sherman, 2. Andy Forsberg, 3. Lance Gremett, 4. Bud Kaeding, 5. Brian Venard, 6. Gary W. Howard,

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT 4
1. Bobby Cody, 2. Michael Hinrichsen, 3. Jarrett Chaney, 4. Tim Crawley, 5. Rick Becker, 6. Mike Spencer,

JB ENTERPRISE B FEATURE
1. Mike Kirby. 2. Brian Venard, 3. Tracy Hines. 4. Rodney Argo. 5. Adam Mitchell. 6. Mike Spencer, 7. Rick Becker, 8. Steve Venard.

A FEATURE #1 (20 Laps)
1. Rip Williams, 2. Richard Griffin. 3. Jarrett Chaney. 4. J.J. Yeley. 5. Mike Kirby, 6. Bud Kaeding. 7. Tyler Walker.  8. Tim Crawley. 9. Lance Gremett. 10.  Adam Mitchell. 11.  Rodney Argo,  12. Jeremy Sherman. 13. Andy Forsberg. 14. Mike Spencer. 15. Troy Cline, 16. Bobby Cody. 17. Steve Ostling, 18. Cal Smith, 19. Michael Hinrichsen.  20. Tracy Hines. 21.  Brian Venard.  22. Tony Elliott.
Laps Led: Williams 1-20

A FEATURE #2 (20 Laps)
1. Cline, 2. Ostling, 3. Argo, 4. Mitchell, 5. Forsberg, 6. Kaeding, 7. Griffin, 8. Sherman, 9. Williams, 10. Yeley,  11. Walker, 12. Spencer, 13. Kirby, 14. Gremett, 15. Chaney, 16. Crawley, 17. Smith, 18. Cody.
Laps Led: Ostling 1-14, Cline 15-20

Transferring directly to Saturday's Finale: Griffin, Williams, Kaeding, Yeley & Argo