PERRIS, CA, MARCH 9, 2002 - Tony Jones began the night by taking a ceremonial
victory lap for driver George Gervais, who passed away Friday after being injured in a sprint car accident last July.  Jones concluded the evening by taking a more traditional victory lap after he powered his way to a convincing 30 lap win at the Perris Auto Speedway.  Of his eleven career NAPA Auto Parts / Auto Trader Magazines Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) main event triumphs, Saturday's win will always have special meaning for Jones.

"I want to dedicate this win to "Big" George Gervais.  He's in our hearts and on our minds, and I won this race tonight for him.  We lost a good friend in George Gervais and we stepped it up for him tonight," Jones said after taking over the SCRA point lead for the first time in his career. Jones' victory came in just his third start with a newly formed team owned by Johnny Vermeer and Bubby Jones. 

Even though the team has had success early, there have been the usual new team struggles.  In fact, Jones' evaluation that the team's rise to the top of the point charts is due more to "survival" than anything else is a fair statement.  After suffering through engine woes in the first two races, Jones had to overcome the loss of his brakes shortly after the start of this race. With track condition being fast, tacky and rough, Jones was once again forced into survival mode.         

"Who says a sprint car needs brakes," Jones laughed.  "We lost our brakes on the first or second lap and I really didn't think that we would be able to finish the race, especially with track conditions like they were tonight.  I really had to throw her in the (corners) hard and I biked her a couple of times.  We were able to save it and I think the harder I drove this Avenger chassis the better it went.  I have to thank Ferreira Dairy who stepped up with a motor.  It just makes my job as a driver much easier when you have so much power, and let me tell you this motor is a Godzilla."

Jones and his "Godzilla" power plant started third behind JE Pistons Dash winner Damion Gardner and the Sharon Jory / Vista Paint No. 6 Stinger driven by Mike English.  In only his third career start, Gardner led the opening lap and became just the 49th driver to have led an SCRA main event lap.  Following Gardner back to the line was English, Jones, Rip Williams and Richard Griffin.

Gardner was efficiently running the low groove when ninth place Levi Jones hit the turn two wall and stopped on lap six.  Tony Jones used the middle of turns three and four to pass English for second place coming down to accept the green flag on the restart.  Gardner elected to try the cushion for a few laps, but didn't exactly find that to his liking.  By the time Gardner went back down to the bottom, Jones was within striking distance.  Working lap eight, Jones gave Gardner a tap on the rear nerf bar before taking the lead in turn three with a nice outside move. One lap later, Gardner pushed wide exiting turn two and slapped the concrete fence.  Gardner, who has tasted victory in a Golden State Challenge series winged sprint car, would drop to fifth before posting a respectable seventh place finish.     

Driving a Jory Corporation team car with English as his teammate, Williams moved his Gambler chassis into the runner-up spot and quickly narrowed the gap on the leader after Jones did a big wheelie coming down to complete the 14th circuit.  Just prior to the duo reaching lapped traffic, Williams intensely hunted for a better racing line hoping to find a way around Jones. In the end, all Williams could do is keep pace with Jones.  After the race, Jones admitted that he knew who was running second and that he consciously ran through the "moister lines" Williams would want to hit.            

English finished third ahead of Steve Ostling, who made a thrilling late charge that started with a daring outside pass on Cory Kruseman entering turn one on lap 26.  Continuing to carry his momentum through the fourth corner, Ostling then moved the Fischer Motorsports / Watt Enterprises No. 29 Okie ahead of Griffin.  Ostling managed to hold on to the fourth spot by edging Kruseman and the Harlan Willis WorldGate Networks No. 1 TCR at the finish line.

Troy Rutherford began the day with the SCRA point lead, but would have a difficult night after flipping in time trials.  Transferring to the A-Main after starting at the rear of the C-Main and his heat race, Rutherford went on to win the KSE Products Hard Charger Award with a 22nd to eleventh place run in the feature.   In other preliminary action, John Scott and Jordan Hermansader each flipped in separate incidents.  Neither driver was hurt.    
     
SCRA RACE #3 - PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY, PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 03/09/02

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 1, 16.475  2. Levi Jones, Olney IL, Crossno 38, 16.510  3. John Scott, Hesperia CA., Scott Mtrsprts 83, 16.656  4. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 16.663  5. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29, 16.692  6. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 16.697  7. Mike English, Norwalk CA. ,Jory 6, 16.725  8. Tony Jones, Garden Grove CA, Vermeer/Jones 87, 16.815  9. Damion Gardner, Concord CA., Gardner 20X , 16.821  10. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard 47, 16.853  11. Mike Spencer, Temecula CA, Engstrom 44 , 16.860  12. Rick Becker, Highland CA, Becker 67, 16.870  13. Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA, Sweeney 98, 16.913  14. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, Geurin 5, 16.915  15. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Alexander 4, 16.950  16. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85, 16.966  17. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Priestley 7, 16.968  18. Charles Davis, Jr., Buckeye AZ, Davis 94, 16.985  19. Tony Elliott, Kokomo IN, Gardner Jr. 96X, 17.002  20. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, DiDonato 57, 17.016  21. Charlie Ekiss, La Mesa CA, Ekiss 78, 17.097  22.Michael Hinrichsen, Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16, 17.097  23. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA, Ruth 25, 17.113  24. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19, 17.125  25. Jordan Hermansader, Long Beach CA, Pratt 12, 17.130  26. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 17.151  27. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99, 17.218  28. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA, Nation 3N, 17.225  29. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Lancaster 14, 17.227  30. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82, 17.322 31.  Bobby Cody, (R) Costa Mesa CA, Cody 41 , 17.397  32. Mel Murphy, Woodcrest CA., Murphy 62, 17.425  33. Steve Venard, Silverado CA, Glover 49, 17.435  34. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA.,DeArmond, Jr. 24, 17.502  35. Rusty McClure, Ashland OH, Gaunt Const. 40, 17.544  36. Tony Smiley, Buckeye AZ.,Smiley 2 , 17.585  37. Mike Boat, Glendale AZ, Boat 74, 17.658  38. Mark Heidenreich, (R) Upland CA, Heidenreich 22 , 18.410  39. David Sinsley, Torrance CA, Sinsley 69X, 18.726 40. Bob Johnson, (R) Perris CA, Johnson 81, 19.235  41. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner Jr 96, No Time

C FEATURE 
1. Mike Boat. 2. Jack DeArmond, Jr.. 3, Tony Smiley. 4. Troy Rutherford. 5. Rusty McClure. 6. Mark Heidenreich. 7. David Sinsley. 8. Bob Johnson.

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. Jarrett Chaney, 2. Charles Davis, Jr, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Cory Kruseman, 5. Michael Hinrichsen, 6. Steve Ostling, 7. Dan Hillberg, 8. Mike Boat, 9. Mike Kirby,

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Adam Mitchell, 2. Tony Elliott, 3. Bobby Cody, 4. Richard Griffin, 5. Gary W. Howard, 6. Levi Jones, 7. Rickie Gaunt, 8. Mike Spencer, 9. Jack DeArmond, Jr.,

SPIN TECH MUFFLERS HEAT 3
1. Mark Nation, 2. Danny Sheridan, 3. Rodney Argo, 4. Mike English, 5. Rick Becker, 6. Mel Murphy, 7. Lance Gremett, 8. Tony Smiley, 9. John Scott,

STINGER CHASSIS HEAT 4
1. Tony Jones, 2. Rip Williams, 3. Bobby Graham, 4, Troy Rutherford, 5. Jeremy Sherman, 6. Steve Venard, 7. Verne Sweeney, 8. Charlie Ekiss, 9. Jordan Hermansader,

JE PISTONS DASH
1. Damion Gardner. 2. Mike English. 3. Tony Jones. 4. Rip Williams. 5. Richard Griffin. 6. Tony Elliott. 7. Cory Kruseman. 8. Charles Davis, Jr.

B FEATURE
1. Steve Ostling. 2. Mike Kirby. 3. Levi Jones. 4. Jeremy Sherman. 5. Rick Becker. 6. Verne Sweeney. 7. Mike Spencer. 8. Gary W. Howard. 9. Charlie Ekiss. 10.  Steve Venard. 11.  Dan Hillberg. 12.  Jack DeArmond, Jr. 13. Mike Boat. 14.  Tony Smiley. 15.  Mel Murphy. 16.  Jordan Hermansader. 17.  Lance Gremett. 18.  Rickie Gaunt. 19. Michael Hinrichsen.

A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1. Tony Jones. 2. Rip Williams. 3. Mike English. 4. Steve Ostling.  5. Cory Kruseman. 6. Richard Griffin. 7. Damion Gardner. 8. Charles Davis, Jr. 9. Jeremy Sherman. 10.  Tony Elliott. 11.  Troy Rutherford. 12.  Rodney Argo. 13. Adam Mitchell. 14. Rick Becker. 15.  Jarrett Chaney. 16.  Verne Sweeney. 17.  Danny Sheridan. 18.  Mark Nation. 19. Mike Kirby. 20.  Bobby Graham, 21.  Bobby Cody. 22.  Levi Jones.
Laps Led: Gardner 1-7, T. Jones 8-30

SCRA DRIVER POINTS as of 3/9/02
POS CAR NAME                HOMETOWN    STARTS  PTS
1       87      Tony Jones          Garden Grove CA 3   178
2       50      Richard Griffin     Silver City NM      3   176
3       96      Troy Rutherford     Ojai CA             3   175
4       3       Rip Williams        Yorba Linda CA      3   166
5       1       Cory Kruseman       Ventura CA          3   160
6       5       Mike Kirby          Lomita CA           3   125
7       7       Jeremy Sherman  Phoenix AZ          3   122
8       38      Levi Jones          Olney IL            3   118
9       96X     Tony Elliott            Kokomo IN           3   117
10      29      Steve Ostling       Corona CA           3   110
11      83      John Scott          Hesperia CA     3   102
12      6       Mike English        Norwalk CA          3   100
13      14      Bobby Graham        Riverside CA        3   99
14      94      Charles Davis, Jr   Buckeye AZ      3   96
15      21J     J.J. Yeley          Phoenix AZ          1   78
16      19      Rodney Argo     Gardena CA      3   64
17      41      Bobby Cody      Costa Mesa CA       3   60
18      4       Rickie Gaunt        Torrance CA     3   59
19      25      Gary W. Howard  Fontana CA          3   59
20      3N      Mark Nation         Los Olivos CA       3   55