PERRIS, CA, MAY 25, 2002 - Mike Kirby led all 50 laps of the traditional "Salute to Indy" Saturday at the Perris Auto Speedway.  Even though he led the entire distance, his 38th career NAPA Auto Parts / Auto Trader Magazines SCRA main event win wasn't an easy one.

"It was tough, especially towards the end.  I about spun it out and I thought I was going to wreck the thing with a couple laps to go," said Kirby.  "My team needed this because we've been struggling and everyone has been kind of down in the dumps since we blew up that second motor at Manzanita Speedway.  That really took the windy out of our sails, but this should give everyone something to smile about."

Still, Kirby was only part of the story.  In fact, the rumble throughout the pits after the race wasn't so much about Kirby's poised drive as it was the shake-up in the SCRA point standings.  Entering the evening many had already labeled the run for the 2002 title as the Cory Kruseman / Tony Jones Show. Things quickly changed, however; after Jones failed to transfer to the main event after incidents in his heat race and the B-Main and Kruseman finished 21st after a nasty flip in the feature.  Steve Ostling started the main event fourth in series points, but leapfrogged into the point lead for the first time in his 18 year sprint car career after his second consecutive podium finish.  Like Ostling, three-time SCRA champion Richard Griffin is still searching for his first win of the year, but thanks to consistency now sits second in points ahead of Kruseman and Jones.    

Before winning his second main event of the year, Kirby drove the Brad & Nancy Geurin / Statewide Towing No. 5 Stinger to his first JE Pistons Dash of the season.  Kirby started on the first row inside of the Sharon Jory / Tomarco Fasteners No. 3 Gambler driven by Rip Williams.  The front row raced even until Kirby pulled ahead exiting the bottom of turn two.

Perhaps waiting for the fuel load to decrease, Williams stayed close to the leader, but elected not to pressure Kirby until he reached the last place car on lap 13.  Kirby found the early going through lapped traffic to his benefit until the 22nd lap when he was held up by a side-by-side battle for position.  Once in front of the two slower cars, Kirby again opened up a comfortable gap between himself and Williams.

Rodney Argo brought out the first yellow flag of the race after he clipped the front straight wall coming to accept the halfway signal from starter Lee Jaskowiak and coasted to a stop one lap later.  Just before the yellow flag, Ostling moved into third after moving the Fischer Motorsports / Watt Enterprises No. 29 Okie ahead of Gary W. Howard in lapped traffic.

Williams was on attack mode from the time the green flag reappeared.  Taking to the cushion, Williams came off turn four even with Kirby only to be rudely greeted by another yellow flag, this time for Brain Venard who sat sideways on the back straight. 

"I tried the top, but I wasn't very good," Kirby said.  "Rip drove around me on the top on that one lap and it might have been a different deal if the yellow flag hadn't came out.  We drag raced down the front straight, I had the preferred line (into turn one), but I'm sure Rip would have driven her on in there." 

Three laps after the restart, Kruseman, who had been working his way to the front, was running fourth when he tangled with the lapped car driven by Charlie Ekiss.  Both cars flipped through the fourth corner with Kruseman's ride being the rougher of the two.  Neither driver was hurt, but Kruseman was understandably dazed.

"During the red, Brett Roa (Kirby's Crew Chief) told me that the 29 car was coming and to just stay on the bottom," Kirby said after the race. "I just tried to run my race and if they were to show me a nose somewhere else, then, maybe I'd pick around a little bit.  My car was good all 50 laps and I just held my line on the bottom.

Ostling moved into second place on the restart only to watch Williams take it back on lap 34.  One lap later, Granitize Products rookie points leader Bobby Cody tangled with another car and spun to a stop which brought out the final caution period of the race.  Shortly after the restart, Ostling regained the runner-up spot.

With ten laps to go, the top six cars still had a legitimate shot at victory.  Five laps from the finish, Ostling stuck a wheel under Kirby.  The subsequent contact between Kirby and Ostling allowed the top cars to bunch up again.  When it all sorted out, Kirby wouldn't be seriously challenged for the remainder of the race. 

Williams passed Ostling for second place on the 48th circuit.  Damion Gardner continues to impress finishing fourth ahead of Charles Davis, Jr. and Griffin.  Gardner's run from the tenth starting earned him the KSE Hard Charger Award.  Davis didn't leave empty handed either, having won the Sander Engineering Fast Time Award in time trials.
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SCRA RACE #12 - "SALUTE TO INDY", PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY, PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 05/25/02

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. Charles Davis, Jr, Buckeye AZ, Davis 94, 16.625  2. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29, 16.665   3. Danion Gardner, Concord CA, Gardner 20, 16.678  4. Tony Jones, Garden Grove CA, Vermeer/Jones 87, 16.680  5. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 16.708  6. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Priestley 7, 16.739  7. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA, Ruth 25, 16.788  8. Mike Kirby, Torrance CA, Geurin 5, 16.795  9. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA., Jory 3, 16.798  10. Cory Krusexan, Ventura CA, Willis 1, 16.815  11. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Crossno 38, 16.840  12. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 16.975  13. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Alexander 4, 16.928  14. Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99, 16.937  15. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Jory, 6, 16.945  16. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, DiDonato 57, 16.958  17.  Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA, Sweeney 98, 16.960  18. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83, 17.016  19. Charlie Ekiss, La Mesa CA, Ekiss 78, 17.117  20. Michael Hinrichsen, Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16, 17.141  21. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47, 17.210  22. Keith Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95, 17.230  23. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Jr. 24, 17.248  24. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19, 17.285  25. Cal Smith, Montclair CA, Pratt 39, 17.290 26. Casey Shuman, Tempe AZ, Pratt 12, 17.297  27. Tom Downing, Lakewood CA, Downing 90, 17.315  28. Bobby Cody, (R) Costa Mesa CA, Cody 41, 17.375  29. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82 , 17.375  30. Greg DeCaires, Elk Grove CA, Lancaster 14, 17.377  31. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA, Gremett 85, 17.382  32. Mel Murphy, Woodcrest CA, Murphy 62, 17.392  33. Mike Spencer, Temecula CA, Engstrom 44, 17.410  34. Nicholas Lima, Industry CA, Lima 30, 17.685  35. David Sinsley, Torrance CA, Sinsley 69X, 18.025  36. Mark Heidenreich, (R) Upland CA, Heidenreich 22, 18.648 37. Bob Ferro, Sherman Oaks CA, Ferro 91X, 18.700  38. Tom Wilhelm, (R)
Temecula CA, Wilhelm 64, 20.827

C FEATURE
1. Dan Hillberg. 2. Greg DeCaires. 3. Mike Spencer. 4. Mel Murphy. 5. Nicholas Lisa. 6. Lance Gremett. 7. David Sinsley.  8. Bob Ferro. 9. Mark Heidenreich. 10. Tom Wilhelm.

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. Richard Griffin, 2. Brian Venard, 3. Rickie Gaunt, 4. Rip Williams, 5. Charles Davis, Jr, 6. Cal Smith, 7. Verne Sweeney, 8. Dan Hillberg,

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. John Scott, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Jeremy Sherman, 4. Steve Ostling, 5. Keith Williamson, 6. Greg DeCaires, 7. Adam Mitchell, 8. Casey Shuman,

SPIN TECH MUFFLERS HEAT 3
1. Jack DeArmond, Jr., 2. Charlie Ekiss, 3. Gary W. Howard, 4. Bobby Graham, 5. Mike Spencer, 6. Tom Downing, 7. Davion Gardner, 8. Mike English,

STINGER CHASSIS HEAT 4
1. Rodney Argo, 2. Mike Kirby, 3. Bobby Cody, 4. Michael Hinrichsen, S. Danny
Sheridan, 6. Jarrett Chaney, 7. Mel Murphy, 8. Tony Jones,

JE PISTONS DASH
1. Mike Kirby. 2. Rip Williams. 3. Jeremy Sherman. 4. Gary W. Howard. 5. Steve Ostling. 6. Bobby Graham. 7. Richard Griffin. 8. Cory Kruseman.

B FEATURE
1. Damion Gardner. 2. Charles Davis, Jr. 3. Mike English. 4. Adam Mitchell. 5. Verne Sweeney. 6. Greg DeCaires. 7. Keith Williamson. 8. Tom Downing. 9. Mike Spencer. 10.  Cal Smith. 11.  Jarrett Chaney. 12.  Tony Jones. 13. Danny Sheridan. 14.  Dan Hillberg.

A FEATURE (50 Laps)
1. Mike Kirby. 2. Rip Williams. 3. Steve Ostling. 4. Damion Gardner. 5. Charles Davis, Jr. 6. Richard Griffin. 7. Jeremy Sherman.  8. Gary W. Howard. 9. John Scott. 10.  Rickie Gaunt. 11.  Bobby Graham. 12.  Mike English. 13. Adam Mitchell. 14.  Verne Sweeney. 15.  Michael Hinricbsen. 16.  Rodney Argo. 17.  Greg DeCaires. 18.  Bobby Cody. 19. Brian Venard. 20.  Jack DeArmond, Jr.  21. Cory Kruseman. 22. Charlie Ekiss.
Laps Led: Kirby 1-50

SCRA Point Standings as of: 05/25/02
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CAR           NAME                HOMETOWN           STARTS POINTS
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    1.  29  Steve Ostling           Corona CA           12  701
    2.  50  Richard Griffin         Silver City NM      12  690
    3.  1   Cory Kruseman           Ventura CA          12  681
    4.  87  Tony Jones              Garden Grove CA 12  664
    5.  7   Jeremy Sherman      Phoenix AZ          12  638
    6.  3   Rip Williams            Yorba Linda CA      12  627
    7.  83  John Scott              Hesperia CA     12  594
    8.  5   Mike Kirby              Torrance CA     11  581
    9.  21J Troy Rutherford         Ojai CA             11  523
    10. 20  Damion Gardner          Concord CA          12  496
    11. 94  Charles Davis, Jr       Buckeye AZ      12  492
    12. 4   Rickie Gaunt            Torrance CA     12  462
    13. 6   Mike English            Norwalk CA          12  422
    14. 25  Gary W. Howard      Fontana CA          9   340
    15. 38  Bobby Graham            Riverside CA        12  314
    16. 19  Rodney Argo         Gardena CA      11  234
    17. 57  Danny Sheridan          Santa Maria CA      9   213
    18. 38  Levi Jones              Olney IL            6   213
    19. 99  Adam Mitchell           Escondido CA        10  211
    20. 96X Tony Elliott                Kokomo IN           6