TULARE, CA, JULY 6, 2002 - The Perris Auto Speedway may be considered the home track for the NAPA Auto Parts / Auto Trader Magazines SCRA sprint car series, but Richard Griffin may want to believe otherwise.

Griffin's 30-lap victory Saturday at the Thunderbowl Raceway was his third straight non-Perris win.  Griffin's success on different tracks is an encouraging sign for the Ron Chaffin / Arizona Race Mart Team since the Non-Winged World Championship (NWWC) series kicks-off in exactly one month in Oskaloosa, Iowa with a race that pays $30,000 to win.

"It seems like we do pretty well whenever we get away from Perris," said Griffin, who is the defending NWWC Champion.  "We're looking forward to going back east because we've been pretty good on dry tracks and we know that's what we'll be dealing with back there for sure.  We'll just go back there and see what happens."

It was obvious from the drop of the green flag that Damion Gardner was the man to beat at the Thunderbowl.  Starting on the inside of the second row, Gardner took the lead on the opening lap after passing local favorite Mike Faria and JE Pistons Dash winner John Scott in turn two.  Bobby Graham ran second in the Carol Crossno / Pace Hallmark No. 38 TCR at the end of the first lap with Faria, Tony Jones, Cory Kruseman, Scott and Sander Engineering Fast Qualifier Steve Ostling closely behind.

Gardner nearly spun in turn three on the fifth lap, but managed to save it and still enjoyed over a half straightaway lead on Graham.  One lap shy of the midway point of the race, Gardner reached lapped traffic with a full straight advantage.  Casey Shuman negated Gardner's lead on lap 16 when he brought out the first caution flag after a driveline problem forced him to stop in turn four.

With two lapped cars between himself and Graham, Gardner instantly pulled out to a comfortable lead once racing resumed.  Graham, on the other hand, had difficulty with the lapped cars and fell behind Kruseman, Rip Williams and Griffin.  Griffin moved into the third spot, but dropped a couple of positions on lap 19 after Jones caught him with a turn one slide job and Williams was able to slip by as well.  

Meanwhile, second place Kruseman tried to eat away at Gardner's lead, but was unable to do so.  That is, until lap 26 when Gardner skated wide exiting turn four, clipped the wall, and proceeded to cartwheel along the front straight. Gardner's battered mount finally came to rest near the entrance of turn one. Gardner was not hurt, but was visibly disappointed.

"I knew Damion was going to be good," Griffin said later.  "We fell back at the start and finally a yellow flag came out which helped us get by some guys and move into fourth.  It seemed like each time we were able to stop, we were able to make some adjustments and get by some people on the restart."

Kruseman assumed the lead for the restart, but his stint as the leader would be brief and provide Griffin with another opportunity to stop under a red flag, after he and Jones tangled coming down to accept the green flag.  As Jones drove away in his Ferreira Dairy No. 87 Avenger, Williams slid to a stop to avoid heavy contact with Kruseman, who had his car tip on its side. Both drivers were able to make the restart.

Jones' period as the race leader was short-lived, as well, after he elected to restart the race on the cushion.  Griffin chose the bottom and drove past Jones in turn four on the restart.  Once out front, Griffin was never contested for the win. 

Graham passed Rickie Gaunt (who started tenth) and Ostling on a lap 28 restart and motored on to earn his first career podium finish in SCRA competition.  Charles Davis, Jr. won the KSE Hard Charger Award with his 15th to eighth place drive.  Faria finished seventh and was awarded an extra $500 for being the highest finishing driver who normally races with a wing.

SCRA RACE #18 - THUNDERBOWL RACEWAY, TULARE, CA
Date of Race: 07/06/02

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29 , 15.275 2. Damion Gardner, Concord CA, Gardner 20, 15.289  3. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Alexander 4, 15.365  4. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 15.470  5. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Sala 19T, 15.570  6. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA, Willis 1, 15.630  7. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Crossno 38, 15.643  8. Brian Coelho, Tulare CA, Coelho 5C, 15.650  9. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83, 15.718  10. Mike Faria, Tipton CA, Faria 4F, 15.718  11. Danny Sheridan, Santa Maria CA, DiDonato 57, 15.790  12. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 15.811  13. Tony Jones, Garden Grove CA, Vermeer/Jones 87, 15.903  14. Mike Kirby, Torrance CA, Geurin 5, 15.961  15. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Priestley 7, 15.985  16. Mike Spencer, Temecula CA, Engstrom 44, 16.063  17. Charles Davis, Jr, Buckeye AZ, Davis 94, 16.105  18. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Jory 6, 16.123  19. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19, 16.135  20.
Bobby Cody, (R) Costa Mesa CA, Cody 41, 16.161  21. Peter Murphy, Sidney AU,
Williams 0, 16.210  22. Casey Shuman, Tempe AZ, Pratt 12, 16.220  23.  Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 16.239  24. Mark Nation, Los Olivos CA.,Nation 3N, 16.249 25. Tom Downing, Lakewood CA, Downing 90, 16.514  26. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Jr. 24, 16.559  27. Cal Smith,  Montclair CA, Pratt. 39, 17.020  28. David Sprigg, Sacramento CA, Sprigg 44D, 17.197  29. Brian Schuler, Lemoore CA, Schuler 77S, 17.204 30. Bill Goforth, (R) Apple Valley CA, Goforth 56, 19.331  31. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard. 47, No Time  32. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA.,Ruth 25, No Time

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. Charles Davis, Jr, 2. John Scott, 3. Tom Downing, 4. Tony Jones, 5. Steve Ostling, 6. Troy Rutherford, 7. Peter Murphy, 8. Brian Schuler,

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1. Damion Gardner, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Mike Faria, 4. Mike English, 5. Jack DeArmond, Jr., 6. Casey Shuman, 7. Bill Goforth, 8. Mike Kirby,

SPIN TECH MUFFLERS HEAT 3
1. Jarrett Chaney, 2. Jeremy Sherman, 3. Bobby Graham, 4. Rodney Argo, 5. Rickie Gaunt, 6. Danny Sheridan, 7. Cal Smith,

STINGER CHASSIS HEAT 4
1. Bobby Cody, 2. Rip Williams, 3. Richard Griffin, 4. Mike Spencer, 5. Mark Nation, 6. Brian Coelho, 7. David Sprigg, 

JE PISTONS DASH
1. John Scott. 2. Mike Faria. 3. Damion Gardner. 4. Cory Kruseman. 5. Bobby Graham. 6. Richard Griffin. 7. Tony Jones. 8. Rip Williams.

B FEATURE (Time: 3:17.79*TR)
1. Steve Ostling. 2. Rickie Gaunt. 3. Troy Rutherford. 4. Brian Coelho, 5. Gary W. Howard. 6. Casey Shuman. 7. Jack DeArmond, Jr.. 8. Brian Schuler. 9. David Sprigg. 10.  Danny Sheridan. 11.  Peter Murphy. 12.  Mark Nation. 13. Cal Smith.  14. Bill Goforth.

A FEATURE (30 Laps)
1. Richard Griffin. 2. Tony Jones. 3. Bobby Graham. 4. Rickie Gaunt. 5. Steve Ostling. 6. John Scott. 7. Mike Faria. 8. Charles Davis, Jr. 9. Mike English. 10.  Rodney Argo, 11. Jeremy Sherman. 12.  Rip Williams. 13. Bobby Cody. 14. Cory Kruseman. 15. Jarrett Chaney. 16. Brian Coelho. 17. Gary W. Howard. 18. Damion Gardner. 19. Mike Spencer. 20. Troy Rutherford. 21. Casey Shuman, 22. Tom Downing.
Laps    Led: Gardner 1-26, Griffin 27-30


SCRA Point Standings as of: 07/06/02
       CAR   NAME                  HOMETOWN            STARTS POINTS
    1.  50  Richard Griffin         Silver City NM      18        1069
    2.  29  Steve Ostling           Corona CA           18      999
    3.  87  Tony Jones              Garden Grove CA 18      998
    4.  1   Cory Kruseman           Ventura CA          18      989
    5.  83  John Scott              Hesperia CA     18      909
    6.  3   Rip Williams            Yorba Linda CA      18      900
    7.  7   Jeremy Sherman      Phoenix AZ          17      847
    8.  20  Damion Gardner          Concord CA          17      806
    9.  5   Mike Kirby              Torrance CA     17      798
    10. 4   Rickie Gaunt            Torrance CA     18      751
    11. 94  Charles Davis, Jr       Buckeye AZ      18      688
    12. 38  Bobby Graham            Riverside CA        18      615
    13. 19T Troy Rutherford         Ojai CA             14      609
    14. 6   Mike English            Norwalk CA          18      601
    15. 25  Gary W. Howard      Fontana  CA     15      532
    16. 19  Rodney Argo         Gardena  CA     16      432
    17. 57  Danny Sheridan          Santa Maria CA      15      378
    18. 41  Bobby Cody          (R) Costa Mesa CA   18      326
    19. 44  Mike Spencer            Temecula CA     17      296
    20. 99  Adam Mitchell           Escondido CA        14      282