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DAVIS POSTS LONG AWAITED SCRA WIN |
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PHOENIX, CA, SEPTEMBER 27, 2003 - After years of trying, Charles Davis, Jr. finally added his name to the list of NAPA Auto Parts / Auto Trader Magazines SCRA sprint car winners. A semi-regular on the SCRA tour since it's inception in 1993, it seems only appropriate that Davis' first SCRA win would come at Manzanita Speedway, where he has driven to victory so many times during his distinguished career. Saturday's 30-lap race was the annual Hall of Fame Classic, honoring past inductees, as well as the new inductees, into the Arizona Motorsports Hall of Fame. An honor that someday down the road will likely be bestowed upon Davis for his numerous racing accomplishments in the state of Arizona. Even though he has enjoyed much success in his home state, good fortune has not come easily when competing with the SCRA series. Through the years, Davis has had victory within his grasp on numerous occasions, only to have something prevent him from reaching the checkered flag first. "I don't know whether to cry or be happy," Davis said after becoming the 38th driver to win an SCRA feature race. "I've had some highs and some lows this year, and we've been working so hard at this deal and I'm just so happy for the whole team to finally get this deal done. It just feels great to get my first win, here at home, at my favorite track. It's been a long struggle, and about a month ago we decided that we were going to give this (SCRA) deal all we've got and go out and win some races. Now, here we are." "You just can't imagine how hard we have worked for this. Last week, we broke the motor (after setting fast time at the Perris Auto Speedway) and we worked all week to put it back together. All I can tell you is that it was worth every minute we put into it and it's so unbelievably satisfying." Driving for his wife Gayle, Davis started his Arizona Race Mart #94 Buckley on the outside of the front row next to JE Pistons Dash winner Mike Kirby. When the green flag dropped, Kirby put the Alexander Trucking #4 Stinger into the lead, while Illinois' Levi Jones ran third ahead of Richard Griffin and Troy Rutherford. Mike Spencer brought out the red flag for the second time in as many weeks after he climbed Adam Mitchell's rear tire on the fifth lap and flipped after sliding backwards into the turn one wall. Spencer was not injured. Kirby pushed coming down for the restart and Davis slipped around him for the lead. Simultaneously, Rutherford moved past Griffin for third. Another restart two laps later also proved costly for Kirby, who lost second place to Rutherford. Before the end of that same lap, Rutherford would take the lead after giving Davis a turn-three slide job. Davis immediately responded and passed Rutherford back in turn one. With the Ron Chaffin / Arizona Race Mart #50 Jon Boy driven by Griffin now up to third, Rutherford benefited from a Davis miscue and took the lead again exiting turn four on the tenth lap. The 13th circuit would prove unlucky for Rutherford after he shredded a left rear tire entering turn three. Rutherford's tire problem brought out the caution flag, which gave his crew time to replace the tire. Restarting at the rear of the field, Rutherford would eventually finish ninth. The restart also left Davis with the unenviable task of holding back the man that has registered the most SCRA wins at Manzanita Speedway. Griffin patiently stalked Davis for several laps before trying a big turn-three slide job on the 20th lap. Griffin appeared to have the move made, but moments later, the yellow caution lights flashed leaving him just enough time to avoid the slowing car of Indiana driver Jonathan Vennard. Davis restarted the race as the leader and looked like he was on his way to victory when the yellow flag waved the final time for Josh Ford, who was in the process of slowing to a stop on the racing surface. Thanks, in part, to some critical comments from father earlier in the week, regarding his recent lack of success on restarts, Davis was determined to not let Griffin beat him to the green flag. Restarting the race on the cushion, Davis never gave Griffin an opportunity to make a run for the lead during the final mile of racing and went on to cross the finish line ahead of the four-time SCRA Champion while waving a clinched fist to the near capacity crowd. "I hated to see those yellow flags come out because I think we had a pretty comfortable lead. It was killing me when that last yellow came out because I just wanted to get this thing over with," Davis later admitted. "I wasn't going to lose this one. I knew Richard was right there, but I felt I had a little more than what he had, so I just tried to hit my lines right and give it all I had for two laps. My elbows were up and I was either going to win it or wear it." Damion Gardner made a late charge in the Harlan Willis / TCR Performance #45 and finished third ahead of Kirby and the Carol Crossno / ITI Performnace #38 Twister driven by Jones. In just his second SCRA start, 17 year-old Darren Hagen won the KSE Products Hard Charger Award after driving from the 22nd starting spot to finish 13th. Rip Williams received the Hedman Hedders Hard Luck Award for the second straight week after he tangled with another car warming up for the main event and flipped. Williams was not hurt. Bob Ream, Jr. won his third fast time award of the year at Manzanita Speedway after posting the fastest qualifying lap in Sander Engineering Time Trials. Prior to the start of the main event, 1983 Indy 500 Champion Tom Sneva was formally inducted into the Arizona Motorsports Hall of Fame along with mechanic Bob Wamsley. Avery Doyle, who was instrumental in convincing the owners of the Manzanita Park dog track to convert the property to an auto racing facility in 1951, was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame as well. SCRA RACE #31 - MANZANITA SPEEDWAY, PHOENIX, AZ Date of Race: 9/27/03 SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS 1. Bob Ream, Jr., BRAT Racing 8, 18.661, 2. Damion Gardner, Willis 45, 18.885, 3. Troy Rutherford, Priestley 7, 18.904 4. Richard Griffin, Chaffin 50, 18.967, 5. Levi Jones, Crossno 38, 19.082 6. Mike Kirby Alexander 4, 19.109, 7. Charles Davis, Jr., Davis 94, 19.150 8. Tony Jones, Vermeer 2, 19.181, 9. Brian Venard, Venard 47, 19.183, 10. Rickie Gaunt, Smiley 2A, 19.228, 11. Adam Mitchell, Mitchell 99, 19.273, 12. Jordan Hermansader, Ferro 91, 19.286, 13. Mike Spencer, Engstrom 44, 19.291, 14. Steve Ostling, Fischer Motorsports 29, 19.322, 15. Josh Ford, Willis/Ford 54, 19.353, 16. Alan Ballard, Ballard 97, 19.365, 17. Mathew Rossi, Victory Lane 14AZ, 19.428, 18. Seth Wilson, Racing Optics 17, 19.442, 19. Brandon Lane, Lane 97H, 19.457, 20. Jonathan Vennard, Carsten 91AZ, 19.499, 21. Ronnie Clark, Clark 33, 19.610, 22. Rip Williams, Jory 3, 19.639, 23. Darren Hagen, Hagen 11X, 19.815, 24. Gregg Bragg, Pratt 12, 19.830, 25. Bobby Graham, Lancaster 14, 19.855, 26. Steve Stone, Stone 57X, 20.749, 27. John Williams, Williams 81AZ, 22.234, 28. Davey Bateman, Pritchett 18AZ, 25.690, 29. Randy Waitman, Waitman Y69, No Time, 30. Glenn Deskins, Martin 18F, No Time, 31. Alex Pruett, Pruett 56AZ, No Time, 32. R.J. Johnson, Martin 51A, No Time SO-CAL PERFORMANCE HEAT 1 (10 Laps) 1. Spencer, 2. L. Jones, 3. Venard, 4. Ream, 5. Clark, 6. Graham, 7. Rossi -3:15.37 SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2 (10 Laps) 1. Wilson, 2. R. Williams, 3. Ostling, 4. Kirby, 5. Gardner, 6. Gaunt, 7.Stone - No Time SPIN TECH MUFFLERS HEAT 3 (10 Laps) 1. Davis, 2. Hagen, 3. Rutherford, 4. Lane, 5. Mitchell, 6. Ford, 7. J.Williams - No Time STINGER CHASSIS HEAT 4 (10 Laps) |
