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(JUNE 27, 2004, PERRIS, CA)
Southern California’s home to Major League Sprint Car Racing, Perris Auto
Speedway, will play host to the Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Car Budweiser
Firecracker 50, presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply and Vista
Paint, on Saturday, July 3rd. After the races fans will be treated to the best
fireworks show and sky concert in Riverside County.
One driver hoping to cause some fireworks of his own is 2000 Oval Nationals
Champion Tony Jones of Corona. The son of Sprint Car Hall of Famer Bubby
Jones, Tony is looking for his first main event win of the 2004 campaign. He
had a run of bad luck in 2003 that kept him winless until October when he
bagged back to back main event wins at Perris and Ventura.
The year 2004 has not been much kinder to the 34-year old. While he is fifth
in the Valvoline USAC/CRA point standings, his best finish is a fourth and he
has accomplished that four times.
Fourth sounds good to many, but Jones is used to winning. “We have pretty
much struggled all year long,” he said with a shrug. “I have started
wrenching on the car again. I went to the shop one night and I tore the whole
car down. We found a lot of problems. The car was day and night to how we
usually have it.”
On June 12th Jones ran second for most of the main at The PAS before ending up
fourth. He attributed that strong run to the changes they made on the car.
Heading into Saturday’s Firecracker 50, the recently married star is looking
forward to the extra 20-laps in the main event. “I like 50-lappers. You
always talk about 30-lappers and say, ‘Man, only if I had about 20 more laps
or 10 more laps.’ In the 50-lappers, there is your chance.” Jones went on
about the difference in strategy in a 50-lap main. “You have to pace
yourself a little bit, but hey, this is still sprint car racing and you have
to gas er’ up, get your elbows up and go after it. Fourth of July? Man, a
50-lapper and everybody is gonna’ be there and they will have their elbows
up and doing what they have to do to win that race. I guarantee you, we will
be loaded for bear.”
After the July 3rd race, the Valvoline USAC/CRA Series is off until it travels
to Alger, Washington on the last weekend of the month. Jones laughed and said
he hopes he is not off that long. “I would like to get something (a ride)
for Sprint Week (Indiana), run up north, get in a midget, run a go-cart or a
Tonka Toy. I don’t care what, but I gotta’ run something!” He smiled and
continued, “If I don’t find a ride to keep sharp or go back east and run
with those boys back there, I may bring out the two-seater (sprint car) and
give people rides for the next month.”
Off the track, things have been perfect for Jones in 2004. As mentioned above,
the affable driver got married earlier in the year and he and wife Tammy are
expecting a child at the end of September. Jones’ eyes lit up with he talked
about his wife. “It is great to call her Mrs. Jones,” he said with a grin.
“It is nice having this ring on my finger. Marrying Tammy is great for me
and it really boosts everything in my life. I come out here and run a good
race and she is standing right next to me or if I run a bad race she is right
there standing next to me. She is there for me regardless and it is a cool
deal.”
In addition to Tammy and the baby on the way, Jones has an 11-year old son
named Kyle who lives in Greenwood, Indiana. He should be in the stands
watching his dad perform at the Firecracker 50 on Saturday.
New bride, baby on the way and his son flying out from Indiana to watch his
Dad race, what could be better than beating the best the West Coast has to
offer in the Firecracker 50?
Jones will be one of the favorites on Saturday, but there will be several
drivers capable of winning the 50-lapper. Included in the challengers will be
point leader Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Concord’s Damion Gardner who won
the season’s first 50-lapper, 3-time 2004 winner Mike Kirby of Torrance,
Ojai drivers Troy Rutherford & Greg Taylor, recent winner Adam Mitchell of
Escondido, Jordan Hermansador of Long Beach, Corona’s Steve Ostling,
Irvine’s Brian Venard, Temecula’s Mike Spencer and a host of others.
Saturday’s race will be the fans last chance to see the popular series at
Perris Auto Speedway until August 21st.
Spectator gates will open one hour earlier than normal at 4:00 PM on Saturday
and the first race will be at 7:00. For early arriving fans, there will be
games and contests with the kids that will involve the USAC/CRA drivers.
Perris Auto Speedway is conveniently located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds,
home of the Southern California Fair, approximately one hour east of Los
Angeles. Take the 215 Freeway, exit at the Ramona Expressway and go east two
and a half miles to the fairgrounds.
For more information on this or any other event at Perris Auto Speedway
events, please call (909) 940-0134.
VALVOLINE USAC/CRA POINT STANDINGS
1. Rip Williams – Yorba Linda, CA - 723
2. Damion Gardner – Concord, CA – 667
3. Mike Kirby – Torrance, CA – 621
4. Troy Rutherford – Ojai, CA – 615
5. Tony Jones – Corona, CA – 448
6. Steve Ostling – Corona, CA – 428
7. Brian Venard – Irvine, CA – 422
8. Cory Kruseman – Ventura, CA – 378
9. Jeremy Sherman – Phoenix, AZ – 374
10. Greg Bragg – Visalia, CA – 364
11. Jordan Hermansador – Long Beach, CA - 358
12. Mike Spencer – Temecula, CA – 282
13. Ronnie Case – Camarillo, CA – 273
14. Bobby Cody – Costa Mesa, CA – 261
15. Adam Mitchell – Escondido, CA – 236
16. Gary W. Howard – Fontana, CA – 235
17. Ricky Gaunt – Torrance, CA – 212
18. Charles Davis, Jr. – Buckeye, AZ – 206
19. Rick Ziehl – Las Cruces, NM – 195
20. David Cardey – Riverside, CA - 184
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