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October 10, 2005... Damion Gardner's Valvoline/USAC
CRA Sprint Car point lead has
expanded to 90 points over defending series champion Rip Williams following
Saturday night's event at USA Race Park in Tucson, Ariz. The two will renew
their battle for the championship Oct. 22 at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, but
now have Cory Kruseman to worry about.
Kruseman, of Ventura, Calif., won Saturday's race at Tucson and has closed to
within just four points of Williams and 94 of Gardner! A total of 74 points will
be up for grabs at Perris and seven subsequent races are still on tap in the
2005 series.
Kruseman led only the final seven laps at Tucson after passing Jeremy Sherman on
lap 24 in his ITI Performance/Sander Engineering TCR/Downing. Gardner finished
second ahead of Jerry Coons Jr., Mike Kirby and Sherman. Danny Ebberts, Sherman
and Coons took turns leading the first 23 laps of the race.
In
terms of Perris appearances in the 16 races there so far this year, Kruseman and
Gardner would appear to have the advantage. Cory has had 11 podium finishes (1,
2 or 3), which includes five wins. Gardner has had 10, but eight of those have
been wins. Williams, on the other hand, has had seven, but only two triumphs.
Gardner was the fastest qualifier for the first nine Perris races this year and
for three more! Ironically, neither Kruseman nor Williams have posted the fast
time at The PAS, the other four fast qualifiers there being Johnny Rodriguez,
Mike Spencer, Charles Davis Jr. and Rickie Gaunt.
VALVOLINE USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Damion Gardner-1,672
2.-Rip Williams-1,582
3.-Cory Kruseman-1,578
4.-Mike Kirby-1,444
5.-Charles Davis, Jr.-1,244
6.-Rickie Gaunt-1,181
7.-Mike Spencer-1,115
8.-Josh Ford-975
9.-Seth Wilson-880
10.-Danny Sheridan-876
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