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October 31, 2005 - INDIANAPOLIS - Three of the
biggest nights of the year for Sprint car racing come this Thursday, Friday and
Saturday on the West Coast as the USAC Valvoline National and CRA Sprint Car
Series divisions clash for the 10th
running of the Budweiser Oval Nationals, with both point championships on the
line.
National driver Levi Jones and CRA gunner Damion Gardner lead their respective
series into the three-night affair at Perris Auto Speedway in California hoping
to keep their leads, in addition to shooting for one of the biggest purses of
the season. More than 70 cars are pre-entered for the event, and drivers will be
looking to fill one of at least 24 feature spots
each night.
While Thursday and Friday night preliminary features will pay $8,590 purses,
Saturday boasts a $60,500 payoff, with a $30,000 cut to the victor. Second- and
third-place finishers will take home $7,000 and $4,000 respectively. Cory
Kruseman won last year's running of the event.
Alan Ballard of Bakersfield, Calif. tuned up for this weekend's festivities
Saturday at Ventura Raceway in California with a last lap victory ahead of CRA
points leader Gardner. Driving the No. 97 Dick's Automotive/Ernie's Tong Service
Schnee/Chevy, Ballard led laps 6-28 before Gardner inched forward on lap 29, but
came to the checkered flag first for his initial USAC triumph. Gardner - who
extended his point lead to 62 markers over Cory Kruseman - finished second,
ahead of Danny Sheridan, Mike Spencer and Jon Stanbrough. Kruseman was sixth.
Blake Miller drove to the 15-lap "Wagsdash" victory.
The National Series has been idle since Oct. 16, when Dave Darland won at
Winchester Speedway in Indiana. That triumph moved Darland to within 78 points
of Jones heading into Thursday's race. Darland, Jay Drake and Bud Kaeding are
all still in the running for the championship with six races left.
USAC VALVOLINE NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Levi Jones-1,375
2.-Dave Darland-1,297
3.-Jay Drake-1,188
4.-Josh Wise-1,161
5.-Bud Kaeding-1,112
6.-Mat Neely-940
7.-Jon Stanbrough-872
8.-Jerry Coons Jr.-712
9.-Darren Hagen-684
10.-Tracy Hines-645
USAC VALVOLINE CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Damion Gardner-1,760
2.-Cory Kruseman-1,698
3.-Rip Williams-1,644
4.-Mike Kirby-1,466
5.-Charles Davis Jr.-1,297
6.-Rickie Gaunt-1,224
7.-Mike Spencer-1,194
8.-Josh Ford-1,071
9.-Danny Sheridan-990
10.-Tony Jones-940
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