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Jones Takes Perris 30-Lapper; Kruseman’s CRA Lead Just Two by Robert Mayson |
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September 30, 2006 - With the Oval Nationals a little over a month away,
Tony Jones of Norco, Calif., left little doubt that he is among the favorites to
take home the top prize after a convincing wire-to-wire 30-lap USAC/CRA victory
Saturday at the Perris Auto Speedway.
“This win means a lot to me because for the 12 years that I’ve been running I’ve never had five wins in a season until now, and we’re looking for more,” Jones added. “I’m looking forward to some of the longer races because I seem to get into a better groove the longer the race is. We’ll see what happens, but I’m looking forward to some of these big-money races that are coming up. We’ll approach these races like they are just another race and do the best we can.” Jones’ Mark Alexander / La Villa Restaurant No. 4 DRC inherited a front row starting spot after outside front row starter Brian Venard bicycled over the Turn 4 wall and flipped in on the initial start. Venard was not injured, but the same could not be said for his Don Blair entry. Jones took lead on the restart and led pole-sitter Alan Ballard, Damion Gardner, Blake Miller and Mike Spencer at the end of the opening lap. Gardner moved into the second position six laps into the race, but was already a full straightaway behind Jones. By the mid-way point of the race, Jones’ had extended his lead to nearly a half of a lap over “The Demon.” “It’s nice when you can get out from and your car is perfect,” Jones said with a big grin. “Lapped traffic helped me tonight. Normally lapped traffic works against the leader, but tonight, there always seemed like there was a place for me to slide ahead of someone. It was a really good feeling.” Miller (Yorba Linda, Calif.), who leads the USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year standings, moved his Nadine Keller / Endless Powder Coating #94 Chalk into the runner-up spot on Lap 20. Two-laps later, Davey Pombo slowed to a stop on the front straight to bring out the yellow flag, and in the process, erased Jones’ insurmountable lead. Even though the first two-thirds of the race ran caution-free after Venard’s flip, the remainder of the race would prove to be more challenging. The restart following Pombo’s stoppage provided a three-car tangle that also sent seventh-place Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif., to the work area with a flat right rear tire. The subsequent restart saw fourth-place Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif., sliding to a stop in Turn 1 after he bicycled his Sharon Jory / AMA Plastics #3 Stinger and collected Spencer and Rickie Gaunt. Williams, who started the event in the 14th position, restarted the race and eventually finished fourth. After a few laps of green-flag racing, the caution flew again on Lap 26, much to the disappointment of fourth-place Danny Sheridan. “Showtime” Sheridan started 23rd in the feature after using a provisional start. However, his hopes of turning a provisional into a podium finish ended after contact with David Cardey sent both drivers spinning through the first turn. Cardey would return to finish eighth, while Sheridan would be scored in 13th. Despite a bump coming down to accept the green flag, Jones pulled away from the rest of the field after the restart, leaving the pack to battle for second-place. Danny Faria, Jr. of Tipton, Calif., started 16th in the Johnny Vermeer & Narcie Ferreira / Ferreira Dairy No. 87 Avenger and had just moved into the runner-up spot when the final yellow flag of the race flew for 18-year-old Chad Boespflug, who spun to a stop in Turn 1 and collected Spencer and R.J. Johnson. Earlier in the evening, Boespflug had earned his first career USAC/CRA fast time award. “I kept telling myself on every one of those yellows that it was my race to lose,” Jones later confessed. “I had a rookie breathing down my neck and the 87 car coming up on me, so we had a lot of challenged towards the end of the race. We had to get away from those guys because that rookie don’t know no better, and he would have snagged that lead from me if I would have giving him a chance.” Jones never did give anyone a chance and went on to score the win without challenge, even though he ran out of fuel shortly after receiving the checkered. Faria edged Miller for the runner-up spot and earned the Hard Charger Award for the race. Kruseman had an eventful night. Entering the event with a slim three-point lead over Gardner, Kruseman’s Glen Crossno / Agromin Soil No. 38 Bullet blew a motor during his heat race. Starting the main event with a 360-engine, Kruseman overcame a flat tire nine laps from the finish and was able to steal the fifth position from Gardner coming down to accept the checkered flag. Gardner made contact with Kruseman along the front straight, but was still able to slide his Ron Chaffin / Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply No. 50 Eagle across the line in sixth. Kruseman’s daring outside pass enabled him to leave Perris with a two-point series lead over Gardner. |
