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Jones Boys Sweep Top Two Spots at Perris |
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PERRIS, Calif. - Tony Jones of Norco, Calif., withstood a late-race challenge
from Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. to win Saturday’s 25-lap USAC/CRA “Legends of
Ascot” feature race at the Perris Auto Speedway. It was another significant victory for Tony Jones since a number of visiting drivers were on hand using the event as a “tune-up” race for the $30,000-to-win Oval Nationals (Nov. 2–4). “This is a good win for us with a lot of out-of-town guys being here,” Jones said after gathering his sixth USAC/CRA win of the year. “Jeff Walker’s cars are always strong and Levi knows this track real well, but Mark and Steve Alexander gave me another great car, and what can I say, it was another fun night.” Rip Williams and Mike Spencer shared the front row for the start of the race, with Williams comfortably leading Blake Miller, Rickie Gaunt, Danny Sheridan and the Alexander Trucking / La Villa Restaurant No. 4 DRC driven by Tony Jones. Williams’ lead came to an abrupt end on Lap 5 after contact with Gaunt left him stopped near the exit of Turn 2. Gaunt escaped injury even though his car tipped on its side directly in front a number of cars running closely behind. During the caution period, series point leader Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif., was forced to pull into the work area with a left rear brake problem. Gardner rejoined the race at the rear of field after some quick adjustments were made. Sheridan’s Kittle Motorsports / Red Line Oil No. 18 Stinger assumed the lead for the restart, with fast time qualifier Levi Jones now running fourth in Jeff Walker’s Jam It In Storage No. 11w Maxim. Four laps after the restart, Tony Jones passed Sheridan for the lead, while Levi Jones battled Miller and Spencer for the third position. Levi Jones eventually secured the position and moved into the runner-up spot on the 14th circuit. Riding bravely on the cushion, Tony Jones looked like he was going to complete the remainder of the race without challenge. But things quickly changed, and by the end of the 22nd lap Tony Jones now found himself under attack by his namesake. With the first two cars separated by a little over a car-length on the final lap, Levi Jones tried a slide-job entering turn-three. Seeing that he wasn’t going to cleanly beat the leader to the Turn 4 cushion, the defending USAC National Champion showed the class of a champion and did not impede Tony Jones’s path to the checkered flag. “You can see that Levi has respect for me and I have respect for him. He’s a real gentleman,” Tony Jones later said. “I heard him back there and there wasn’t a whole lot I could have done on that last lap since I had a left rear tire going flat. It means a lot to me to win tonight since it was the “Legends of Ascot” night. I just wish my dad (Bubby) could have been here to see this win.” Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif., finished fourth behind Sheridan despite another uphill fight to stay in championship contention. Kruseman failed to transfer directly to the feature race after a car spun in front of his Glen Crossno / Agromin Soil No. 38 Bullet during his heat race. This was followed by a flat tire while leading the semi. Left with no choice but to use his last provisional start of the season, Kruseman’s run from the starting 23rd position, combined with Gardner’s 10th place finish, moved him to within one-point of the series point lead with eight races remaining. |
