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CARDEY DYNAMITE DURING PERRIS WIN By Robert Mayson |
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Perris, Calif…(April 25, 2009) Even though “Dynamite” Dave Cardey, Riverside, Calif., dominated most of the 30-lap feature race Saturday at the Perris Auto Speedway it still took a dramatic last-lap pass to win his first Lucas Oil USAC/CRA main event of the season. The victory seemed particularly satisfying for Cardey who has now posted first and second-place finishes since jumping back into the Glenn Crossno / ITI Performance No. 38 Viper. “A little motivation never hurts anyone,” Cardey said after his fourth career USAC/CRA win. “This car was good at the end of last year, and I’m just really happy to be back in it. We’ve got a few things figured out here at Perris and we should be tough here the rest of the year.” Jordan Hermansader started the race on the pole and led the opening lap before relinquishing the top-spot to fellow front row starter Josh Ford on the second circuit. After starting the event in the fifth position, Cardey showed his strength early and took the lead from Ford in just nine laps. While Cardey proceeded to build a comfortable lead, the battle for the runner-up spot intensified between Ford, Yorba Linda California’s Rip Williams, Tony Jones and Blake Miller (Yorba Linda, Calif.). The complexion of the race changed on lap-14 when Jones flipped in turn-four after contact with Williams and was collected by Santa Maria, California’s Danny Sheridan, fast qualifier Cory Kruseman and defending series champion Mike Spencer. Fortunately, there were no injuries. In fact, all the drivers involved were able to return to action except for Jones. Two laps after the restart, Miller moved his Jeff Gardner / Roy Miller Freightlines No. 93 Sled ahead of Williams for second-place. Miller would give back the position on lap-18 after bouncing his ride through the first turn. After Alan Ballard dropped him another position on lap-22, Miller adjusted his racing line and stormed back ahead of Ballard on lap-24. Two laps later, “The Bullet” took back the second-position from Williams. Meanwhile, Cardey was enjoying a five second over Miller when the yellow flag flew on lap-27 for Ludvig Solberg IV, who hit the wall directly in front of the leader. Cardey held the lead after the restart until Miller darted under him in turn-three just prior to receiving the white flag. Cardey responded by driving to the bottom of turn-one and muscling his way back into the lead exiting turn-two. Despite brushing the wall, Miller quickly regrouped and pulled alongside of Cardey using the turn-three cushion. Taking advantage of his track position, Cardey was able to slide ahead of Miller exiting turn-four to secure the win. “I didn’t need that late yellow. I knew Blake was going to be tough after our heat race and I probably cost myself by overdriving a little on the restart when he showed me a wheel,” Cardey later admitted. “I guess he had been running the middle, and I was running a little lower, and when we got back to (turns) one and two he left the bottom open and I squeezed myself in there and tried to pinch him off into the wall and get a little position.” A few weeks shy of his 53rd birthday, Williams drove his John Jory Corporation / Weld Wheels No. 3 Maxim to his first podium finish of the season. Sheridan once again lived-up to his “Showtime” reputation driving his Kittle Motorsports / Scott Sales No. 18 Stinger from the rear of the field to earn a fourth-place finish. Greg Bragg, Visalia, Calif., started 16th and earned “Hard-Charger” honors after giving his Tom & Laurie Sertich / Huntington Beach Glass No. 92 Buckley its second straight fifth-place finish. |
