By Ken Wagner
July 7, 2007

When the afternoon started at the PAS, you knew it would be a hard fought 40 lapper as the annual Firecracker 40 was here. The USAC/CRA Lucas Oil Series has had the same point leader from the get go this season and Tony Jones was gearing up for another win. He set the stage nearly 10 days ago with his third win of the season, and we know how he relishes the Major races, and today was no exception. It took nearly half the race before he finally got by race long leader Cory Kruseman, but the Cowboy slid by on a slick move on lap 20 and never looked back.

The pics Click here. Also Doug Allen's awesome work Click here.

It was his 4th victory of the season, his 12th USAC/CRA win and 28th lifetime So Cal victory as he increased his point lead over Mike Spencer after the later dropped out late in the race. Driving for the Alexander Brothers, he rode the La Villa Restaurant, Alexander Trucking, Ferreira Dairy sponsored # 4 to another Major win in his career. He was 4th quick in qualifying, ran second in his heat to a hot David Cardey and started 6th on the main event grid. He quickly worked his way into second and fought off 3 red flag restarts and numerous yellow flag beginnings trying to make the pass for the lead. The Kruser had the line that worked, but the Cowboy finally made a slide job that cleared him, and he pulled away for the win. Once again his fence climbing exhibition was a highlight of another victory.

It looked like the Kruser Cory Kruseman was comfortable leading the first 19 laps and only a bold move by the winner put him back to second where he finished the night. Driving his own Kruseman Motorsports, Agromin Soil, Sander Engineering # 21K, Cory was 8th quick on the night, ran 4th in his heat and started on the outside of row one when the green flag dropped. He shot into the lead as the pack behind him fought to come and challenge him. He will be off to the Mid-West now for about a month running both a midget and sprint car looking for the gold back there.

David Cardey again showed why he is one of the up and coming drivers in the CRA. He was 12th quick, won his heat race and started 11th in the main event line-up. He came thru the pack in the Glenn Crossno owned # 83 sponsored by ITI Performance, Empire Plumbing, Racers Pub until he took a good look at 2nd place late in the race. He has had two 2nd place finishes to a total of three podiums this season and could have a break through win before the end of the year, very easily. Watch out for the red # 83!

The “real battle” was behind the podium three as both Rip Williams and Danny Sheridan stopped on the track early in the race and then put on a show coming to the front after restarting at the back. They swapped positions more than several times before Rip grabbed 4th with Danny right behind him at the end.

In the oh noooo’s department, Danny Ebberts was the first car out as he tipped it over early climbing a wheel. Next Rodney Argo got on his head after sliding across Rip’s front end for the second red of the night and was also done. Then came Rickie Gaunt’s climbing the wall and flipping over onto his wheels stopping rammed into the K-rail for the third red, and we only had three laps in. I saw the pass Sheridan put on Darren Hagen, but the yellow car was suddenly parked in turn four and they towed him to the pits. Danny slowed a little and Darren ran into him causing him to abruptly hit the wall.

It was a hot day and yet no one was belly aching over it, except me the new desert slug who doesn’t like the heat. A small breeze would cool things off as the big black plane was practicing overhead for a later fly by. It looked normal as every race team was going thru their own ritual to get ready. Some of the haulers had their air on in the trailer and the cab up front, so some people were conspicuously absent during the heat of the day.

The afternoon kids games featured a three legged race, a balloon tossing event and a watermelon eating contest. A dozen or so drivers participated and the contests were moved to the front stretch since the area normally used is piles of dirt now. All appeared to have fun and fans got to get involved with their kids. The midway had all the cars out front for viewing as a surprising number of people came early to see.

Probably the happiest fan of all, Shawn McDonald, got a ride in the back Super Rickie’s truck around the track this week. For some that wouldn’t be much, but for Shawn, touted as the biggest sprint car fan in the world by announcer Scott Deloisio, it was a big deal! Shawn was once a strapping young man who was very active, but an incident gone wild at a hospital left him paralyzed in a wheel chair with only a digitized voice box to communicate with others. His favorite driver is Rickie, so a ride in the big yellow truck had to be a thrill. Shawn comes to all the races, except when his condition dictates more hospital time or just more rest, and loves the racing. He spends time on the computer and does e-mails with all his friends, but it can’t be easy for the man in the wheelchair at our events. He has made trips to the Knoxville Nationals more than once under the Make a Wish Foundation and continues to be a fan in the stands.

A new rookie showed up this week named Jonas Reynolds. He was ninth in the semi showing some pretty good form for a newbie. His plan is to run a few more races this year, then go for rookie of the year next season. It looks like the white # 48 will be a worthy addition.

The club will be off until July 28 at Hanford. Josh Ford, Cory Kruseman and Scotty Weir are three that will head back for Indiana Sprint Week. This will be my first miss to that event in quite a while, but I have to stay home and take care of the rising thermometer. For many they will have some time to rebuild and refresh their equipment during the three weeks off. Jeff Kristensen’s sample video of the Firecracker 40 was awesome, even giving you the fireworks at the end, buy it!

FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Tony Jones, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. David Cardey, 4. Rip Williams, 5. Danny Sheridan, 6. Scotty Weir, 7. Josh Ford, 8. Blake Miller, 9. R.J. Johnson, 10. Eric Severson, 11. Alex Schutte, 12. J Hicks, 13. Todd Hunsaker, 14. Nate Ziegler, 15. Mike Spencer, 16. Seth Wilson, 17. Michael Trimble, 18. Darren Hagen, 19. Tyler Brown, 20. Rickie Gaunt, 21. Rodney Argo, 22. Danny Ebberts. NT

**Brian Camarillo flipped during the second heat. Adderson, Blinn, Brent Camarillo and Millar flipped at the start of the semi. Ebberts, Gaunt and Argo flipped during the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-19 Kruseman, Laps 20-40 Jones.

NEW LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Jones-1,236; 2-Spencer-1,059; 3-Gaunt-1,021; 4-Sheridan-996; 5-Weir-876; 6-Williams-833; 7-Kruseman-778; 8-Johnson-650; 9-Cardey-627; 10-Ford-576.

NEXT LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: August 4 – Perris Auto Speedway