OVAL NATIONALS HITS HOME RUN IN SPITE OF MOTHER NATURE’S CURVEBALLS

Cory Kruseman became the second two time winner in the ninth annual Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply this week when he overcame his exciting “understudy”, Josh Ford, the last few feet of the 50 lap finale of the three day Valvoline USAC/CRA event. It also may have put one USAC championship in the refrigerator and came close to settling the USAC /CRA one. It was the best racing three days of the year and will go down as the best of the best for this event.

Mrs Wags pics are out there click here.

In what was the most exciting Main Event in the history of what has become one of the premier traditional sprint car races in the country, The Oval Nationals at Perris, “The Kruser “ was not to be denied. After Mike Kirby and Damion Gardner got hooked together while fighting for the lead on lap 38, the Cory and Josh show took over. The last 10 laps showcased “the teacher” and “the student”, with both drivers getting their starts at Ventura Raceway. They battled back and forth, swapping the lead until the checkered flag flew. They were inches apart as they crossed the start/finish line with the Kruser getting the big check by a wheel. After the race, Cory said in the winners circle ”for $30,000 I just threw everything I had at it and the kid almost took the big check from me.” Cory finishes his career in the # 21 Tony Stewart owned Mopar, Vital Express car at Manzanita next week. Levi Jones, Bud Kaeding and Tony Elliott rounded out the top five.

Cory and Damion Gardner had put on a non-stop, 21 lap duel on Friday night that set the stage for unreal 50 lap finale. Both never gave an inch, passing each other at least ten times, and it was only for second place! There hasn’t been a better duel this season and they never touched! Damion had an overheating motor which was replaced for Saturday’s main event. Rip Williams had already run away with the 25 lap preliminary win Friday night as all five heats had awesome runs from the back for the winners. It was the best overall night of racing this season. Mike Kirby romped to the opening night prelim win, after Don Kazarian and his hard working staff made a miracle happen by even getting the opening night race staged after the unseasonable torrential rains that poured up until the morning of the race, made the entire facility a muddy mess. Only careful and gutsy planning made this race happen and the outcome so sensational for the three days. Jay Drake, Cory’s teammate on the Tony Stewart Racing Team, has to do little more than show up at Manzanita next week to win the National USAC points championship with his 72 point lead over Cory Kruseman. Rip Williams now holds a commanding 87 point lead in the USAC/CRA series with two races to go for his first ever driver’s championship. The stage is now set for the battle at Manzanita starting Thursday, November 4th. The three day event features 410 and 360 qualifying and heats on Thursday and Friday, then the Main Events on Saturday.

Josh Ford driving the Berry Pack Ag. Packaging, Ed Colby Welding # 73, was pretty sensational this week. He had two seconds and one fifth place finish as he impressed a lot of fans with his great driving. The youngster who started out at Ventura has really been impressive since his rookie year with SCRA last season and now his first full season back East with USAC. He came very close to winning this major race, and was still so thrilled in the winners circle, he was screaming out how much fun he had. Look for more out of this 21 year old because he is coming fast.

Levi Jones has been a popular driver in Southern California for several years since driving for Glenn Crossno. Until he jumped into his current ride just before Indiana Sprint Week, which he won, he was bouncing around a bit. Now the Lucas Oil Products, Karavan Trailer, Gaerte Engines # 2B is putting him higher and higher. He started 14th in the Main Event and moved up to third for a great finish at the Ovals this year. He will be staying in the ride for next season, so watch out.

The main event didn’t work out the way Mike Kirby or Damion Gardner had hoped. Mike had won the opening night going away, leading every lap, and had high hopes for the finale. He was the hard charger the second night coming from 12th to 4th. He started on the front row next to Bud Kaeding Saturday and took the lead just like Thursday’s race and moved out to a great lead. Damion was having trouble with brakes on Thursday, yet rose to about 4th before fading with a problem to finish in 8th place. Friday, with the brakes working fine, he stormed up to challenge Cory and what followed was the best 21 laps I’ve seen in a while. Damion would start on the third row inside and was ready to win another 50 lapper!

Kirby was cruising in the feature and by lap 13 had a straightaway lead on the pack, but Damion was coming fast. Mike was really pulling away from the pack lap after lap until a yellow flag flew on lap 29 for debris on the front stretch. In the meantime, the Demon had jumped into 2nd with a lap car between them on the next restart. Kirby continued to lead easily for a few laps and then the car seemed to get a little loose in the corners and suddenly, on lap 38 Damion made the pass for the lead coming out of turn four. It looked as if Kirby was pushing Damion down the front stretch, but when he began swinging back and forth a little behind the 50 car, it was obvious he had jumped over the push bar of Damion and they were hooked together. They rolled to a stop at the end of the straightaway and both went to the back on the restart. You make the call, was Kirby mad that his chances for the big check were gone before or after they hooked up? Did Damion do anything more than pass the leader and then hold on when he was hit from behind? Does a slide job infuriate the slidee and should he slow down to avoid the new leader after the pass is made? Will these two have a rematch on the track next week? You be the judge, but for sure these two will see each other again two more times before the season is over. The bad thing is, the incident cost them both a chance at the win.

It didn’t help Kirby when he got tangled with another car on the restart and spun around on the back stretch, done for the night. Then, after a mandatory red flag fuel stop on lap 38, all “you know what” broke loose on the next restart. Going into turn one, Tracy Hines got launched high into the air and used Rip Williams roll cage to slide him high up on the fence where he stuck. Rip’s cage took the blow and his car was battered, but he got back in on the restart and finished 8th. Hines car needed the bucket loader to get him off the wall and he was done. Dave Darland was in this mess, after coming from 23rd to 5th at this point, and would go to the back on the next restart. He recovered to get 10th. As all this was going on, and concern for Rip was uppermost in the minds of all as he was smashed against the wall, one more incident punctuated this horrific restart. Damion couldn’t avoid the Popeye’s car of Dickie Gaines, who slowed in front of him, and the Demon went for a ride of several endo’s, and he too was done for the night. No one was injured, but a lot of torn up racecars on this deal.

Bud Kaeding, who earlier said “starting on the pole sucks, you can only go backwards if you don’t win”, ended up 4th as he hung in there to the end. Charles Davis Jr, like Darland, had come a long way up where he was challenging for second at one time. He settled back to seventh at the end after coming from 16th. Mike Spencer and Danny Sheridan both came from the C Main to the make the big show. Spencer finished sixth and Sheridan 12th and both put on a good show. Young Brad Sweet was very impressive also as he has minimum non wing experience, but made the show on Saturday. He looks very young, but drives like a veteran.

The overall rating for the race is outstanding from the battle to get it going until the final flag, it was amazing. When we first drove in and looked at the track, it was NO WAY this it going to happen. When we got to the interim pit area in the afternoon, it was no way can they get the cars to the track. Even though it was a long tough task, the opening night was very successful. Friday the pits returned to the normal location inside the track and you could see the work it took to make that happen. The evening was fast paced and better organized because they didn’t have to push from a long block away, making it another great night when it was all done. Could it get better on Saturday? As great as it was Friday night, the barnburner that showcased on Saturday was the best one yet. To top it off, the very cream of the crop of all the best traditional drivers, and in their own cars, from all across the country were here, now that’s history!

The 2005 Perris USAC/CRA schedule was announced this week:
February 5 – Day Race, February 6 – Day Race, February 19 – Opening Night Race. March 5, March 26, April 16, April 30, May 14, May 28 – 50 Laps, June 11, June 25, July 3 – 50 Laps, July 16, August 6, August 20, September 3 – 50 Laps, September 17, October 1, October 22, November 3 – Oval Nationals, November 4 – Oval Nationals, November 5 – Oval Nationals, November 19 – Kindoll Classic.

The Kindol classic is coming up on November 20th at the PAS. There are some $100 laps left to help sponsor the event. Wilda Kindoll needs your help in making this a big race to end the season in remembrance of her husband Jack who was a long time car owner and won several championships with Jimmy Oskie driving for him.. All the lap money is appreciated by the racers who perform and earn it. Get involved and see Sammy Bahr or Wilda Kindoll at the track or call me at 949-472-9247.

See you at Manzy, sometime.

Results: THURSDAY FEATURE (25 laps) 1. Kirby, 2. Josh Ford, 3. Cory Kruseman, 4. Tony Elliott, 5. Tracy Hines, 6. Rip Williams, 7. Jon Stanbrough, 8. Damion Gar122ner, 9. Brad Sweet, 10. Troy Cline, 11. Bud Kaeding, 12. Greg Bragg, 13. Troy Rutherford, 14. Brent Kaeding, 15. Bill Rose, 16. Rickie Gaunt, 17. Kevin Urton, 18. Levi Jones, 19. Tony Jones, 20, Jay Drake, 21. Ronnie Case, 22. Rodney Argo, 23. Charles Davis Jr., 24. Mike Spencer, 25. Seth Wilson, 26. Tom Hessert. NT

FRIDAY FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Rip Williams, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Mike Kirby, 5. Josh Ford, 6. Jay Drake, 7. Bud Kaeding, 8. Jon Stanbrough, 9. Steve Ostling, 10. Dave Darland, 11. Levi Jones, 12. Troy Rutherford, 13. Tracy Hines, 14. Brian Venard, 15, Tom Hessert, 16. Troy Cline, 17. Dickie Gaines, 18. Brent Kaeding, 19. Peter Murphy, 20. Bobby Cody, 21. Tony Elliott, 22. Charles Davis, Jr., 23. Gary W. Howard, 24. Danny Sheridan, 25. Seth Wilson, 26. Greg Bragg. NT

Saturday “C” MAIN: (20 laps) 1. Mike Spencer (#44 Engstrom), 2. Danny Sheridan (#4x Kittle), 3. Alan Ballard (#97 Ballard), 4. Gary W. Howard (#84 Keene), 5. Jeremy Sherman (#11x Wilkerson), 6. Rick Ziehl (#5 Keller), 7. Marc Jessup (#11J Walker), 8. Ronnie Case (#33 Blair), 9. Darren Hagen (#11m McMinn), 10. Jason York (#25N York), 11. Rob Kershaw (#10c CamLand), 12. Seth Wilson (#17x Racing Optics), 13. Duane Feduska (#23 Bellegante), 14. Nadine Keller (#6 Keller), 15. Danny Ebberts (#77 Acosta), 16. Mike Leslie (#76 Montgomery), 17. John Scott (#83 Scott), 18. Brandon Lane (#97H Lane), 19. Jesse Hockett (#2J Massey), 20. David Cardey (#59 Giardina). NT

SEMI (“B” MAIN): (20 laps) 1. Brent Kaeding (#69x Kaeding), 2. Levi Jones (#2B 2B Racing), 3. Tom Hessert (#67 Kunz), 4. Charles Davis Jr. (#8A Smiley), 5. Dickie Gaines (#70 Gaines), 6. Greg Bragg (#12 Pratt), 7. Steve Ostling (#29x Fischer), 8. Brad Sweet (#1 Sweet), 9. Brian Venard (#47 Venard), 10. Sheridan, 11. Dave Darland (#56az Pruett/May), 12. Spencer, 13. Tony Jones (#2 Vermeer/Ferreira), 14. Howard, 15. Mat Neely (#17 Neely), 16. Peter Murphy (#45 Willis), 17. Bill Rose (#82 Hillberg), 18. Case, 19. Jessup, 20. Bobby Cody (#41 Cody), 21. Ziehl, 22. Rickie Gaunt (#6 KMS), 23. Sherman, 24. Ballard. NT

FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Cory Kruseman (#21 Stewart), 2. Josh Ford (#73 Ford), 3. Levi Jones, 4. Bud Kaeding (#29 BK), 5. Tony Elliott (#11 Walker), 6. Mike Spencer, 7. Charles Davis Jr., 8. Rip Williams (#3 Jory), 9. Steve Ostling, 10. Dave Darland, 11. Jon Stanbrough (#10 R & B), 12. Danny Sheridan, 13. Brian Venard, 14. Brent Kaeding, 15. Jay Drake (#20 Stewart), 16. Troy Rutherford (#7 Priestley), 17. Greg Bragg, 18. Mike Kirby (#38 Crossno), 19. Damion Gardner (#50 Chaffin), 20. Tracy Hines (#69 Dynamics), 21. Troy Cline (#62 BWB), 22. Tom Hessert, 23. Brad Sweet, 24. Dickie Gaines, 25. Bobby Cody. NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-38 Kirby, Laps 39-41 Bud Kaeding, Laps 42-45 Ford, Lap 46 Kruseman, Laps 47-49 Ford, Lap 50 Kruseman.

NEW VALVOLINE USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Drake-1,573; 2-Kruseman-1,501; 3-Bud Kaeding-1,478; 4-L.Jones-1,368; 5-Ford-1,180; 6-Elliott-1,090; 7-Darland-1,056; 8-Stanbrough-931; 9-Gaines-883; 10-Brian Tyler-837.

NEW VALVOLINE USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Rip Williams-1,645; 2-Gardner-1,558; 3-Kirby-1,527; 4-Rutherford-1,038; 5-Bragg-909; 6-Spencer-862; 7-Ostling-854; 8-Kruseman-843; 9-T.Jones-795; 10-Cody-789.