By Ken Wagner
March 11, 2008

Perris was nice and warm in the afternoon, and even the cooling off after dark didn’t deter Danny Sheridan from winning his 4th USAC/CRA race in his young career. Danny’s recent motor problem’s caused a lot of work for the crew and winning sure makes it all better. Driving the Kittle, Pace, Stinger, Danny passed early leader Cole Whitt before a yellow came out. On the restart he was watching Cole’s car do some weight transfer tricks from behind when, suddenly, he became the leader when Cole caught a rut and his Crossno mount went quickly sideways and over before you could blink.

Wags pics Click here to see.

Danny, like everyone, was having a little trouble finding “the” groove, but his traffic prowess is what won the race for him. After chasing raw rookie Nic Faas thru traffic early in the race, he used lap traffic to set up his pass to second. From there he went on to assume the lead when Whitt crashed and that was the ball game.

Slick Nic Nic Fass has only run a few races with us so far this year, and as a rookie he certainly wasn’t expected to run this close to the front of the pack so soon. He started on the pole of the main event after qualifying 9th and running 2nd in his heat. You expect the newbies to first, be in the back and second, not score very well, but not this time. He surged into third as Cole took the lead on the green flag start and held his position by running in the fast groove. He bobbled a few times during the 30 laps, but never looked like he didn’t belong. It looks like we might see more of “Slick Nic” in the future so stay tuned.

Mighty Mike Spencer looked like, well Mike Spencer this week as he set quick time, ran 3rd in his heat, started 8th in the main and finished. Things have not been very good since he last ran Perris a month ago and was second to the Kruser both nights of the opening weekend. Since then he was crashed out at Manzy and Las Vegas with no luck at all. He made his own luck this week as he was patient and took what the track gave him in getting third. Driving the Temecula Valley Pipe and Supply # 50 little red sucker, Mike pushed it hard all night and stayed out of trouble getting his third podium of the year.

The track was in good shape, but didn’t seem to have much of the fast high groove this week. Many of the rim runners were content to run the middle and dart up and down quickly to gain spots. Passing was less than usual, but that didn’t mean they weren’t racing hard and the show was good with the blue blur winning in front of a nice crowd. There were more than a few crashes during the night as turn one was a little washboard looking as some bounced their way right upside down upon trying to escape that corner. The worst crash of the night was Chad Boat’s qualifying crash. He had a little dipsi-do in turn two on the start of his 1st pass for time, but he held on to it and was flying down the back stretch ready to set the world on fire. Unfortunately, the track said “oh no you don’t” as he came out of turn three crashing sideways so hard it looked nasty. He climbed out quickly and on we went without him. Cole Whitt’s crash was nothing in comparison, but was about the same pattern and in the same spot.

It was a big night in the Jory Corp pits this week as Rip Williams was in the pits with a big smile this week sending his son Cody out for his debut in a 410 car in his absence. It was all about Cody this night, although Rip and his buddy Mike English looked pretty rad in their own personal crutch race during the night moving frm the pit to a ringside view of the track action. Mike is still waiting for his 2-1/2 year mending process to come to a propped finish so he can walk without crutches after his motocross crash that still leaes me shaking my head. Anyway, there was plenty of my wondering what was going thru Cody’s head during the day as he stepped ito his own racing boots and went out to race his dad’s ride. Cody came out first on a still greasy track and didn’t get his best opportunity frothat. He missed his first chance at a transfer from his heat, but ran 9th in the semi as he took measure of a more veteran driver and made a late race pass that opened the crowds eyes. He was provisioned to the back of the main and got in some good fast laps, eventually settling for 18th in his first start. A very good night for the young senior in high school as he had no problems with the fast Jory # 3.

Defending Champion Tony Jones spent his time off since the last Perris race trying to stir the USAC money pot enough to get him his shorted 1st place share up to where it should be. No dice as the reply from USAC Central was no reply to him, or maybe that is the answer to the west coast boys. He had a tough night after getting third quick time and running strong until there were two laps to go and he smoked it too much to see and pulled off.

Sorry I didn’t get to a computer until Tuesday!!

FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions) 1. Danny Sheridan (4th), 2. Nic Faas (1st), 3. Mike Spencer (8th), 4. David Cardey (3rd), 5. Cory Kruseman (9th), 6. Levi Jones (6th), 7. Garrett Hansen (10th), 8. Rodney Argo (12th), 9. Josh Ford (11th), 10. Casey Shuman (13th), 11. Blake Miller (17th), 12. Shane Golobic (19th), 13. Jordan Hermansader (15th), 14. Tyler Brown (5th), 15. Luis Espinoza (21st), 16. Dustin Morgan (14th), 17. Davey Pombo (16th), 18. Cody Williams (23rd), 19. J.J. Ercse (2nd), 20. Tony Jones (7th), 21. Rickie Gaunt (20th), 22. Jonny Bates (18th), 23. Cole Whitt (2nd).

NEW USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Kruseman-360; 2-L.Jones-317; 3-Spencer-291; 4-Miller-284; 5-Hansen-276; 6-Sheridan-274; 7-Whitt-244; 8-Jesse Hockett-238; 9-Brown-212; 10-Ford-207.

*Chad Boat, Brein Kinney, and Austin Mero flipped in time trials. **Henry Clarke flipped in heat race 3. ***Rodney Argo and Kenny Perkins flipped in heat race 4. ****Cody Williams used a provisional.