RUNNING 30 LAPS NON-STOP CREATES EXTRA EXCITEMENT!

This week was the first ever CRA race at Ventura, and if I told you it was the best feature ever there for the big 410’s, you might be impressed? When Rip Williams started at the back of the VRA Seniors race and ran up to 7th before sliding to a stop on the last lap, you just knew he was having a ball. In the CRA main he started 5th and quickly chased down early leader Jordan Hermansader and blew by him on lap 16 to disappear in a gaggle of lap cars and you knew he was having a ball! Damion Gardner was the hard charger on a night of hard chargers, coming from 16th to 4th. The little bullring with action literally everywhere, had fans on the edge of their seats for 6 minutes and the 30 lapper ended.

Mrs Wags pics are now done. Click here. My mini picture tour of the Ventura pits this week goes like this!

When Rip had the opportunity to drive Ronnie Case’s 360 sprinter this week on a payback deal, he jumped right in the # 8 dayglow orange car. He got no hot laps as the car didn’t cooperate and run properly, and then ran his first laps in the car in the first heat and qualified for the main by finishing 2nd. When they pushed off for the VRA Senior main event, the car died before he could get lined up and he had to go to the back instead of starting on the front row. The 20 laps went fast and with one to go, Rip was in 7th trying the top cushion with all he had, but getting no cooperation from the VRA spec tire. Unfortunately his fun ended, when he got stopped in turn one, alas and finished in the back, but he was a show!

When the CRA main lined up next, Rip started 5th and went about his business of passing his way to the front on the fast track. He never faltered and took over the lead on lap 16. He kept the John Jory Corp, Weld Wheels, Stinger pointed to the front and won his 2nd USAC/CRA race of the season convincingly. He had the most laps on the track this night and predictably the most fun as well.

Steve Ostling has had several good runs recently in Harlan Willis # 45 (3rd) and Mike Sala’s # 19 (4th), but he was back home in the saddle of the Fischer Motorsports # 29 this week. He came in a close second after a wild battle with several other determined drivers. In the Stress Relief Engineering, Feese Solid Surface, Okie Chassis car, SteveO was on the gas trying to track down the leader for 30 laps. He was focused on getting the job done with the action very close, and sometimes with only inches to spare each lap around the packed oval, and he did a great job.

On a night of great driving jobs, Danny “Showtime” Sheridan shocked some with his best run with CRA and getting on the podium with some outstanding moves of his own. If you have been watching this young man drive, it is not shocking, but about time he got in a good run with the big boys! “Showtime” was all of that this week as he had to go tooth and nail with several of the CRA stars, and he won some skirmishes! Driving the red, # 21, WD Racing, Stinger Chassis sprinter, Danny was pulling delicate, yes I mean delicate, slide jobs to come from his 11th starting spot to show his style on the dirt. You gotta love it! Too bad he can’t run with us more often.

Damion “the Demon” Gardner put on his own awesome show this week. He started out slow with a mid pack qualifying time and then won his heat. In the main, he started 16th and had the little red sucker slicing thru traffic like a demon! He was the hard charger of the night and the finish was so close at the end. He really needed a yellow for a better shot at the win! Jordan Hermansader had a great run after starting on the pole of the main. He looked unbeatable early until Rip got to him, and then had some great battles with the other CRA stars and settled for fifth as he was making the Alexander Trucking “Silver Bullet” fly.

Another flyer was Mike Kirby in a new “bar car” out for the first time. Kirby has been driving the teams coil over TCR up until now this year, and they figured a 4 bar car would be better for his style at Ventura. It was, but took too long to get dialed in for him after he was 14th in qualifying and won his heat. He started 14th in the main and was coming on at the end. He said later if it had been a longer race, he would have been very happy. He finished 7th just behind Troy Rutherford in Mark Priestly’s # 7. Gary “Gabby” Howard set fast time in the Jack Keene owned # 84 this week. He ran hard and finished 9th behind the Cowboy Tony Jones who was breaking in the replacement for the “Frankenstein” car he destroyed at Manzy two weeks ago. Brian Venard had a clean race this week in the family sprinter rolling it on the trailer after finishing tenth on the small oval.

Under the ooops banner this week were several situations that weren’t much fun. Rick Zeihl had his troubles in Ben Lancaster’s car. They missed the heat, but returned to win the semi with a bent drive shaft that was brand new and started the main only to drop out within two laps. David Cardey turned his car over in his heat, but came back to get 13th in the main. Same goes for Jimmy Crawford who flipped in his heat and was 11th in his Twister car. Ronnie Case had a spot locked up in his heat when he and another car banged together putting him in the Semi where he had a problem. He chose to take one of the two provisional starts offered each team and started last. He ended up 20th. The last oops happened as the checkers fell in the main when Bobby Cody was on the outside end of a bump and nailed the wall, keeping him from crossing the finish line and putting him 19th after a great drive which had him somewhere in the middle of the pack until the shunt.

Cory Kruseman won his first USAC national points race at Terre Haute last night. He qualified 2nd quick, ran second in his heat and had to pass both his teammate Jay Drake, who finished 2nd, and J J Yeley to win. He is now 2nd in points behind Drake as the two California drivers on Tony Stewart’s team are doing very well.

The CRA 50 lapper at the PAS happens this week and it’s always a great race for the fans. More laps and more excitement should be the order of the day with Kirby and Gardner probably the key to keeping Rip out of the winners circle, if they can. The point leader is hot, hot, hot. Down south on the Barona reservation, the SCRA faithful will be out in force at the small track. Look for The extreme twins, Super Rickie and Charlie to dominate. Pick your pleasure, it is a three day weekend for most.

I am off to have my B-day diner with Mrs Wags and Tory. Steak sounds good to me. Maybe more when I get home tonight!

FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions) 1. Rip Williams (5th), 2. Steve Ostling (3rd), 3. Danny Sheridan (11th), 4. Damion Gardner (16th), 5. Jordan Hermansader (2nd), 6. Troy Rutherford (7th), 7. Mike Kirby (14th), 8. Tony Jones (4th), 9. Gary W. Howard (8th), 10. Brian Venard (1st), 11. Jimmy Crawford (9th), 12. Greg Bragg (18th), 13. David Cardey (19th), 14. Dan Hillberg (20th), 15. Alan Ballard (15th), 16. J Hicks (17th), 17. Alex Pruett (13th), 18. Chris Wakim (10th), 19. Bobby Cody (6th), 20. Ronnie Case (21st), 21. Rick Ziehl (12th)

NEW USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Williams-526; 2-Gardner-482; 3-Kirby-482; 4-Rutherford-469; 5-Jones-315; 6-Cory Kruseman-313; 7-Jeremy Sherman-284; 8-Bragg-283; 9-Venard-280; 10-Ostling-271.

NEXT USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: May 29 – Perris (CA) Auto Speedway.