By Ken Wagner
June 25, 2006

When the Damion Gardner sets his sights on something, he usually gets it. This week he and crew chief Bruce Bromme Jr mulled over recent results and made some small changes. The result being, “back in the saddle again” as the little red sucker hit the USAC/CRA winners circle for the 5th time this season. He was the first repeat winner this year at the PAS as the Demon won his 41st lifetime race in a 410 sprinter.

My pics are ready Click here. Mrs Wags is ready Click here.!

This was no ordinary victory as he dominated the racing action from the minute he rolled it off the trailer. He took the Temecula Valley Pipe and Supply, Arizona Race Mart, Shaver # 50 to his 12th of 15 fast times on the year, won his heat from the back, started 8th on the main event grid and took the lead on lap 3 to lead 28 laps convincingly. The cruise control was on until the very end as the point leader went from a three point lead to a more comfortable seventeen when the night was done.

Rip Williams showed his tenacity for the second straight week as he started 11th, dropped back a few spots on an encounter, then roared up to a close second at the end. He was the hard charger in the John Jory Corporation, Weld Wheels, black # 3 coming up 9 spots. Rip was 12th quick and won his heat by a large margin. There is no end to this cagey veteran as his car was fast all night and he pointed it forward to mow down everyone ahead of him but the demon.

Mighty Mike Spencer continues his hot streak this week ashe took the Murrieta Development, Spenco Machine, yellow # 44 to the podium for the 4th race out of the last five. Wow, he has been on a tear with great driving and outstanding results. He is third in points after qualifying 4th this week and sneaking in the feature from the Semi.

Tony Jones had a good night qualifying 7th and winning his heat, after showing the crowd his under carriage coming around turn three on the last lap, and running a strong 7th in the main. Jonny Bates made a good charge in his heat to get third ahead of Rickie Gaunt and went on to run strong in the main. Rickie was to start on the front row of the main event, but broke the motor after firing up and doing the 4 wide parade.

Alan Ballard had his share of problems this week in Buzz Shoemaker’s 0 car. In qualifying, he got it up and over on his head after his first lap. They made repairs to start in his heat, but something wasn’t quite right and his steering failed, stopping his car against the wall. In the semi, he got the last spot ahead of Verne Sweeney, who runs only occasionally these days, and started in the 8th row of the main. He was the third car out with still another problem later. Verne’s schedule depends on son Andrew’s quarter midget carer.

Johnny Rodriguez was also a victim of a small flip in qualifying, but he recovered to finish 4th in his heat and start last in the feature. He finished 14th after some hard work. Charles Davis Jr overcame his hood rising on him in his heat to hold off J Hicks for the last transfer to the main. He went on to run 6th there. Evan Suggs was third quick and ran 8th in the feature as he continues to act like he belongs in his sprint car with the CRA. The full time student is showing a lot of calm as he impresses more each time out.

Mike Kirby looked racy after the halfway point this week when his car came to the track and he finished 4th, in spite of a smoking and then blowing motor on the last lap. He finished ahead of Cory Kruseman who was 2nd quick on the night as he remains second in points well ahead of Spencer. Seth Wilson beat Kruseman for his first heat race win this year. He went on to finish his first main in a while at 15th.

J J Ercse qualified 11th in his best outing with CRA. He put the Jim Ruth sprinter in the main after running strong in his heat and the semi. He finished 13th as the bright orange and white car went very well this week. RJ Johnson made another trip across the desert to run second in his heat and finished 12th in the main. He is on a more limited budget this year and needs to pick his long tows, so will run closer to home more often than last season.

And thanks to Jerry Koskie, a man who began giving me Wagsbucks after hearing my plea at Ventura a few weeks ago. He never misses adding to the weekly pile. Now, several others are joining in and maybe this will actually work again! Money for Wagsbucks will go to a low buck racer when we reach $200 each time, and money for the Wagsdash will go into the low buck racers race on October 29 in Ventura. So when you see me, give me a little cash and say Wagsbucks or Wagsdash.

The annual 4th of July event is next at Perris. Be sure and get there early as the gates open at 3 and there are a lot of fun things for the kids that will include the racers. The fireworks display is always the best, so plan to stick around and watch. No, we won’t be bringing the dogs this year.

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Damion Gardner, 2. Rip Williams, 3. Mike Spencer, 4. Mike Kirby, 5. Cory Kruseman, 6. Charles Davis Jr., 7. Tony Jones, 8. Evan Suggs, 9. Danny Sheridan, 10. Blake Miller, 11. David Cardey, 12. R.J. Johnson, 13. J.J. Ercse, 14. Johnny Rodriguez, 15. Seth Wilson, 16. Davey Pombo, 17. J Hicks, 18. Bobby Cody, 19. Jonny Bates, 20. Alan Ballard, 21. Jordan Hermansader, 22. Rickie Gaunt. NT

NEW USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Gardner-931; 2-Kruseman-914; 3-Spencer-742; 4-Jones-710; 5-Sheridan-707; 6-Gaunt-605; 7-R.Williams-577; 8-Kirby-541; 9-Davis-536; 10-Cardey-528.