Perris Auto Speedway
November 2, 2013
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DAVE DARLAND WINS 18TH ANNUAL OVAL NATIONALS AT PERRIS

by Lance Jennings
PERRIS, CA (November 2) - Grabbing the lead at the drop of the green flag, “The People’s Champion” Dave Darland of Lincoln, Indiana led all 40 laps to win the “18th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals” presented by All Coast Construction. Co-sanctioned with the USAC National Series, the $15,000 victory at Perris Auto Speedway was Darland’s third Oval Nationals triumph, tying Bud Kaeding’s event record. With seven career Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car wins, “The People’s Champion” ties Rickie Gaunt and Danny Sheridan for tenth overall on the series win list. Bryan Clauson, Mike Spencer, Chase Stockon, and Brady Bacon rounded out the top-five drivers

Driving the Phillips Motorsports’ #71P Racers Advantage Store / Jockish Flowers DRC, Dave Darland entered the night sixth in event points as he ran second in the “Super 6 Dash.” Clauson challenged the veteran Darland for the top spot, but could not take command. With the victory, “The People’s Champion” finished second in USAC National points and twenty-seventh in the USAC/CRA standings with two heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 40 feature laps led to his credit.

Noblesville, Indiana’s Bryan Clauson has to settle for second at the Oval Nationals. Piloting the Tony Stewart Racing / Curb-Agajanian owned #20 Chevy Performance Beast, Clauson won the USAC National Sprint Car Championship and claimed third in the dash. Placing eleventh in USAC/CRA points after splitting time in Mike Martin’s #16B, Bryan has three feature wins, three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win, eight top-10 finishes, and 47 feature laps led in 2013.

Mike Spencer of Temecula, California scored third in the Oval Nationals. Racing Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer entered the night fifth in event points and won the “Super 6 Dash.” Finishing second in the USAC/CRA point chase, the five-time champion closed out 2013 with one feature win, seven Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 48 feature laps led.

Elizabethtown, Indiana’s Chase Stockon ran fourth in the 40-lap main event. Driving the 32-TBI Racing #32 Superior Tank & Trailer DRC, the “Hall of Fame Classic” winner was second in event points and did not start the dash, scoring sixth. Placing fourth in National points, the former MSCS Rookie of the Year ranked twenty-third in USAC/CRA standings with one feature win, two heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 29 feature laps led on the season.

Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma finished fifth in the finale of the Oval Nationals. Piloting the famed Hoffman Dynamics Inc. #69 Mean Green / Lykins Oil Triple X, Bacon was fourth in event points and scored fifth in the dash. Ranked third in National standings, the versatile driver finished twenty-eighth in the USAC/CRA chase with one heat race victory, two top-10 finishes, and 20 feature laps led in the campaign.

After taking a provisional, Yorba Linda, California’s Austin Williams earned the night’s Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a twelfth place run from twenty-sixth. Racing Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / Persall Masonry Spike, Williams qualified nineteenth, scored fourth in his heat race, and scored sixth in the second semi-main. Wrapping up 2013 sixth in the USAC/CRA chase, the former Rookie of the Year has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, three Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main wins, eleven top-10 finishes, and 16 feature laps led on the year.

With six drivers locked into the main event, Tracy Hines of New Castle, Indiana earned his second career USAC/CRA Fast Time and earned the $600 Billy Wilkerson Fast Time Award. Driving his #4 Carolina Nut Company / Hansen’s Welding DRC, the former USAC Champion was third in his heat race, won the 12-lap Competition Suspension Inc. Semi-Main, and finished tenth in the feature. Tracy claimed sixth in the National Series and placed twenty-sixth in USAC/CRA points with four top-10 finishes.

Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd overcame engine problems the previous night to win the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Piloting the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, the 2011 USAC West Coast Champion was ninth quick in time trials and scored thirteenth in the main event. Finishing thirteenth in USAC/CRA standings, Richard had two heat race victories, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and seven top-10 finishes in the campaign.

Jon Stanbrough of Avon, Indiana raced to victory in the DJ Safety Heat Race #2. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, the veteran driver qualified tenth and ran ninth in the 40-lap main event. Claiming eleventh in USAC National points and ranked thirty-seventh with USAC/CRA, Jon has two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, and one top-10 finish in limited CRA action.

Concord, California’s “The Demon” Damion Gardner drove to his series leading tenth heat race victory by claiming the Saldana Racing Products Heat Race #3. Racing Mark Alexander’s #4A Scott Sales Company / Advanced Racing Suspension Spike, the newly crowned USAC/CRA champion was fifteenth fast in time trials and placed seventh in the main event. Gardner closed out his championship run with five main event wins, four Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one dash win, one Last Man Standing Dash Win, one Competition Suspension Inc. Semi-Main win, twenty top-10 finishes, and 108 feature laps led.

Subbing for J.J. Ercse, Jake Swanson of Anaheim, California raced to victory in the Circle Track Performance Heat Race #4. Piloting John Springstead’s #14 Day Construction / Frank’s Fab Shop Sherman with 360 power, last season’s Rookie of the Year qualified sixteenth and scored twenty-seventh in the feature after an early exit.

Cullman, Alabama’s Kevin Thomas Jr. won the 12-lap Rod End Supply Semi-Main #2. Racing the Dutcher/RW/Tri-Star Motorsports #17RW Black Jack Oil Maxim, Thomas was second quick in time trials, placed third in his heat race, and scored sixth in the feature after starting sixteenth. Ranked fifth in USAC National standings and thirty-first with USAC/CRA, Kevin had one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and two top-10 finishes in CRA action.

USAC AMSOIL NATIONAL & CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS:
November 2, 2013 – Perris, California – Perris Auto Speedway – 18th “Budweiser Oval Nationals” presented by All-Coast Construction

QUALIFICATIONS: (Minus top-6 Friday points – no points) 1. Tracy Hines, 4, Hines-16.483; 2. Kevin Thomas Jr., 17RW, Dutcher/RW/Tri-Star-16.623; 3. C.J. Leary, 30, Leary-16.708; 4. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.753; 5. Robert Ballou, 12, Ballou-16.761; 6. Chris Windom, 11, Walker-16.763; 7. Justin Grant, 5, Baldwin-16.806; 8. Danny Faria Jr., 17v, Faria-16.832; 9. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-16.861; 10. Jon Stanbrough, 73, Ford-16.865; 11. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-16.868; 12. Nick Drake, 55, Cline-16.882; 13. John Aden, 7a, Aden-16.919; 14. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-16.924; 15. Damion Gardner, 4a, Alexander-16.936; 16. Jake Swanson, 14, Springstead-16.960; 17. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-16.962; 18. Cory Kruseman, 7, Priestley-16.969; 19. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-16.999; 20. David Bezio, 37x, Bezio-17.025; 21. Ryan Bernal, 73x, Ford-17.038; 22. Bud Kaeding, 29, Bowman-17.092; 23. Johnny Bluntach, 58, Bluntach-17.103; 24. Cody Swanson, 14J, Springstead-17.118; 25. D.J.
Johnson, 33, Johnson-17.160; 26. Greg Alexander, 72, Tyler-17.179; 27. Ronnie Gardner, 93, Gardner-17.201; 28. Tyler Courtney, 23c, Courtney-17.206; 29. Charles Davis Jr., 4G, Cook-17.209; 30. Bruce St. James, 7k, St. James-17.238; 31. Billy Blinn, 26, Blinn-17.264; 32. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-17.277; 33. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-17.298; 34. Wes McIntyre, 21B, Duinkerken-17.324; 35. Verne Sweeney, 98, Tracy-17.354; 36. Markus Niemela, 81, Watt-17.357; 37. Seth Wilson, 1x, Wilson-17.369; 38. Kenny Perkins, 0, Perkins-17.397; 39. Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-17.401; 40. Austin Stone, 29x, Stone-17.412; 41. Andy Reinbold, 19, Underwood-17.461; 42. Johnathon Henry, 39, Cal-Sun-17.681; 43. Trent Williams, 52, Williams-17.800; 44. Chris Gansen, 4c, Gansen-17.968; 45. David Cardey, 92, Sertich-NT.

FIRST QUALIFYING HEAT: (10 laps-no points) 1. R.Vander Weerd, 2. Ballou, 3. Hines, 4. Bernal, 5. Mitchell, 6. Johnson, 7. Davis. 2:51.88
SECOND QUALIFYING HEAT: (10 laps-no points) 1. Stanbrough, 2. R.J. Johnson, 3. Thomas, 4. Windom, 5. Kruseman, 6. Kaeding, 7. Alexander, 8. St. James. 2:51.67
THIRD QUALIFYING HEAT: (10 laps-no points) 1. D.Gardner, 2. Grant, 3. Leary, 4. A.Williams, 5. C.Williams, 6. R.Gardner, 7. Bluntach, 8. Blinn. 2:46.58
FOURTH QUALIFYING HEAT: (10 laps-no points) 1. J.Swanson, 2. Roa, 3. Drake, 4. Bender, 5. C.Swanson, 6. Bezio, 7. Faria, 8. Courtney. NT

“SUPER-6 DASH”: (6 laps-no points) 1. Mike Spencer (#50 Chaffin), 2. Dave Darland (#71p Phillips), 3. Bryan Clauson (#20 Stewart/Curb-Agajanian), 4. Nic Faas (#4x Alexander), 5. Brady Bacon (#69 Dynamics). NOTE: Chase Stockon (#32 32 TBI) did not start.

B MAIN #1: (12 laps-no points) 1. Hines, 2. Mitchell, 3. Kaeding, 4. R.Gardner, 5. Cardey, 6. Bernal, 7. Niemela, 8. Drake, 9. J.Vander Weerd, 10. Perkins, 11. Alexander, 12. T.Williams, 13. Blinn, 14. Stone. 15. St. James, 16. N.Hurst.. 3:29.20

B MAIN #2: (12 laps-no points) 1. Thomas, 2. Leary, 3. Windom, 4. Kruseman, 5. C.Williams, 6. A.Williams, 7. Sweeney, 8. Davis, 9. Bender, 10. McIntyre, 11. Wilson, 12. Reinbold, 13. Henry, 14. Bluntach, 15. C.Gansen, 16. D.J. Johnson, 17. C.Williams. NT

FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Dave Darland, 2. Bryan Clauson, 3. Mike Spencer, 4. Chase Stockon, 5. Brady Bacon, 6. Kevin Thomas Jr., 7. Damion Gardner, 8. Chris Windom, 9. Jon Stanbrough, 10. Tracy Hines, 11. Cory Kruseman, 12. Austin Williams, 13. Richard Vander Weerd, 14. C.J. Leary, 15. Brody Roa, 16. Bud Kaeding, 17. Nic Faas, 18. Matt Mitchell, 19. Robert Ballou, 20. R.J. Johnson, 21. Jace Vander Weerd, 22. David Cardey, 23. Cody Williams, 24. Justin Grant, 25. Ronnie Gardner, 26. Nick Drake, 27. Jake Swanson. NT

**Bezio flipped during the fourth qualifying heat. Grant flipped on lap 23 of the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-40 Darland.

FINAL AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Clauson-1948, 2-Darland-1,885, 3-Bacon-1,770, 4-Stockon-1,698, 5-Thomas-1,657, 6-Hines-1,538, 7-Ballou-1,449, 8-Windom-1,217, 9-Courtney-1,029, 10-Hunter Schuerenberg-1,000.

FINAL AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-D.Gardner-1,300, 2-Spencer-1,167, 3-Faas-1,157, 4-Mitchell-866, 5-Kaeding-809, 6-A.Williams-796, 7-C.Williams-770, 8-Roa-701, 9-Bernal-557, 10-R.J. Johnson-501.