CRA SPRINTS HEAD TO SANTA MARIA SATURDAY

AUGUST 22, 2005

CRA SPRINTS HEAD TO SANTA MARIA SATURDAY
KRUSEMAN WINS "JEFF BAGLEY CLASSIC" AT THE PAS

             Saturday's Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint car race at Santa Maria 
(Calif.) Speedway features a battle for the series point lead between 
defending champion Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif. and 2004 runner-up 
Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. Only 15 points separate them with 74 
available at the 1/3-mile Santa Maria oval.
             Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif., solidified his fourth-place 
ranking in the standings with his victory in last Saturday night's "Jeff 
Bagley Classic" at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. He led all but the first 
four laps in his Glenn Crossno/ITI Performance/Sander Engineering 
Bullet/Downing. Danny Sheridan, Gardner, Mike Spencer and Mike Kirby 
trailed at the checkered flag.
             Danny Ebberts led the first four laps before yielding to 
Kruseman at Perris.
             Ricky Gaunt won the Santa Maria race in July, but Williams and 
Gardner finished second and third. The race was one of very few this season 
where Gardner did not post the fastest qualifying time. That honor went to 
Williams. Gardner has 16 FQs so far this season to accompany his 10 CRA 
feature wins.

VALVOLINE USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1.-Rip Williams-1,274
2.-Damion Gardner-1,259
3.-Mike Kirby-1,170
4.-Cory Kruseman-1,168
5.-Charles Davis, Jr.-954
6.-Rickie Gaunt-851
7.-Mike Spencer-818
8.-Josh Ford-704
9.-Tony Jones-673
10.-Seth Wilson-631