"BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS"

NOVEMBER 7, 2005
38TH "WESTERN WORLD" THURSDAY-SATURDAY AT MANZANITA;
DARLAND TAKES PERRIS' "BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS;"
HAGEN, GARDNER TAKE PERRIS PRELIMS; LEVI'S LEAD JUST 9!

             Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. leads Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. 
by just nine points as they head for Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz. 
this weekend to settle the 2005 Valvoline USAC National Sprint Car 
Championship. The 1/2-mile dirt oval hosts the 38th Checker Auto 
Parts/Budweiser "Western World Championships" Thursday-Saturday.

             Darland won Saturday night's 50-lap 10th Annual "Budweiser 
Oval Nationals" at Perris (Calif.) Speedway, slicing into Jones' lead. 
Jones finished 11th in the race, which paid $30,000 to the winning 
Walker/Guiducci team. Darland passed Rip Williams on lap three and led the 
final 48 laps in his Hoosier Racing Tire/Weld Wheels Chalk/Claxton, beating 
Damion Gardner, Williams, Mike Spencer and Mike Kirby to the checkered flag.

             A total of 208 points are available at Phoenix, which also 
awards points toward the Valvoline USAC/CRA title. Gardner extended his CRA 
lead to 110 points over Cory Kruseman at Perris. Kruseman finished 27th in 
the 50-lap race, while Williams, who finished third at Perris, closed to 
within 32 points of Kruseman in the latest standings. The CRA series 
concludes Nov. 19 at Perris.

             The Phoenix program calls for 25-lap preliminary features 
Thursday and Friday and a 50-lap finale Saturday night.

             Perris prelims were captured by Darren Hagen and Gardner. 
Hagen, of Riverside, Calif., led all but the first lap of Thursday's race 
after passing Williams on lap two in his Vital Express/Massey Truck Repair 
Bullet/Snyder Chevy. Williams, Jones, Darland and Kruseman rounded out the 
top-five. Gardner, of Concord, Calif., posted his 21st fast qualifying time 
of the season Thursday and finished sixth, then caught Kruseman four laps 
from the finish to win Friday's 25-lapper in his Temecula Valley Pipe & 
Supply/Arizona Race Mart Eagle/Shaver. Kruseman, Jerry Coons Jr., Bud 
Kaeding and Darland trailed at the finish, followed by fast qualifier Mat 
Neely. Coons led the first seven laps before yielding to Kruseman.

             Jones flipped during Friday night's feature, which allowed 
Darland to close the point gap and set up this weekend's National 
Championship "shootout" at Phoenix.

VALVOLINE USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1.-Levi Jones-1,486
2.-Dave Darland-1,477
3.-Bud Kaeding-1,254
4.-Jay Drake-1,232
5.-Josh Wise-1,227
6.-Mat Neely-1,089
7.-Jon Stanbrough-885
8.-Jerry Coons Jr.-839
9.-Darren Hagen-824
10.-Tracy Hines-645

VALVOLINE USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

1.-Damion Gardner-1,942
2.-Cory Kruseman-1,832
3.-Rip Williams-1,800
4.-Mike Kirby-1,561
5.-Charles Davis Jr.-1,355
6.-Mike Spencer-1,313
7.-Rickie Gaunt-1,312
8.-Josh Ford-1,135
9.-Danny Sheridan-1,046
10.-Seth Wilson-1,011