SANTA MARIA NEXT UP FOR CRA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                  JUNE 12, 2006

Contact: DICK JORDAN/MICHAEL HARKER                                                                                                       06-138

 

 

CRA MAKES 2006 SANTA MARIA DEBUT SATURDAY

SPENCER ENDS LONG DROUGHT WITH PERRIS TRIUMPH

 

 

            The hotly-contested USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championship continues this Saturday night at the Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway and the point lead is again up for grabs.

 

            Defending series champion Damion Gardner is 36 points up on Cory Kruseman with 74 points available at the 1/3-mile Santa Maria dirt track where neither won in 2005. Rickie Gaunt and Mike Kirby, currently sixth and eighth in the standings, were last year's victors at Santa Maria.

 

            Third-ranking Mike Spencer of Temecula, Calif. will bear watching Saturday following his initial series victory last Saturday night at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway. Spencer's first-ever 410 Sprint car victory came as he led all 30 laps in his Hal Engstrom James Development Maxim to beat Rip Williams, Gaunt, Gardner and Danny Sheridan to the checkered flag. The win came in his 10th podium finish in 70 USAC/CRA starts!

 

            Gardner will continue his pursuit of the USAC single-season fast-qualifying record of 25 set by Jimmy Davies in the 1962 National Midget Series. He posted his 11th FQ in 13 tries Saturday night at Perris!

 

 

USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS

 

      1.
     Damion Gardner
     820
      
     6.
     Rickie Gaunt
     587
     
      2.
     Cory Kruseman
     784
      
     7.
     Charles Davis Jr.
     484
     
      3.
     Mike Spencer
     616
      
     8.
     Mike Kirby
     483
     
      4.
     Tony Jones
     614
      
     9.
     David Cardey
     467
     
      5.
     Danny Sheridan
     601
      
     10.
     Rip Williams
     454