PERRIS, California — Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif., led the final 25 laps of Sunday night’s “Sokola Shootout” during the the Amsoil USAC National & USAC/CRA Sprint Car race. Gardner’s 30-lap win at the Perris Auto Speedway marked the fourth time in five USAC National Sprint Car events this season that “The Demon” has driving his DG Racing / Pace Lighting No. 71 Eagle to victory.
“We weren’t good tonight like we should be until the feature,” Gardner explained after a dominating win. “The track was tacky and real treacherous getting in (the corners) and I had to figure a few things out.”
Chris Windom, Canton, Ill and Tracy Hines, New Castle, Ind., shared the front row for the feature race with Gardner lined-up in the third position. Hines put his MP Environmental No. 4 Maxim into the lead at the start of the race before giving way to the Jeff Walker / Hoosier Tire No. 11 Maxim driven by Windom on the third circuit.
As Gardner tried to “figure a few things out,” Clarke, Villa Park, Calif., was busy using the cushion and his Keith Kunz / Advanced Racing No. 67k Bullet to charge to the front. Coming from the tenth starting position, Clarke passed Hines for the second spot on lap-five and was in the process of taking the lead from Windom when the caution flag flew for his teammate Dave Darland, who came to a stop in turn-four. As it turned out, the caution flag proved to be of greater help to Gardner than to Windom.
“Clarke went around the top of me and by the way he was slicing and dicing I knew that if he got out front he was gone,” Gardner later admitted. “He was right in front of me during that yellow (flag) and I knew I had to get to the front before him.”
Taking advantage of Clarke and Windom’s battled for the lead after the restart, Gardner dove down to the bottom of turn-one and was able to pass both drivers for the lead during the sixth-lap. Clarke eventually passed Windom for the runner-up spot, but was never able to mount any type of challenge for the lead.
Hines finished fourth with two-time USAC/CRA Champion Mike Spencer, Temecula, Calif., finishing fifth. Earlier in the day, Spencer piloted the Ron Chaffin / Madre Produce No. 50 Maxim to the fastest lap in qualifying (17.380). Robert Ballou took home Hard-Charger honors finishing ninth after starting the race in the 18th position.
The USAC/CRA Sprint Cars return to Perris Auto Speedway on Saturday, March 27th.
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For more information call The PAS at: (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of October’s Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds.
