CLASSIC SPRINTS AT STOCKTON FRIDAY;

THE “DEMON” SWEEPS OCEAN AND SANTA MARIA

Ryan Bernal has a comfortable 54-point lead in the USAC Western Classic Sprint Car points over runner-up D.J. Johnson entering this Friday’s race at the Stockton (Calif.) 99 Dirt Track. The track is located at the San Joaquin County Fair.

Bernal finished fifth in last Friday’s AMSOIL USAC/CRA and Western Classic feature at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., a race won by Damion Gardner.

Gardner, of Concord, Calif., wrapped up a “sweep” of AMSOIL USAC/CRA races over the weekend with Saturday night’s victory at the Santa Maria (Calif.) Speedway. The win was his fifth in his last seven USAC/CRA outings. He passed Danny Faria Jr. on lap 17 and led the rest of the way to beat Faria, Richard Vander Weerd, Nic Faas and Matt Mitchell.

Friday night Gardner stole victory from the grasp of Bud Kaeding on the final lap at Watsonville in his Scott Sales Company/CSA Shocks Spike/J & D. Kaeding was second ahead of Faas, Mitchell and Bernal. Faas led the first 21 laps and Kaeding the next eight. Bernal was among the three feature lap leaders.

The 2013 AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint car campaign resumes July 4 with the “Firecracker 30” at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.