“SOKOLA SHOOTOUT” USAC/CRA DEBUT AT PERRIS SATURDAY

Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. opens defense of his AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car title this Saturday in the “Sokola Shootout” at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.

Gardner leads the all-time USAC/CRA winners’ list with 57 career victories and will aim for a third consecutive championship this year.

Saturday’s events also include the PAS Senior Sprints and Young Gun Sprints with racing expected to begin at 7 pm.

The "Sokola Shootout" has been a popular event on the West Coast since March 17, 2001 when "The Cowboy" Tony Jones won the inaugural race at Manzanita Speedway. Originally called the "Sokola Classic" to honor past CRA President and USAC Sprint Supervisor Gary Sokola, the race has grown to also recognize his family and their contributions to racing. Last year, “The Demon” Damion Gardner earned his second Sokola victory after passing Mike Spencer on lap 14. This Saturday night, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, and Spencer will be looking to join Gardner, “The Shermanator” Jeremy Sherman and Mike Kirby as the only two-time winners of the prestigious event. 

After scoring 11 wins in twenty-two races, Gardner claimed his third AMSOIL USAC/CRA Championship in 2014. Driving Mark Alexander's #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike, Gardner also earned 10 Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, 15 heat race victories, 21 top-10 finishes and 205 feature laps led. After recording those stats, Alexander Racing was named the 2014 non-winged sprint car “Team of the Year” by a panel voting with the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. This Saturday, Gardner will be looking for his series leading 58th triumph and 33rd USAC/CRA “home track” feature win.

Five-time USAC/CRA Sprint Champion Mike Spencer and 2014 USAC West Coast Sprint Car king Matt Mitchell are also expected to be among the favorites Saturday, along with brothers Cody, Austin and Logan Williams, Brody Roa, Jake Swanson, Richard and Jace Vander Weerd, Cory Kruseman, Chris Gansen, 2014 USAC Southwest Sprint Champ R.J. Johnson, defending Honda USAC Western Midget Champ Ronnie Gardner and Rickie Gaunt.