JAKE SWANSON BREAKS THROUGH AT CANYON SPEEDWAY PARK
Taking the lead on lap twenty-four, Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) led the rest of the way to claim last Friday’s “Hall of Fame Classic” preliminary feature. For Swanson, the $3,000 Canyon Speedway Park triumph marked his first career Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car victory. Mike Spencer, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, fast qualifier “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., and R.J. Johnson chased Swanson to the checkered flags.
Since joining the Moose Racing Team a few seasons ago, Jake Swanson has been very close to victory on several occasions. Piloting Tom & Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Clackamas Rigging & Transfer XXX, Jake started sixth and became the 62nd driver to score a USAC/CRA main event win. Earlier in the program, the former USAC Western Midget standout qualified second out of twenty-two racers and ran second to R.J. Johnson in his heat race.
Starting on the pole position, Mike Spencer (Temecula, California) ran hard and led the first five laps before taking second last Friday night. Driving the Gansen Engineering Motorsports #4S Trench Shoring / King Racing Products Maxim, Spencer was seventh quick in time trials. Later, the five-time series champion finished third in his heat race.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) had a solid night and scored third at the Peoria, Arizona clay oval. Racing Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, the second generation driver qualified fifth overall. The former National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year would take fourth in his 10-lap heat race.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) raced from seventh to claim fourth at Canyon Speedway Park. The pilot of the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS became the first driver to earn a USAC/CRA Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award with an iron block 360 engine. Later, the five-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion would score eighth in his heat race.
R.J. Johnson (Tempe, Arizona) took fifth in the 30-lap main event after starting eighth. Driving Bobby Martin’s #51 Weiler Farms / Pecon Builders entry, Johnson ranked eighth fast in time trials. The three-time USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion would score the 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2 victory.
“The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) earned the night’s BR Motorsports / King Racing Products “Hard Charger Award / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixth place run from twenty-second. Racing Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Weld Racing Spike, Gardner blew an engine in hotlaps and did not score a qualifying time in his backup car. Starting eighth, the four-time champion won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1.
Using a 360 engine, Max Adams (Loomis, California) raced to victory in the Circle Track Performance / Keizer Aluminum Wheels Heat Race #3. Piloting his #5M ART Speed Equipment / Ken Imler Diesel Performance ART, Adams would place fifteenth quick in time trials. The leading rookie contender started fifteenth in the feature and charged to an eighth place finish.
LANCE JENNINGS – USAC MEDIA
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: September 30, 2016 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park– Sands Chevrolet 16th “Hall of Fame Night”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Charles Davis Jr., 50, Massey-14.085; 2. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-14.091; 3. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-14.093; 4. Ronnie Gardner, 12, Allen-14.104; 5. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-14.114; 6. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-14.160; 7. Mike Spencer, 4S, Gansen-14.178; 8. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-14.272; 9. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-14.273; 10. Colton Hardy, 74, Williams-14.361; 11. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-14.372; 12. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-14.397; 13. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-14.457; 14. Chris Bonneau, 78, Bonneau-14.506; 15. Max Adams, 5M, Adams-14.616; 16. Tye Mihocko, 05, Mihocko-14.741; 17. Tommy Malcolm, 5X, Napier-14.802; 18. Michael Curtis, 45C, Turner/Wheeler-14.810; 19. Landon Cling, 54, Cling-14.823; 20. Josh Pelkey, 12A, Allen-14.853; 21. Matt Lundy, 98, Lundy-14.874; 22. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. D.Gardner, 2. Roa, 3. Spencer, 4. R.Gardner, 5. Hardy, 6. Mihocko, 7. Cling, 8. Davis. NT
DJ SAFETY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Johnson, 2. Swanson, 3. Malcolm, 4. C.Williams, 5. Bonneau, 6. Gansen, 7. Pelkey. NT
CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE / KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Adams, 2. Martin, 3. Curtis, 4. A.Williams, 5. Lundy, 6. R.Vander Weerd, 7. L.Williams. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Jake Swanson, 2. Mike Spencer, 3. Cody Williams, 4. Charles Davis Jr., 5. R.J. Johnson, 6. Damion Gardner, 7. Richard Vander Weerd, 8. Max Adams, 9. Brody Roa, 10. Logan Williams, 11. Josh Pelkey, 12. Tye Mihocko, 13. Ronnie Gardner, 14. Tommy Malcolm, 15. Mike Martin, 16. Austin Williams, 17. Landon Cling, 18. Michael Curtis, 19. Chris Gansen, 20. Matt Lundy, 21. Colton Hardy, 22. Chris Bonneau. NT.
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**L.Williams flipped during third heat. Hardy flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-5 Spencer, Laps 6-23 A.Williams, Laps 24-30 Swanson.
BR MOTORSPORTS / KING RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER: Damion Gardner (22nd to 6th)
NEW AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-D.Gardner-1,143; 2-Swanson-1,040, 3-R.Vander Weerd-1,031, 4-Roa-968, 5-A.Williams-920. 6-Spencer-831, 7-Adams-745, 8-L.Williams-640, 9-C.Williams-623, 10-Jace Vander Weerd-602.
NEXT AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE: October 1 – Peoria, AZ – Canyon Speedway Park– Sands Chevrolet USAC 16th “Hall of Fame Night”
