DAMION GARDNER ADDS MOHAVE VALLEY TO WIN LIST
By Lance Jennings
MOHAVE VALLEY, AZ – APRIL 27, 2022… Starting fifth, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) continued his assault on the record books by winning last Saturday’s debut at Mohave Valley Raceway. Leading all 30-laps, the pilot of Mark Alexander’s #1 PerformanceOnline.com / Carman Trucking Spike powered to his fifth AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car triumph of the campaign. “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams, Eddie Tafoya Jr., “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, and Chase Johnson followed the Damion to the checkered flags.
Before scoring the ninety-fourth win of his career, “The Demon” qualified second overall and topped the night’s 10-lap BillsJerky.net Heat Race #2. The nine-time champion and current point leader heads to the Perris “Sokola Shootout” with a stout 136-point advantage.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) opened the program by setting a new track record and posting his eighth career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award with a time of 13.974 over the 27-car roster. Driving his #44 Team Guertin Prime Lending / W.C. Friend Company DRC, Williams was one of thirteen drivers under the 1995 SCRA track record established by Steve Ostling. Later, “The Cadillac” ran second to “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. in his heat race and finished twentieth in the main event. As this writing goes to press, Cody ranks tenth in championship points.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) raced to victory in the 10-lap Flowdynamics Incorporated Heat Race #1. Racing his #47 MP Environmental Services / Black Magic Bead Breaker DRC, Davis was fourth quick in time trials and placed fourteenth in the feature. The multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion heads to the “Sokola Shootout” ranked second in the point standings.
Chase Johnson (Penngrove, California) took the checkered flags in the In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Heat Race #3. Piloting the Yeley Racing #2J Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Scapes Twister, Johnson qualified ninth overall and scored fifth in the Mohave Valley feature. At press time, the versatile driver is seventh in the point chase.
Matt McCarthy (Riverside, California) topped the 12-lap Factory Wraps Semi-Main. Driving the family owned #28M Flowdynamics Incorporated / Drinkpak DRC, McCarthy was third quick in time trials, placed fifth in his heat race, and finished tenth in the main event. The 2017 Rookie of the Year left Mohave Valley tied for eighth with “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm in the standings.
Shon Deskins (Phoenix, Arizona) returned the USAC/CRA action and earned the night’s Hard Charger Award at Mohave Valley with a sixth place run from eighteenth. Racing his #20 Mesilla Valley Transportation / Bell Helmets DRC, Deskins qualified nineteenth overall and scored third in his heat race. The former NMMRA Champion left Mohave Valley ranked thirty-fourth in points.
Logan Calderwood (Goodyear, Arizona) earned the Wilwood Disc Brakes “Lucky 13 Award.” Piloting the family owned #6 MP Environmental Services Maxim, Calderwood was twenty-first fast in qualifying, placed eighth in his heat race, and ran ninth in the semi-main. In limited action, the young driver sits twenty-seventh in the chase for the championship.
Mohave Valley Raceway promoter Ron Meyer offered a $300 bonus to the highest finishing 360 powered sprint car. That award was claimed by Randy Nelson (Peoria, Arizona) who placed eighth in the 30-lap main event. Driving his #9 A.R.C. Coatings / Beaver Stripes Triple X, Nelson qualified fifth overall and finished third in his heat race. After one event, Nelson ranks thirty-seventh in USAC/CRA standings.
The USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will return to Perris Auto Speedway (Perris, California) this Saturday, April 30th, for the “Sokola Shootout.”
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks BillsJerky.net, Factory Wraps, Floracing.com, Flowdynamics Incorporated, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner), Hoosier Racing Tires, Laserworx Manufacturing, Woodland Auto Display, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Rod End Supply, Vahlco Wheels, and Wilwood Disc Brakes for their support.
For more information on the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 23, 2022 – Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, Arizona
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Cody Williams, 44, Williams-13.974 (New Track Record); 2. Damion Gardner, 1, Alexander-14.129; 3. Matt McCarthy, 28M, McCarthy-14.318; 4. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 51T, Tafoya-14.382; 5. Charles Davis Jr., 47, Davis-14.387; 6. Randy Nelson, 9x, Nelson-14.544; 7. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-14.576; 8. Austin Williams, 2, Williams-14.587; 9. Chase Johnson, 2J, Yeley-14.723; 10. Verne Sweeney, 98, Tracy-14.732; 11. Chris Bonneau, 15, Bonneau-14.826; 12. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-14.852; 13. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-14.866; 14. Austin Grabowski, 72, Grabowski-14.988; 15. Logan Williams, 5W, McCarthy-14.998; 16. Trent Carter, 91, BRAT-15.001; 17. Trent Williams, 52, Williams-15.012; 18. Andrew Sweeney, 98JR, Tracy-15.034; 19. Shon Deskins, 20, SDR-15.116; 20. Dustin Cormany, 29, Holloway-15.151; 21. Logan Calderwood, 6, Calderwood-15.386; 22. Shane Sexton, 74, Sexton/Gatlin-15.413; 23. Jim Vanzant, 3V, Vanzant-15.429; 24. Jeff Dyer, 39, Cal-Sun-15.464; 25. Richard McCormick, 71, Luport-15.464; 26. Camie Bell, 29C, Bell-19.413; 27. Tommy Malcolm, 5X, Napier-NT.
FLOWDYNAMICS INCORPORATED FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Davis, 2. C.Williams, 3. Deskins, 4. Carter, 5. Mitchell, 6. Gansen, 7. V.Sweeney, 8. Sexton, 9. Dyer. NT.
BILLSJERKY.NET SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Gardner, 2. T.Williams, 3. Nelson, 4. Bonneau, 5. Cormany, 6. A.Williams, 7. Grabowski, 8. Vanzant, 9. Bell. NT.
IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Johnson, 2. L.Williams, 3. Tafoya, 4. Martin, 5. McCarthy, 6. A.Sweeney, 7. McCormick, 8. Calderwood. NT.
FACTORY WRAPS SEMI: (12 laps) 1. McCarthy, 2. Mitchell, 3. Cormany, 4. Gansen, 5. A.Sweeney, 6. McCormick, 7. A.Williams, 8. Grabowski, 9. Calderwood, 10. Sexton, 11. Vanzant, 12. Bell, 13. V.Sweeney, 14. Dyer. NT.
FEATURE: (30 laps, With Starting Positions) 1. Damion Gardner (5), 2. Austin Williams (9), 3. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (2), 4. Mike Martin (11), 5. Chase Johnson (1), 6. Shon Deskins (18), 7. Chris Gansen (8), 8. Randy Nelson (3), 9. Trent Williams (16), 10. Matt McCarthy (7), 11. Richard McCormick (22), 12. Shane Sexton (21), 13. Logan Calderwood (20), 14. Charles Davis Jr. (4), 15. Andrew Sweeney (17), 16. Matt Mitchell (12), 17. Chris Bonneau (10), 18. Austin Grabowski (13), 19. Trent Carter (15), 20. Cody Williams (6), 21. Dustin Cormany (19), 22. Logan Williams (14). NT.
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Gardner.
HARD CHARGER: Shon Deskins (18th to 6th)
WILWOOD DISC BRAKES LUCKY 13 AWARD: Logan Calderwood.
NEW AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Damion Gardner-562, 2-Austin Williams-426, 3-Charles Davis Jr.-425, 4-Matt Mitchell-392, 5-Eddie Tafoya Jr.-361, 6-Logan Williams-350, 7-Chase Johnson-289, 8. Tommy Malcolm-285, --Matt McCarthy-285, 10. Cody Williams-263.
NEXT AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: April 30 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California – “Sokola Shootout”