Rickie Gaunt won Saturday night's 30-lap USAC National and Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint race at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway but Cole Whitt emerged the point leader in both series after finishing seventh.


The National Sprint Car series resumes April 10-11 with back-to-back races at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, while the Lucas Oil USAC/CRA series continues March 28 at Perris.


Gaunt, of Torrance, Calif., drove the Black Widow Racing/DWT Wheels Sled/Downing to victory in Saturday night's "Sokola Shootout," passing Dustin Morgan on lap six and leading the final 25 laps. Brad Sweet finished second ahead of Tracy Hines, fast qualifier Jerry Coons Jr. and Damion Gardner.


Whitt holds a slim one-point lead over Dave Darland in the new National standings. Darland finished eighth in Saturday's Perris feature.