GARDNER GRABS THE “BURG’S” $10,000; WINCHESTER TO DARLAND


Levi Jones of Avon, Ind. will carry a 27-point lead into the “Budweiser Oval Nationals” November 5-7 at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway after finishing sixth and second in weekend races in Indiana.


 


Jones finished sixth in Friday’s “Fall Nationals” at the Lawrenceburg Speedway and second in Sunday’s “Oldtimers Weekend” 40-lapper at the Winchester Speedway, while series runner-up Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. was 11th at Lawrenceburg and won at Winchester.


 


Darland beat Jones to the checkered flag at Winchester, Jones leading the first 18 laps and Darland led the final 22 in his Rotondo Weirich/Benic Enterprises Maxim/Gaerte Chevy. Jerry Coons Jr. took third ahead of new track record holder Tracy Hines and Cole Whitt. Hines broke the 1-lap Winchester Speedway non-winged Sprint car track record with a lap at 13.964 seconds or 128.903 mph during qualifying!


 


Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. earned a paycheck for $10,000 Friday night at the Lawrenceburg Speedway, leading the final nine laps to win the 30-lap feature at the 3.8-mile dirt oval. Driving the Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver, Gardner ran down leader Chris Windom on lap 22 and led the rest of the way to beat Cole Whitt, Windom, fast qualifier Jon Stanbrough and Kyle Cummins. Cummins led the first two laps and Windom led the next 19 before yielding to Gardner.