ROA GRABS VENTURA 40-LAP VICTORY
By Lance Jennings
MAY 8, 2018...Taking control from “The Demon” Damion Gardner on lap 13, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) earned last Saturday’s feature win at Ventura Raceway. For Roa, the special 40-lap main event was his first AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car triumph of the campaign. Gardner, Ryan Bernal, Jake Swanson, and fast qualifier “The Cadillac” Cody Williams rounded out the top-five drivers.
Starting fifth, Brody Roa charged forward using the low line in the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim. Making his way to the front, Roa slipped by Gardner on the tenth circuit, only to have the pass called back after a caution flag. Not to be denied on this night, Brody took over the top spot a few laps later and claimed his fourth career win.
Roa began his night by qualifying second out of twenty-two racers and finished second to Troy Rutherford in his heat race. At the end of the night, Brody remained second in the standings with one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, four top-10 finishes, and 28 feature laps led on the season.
“The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) led the first twelve laps and settled for second at Ventura. Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Trench Shoring / Weld Racing Spike, Gardner was fifth quick in time trials and placed third in his heat race. The six-time champion leads the point chase on the strength of two feature wins, two heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 67 feature laps led to his credit.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) had a solid night and scored third at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Driving Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Phil & Eileen King Triple X, Swanson qualified third overall and placed fourth in his heat race. Last year’s USAC West Coast Champion sits third in points with one heat race victory, one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, four top-10 finishes, and 9 feature laps led on the season.
Ryan Bernal (Hollister, California) claimed fourth in the 40-lap main event. Racing Keith Ford’s #73T Edgewater Construction, Bernal was sixth fast in time trials and won the 10-lap Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Heat Race #3. The two-time USAC Western Classic Champion is fourteenth in the point chase with two heat race victories and one top-10 finish.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) placed fifth at Ventura Raceway. Piloting Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams earned the night’s Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and finished third in his heat race. The 2010 Victorville Champion ranks fifth in the point standings with one heat race victory and two top-10 finishes.
Using an iron-block 360 engine, Troy Rutherford (Ojai, California) earned the night’s Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics “Hard Charger Award / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixth place run from fourteenth. Driving his #11 Trench Shoring / Grimes Rock Spike, Rutherford qualified fourteenth overall and won the night’s 10-lap Circle Track Performance / Rod End Supply Heat Race #2.
Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) won the 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Racing Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / Low Buck Tools Victory, Malcolm was thirteenth quick in time trials and finished ninth in the main event after starting thirteenth. The Late Model standout is currently eighth in the point chase with one heat race victory, one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award and one top-10 finish.
Everyone with the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series wishes Matt McCarthy a quick and full recovery from injuries suffered at Ventura. Last season’s Rookie of the Year crashed during hotlaps and was transferred to a local hospital.
On Saturday, May 26th, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway for the annual “Salute to Indy.” Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California, the American Cancer Society Night Benefiting the Up, Down 'n Dirty 4 a Cure Mud Run will also feature the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, and California Lightning Sprints. More event information can be found at www.perrisautospeedway.com or calling 951.940.0134.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, All Coast Construction, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, surfNsprint.com, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact PR Director Lance Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information on USAC/CRA, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC/CRA DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: May 5, 2018 – Ventura, California – Ventura Raceway
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-12.272; 2. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-12.333; 3. R.J. Johnson, 42, Cheney-12.384; 4. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-12.435; 5. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-12.447; 6. Ryan Bernal, 73T, Ford-12.476; 7. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-12.604; 8. Kyle Edwards, 39E, Edwards-12.617; 9. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-12.682; 10. Max Adams, 5M, Adams-12.728; 11. Brent Owens, 71, Martin-12.738; 12. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-12.776; 13. Tommy Malcolm, 5X, Napier-12.843; 14. Troy Rutherford, 11, Rutherford-12.967; 15. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-12.974; 16. Rick Hendrix, 15, Hendrix-12.975; 17. Trent Williams, 52V, Williams-12.981; 18. Verne Sweeney, 98V, Tracy-12.987; 19. Jeff Dyer, 39, Cal-Sun-13.288; 20. Joel Rayborne, 12B, Blair-13.314; 21. Austin Ervine, 51X, AJ-13.686; 22. Matt McCarthy, 28M, McCarthy-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Malcolm, 2. Hendrix, 3. C.Williams, 4. Swanson, 5. Dyer, 6. Bender, 7. Adams. NT
CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Rutherford, 2. Roa, 3. Gardner, 4. T.Williams, 5. Edwards, 6. Owens, 7. Rayborne. NT
KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Bernal, 2. A.Williams, 3. Johnson, 4. Gansen, 5. L.Williams, 6. Sweeney, 7. Ervine. NT
FEATURE: (40 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Brody Roa (5th), 2. Damion Gardner (2nd), 3. Ryan Bernal (1st), 4. Jake Swanson (3rd), 5. Cody Williams (6th), 6. Troy Rutherford (14th), 7. R.J. Johnson (4th), 8. Max Adams (10th), 9. Tommy Malcolm (13th), 10. A.J. Bender (7th), 11. Verne Sweeney (18th), 12. Brent Owens (11th), 13. Trent Williams (17th), 14. Kyle Edwards (8th), 15. Jeff Dyer (19th), 16. Joel Rayborne (20th), 17. Austin Williams (15th), 18. Rick Hendrix (16th), 19. Austin Ervine (21st), 20. Chris Gansen (9th), 21. Logan Williams (12th).
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**McCarthy flipped during hotlaps and was transported to a local hospital for observation. Gansen and L.Williams flipped on lap 3 of the feature. Hendrix flipped on lap 18 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-12 Gardner, Laps 13-40 Roa.
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Troy Rutherford (14th to 6th)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Damion Gardner-312, 2. Brody Roa-303, 3. Jake Swanson-281, 4. R.J. Johnson-226, 5. Cody Williams-224, 6. A.J. Bender-174, 7. Max Adams-168, 8. Tommy Malcolm-163, 9. Logan Williams-159, 10. Austin Williams-155, 11. Chris Gansen-134, 12. Charles Davis Jr.-133, 13. Matt Rossi-126, 14. Ryan Bernal-122, 15. Matt McCarthy-118, 16. Danny Faria Jr.-110, 17. Tye Mihocko-91, 18. Richard Vander Weerd-79, --. Austin Liggett-79, 20. Chad Boespflug-69.
2018 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
May 26: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 23: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
July 7: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial)
August 4: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
August 18: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 1: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 2: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 3: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma CA (California Sprint Week)
September 6: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week)
September 7: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 8: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 22: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 28: Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
September 29: Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 20: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
November 2: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 3: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 8: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 9: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 10: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with AMSOIL USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
