PERRIS, CA, MARCH 23, 2002 - Until Saturday night, the highlight of Cory Kruseman's 2002 campaign was earning his Indy Racing League (IRL) license. With the IRL at nearby California Speedway this weekend, Kruseman had spent the last couple days hoping to put a deal together.  After nothing materialized, Kruseman arrived at the Perris Auto Speedway determined to make a statement.  Perfectly scripted for his purposes, Kruseman started on the pole and boldly made his statement with a wire-to-wire 30-lap main event win.
 
"This really is nice because I spent all week trying to do something with the IRL and nothing panned-out for us.  First we were in, then we were out. Unfortunately, we ended up being out.   The good news is that we got to come here tonight and race in the dirt," Kruseman said after gathering his first NAPA Auto Parts / Auto Trader Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) feature win of the season. 

Kruseman entered the evening disappointed by his slow start.  Compared to the first five races last season when he posted three wins and two runner-up finishes, being disappointed this year almost seemed inevitable.  Adding to his frustration was the fact that he had started on the pole for the last two races and didn't come away with a win.  As a result, Kruseman swore before the JE Pistons Dash that he would avoid the pole and not win a third straight dash.  Once the helmet was strapped on, however, Kruseman had a change of heart and drove the Harlan Willis / WorldGate Networks No. 1 TCR to another
dash victory. 

It provided to be a good decision, since Kruseman was able to come off the pole and comfortably lead outside front row starter Mike Kirby to the green flag.  A five-car pileup exiting turn two, however, quickly halted the action and negated Kruseman's fine start.  Of the cars involved, midget champion Robbie Flock took the hardest ride after he climbed a tire and launched nose first into the fence before flipping.  Flock was not hurt, but his debut in the Bill Pratt entry was spoiled.

The restart looked like a replay of the first start with Kruseman easily leading the field into turn one on the bottom.  At the end of lap one, Kirby ran second ahead of Richard Griffin, Charles Davis, Jr., and Rip Williams.  Jeremy Sherman and Steve Ostling, who ran one-two in last week's Sokola Classic, tangled on lap four.  Sherman flipped as Ostling slid to a stop in turn four.  Both drivers returned for the restart, with Sherman eventually finishing eighth, two spots ahead of Ostling.

Sander Engineering Fast Qualifier John Scott started ninth and was able to put his Pace Electronics No. 83 TCR into fifth on the restart.  Continuing his early assault, Scott relieved Williams of the fourth position on lap eight.  Two laps later, Scott passed Davis for third. 

With Scott gaining ground on him, Kirby had the save of the night on lap 12 after he bicycled his Statewide Towing No. 5 Stinger on the turn one cushion.  Masterfully, Kirby avoided a flip, but would find himself half a straightaway behind the pole hugging Kruseman when the yellow flag waved two laps later for Marc Hart's turn two spin.

On his way to winning the KSE Products Hard Charger Award from the 14th starting spot, Tony Jones made a big move into the seventh position on the restart.  Jones' terrific restart seemed to spark a fire under the current SCRA point leader.  In fact, by the end of the 18th lap, Jones had his Ferreira Dairy No. 87 Avenger up to fourth.

With Scott now in second place, Jones pulled ahead of Kirby five laps from the finish.  Just as Jones was beginning to work on Scott, Adam Mitchell flipped wildly into the first turn.  Mitchell was not hurt, but was noticeably shaken. 

After the restart, Scott and Jones were able to keep pace with Kruseman, but neither man could mount any kind of a challenge to prevent the defending SCRA champion from posting his 53rd career win.  Williams passed Kirby three laps from the end of the race to give the Sharon Jory / Vista Paint No. 3 Gambler a fourth place finish.      
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SCRA RACE #6 - PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY, PERRIS, CA
Date of Race: 03/23/02

SANDER ENGINEERING TIME TRIALS
1. John Scott, Hesperia CA, Scott Mtrsprts 83, 16.803 2. Steve Ostling, Corona CA, Fischer Mtrspts 29, 16.815  3. Gary W. Howard, Fontana CA, Ruth 25, 16.828  4. Michael Hinrichsen, Lakeside CA, Lake Mtrsprts. 16, 16.880  5. Jeremy Sherman, Phoenix AZ, Priestley 7, 16.895   6. Troy Rutherford, Ojai CA, Gardner Jr 96, 16.937  7. Charles Davis, Jr., Buckeye AZ, Davis 94, 16.980  8. Richard Griffin, Silver City NM, Chaffin 50, 16.991  9. Mike English, Norwalk CA, Jory, 6, 17.012   10. Rickie Gaunt, Torrance CA, Alexander 4, 17.035   11. Jarrett Chaney, Clovis CA, Chaney 69, 17.043  12. Mike Kirby, Lomita CA, Geurin 5 , 17.058  13. Cory Kruseman, Ventura CA.,Willis 1 , 17.101  14. Tony Elliott, Kokomo IN, Gardner Jr 96X, 17.120 15. Rip Williams, Yorba Linda CA, Jory 3, 17.132  16. Jack DeArmond, Jr., Corona CA, DeArmond, Jr. 24, 17.207  17. Tony Jones, Garden Grove CA.,Vermeer/Jones 87, 17.255  18. Damion Gardner, Concord CA, Gardner 20X, 17.265  19. Lance Gremett, San Marcos CA., Gremett 85, 17.330  20.  Adam Mitchell, Escondido CA, Mitchell 99, 17.355  21. Verne Sweeney, Lomita CA., Sweeney 98, 17.385 22. Bobby Graham, Riverside CA, Lancaster 14, 17.553  23. Brian Venard, Tustin CA, Venard 47, 17.557  24. Marc Hart, Ventura CA, Hart 15, 17.586  25. Rodney Argo, Gardena CA, Argo 19, 17.617   26. Keith Williamson, Pomona CA, Williamson 95, 17.640  27. Robbie Flock, Murrieta CA, Pratt 12, 17.668  28. Dan Hillberg, Whittier CA, Hillberg 82, 17.718  29. Mel Murphy, Woodcrest CA, Murphy 62, 17.758  30. Bobby Cody, (R) Costa Mesa CA, Cody    41, 17.826  31. Mark Heidenreich, (R) Upland CA, Heidenreich 22, 17.995  32. Tony Lima, Industry CA, Lima 30, 18.135  33. Tony Everhart, El Cajon CA, Everhart 55, 18.466  34. David Sinsley, Torrance CA, Sinsley 69X, 18.600  35. Bob Johnson, (R) Perris CA, Johnson 81, 18.871  

HEDMAN HEDDERS HEAT 1
1. Verne Sweeney, 2. Rodney Argo, 3. Tony Jones, 4. Cory Kruseman, 5. Mike English, 6. Jeremy Sherman, 7. John Scott, 8. Mel Murphy, 9. Tony Everhart,

SHAVER ENGINES HEAT 2
1 Damion Gardner, 2. Bobby Graham, 3. Tony Elliott, 4. Rickie Gaunt, 5. Troy Rutherford, 6. Steve Ostling, 7. Bobby Cody, 8. Keith Williamson, 9. David Sinsley,

SPIN TECH MUFFLERS HEAT 3
1. Rip Williams, 2. Charles Davis, Jr, 3. Robbie Flock, 4. Gary W. Howard, 5. Brian Venard, 6. Mark Heidenreich, 7. Lance Gremett, 8. Bob Johnson, 9. Jarrett Chaney,

STINGER CHASSIS HEAT 4
1. Adam Mitchell, 2, Richard Griffin, 3. Jack DeArmond, Jr., 4, Mike Kirby, 5. Marc Hart, 6. Michael Hinrichsen, 7. Dan Hillberg, 8. Tony Lima,,

JE PISTONS DASH
1. Cory Kruseman. 2. Mike Kirby. 3. Richard Griffin. 4. Rickie Gaunt. 5. Charles Davis, Jr. 6. Rip Williams, 7. Gary W. Howard. 8. Tony Elliott.

B FEATURE
1. John Scott. 2. Jeremy Sherman. 3. Steve Ostling, 4. Mike English. 5. Lance Gremett. 6. Marc Hart, 7. Jarrett Chaney. 8. Michael Hinrichsen, 9. Dan Hillberg, 10. Brian Venard, 11. Keith Williamson, 12. Mel Murphy, 13. Tony Lima. 14. Bob Johnson. 15. Tony Everhart, 16. Troy Rutherford. 17.  David Sinsley. 18.  Bobby Cody. 19. Mark Heidenreich.

A FEATURE (30 Laps) 
1. Cory Kruseman. 2. John Scott. 3. Tony Jones. 4. Rip Williams. 5. Mike Kirby. 6. Charles Davis, Jr.  7. Rickie Gaunt. 8. Jeremy Sherman, 9. Richard Griffin, 10. Steve Ostling. 11. Rodney Argo, 12.  Troy Rutherford. 13. Gary W. Howard. 14.  Mike English. 15. Lance Gremett. 16. Jack DeArmond, Jr.. 17. Verne Sweeney. 18.  Adam Mitchell. 19. Damion Gardner. 20, Bobby Graham. 21. Marc Hart. 22, Robbie Flock.
Laps Led: Kruseman 1-30

SCRA DRIVER POINTS as of 3/23/02
POS CAR NAME    HOMETOWN            STARTS  PTS
1.  87  Tony Jones          Garden Grove CA     6   358
2.  1   Cory Kruseman       Ventura CA              6   335
3.  50  Richard Griffin     Silver City NM          6   326
4.  96  Troy Rutherford     Ojai CA                 6   306
5.  7   Jeremy Sherman  Phoenix AZ              6   293
6.  3   Rip Williams        Yorba Linda CA          6   292
7.  29  Steve Ostling       Corona CA               6   275
8.  83  John Scott          Hesperia CA         6   236
9.  5   Mike Kirby          Lomita CA               5   203
10. 96X Tony Elliott            Kokomo IN               6   198
11. 94  Charles Davis, Jr   Buckeye AZ          6   193
12. 6   Mike English        Norwalk CA              6   177
13. 38  Levi Jones          Olney IL                5   175
14. 4   Rickie Gaunt        Torrance CA         6   165
15. 20X Damion Gardner      Concord CA              6   151
16. 2   J.J. Yeley          Phoenix AZ              3   143
17. 14  Bobby Graham        Riverside CA            6   138
18. 19  Rodney Argo     Gardena CA          6   104
19. 25  Gary W. Howard  Fontana CA              4   101
20. 16  Michael Hinrichsen  Lakeside CA         6   93