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Honing his skills for the upcoming season of non-wing
competition, veteran, standout driver Cory Kruseman captured the inaugural
Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) 360 main event at Tulare’s (CA)
Thunderbowl Raceway.
The “Kruser” started 13th in a field of 24 but quickly began passing car
after car until he reached the third spot on lap 10. From there on, he set his
sights on the front-running duo of Josh Ford and Steven Williams. Working the
bottom line, Kruseman breezed by both to take command on lap 13 and continued on
to receive his first checkers of the early year.
The race, which was reduced to 15 laps due to time restrictions, began with
back-to-back red-flag crashes entering the first turn on lap one. Jonathon Logan
and Andy Forsberg, who started six and seventh respectively, tangled just past
the starters green flag with Logan flipping, ending his short evening. Forsberg,
however, was able to restart.
When the green was unfurled for the second time, outside front row starter Rick
Williams flipped in the exact spot as the Logan/Forsberg incident, with his
machine ending up on the “hook.” Brad Sweet, who started in row two behind
Williams, was poised to show the veterans what he could do. However the Grass
Valley, CA. native spun to avoid the flipping Williams, came to a stop and was
“sentenced” to the rear of the field.
The third attempt at a start was aborted when 17-year-old pole-sitter Chad
Boespflug bounced high into the air after hitting a rut in turn one. Boespflug
did a masterful job of keeping all four wheels upright but his evening was put
on hold with a broken suspension.
When the racing action finally began, young Brad Sweet didn’t allow his
previous misfortune to ruin his evening. He showed both mettle and talent,
impressing fans and officials alike, as he passed every car in the field to
finish a close second to Kruseman. This feat was accomplished in only 15 laps of
racing. Ford, Steven Williams and Aaron Altaffer followed him to the line.
Rounding out the top-ten were Andy Forsberg, Jimmy Crawford, Jim Richardson,
Rusty Carlile and Daniel Hood.
Daredevil Damion Gardner was poised for a big evening but lost an engine as he
crossed the line capturing the Trophy Dash over Rick Williams and Chad
Boespflug. The eight-car field was determined by finishing positions in the
previous four heat races.
SCRA veteran Mike Kirby was forced to run the “B” main after finishing fifth
in his heat race. Unfortunately, the Torrance, CA resident was eliminated in a
multi-car crash on lap one.
Results:
Main-Kruseman, Sweet, Ford, S. Williams, Altaffer, Forsberg, Crawford,
Richardson, Carlile, Hood, Reeves, Porte, Kierce, Bach, Chaney, Day, Montgomery,
Boespflug, Ellerton, Martin, Suggs, R. Williams, Logan, Sheridan.
B-Main-Suggs, Ellerton, Day, Kierce, all advancing to the main.
Heat winners: Logan, Ford, S. Williams, Boespflug
Qualifying: Replaced by “pill” drawing
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