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MARCH 14, 2005...Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif.
led the final 18 laps of Saturday night's Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at
the Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway to record his sixth career series triumph. He
took the lead from Danny Ebberts on lap 13 and led the rest of the 30-lap race
in the Glen Crossno ITI Performance/Sander Engineering TCR/Donovan.
"My crew gave me such a good car tonight, I think anybody could have won in
it," said an ecstatic Kruseman after the race.
Fast
qualifier Damion Gardner flipped during his heat race but came back to finish
second in the feature ahead of Ebberts, defending series champion Rip Williams
and Alan Ballard.
Kruseman's victory left him fourth in the new series standings behind leader
Charles Davis, Jr., who finished seventh at Bakersfield. Jordan Hermansader, who
led the first six laps of Saturday night's race, finished eighth.
The
Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint cars now head for Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz.
for this Friday and Saturday night's 5th "Sokola Classic."
Kruseman is the defending champion of the "Sokola Classic," which will
be presented this year by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply.
The
two-night Valvoline USAC/CRA Sprint car spectacular will include a 20-lap
feature race Friday and a 40-lapper Saturday on the exciting 1/2-mile dirt oval,
with a $5,000 payday for Saturday night's winner. Saturday night's race will
also pay $500 to start.
The
race honors the memory of former CRA & USAC Sprint Car Coordinator Gary
Sokola, who passed away in 2000, and his son Mark, who was CRA's "Most
Improved Driver" in 1986 and passed away in 2003.
VALVOLINE USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES STANDINGS
1.-Charles Davis, Jr.-215
2.-Damion Gardner-210
3.-Rip Williams-206
4.-Cory Kruseman-194
5.-Mike Kirby-183
6.-Alan Ballard-119
7.-Seth Wilson-113
8.-Steve Ostling-109
9.-Rick Williams-103
10.-Rickie Gaunt-102
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