PERRIS, Calif. — Starting sixth, Damion Gardner powered by Charles Davis Jr. on the 16th lap and led the rest of the way to win Saturday’s AMSOIL USAC-CRA Sprint Car feature at Perris Auto Speedway.
Racing Mark Alexander’s No. 1 Spike, Gardner’s 30-lap triumph was his sixth of the campaign.
Starting on the pole, Chris Gansen set a torrid pace and led the first eight circuits on the half-mile clay oval. Davis sliced his way from third and took over the top spot. Davis was running strong until mid-race, when a rear tire began to lose air pressure.
Gardner was now in striking distance and slipped past the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car champion. From there, the night belonged to Gardner.
Cody Williams finished second, ahead of Gansen, Brody Roa and Eddie Tafoya Jr.
Before claiming the 89th series win of his career, Gardner earned the Woodland Auto Display Fast Time honors in qualifying by posting a time of 16.149 seconds over the 24-car roster.
The finish:
Feature (30 laps, With Starting Positions): 1. Damion Gardner (6), 2. Cody Williams (8), 3. Chris Gansen (1), 4. Brody Roa (4), 5. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (15), 6. A.J. Bender (10), 7. Tommy Malcolm (13), 8. Logan Williams (9), 9. Trent Williams (14), 10. Charles Davis Jr. (3), 11. Matt McCarthy (20), 12. Jake Hodges (19), 13. Jace Vander Weerd (16), 14. Verne Sweeney (17), 15. Ikaika O’Brien (22), 16. Dan Taylor (24), 17. Sterling Cling (5), 18. Brent Owens (23), 19. Austin Grabowski (18), 20. Tye Mihocko (12), 21. Matt Mitchell (11), 22. Austin Williams (7), 23. Stevie Sussex (2), 24. Jeff Dyer (21). NT.