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COONS-JONES BATTLE ENDS AT MANZY;
HOCKETT TAKES “BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS” AT PERRIS;
PRELIMS TO JONES & CARDEY
NOVEMBER 3, 2008 --- Jerry Coons Jr. and Levi Jones will settle their 2008 USAC National Sprint Car Championship point race this weekend in the 41st NAPA Auto Parts/Budweiser/Parker Store Western World Championships at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix. A 25-lap prelim is slated Friday night, with the 40-lap championship feature Saturday.
Coons emerged from last weekend’s 13th “Budweiser Oval Nationals” at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway with an 89-point lead over Jones going into this weekend’s series finales. A total of 138 points are available at Phoenix and Coons is the defending race champion.
The spotlight at Manzanita will also shine on Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Car point leaders Mike Spencer and Blake Miller, who exited Perris separated by only 46 points. The USAC/CRA series concludes with November 15 and 29 races at Perris.
Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, Mo. came from the 19th starting position to win Saturday night’s 40-lap Perris feature presented by Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply. He caught Coons on lap 38 and led the final three laps in his McMillan Motorsports/In Memory of J.F. McCray Maxim/McMillan. Pole starter Tyler Brown led the first 26 laps, then Coons led the next 11 before yielding to Hockett. Coons finished second ahead of Kevin Swindell, Brad Sweet and Darren Hagen.
David Cardey of Riverside, Calif. worked his own special brand of Halloween magic to dust off the rest of the field Friday night in the 25-lap Perris prelim feature. Cardey celebrated his 33rd birthday in style, outlasting Damion Gardner, Coons and Hockett in a furious finish to put his ITI Performance/Empire Plumbing Viper/Downing Chevy in victory lane. Jones finished fifth. Five lead changes between three drivers spiced the 25-lap race, with Cardey grabbing the lead for the final time from Gardner on lap 23. Robert Ballou escaped serious injury in a spectacular flip on the backstretch on lap 20 of the feature.
Tony Jones of Norco, Calif. continued his winning ways at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway Thursday night, winning the opening night 25-lap feature event in the 13th “Budweiser Oval Nationals.” The win for Jones and his Alexander Racing La Villa Restaurant/Ferreira Dairy DRC/JD Performance machine was his fifth in six races at the PAS. Trailing Jones at the checkered flag in the 25-lap National/Lucas Oil USAC/CRA feature were Miller, Gardner, Coons and Spencer.
Shane Cottle and Jeremy Sherman won the previous USAC races at Manzanita this season. Jones and Spencer have fared the best of the title contenders at Manzy this year, both posting a third place finish.
Former race champions expected to compete at Manzanita are Coons, Dave Darland (2005), Bud Kaeding (2002 & 2004) and Jeremy Sherman (2001).
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1 Jerry Coons Jr. 1,290
2 Levi Jones 1,201
3 Cole Whitt 1,121
4 Tracy Hines 1,102
5 Darren Hagen 985
6 Dave Darland 970
7 Shane Cottle 954
8 Brad Sweet 939
9 Damion Gardner 931
10 Brady Bacon 920
LUCAS OIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS
1 Mike Spencer 1,473
2 Blake Miller 1,427
3 Danny Sheridan 1,363
4 Tony Jones 1,146
5 Tyler Brown 1,066
6 Garrett Hansen 1,039
7 David Cardey 963
8 Cory Kruseman 952
9 Josh Ford 839
10 Alan Ballard 627
WESTERN WORLD SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS
Year Champion
1968 Bob Cleberg
1969 Bob Huebner
1970 Jerry McClung
1971 Jan Opperman
1972 Jan Opperman
1973 Earl Wagner
1974 Rick Ferkel
1975 Ron Shuman
1976 Bubby Jones
1977 Ron Shuman
1978 Lealand McSpadden
1979 Tim Green
1980 Sammy Swindell
1981 Ron Shuman
1982 Steve Kinser
1983 Steve Kinser
1984 Ron Shuman
1985 Steve Kinser
1986 Bobby Davis Jr.
1987 Steve Kinser
1988 Mark Kinser
1989 Sammy Swindell
1990 Steve Kinser
1991 Danny Lasoski
1992 Steve Kinser
1993 Lealand McSpadden
1994 Ron Shuman
1995 Lealand McSpadden
1996 Steve Kinser
1997 Mark Kinser
1998 Tyler Walker
1999 Donny Schatz
2000 Jay Drake
2001 Jeremy Sherman
2002 Bud Kaeding
2003 Tony Elliott
2004 Bud Kaeding
2005 Dave Darland
2006 Josh Wise
2007 Jerry Coons Jr.
2008
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