BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS AT THE PAS NEXT FOR CRA;

SPENCER, GARDNER TRADE CRA POINT LEAD WITH CANYON WINS

The  20th Budweiser Oval Nationals November 12-14  at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway loom large for AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car title contenders Mike Spencer and Damion Gardner. They are separated by just 22 points with the three-race extravaganza expected to be critical in determining the 2015 champion. The series concludes November 19-21 at USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz.

Spencer and Gardner traded victories in last weekend’s 15th Sands Chevrolet “Hall of Fame Classic” at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz.

Gardner, of Concord, Calif., not only won Friday night’s 30-lap race, he also wrested the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car point lead away from Spencer in the process. Gardner passed Brody Roa on lap 20 and led the final 11 laps to win and took a three-point lead over Spencer into Saturday’s race. Spencer finished 17th after flipping during Friday’s feature. Roa took second behind Gardner, while Jake Swanson, R.J. Johnson and Josh Hodges completed the top-five.

Spencer, of Temecula, Calif., regained the points lead after winning Saturday night’s 30-lap feature. Wheeling the Chaffin Motorsports entry, he survived a furious battle with Southwest Sprint point leader R.J. Johnson and Gardner to pace the final five circuits for the victory. Johnson took second ahead of Brody Roa, Josh Hodges and Mike Martin as Gardner slipped to 11th at the checkered after suffering a flat tire. Josh Pelkey led the first seven laps, Gardner the next 13, Johnson one, Gardner one and Johnson three before Spencer’s winning move.

Gardner and Spencer are the winningest USAC drivers in Perris Auto Speedway and USAC/CRA history. Gardner has 37 Perris wins and Spencer 25. Gardner has won the last four at Perris and five of the last six. Spencer’s last USAC win at Perris came in 2013.