Local star Barnes stuns USAC-CRA stars, takes win at Skagit
Andrew Kunas

Alger, WA - Things appeared to be never in doubt for Everett?s Jayme Barnes, who in his first weekend driving a wingless sprint car stunned the visiting stars from the southwest and won his first career USAC-CRA wingless 410 sprint car main event Saturday night at Skagit Speedway, probably the biggest victory of his racing career.

Sixth starting Cory Kruseman of Ventura, California moved his way into second place, but never posed a threat to Barnes, who sailed around the 3/10-mile, high-banked, clay oval up against the wall the entire 40-lap race. Kruseman would finish second ahead of 18th starting Brock Lemley of Ferndale, Wash., New Mexico?s Rick Ziehl, and Riverside, Calif.?s David Cardey.

Concord, Calif. Star and defending USAC-CRA champion Damion Gardner had his four-race USAC-CRA winning streak at Skagit snapped when he suffered severe damage to the front end of his car in a lap 14 accident and was unable to continue.

Barnes, who finished second to Gardner in Friday?s feature race, started on the outside of the front row as a result of an eight-car invert and immediately took the lead from Blake Miller. Miller would eventually be passed by Kruseman for second place on lap 13. Barnes found himself in traffic often, but Kruseman was unable to grain any significant ground over the remaining laps of the race.

Barnes would take the checkered flag and was greeted with a rousing applause from his home track crowd when he climbed out of his machine victorious, and $3,500 richer. Kruseman also received a warm applause from the crowd for his efforts, but the crowd gave the bigger cheer in their appreciation for the effort by Lemley, another local racer, who relentlessly passed one car after another over the course of 40 laps to get to third.

B-Main winner Tony Jones finished sixth, with Mike Spencer taking seventh while driving a different car from the night before. Evan Suggs and local racers Robbie Vaughn and Alan Munn rounded out the top ten. Gardner, after his four straight USAC-CRA wins at Skagit, was credited with an 18th place finish.

Thirty cars were on hand for the second night of USAC-CRA action at Skagit Speedway. Suggs paced the field in qualifying with a time of 13.415 seconds.

Barnes thrilled the crowd earlier in the evening with a last corner pass around J Hicks to win the first heat race. Winning the other three heat races were Miller, Kruseman, and Lemley.

United States Auto Club ? CRA Sprint Cars
Skagit Speedway ? Alger, WA
July 29, 2006

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

30 cars

Fast qualifier: 33e Evan Suggs, 13.415

69 John Tharp substitutes in 3x car for Chris Rogers

Heat 1 (10 laps): 1. 9 Jayme Barnes, 2. 66 J Hicks, 3. 33e Evan Suggs, 4. 67 Mike Spencer, 5. 38b Jason Bloodgood, 6. 6 Colton Heath, 7. 1x Jimmy Dietz, 8. 3x John Tharp. First four finishers transfer to A-Main.

Heat 2 (10 laps): 1. 94 Blake Miller, 2. 50 Damion Gardner, 3. 4x Robbie Vaughn, 4. 1 Tony Thomas, 5. 99e Alex Hantell, 6. 16 Nadine Keller, 7. 59 David Cardey, DNS ? 69 John Tharp. First four finishers transfer to A-Main.

Heat 3 (10 laps): 1. 38 Cory Kruseman, 2. 3 Rip Williams, 3. 18 Danny Sheridan, 4. 7s Rick Ziehl, 5. 44h Michael Harris, 6. 19 Terry Foster, DNS ? 5sp Shawn Rice. First four finishers transfer to A-Main.

Heat 4 (10 laps): 1. 40 Brock Lemley, 2. 73 Josh Ford, 3. 10c Cory Chamberlain, 4. 42 Alan Munn, 5. 4 Tony Jones, 6. 75 Roy Blumenhagen, 7. 9f Ernie Seager. First four finishers transfer to A-Main.

B-Main (12 laps): 1. 4 Tony Jones, 2. 59 David Cardey, 3. 6 Colton Heath, 4. 38b Jason Bloodgood, 5. 99e Alex Hantell, 6. 75 Roy Blumenhagen, 7. 44h Michael Harris, 8. 9f Ernie Seager, 9. 16 Nadine Keller, 10. 3x John Tharp, 11. 1x Jimmy Dietz, 12. 19 Terry Foster. Top eight finishers transfer to A-Main.

A-Main (40 laps): 1. 9 Jayme Barnes, 2. 38 Cory Kruseman, 3. 40 Brock Lemley, 4. 7s Rick Ziehl, 5. 59 David Cardey, 6. 4 Tony Jones, 7. 67 Mike Spencer, 8. 33e Evan Suggs, 9. 4x Robbie Vaughn, 10. 42 Alan Munn, 11. 66 J Hicks, 12. 10c Cory Chamberlain, 13. 44h Michael Harris, 14. 94 Blake Miller, 15. 73 Josh Ford, 16. 1 Tony Thomas, 17. 18 Danny Sheridan, 18. 50 Damion Gardner, 19. 3 Rip Williams, 20. 75 Roy Blumenhagen, 21. 99e Alex Hantell, 22. 38b Jason Bloodgood, 23. 9f Ernie Seager, 24. 6 Colton Heath.

Skagit Speedway ? Alger, WA
www.skagitspeedway.com

USAC: United States Auto Club
www.usacracing.com