Official Site of NNJFI Racing

.::Welcome To NNJFI Racing!::.

SINCE 5/30/08

Free Web Site Counters

View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook

GREG ALEXANDER WINS 360 SPRINT SEASON OPENER AT RENOVATED VENTURA RACEWAY
Tim Kennedy, Ventura, CA., Mar. 14 – Greg Alexander started ninth in a 22-car VRA 360 sprint car feature Saturday at the renovated fifth-mile clay Ventura Raceway. He won the season opener in a Maxim that car owner Brian Williams purchased recently from USAC car owner Scott Benic of Indiana. The 19-year old, second year sprint driver from Gardena became the third race leader on lap 16 and won the 30-lap main on the now higher-banked clay track with new, stronger crash-walls in the turns. Alexander's second VRA sprint feature victory followed his initial triumph on the same weekend last year.

The 22 cars took the green flag at 9:19 pm with heat winners Conrad, Rutherford, Ford, Hendrix and Brent Camarillo occupying the first five grid positions in that order. Rutherford, in his own silver No. 11, shot into the lead and paced the first ten laps. Hendrix took second from Conrad on lap 2. Ford dropped Hendrix to third on lap 5, but Hendrix reclaimed second a lap later. However, the yellow flag flew for a spin by Rob Kershaw, handing second back to Ford. Ford's No. 73 closed on leader Rutherford by lap 10 and they criss-crossed for the lead in turn four with Rutherford retaining the point. Then on lap 11 Ford made a slide job passing attempt in turn two and hit Rutherford's car, which got airborne and rolled once. Both cars stopped next to each other in mid-track. Angry Rutherford unbuckled and rushed to confront Ford, who was still in his car. Cooler heads prevailed and both cars were towed to the pits. Ford's car was done for the night. Rutherford's team made quick repairs and he returned to the race at the back of the now 20-car field.

The restart had former third place Hendrix as the new leader and he kept his light blue No. 15 out front through lap 15. Eventual winner Alexander was sixth when Ford and Rutherford crashed. He took second from Conrad on lap 12 with an inside moved leaving turn four. Then on lap 16 Alexander's No. 22A shot past Hendrix for the lead with an outside pass in the fourth turn. Reseda resident Kevin Kierce, who started 11th in his own No. 1, passed Hendrix for second on lap 17. (Kierce's 2000 TCR is one of four sprint cars in his stable and is the first Cory Kruseman Racing School car. He also has a second TCR chassis, a Stanton and a Stinger according to his team.) On lap 20 Kierce trailed Alexander by 15-yards and by 25-yards on lap 23. Kierce closed to 10-yards behind Alexander's Maxim by lap 27. He was only a few feet in back of Alexander on lap 29 as they lapped Kershaw's No. 26. Alexander pulled away on the 30th and final lap and won by five yards over Kierce.

Greg Taylor, the 2007 VRA 360 Sprint champion and the track's leading main event winner with 42, started 15th in the No. 57 Steve Hix 2006 Twister. He took third position from Conrad on lap 28 and edged Conrad's No. 56 Ellis/Gaerte Chevy. John Nock came from 16th grid position to place fifth. Former TQ-Midget driver Richard McCormick, Hendrix, restarted Rutherford, Cody Kershaw, and Rodriguez completed the top ten. Sixteen drivers reached the checkers with 15 drivers on the lead lap. Alexander became the VRA 360 point leader with 250 points, with Kierce second at 235. Alexander told the sizable crowd, “Thanks to Brian Williams for buying me this car. Sponsor H & H Engineering came on board this week and thanks to sponsor T & M Construction. We stayed up late Sunday getting this thing ready and it all paid off.” The winner arrived late, started ninth and finished third in H-5. He said he has only raced in 16 of the last 26 races. There were 42 VRA 360s, 20 IMCA Modifieds, 21 CA Lightning Sprints, 16 Sport Compacts and 10 Junior FF Midgets for a total of 109 cars in the crowded pits. .