The Kruser
is Back on Top in Friday Chili Bowl Qualifier
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January
14, 2010) Cory Kruseman proved that he hasnt forgotten the way to victory
lane at the QuikTrip Centers Tulsa Expo Raceway by winning Friday nights
25-lap E3 Spark Plugs Qualifying main event at the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili
Bowl Nationals.
The Kruser held off the
challenges of Jerry Coons, Jr., for the win, with Danny Stratton knocking off the rust of
an idle year by battling past Chris Windom on the final round for the third and final
lock-in position to Saturday nights 50-lap Chili Bowl championship main event.
With a pair of Golden Drillers on the
mantle after Chili Bowl triumphs in 2000 and 2004, it marked Krusemans first Tulsa
Expo Raceway win since a Friday preliminary score in 2006.
And, after missing the main event cut over the past three years, Kruseman fielded
his own entry to earn a ninth career Chili Bowl main event start.
Its bitter and its
sweet at the same time, Kruseman explained of his departure from Andy Bondios
entry. Its nice to know that you
can put a car together at the caliber of going out and winning races. But, at the same time, me and Andy Bondio and John
Martens had ten great years here, we had a lot of fun and we did really well together. It was just time for me to get all my things under
one roof.
After earning the pole position for the
main event, Kruseman outgunned Coons for the lead at the outset and paced the early
rounds.
As the lead duo reeled in the tail of the
pack, at least one of the leaders was nearly taken out for the second time in as many
nights when Johnathon Henry, Travis Berryhill, Josh Wise and Kody Swanson tangled in turns
one and two.
I already tucked my head down, I
was ready to turn over, Kruseman explained after narrowly avoiding the scrum. I honestly thought I was gonna hit em
with the right rear. I saw the crash
happening and saw the cars that were involved and then one popped out that I never saw, I
dont know how I missed him.
It proved to be a critical point in the
race after Kruseman fought off Coons in the final stages to secure the win aboard the
Kruseman Motorsports Mopar-powered Lucas Oil/Sander Engineering No. 21k Spike.
Like Ive said for all the
years weve been coming here, you can buy the best cars, you can have the best
driver, you can have the best crew chief, you can have the best parts, but if you dont
have luck then nothing else matters. And thats
what showed tonight.
Coons kept pace and may have had his best
opportunity to pounce negated when J.J. Yeley came to a stop in turn four with 18 laps in
the books just as Kruseman was approaching a gaggle of four cars.
Coons made a couple of challenges over
the final laps, but settled for runner-up honors in the Wilke Pak Motorsports
Toyota-powered Speedway Motors No. 5 Spike as he locked into his 11th career
Chili Bowl championship main event.
The one big slide job that I tried,
I wasnt really gonna try at that point, Coons commented. Maybe if I would of tried it in the other
corner instead of three and four, but I just did what I could and ran second.
Making his first start since last years
Chili Bowl, California native Danny Stratton battled past Chris Windom on the final round
to snare the show position aboard Betsy Stuebgens Esslinger-powered Indy Race Parts
No. 13 Spike.
To be here is kinda surreal, Ive
never been in this room before, commented the seventh-place Chili Bowl finisher from
six years ago. When I did it in 2004, I
came from the D so I had to do some work.
Now itll be a little easier to concentrate on the car a little better.
Windom settled for fourth in the
Esslinger-powered Keith Kunz Motorsports No. 17 Bullet, with Chad Boat rounding out the
top five in Billy Boats VDS-Ford Esslinger-powered Impact/Eibach No. 30 Spike.
After winning the first B
Main, Mike Hess raced from 17th to sixth, with Levi Jones, Bobby Michnowicz, 22nd-starter
Don Droud, Jr., and Chili Bowl rookie contender Trevor Kobylarz completing the top ten.
Kobylarz was one of four Chili Bowl
rookies among the feature field, with others including Colton Heath, Alex Bowman and Kody
Swanson.
Justin Grant, J.J. Yeley, Casey Riggs,
Brad Loyet, Stratton, Swanson, Travis Berryhill and Michnowicz topped heat race action for
Friday nights 64-car field, with Kruseman, Brett Anderson, Windom and Levi Jones
winning the qualifying races.
Hunter Schuerenberg and Joey Saldana won
the twin C Mains, with Hess and Loyet topping the twin B Mains.
George White, Brent Camarillo, Daniel
Robinson and Bruce Buckwalter, Jr., all flipped in heat race action, Cole Peard, Donovan
Peterson and Austin Smith got upside down in C Mains and Nick Knepper turned
over in a B Main.
Cleared by his doctors at the last minute
after an injury sustained in August, J.J. Yeley jumped into the seat of a vacant Keith
Kunz Motorsports entry. After a
heat race win, Yeley had a tumultuous qualifier, raced in through the B Main
and then finished 20th after his late stoppage.
With four nights in the books, 256
competitors will battle it out in Saturdays Rockstar Energy Drink slate of
championship events that gets under way at 12:00 p.m.
Friday Nights E3 Spark Plugs
Qualifier Results from the 24th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals:
Heat Races (Top 40 in passing points to
A Qualifiers; Balance to twin C Mains)
Heat 1: 1. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 2. #21K Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 3. #21
Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK; 4. #57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN; 5. #7A Dakoda
Armstrong, New Castle, IN; 6. #56D Kevin Olson, Machesney Park, IL: 7. #86J Josh Most, Red
Oak, IA; 8. #10W George White, Fort Worth, TX
Heat 2: 1. #67 J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 2. #9H Russ Harper, Indianapolis, IN; 3.
#44 Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE; 4. #55K Nick Knepper, Belleville, IL; 5. #4S Hunter
Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO; 6. #58 Cole Peard, Quincy, CA; 7. #25Z Chris Zrinski, Forked
River, NJ; DNS -- #1D Dennis Rodriguez, Camarillo, CA
Heat 3: 1. #3F Casey Riggs, Shelbyville, IN; 2. #87JR Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 3.
#2J Jackie Burke, Houston, TX; 4. #51C Brent Camarillo, Camarillo, CA; 5. #16B David
Budres, Beloit, WI; 6. #24T Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK: 7. #25M Derrick Myers, Stonington,
IL: 8. #15 Tim Siner, Dupo, IL
Heat 4: 1. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 2. #11K Brett Anderson, Belleville,
IL; 3. #49K Bryan Kobylarz, Birdsboro, PA; 4. #51 Mike Hess, Springfield, IL: 5. #17 Chris
Windom, Canton, IL: 6. #96 Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 7. #11XS Donovan Peterson, Brookings,
SD; 8. #11R Ryan Cole, Porter, OK
Heat 5: 1. #13 Danny Stratton, Indianapolis, IN; 2. #55 Alex Bowman, Oro Valley,
AZ; 3. #17W Josh Wise, Riverside, CA; 4. #8K Bud Kaeding, San Jose, CA; 5. #88D Rusty
Dukes, Fair Grove, MO; 6. #12D Dusty Heistand, Manheim, PA; 7. #7J Clint Todd, Lynchburg,
MO; 8. #37B Daniel Robinson, Wayne City, IL
Heat 6: 1. #19R Kody Swanson, Kingsburg, CA; 2. #6X Dylan Peterson, Sioux Falls,
SD; 3. #9J Jason Meyers, Clovis, CA; 4. #7JR J.D. Black, Grain Valley, MO; 5. #87C Rich
Camfield, Decatur, IL; 6. #93X Brian Harvey, Durant, OK; 7. #83X Bruce Buckwalter Jr.,
Royersford, PA; 8. #27D Nick Chivello, Manteca, CA
Heat 7: 1. #35 Travis Berryhill, American Canyon, CA; 2. #007 Cole Carter,
Brownsburg, IN; 3. #88 Johnathon Henry, Stockton, CA; 4. #2B Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 5. #30
Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 6. #33S Austin Smith, Chino Hills, CA; 7. #15M Mat Neely,
Robinson, IL; 8. #59 Dex Eaton, Owasso, OK
Heat 8: 1. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 2. #37 Matt Mitchell, Yorba Linda,
CA; 3. #5 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 4. #84X Colton Heath, Marysville, WA; 5. #84 Joey
Fabozzi, Norco, CA; 6. #9 Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 7. #38N Kyle Neal, Ewing, IL; 8.
#57K Bubba Altig, Mechanicsburg, IL
C Mains (Top 4 in each transfer to back
of corresponding B Main)
C Main 1: 1.
#4S Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO; 2. #96 Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 3. #37B Daniel
Robinson, Wayne City, IL; 4. #88D Rusty Dukes, Fair Grove, MO; 5. #57K Bubba Altig,
Mechanicsburg, IL; 6. #10W George White, Fort Worth, TX; 7. #25Z Chris Zrinski, Forked
River, NJ; 8. #38N Kyle Neal, Ewing, IL; 9. #58 Cole Peard, Quincy, CA; 10. #11XS Donovan
Peterson, Brookings, SD; 11. #27D Nick Chivello, Manteca, CA DNS -- #83X Bruce Buckwalter
Jr., Royersford, PA
C Main 2: 1. #9 Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 2. #86J Josh Most, Red Oak, IA; 3.
#15M Mat Neely, Robinson, IL; 4. #59 Dex Eaton, Owasso, OK: 5. #1D Dennis Rodriguez,
Camarillo, CA; 6. #25M Derrick Myers, Stonington, IL; 7. #33S Austin Smith, Chino Hills,
CA; 8. #7J Clint Todd, Lynchburg, MO; 9. #11R Ryan Cole, Porter, OK; 10. #12D Dusty
Heistand, Manheim, PA; 11. #93X Brian Harvey, Durant, OK DNS -- #15 Tim Siner, Dupo, IL
A Qualifiers (Top 16 in combined
passing points to A Main; Balance to twin B Mains)
A Qualifier 1: 1. #21K Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 2. #30 Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ;
3. #13 Danny Stratton, Indianapolis, IN; 4. #9H Russ Harper, Indianapolis, IN; 5. #35
Travis Berryhill, American Canyon, CA; 6. #51 Mike Hess, Springfield, IL; 7. #2J Jackie
Burke, Houston, TX; 8. #84 Joey Fabozzi, Norco, CA; 9. #51C Brent Camarillo, CA; 10. #8K
Bud Kaeding, San Jose, CA
A Qualifier 2: 1. #11K Brett Anderson, Belleville, IL; 2. #55 Alex Bowman, Oro
Valley, AZ; 3. #49JR Bobby Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 4. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 5.
#87JR Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 6. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 7. #7A Dakoda
Armstrong, New Castle, IN; 8. #21 Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK; 9. #7JR J.D. Black, Grain
Valley, MO; 10. #57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN
A Qualifier 3: 1. #17 Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 2. #007 Cole Carter, Brownsburg,
IN; 3. #49K Bryan Kobylarz, Birdsboro, PA; 4. #6X Dylan Peterson, Sioux Falls, SD; 5. #17W
Josh Wise, Riverside, CA; 6. #67 J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 7. #9J Jason Meyers, Clovis, CA;
8. #55K Nick Knepper, Belleville, IL; 9. #16B David Budres, Beloit, WI; 10. #56D Kevin
Olson, Machesney Park, IL
A Qualifier 4: 1. #2B Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 2. #5 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 3.
#19R Kody Swanson, Kingsburg, CA; 4. #3F Casey Riggs, Shelbyville, IN; 5. #84X Colton
Heath, Marysville, WA; 6. #44 Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE; 7. #88 Jonathon Henry, Stockton,
CA; 8. #24T Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 9. #37 Matt Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA; 10. #87C
Rich Camfield, Decatur, IL
B Mains (Top 4 in each transfer to A
Main)
B Main 1: 1. #51 Mike Hess, Springfield, IL; 2. #84X Colton Heath, Marysville, WA;
3. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA; 4. #9J Jason Meyers, Clovis, CA; 5. #7A Dakoda Armstrong,
New Castle, IN; 6. #37B Daniel Robinson, Wayne City, IL; 7. #51C Brent Camarillo,
Camarillo, CA; 8. #4S Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO; 9. #87C Rich Camfield, Decatur,
IL; 10. #87JR Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 11. #24T Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 12. #96 Cody
Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 13. #16B David Budres, Beloit, WI; 14. #84 Joey Fabozzi, Norco, CA;
15. #8K Bud Kaeding, San Jose, CA; 16. #88D Rusty Dukes, Fair Grove, MO
B Main 2: 1. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 2. #67 J.J. Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 3.
#44 Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE; 4. #88 Johnathon Henry, Stockton, CA; 5. #9H Russ Harper,
Indianapolis, IN; 6. #55K Nick Knepper, Belleville, IL; 7. #21 Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK;
8. #37 Matt Mitchell, Yorba Linda, CA; 9. #57B Johnny Heydenreich, Indianapolis, IN; 10.
#15M Mat Neely, Robinson, IL; 11. #59 Dex Eaton, Owasso, OK; 12. #86J Josh Most, Red Oak,
IA; 13. #56D Kevin Olson, Machesney Park, IL; 14. #7JR J.D. Black, Grain Valley, MO; 15.
#9 Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 16. #2J Jackie Burke, Houston, TX
A Main (25 laps Top 3 advance
to Saturday Night's Main Event)
1. #21K Cory Kruseman, Ventura, CA; 2. #5 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 3. #13 Danny
Stratton, Indianapolis, IN; 4. #17 Chris Windom, Canton, IL; 5. #30 Chad Boat, Phoenix,
AZ; 6. #51 Mike Hess, Springfield, IL; 7. #2B Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 8. #49JR Bobby
Michnowicz, Torrance, CA; 9. #44 Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE; 10. #49K Trevor Kobylarz,
Birdsboro, PA; 11. #3F Casey Riggs, Shelbyville, IN; 12. #9J Jason Meyers, Clovis, CA; 13.
#84X Colton Heath, Marysville, WA; 14. #05 Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills, MO; 15. #88 Jonathon
Henry, Stockton, CA; 16. #55 Alex Bowman, Oro Valley, AZ; 17. #17T Justin Grant, Ione, CA;
18. #17W Jose Wise, Riverside, CA; 19. #11K Brett Anderson, Belleville, IL; 20. #67 J.J.
Yeley, Phoenix, AZ; 21. #007 Cole Carter, Brownsburg, IN; 22. #19R Kody Swanson,
Kingsburg, CA; 23. #6X Dylan Peterson, Sioux Falls, SD; 24. #35 Travis Berryhill, American
Canyon, CA |