Since rain forced postponement of the Feb. 18 race at Perris, Cory Kruseman of Ventura , Calif. , still holds a one point lead over defending series champion Damion Gardner of Concord , Calif.   Perris Auto Speedway and USAC officials recently announced that the postponed race has been rescheduled for Saturday night, April 1.

            Through two races this year, Kruseman has a runner-up finish at the season opener at Manzanita Speedway, Phoenix , Ariz. , on Jan. 21 and a fourth-place finish at Perris on Feb. 4.  From a main event standpoint, Gardner has equaled Kruseman, posting a fourth-place finish at Manzy and a runner-up finish at Perris.  Even though “The Demon” has been the fastest qualifier in both 2006 races, “The Kruser’s” finishes in heat race competition have given him the slightest of edges in the series points chase.

            2004 USAC/CRA Champion Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Calif., led all but the first lap of the Perris race, and held off a charging Gardner at the finish to earn his 99^th sanctioned sprint car victory.  Despite the popular victory, a flip in the season opener has left Williams sixth in the series point standing, 47 points behind Kruseman.  2005 USAC National Sprint Car Champion, Levi Jones, Olney , Ill. , won the Manzanita Speedway race and led the opening lap of the Perris race before finishing eighth.

            Santa Maria , Calif. ’s Danny Sheridan is off to the best start of his 410 sprint car career, with a top-five finish at Manzanita Speedway and a seventh-place run at Perris.  Heading into the televised race this weekend, Sheridan sits third in series points, three points ahead of Mike Spencer of Temecula , Calif.

            The March 4th race will be the 40^th under USAC/CRA sanction at the 1/2-mile dirt Perris oval.