CRA: Manzanita race notes

JONES TAKES MANZANITA CRA OPENER

USAC National Sprint Car Champion Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. captured Saturday night's 30-lap USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series opener at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Ariz.

Jones led the final six laps in his Tony Stewart Racing Mopar-powered machine to beat Cory Kruseman, Darren Hagen, Damion Gardner and Danny Sheridan to the checkered flag on the 1/2-mile dirt oval.

Jones's teammate, Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif., spent Saturday night at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix after flipping while leading the race on lap 14. He was held overnight for observation and was expected to be released Sunday following initial X-rays, which proved negative. Wise was attempting to lap a slower car when he hit the first-turn wall.

Gardner, who posted a record 22 fast qualifying times on his way to the 2005 USAC/CRA title, opened the season as Saturday's fast qualifier. Jesse Hockett, who was the second-fastest qualifier, led 11 laps after the Wise accident, but failed to finish the 30-lap race.

The USAC/CRA series resumes Feb. 4 at the Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.

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