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Ballou, Gardner Secure National, CRA Titles

Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind., Robert Ballou of Rocklin, Calif. and Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. shared the spotlight in Saturday night’s 48th “Western World Championships” USAC Sprint car finale at USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz.

Clauson captured the 30-lap main event in his B&H Contractors/Dooling Machine Spike/Fisher, while Ballou and Gardner nailed down 2015 USAC driving championships. Ballou is the AMSOIL National Champion and Gardner is the AMSOIL USAC/CRA titlist.

Clauson was the last of four lap leaders as he led the final seven laps after passing Ballou, who was seeking a record-tying 14th series win. Ballou led 13 laps and finished second ahead of Brady Bacon, Dave Darland and Richard Vander Weerd. Gardner finished 12th to take his fourth CRA crown.

Ballou captured Thursday night’s 30-lap prelim in his Pacific Grass & Turf/Blakesley’s Auto Maxim/Ott. He took the lead after Jerry Coons Jr. flipped on lap 25 and held on to beat Bacon, Clauson, Thomas Meseraull and Gardner.

Bacon, of Broken Arrow, Okla., came back to grab Friday’s feature in his Hoffman Auto Racing/Mean Green Triple X/Williams Mopar, leading the final 14 laps after passing Matt Rossi. Clauson took second ahead of Tracy Hines, Ballou and Kevin Thomas Jr. Bacon’s victory was the 100th in USAC National competition for car owner Hoffman Auto Racing. of Milford, Ohio.

Ballou (National) and Mark Alexander (CRA) emerged as car owner champions following Saturday night’s finale.

ProSource and Woodland Auto Display fast qualifiers were Bacon (Thursday) and Stockon (Friday). Stockon’s season included eight FQs, helping him claim the ProSource Fast Qualifier Award for the driver recording the most National FQs during the year.

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