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BERNAL TOPS OPENING NIGHT "WESTERN WORLD" SPRINT CAR FEATURE

Peoria, Arizona.....Ryan Bernal held back the advances of Bryan Clauson to win the opening night of the 47th Sands Chevrolet "Western World Championships" at Canyon Speedway Park on Thursday night. The Hollister, California driver continued his outstanding Sprint Car season on the West Coast in the Phulps Motorsports - Tri-L Mandarin Ranch #56 ART/Wesmar.

Gary Taylor jumped to the lead from the pole, but he and Bernal waged war for the top spot over the opening laps. They swapped the top spot repeatedly, although Bernal led at the line from lap two on.

Casey Shuman finally moved past Taylor for second around halfway, and with ten laps to go he moved in on Bernal. Bernal bobbled on the cushion in turn-four, allowing Shuman to lead lap 21. Bernal took it right back in turn-two with a beautiful move to the bottom.

Meanwhile, Bryan Clauson was on the move from 18th and vaulted to the second spot, wasting no time carving into Bernal's lead. He pressured him for the top spot and finally jumped to the top as they took the white flag, but a tangle in turn-two set up a two-lap dash to the finish.

Bernal tried to protect the bottom and nearly opened up a hole big enough for Clauson to use, but Bernal recovered to hold the top spot. Clauson tried one last-ditch effort on the high side but couldn't get it done, settling for second in the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing - Chevy Performance #20 Maxim/Kistler.

Shuman rounded out the podium in the Hockett Racing - Korte Transportation #75, while R.J. Johnson came from 15th to finish fourth and C.J. Leary moved from 19th to fifth.

USAC SOUTHWEST & WEST COAST SPRINT CAR "Special Event" RACE RESULTS: November 20, 2014 - Peoria, Arizona - Canyon Speedway Park - 47th Annual Sands Chevrolet "Western World Championships"

FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Mike Colegrove (#17M Colegrove), 2. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 3. Ryan Bernal (#56 Phulps), 4. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 5. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 6. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 7. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy), 9. Mark Morin (#28 Morin). NT

SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 2. Jake Swanson (#92 Sertich), 3. Mike Spencer (#7M Priestley), 4. Casey Buckman (#04G Cook), 5. Chris Windom (#22B Weber), 6. Bryan Clauson (#20X TSR-Curb/Agajanian), 7. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 8. Bradley Terrell (#5V VanLare). NT

THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Josh Hodges (#74X Hodges), 2. Casey Shuman (#75 Hockett/James), 3. Gary Taylor (#1ST BRAT), 4. Matt Mitchell (#37 Mitchell), 5. C.J. Leary (#30 Leary), 6. Dalten Gabbard (#77 Gabbard). NT

FOURTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 3. Brady Bacon (#99 BBR), 4. Bruce St. James (#7K St.James), 5. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 6. Dave Darland (#73 Ford), 7. Jon Stanbrough (#20S Deskins). NT

FIFTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Robert Ballou (#12X Ballou), 2. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber) 3. Kevin Thomas Jr. (#17RW Dutcher), 4. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 5. Aaron Reutzel (#87 Reutzel), 6. Colby Copeland (#74 Williams), 7. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler). NT

FIRST SEMI: (12 laps) 1. Johnson, 2. Bacon, 3. Leary, 4. Windom, 5. Copeland, 6. Darland, 7. Shipley, 8. Reinbold, 9. Curtis, 10. Terrell, 11. Buckman.

SECOND SEMI: (12 laps) 1. St.James, 2. Clauson, 3. Mitchell, 4. Stanbrough, 5. Thomas, 6. Pelkey, 7. Reutzel, 8. Gabbard, 9. Martin, 10. Lundy, 11. Morin.

FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Ryan Bernal, 2. Bryan Clauson, 3. Casey Shuman, 4. R.J. Johnson, 5. C.J. Leary, 6. Charles Davis Jr., 7. Gary Taylor, 8. Robert Ballou, 9. Mike Spencer, 10. Chris Windom, 11. Matt Mitchell, 12. Tye Mihocko, 13. Shon Deskins, 14. Bruce St. James, 15. Brian Hosford, 16. Matt Rossi,17. Brady Bacon, 18. Jon Stanbrough, 19. Tom Ogle, 20. Mike Colegrove, 21. Josh Hodges, 22. Jake Swanson. NT

**Ogle flipped on Lap 12. Bacon flipped on Lap 19. Deskins flipped on Lap 29.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1 Taylor, Laps 2-20 Bernal, Lap 21 Shuman, Laps 22-30 Bernal.

NEW USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT POINT STANDINGS: 1-Johnson-1,314, 2-Davis-1,170, 3-Pelkey-1,148, 4-Rossi-1,070, 5-Deskins-1,011, 6-Martin-994, 7-Mihocko-927, 9-Curtis-686, 10-Hosford-666.

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