3 “CALIFORNIA SPRINT WEEK” FINALES THIS WEEK;

BELL, ABREU SHARE “VERMEIL” SPRINT GLORY AT CALISTOGA

The 2014 “California Sprint Week” concludes this week with races at Chico, Watsonville and Santa Maria, Calif. Thursday’s “Gold Cup” race is at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, while Friday’s race is at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville and Saturday’s race is at Santa Maria Speedway.

Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. continues to lead the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car series with a 126-point cushion over Mike Spencer after last week’s 7th “Louie Vermeil Classic” races at Calistoga, Calif.

Christopher Bell of Norman, Okla. passed Ryan Bernal on the 24th lap and led the rest of the way to claim Saturday night’s 30-lap “Vermeil” feature at Calistoga Speedway in his Dennis Roth Revcon Suspension/Southern Pacific Farms KPC. The race featured five official lead changes as Bell was trailed by Gardner, Rico Abreu, Brody Roa and Robert Ballou. Spencer led the first 10 laps, Bernal led three, Bell led one, Bernal led the next nine, then Bell took over for good.

Rico Abreu of Rutherford, Calif. wheeled his Abreu Vineyards sprinter to victory in Sunday night’s Calistoga 30-lapper. He led the final nine laps after passing Bell on lap 22. Austin Williams led the first three laps and Bell led the next 18. Kevin Thomas Jr. took second at the checkered flag ahead of Bell, Geoff Ensign and Bradley Terrell.