By: Fast Time Media
6/22/23… Ventura, California: Saturday Night, AJ Bender would make a rare appearance with the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars at Ventura Raceway. He would hope aboard one of the Cory Kruseman cars, where AJ ended up bringing home a 13th place finish.
The night began with qualifying, where AJ would come in with confidence. Unfortunately, they were just a little off time wise. AJ ended up going out, and going 14th quickest out of 30 cars.
That put him starting 2nd in the heat race. Needing to win the heat race, AJ would drive it hard. Unfortunately, he made a mistake that costed him a spot. He would slip back to the 3rd position where he finished the heat race.
“I felt good in practice but seemed to be a little off in qualifying. We went too far off timewise but with 30 cars it put us 14th overall. Ine the heat race I started 2nd and needed to win the heat race but after a driver mistake finished 3rd.”
AJ rolled off from the 14th spot for the feature event. Early on, AJ would pass a few cars as he began his charge forward. Unfortunately, just a handful of laps in the track began to take rubber. It made for a long 30 laps of racing, and AJ had to settle for a 13th place finish.
“The start of the main showed good promise, passed a few cars. Cory tightened up the car a ton, and we both agreed we didn’t think it would take rubber. Sadly after 4 or 5 laps you could see and smell the rubber coming in. From there on it was just following each other around the bottom in the rubber and we were way to tight so it made for a long 30 laps.”
It was an unfortunate ending to a good night of racing in Ventura. AJ was looking to charge forward in the feature event before the rubber laid down. He would have to settle for a 13th place finish.
AJ would like to thank Cory Kruseman & his sponsors!
Next Race: TBA
2023 season stats: 20 events, 18 features, 1 win, 6 top-5's, 13 top-10's
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