By Scott Daloisio
(MARCH 22, 2010, PERRIS, CA) This Saturday night, March 27th, Perris Auto Speedway will kick off its annual Power of Purple fund raising campaign for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The goal is to raise $10,000.00 dollars to help fight the dreaded disease. Saturday’s racing program will feature the popular Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, West Coast Street Stocks (PASSCAR Super Stocks) and for the first time since 2008, the Extreme Late Models. Fans will receive free Power of Purple Thunder Sticks (until supplies run out) when they enter the gates. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM and the first race will be at 7:00 PM.
This will be the seventh straight year The PAS has held this very special fundraiser and each year it has raised $10,000.00. “The Relay for Life has held a very special place in all of out hearts over the years,” Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian said. “As we have done the past six years, we will help in the fight against cancer again in 2010 and it will all begin this Saturday night. Like before, our great fans, the drivers, crews, officials and our sponsors will all join in and help with the fight. It does not matter is someone can donate $100.00 or .10c. It all helps and is appreciated.”
Starting this Saturday, there will be collection areas around the racetrack and at intermission the drivers will be coming into the stands to collect donations from the fans.
The Relay for Life began in 1985 at the University of Puget Sound when Dr. Gordon Klatt walked and ran solo around a track and raised $27,000.00. Since then the Relay for Life has awarded well more than $2.4 billion in grants for cancer research and has more than two million dedicated volunteers nationwide.
Saturday’s race will be the first stand-alone race in 2010 for the USAC/CRA Series. The first three races of the season have been raced in conjunction with the USAC National Sprint Car Series. Two-time defending USAC/CRA champion Mike Spencer of Temecula is eighth in the point standings and is the highest ranked USAC/CRA driver heading into this weekend’s race. The Cal Poly Pomona graduate was fifth in The PAS Sprint Car season opener on February 27th.
Mike Kirby of Torrance, who last Saturday won the Victorville Auto Raceway Late Model main event and the week before won The PAS Modified season opener, will lead a five car Bartels’ Harley-Davidson team in the Late Model division. Kirby’s sister Carla, also of Torrance and three generations of Bartels, Bill (grandfather), Ron (son) and Nick (grandson) will all be in action. PAS officials are expecting 20 Late Models on the night. Late Model drivers from as far away as Northern California and Arizona have indicated they will be on hand.
Attached to this release is a photo of Carla Laney in her brand new Late Model. She is the only female driver to win a Late Model main event at The PAS. Please feel free to use the photo and please give photo credit to K.C. Rooney.
Rounding out Saturday’s program will be the PASSCAR Super Stocks, which are part of the first year West Coast Street Stock Series. Popular Ken Searcy of Nuevo is the defending PAS Super Stock champ and he will open defense of his crown in Saturday’s 20-lap main event.
Saturday’s racing action will include qualifying, heats and A mains for the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and the Late Models. The Super Stocks will contest heats and a 20-lap main.
You can keep up with all of the latest news from Perris Auto Speedway on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/perrisautospdwy.
For more information call The PAS at: (951) 940-0134.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of October’s Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds.
Video and DVD productions of all racing events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from Jeff Kristensen’s Raceway Video. For more information on these productions you can call: (818) 618-9764 or visit the web site at: racewayvideo.com.
Perris Auto Speedway is on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.