By Dick Jordan
USAC’s 2013 Western racing champions will receive accolades Saturday night at the annual USAC Western “Night of Champions,” to be held at the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, located at 3015 Airpark Drive in Santa Maria, Calif. Happy hour begins at 5:30, followed by dinner at 6:30 and the awards ceremonies.
The top-10 in USAC’s AMSOIL CRA Sprint, West Coast Sprint, Honda Western Midget and Honda Western Western Dirt Midget series will be honored, along with the top-5 in the Western Classic Sprints and Honda Western Pavement Midgets.
Driver champions headlining the recipients are Damion Gardner of Concord, Calif. (AMSOIL CRA Sprints), Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton, Calif. (West Coast Sprints), Ryan Bernal of Hollister, Calif. (Western Classic Sprints), Ronnie Gardner of Corona, Calif. (Honda Western and Western Dirt Midgets) and Chad Nichols of Colma, Calif. (Honda Western Pavement Midgets).
Saturday night’s event had originally been scheduled in Santa Ynez but was moved to Santa Maria in recent weeks.
In addition to the point position awards, special awards will also include the Billy Wilkerson and Walt Johnson Awards, CRA Crew Chief of the Year and Most Improved Driver and series Rooike of the Year Awards.