From Lance Jennings
Phoenix, AZ — (November 12, 2014) — Starting this Friday, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will return to Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Arizona for two nights of action. Promoted by Kevin Montgomery, the “14th Annual Hose Advantage Store Hall of Fame Classic” will close out the 2014 campaign. Co-sanctioned with the USAC National Sprints, an incredible roster of talent from California, Arizona, New Mexico, and the Midwest will tackle the 1/3-mile clay oval. The popular Challenge Cup Sprint Cars and Mini Sprints will join the showcase and the spectator gates will open at 4:00pm with racing at 7:00pm. For more event information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.
The festivities will begin on Thursday, November 13th with the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Arizona Open Wheel Racing Museum and Motorsports Hall of Fame. Located at 3534 E. Broadway Road in Phoenix, the “Hall of Fame Kickoff Party” will start at 6:00pm, and is open to the public. This year, multi-time SCRA Champion “The Gasman” Richard Griffin will serve as Grand Marshall of the “Hall of Fame Classic.”
Heading into the “Hall of Fame Classic,” Canyon Speedway Park has played host to nine Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car events. Indiana’s Bryan Clauson has four victories, as Dave Darland, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, and R.J. Johnson have one triumph at Canyon. Chase Stockon won last year’s “Hall of Fame Classic” and “The Demon” Damion Gardner won the season opener on February 28th
Entering Friday’s race, Concord, California’s “The Demon” Damion Gardner has clinched his third USAC/CRA Championship. Racing Mark Alexander’s #4A Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike, Gardner raced to sixth from fourteenth in the finale of the Perris Oval Nationals. To date, “The Demon” has eleven feature wins, nine Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, fifteen heat race victories, nineteen top-10 finishes, and 205 feature laps led on the season. Damion will be looking to cap off a great season with the “Hall of Fame Classic” victory.
Mike Spencer of Temecula, California is second in the Amsoil USAC/CRA point chase. Driving Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer led several laps of the Perris finale before taking second at the checkered flags. Currently, the five-time champion has one feature win, five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 108 feature laps led to his credit. Mike will have his sights on adding the “Hall of Fame Classic” to his win list.
Buena Park, California’s Brody Roa sits third in the point standings. The pilot of the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim was injured during last Wednesday’s practice session and did not race in the Budweiser Oval Nationals. Returning from the hospital to watch the Saturday finale, Roa will miss the competition at Canyon Speedway Park to heal for next season. To date, the former Wagsdash Champion has six heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and twelve top-10 finishes in 2014.
Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda, California has climbed to fourth in the championship points. Racing his #37 Campbell Bros. Storage / Pit Boss Jacks Maxim, Mitchell missed the Oval Nationals finale by one transfer spot. Heading to Canyon, the recently crowned USAC West Coast Champion has one feature win, two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, ten top-10 finishes, and 35 feature laps led on the year. Matt will be looking to earn his first “Copper State” feature win at Canyon Speedway Park.
Corona, California’s “The Cadillac” Cody Williams ranks fifth in the Amsoil USAC/CRA point chase. Piloting Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams took a provisional and claimed eighteenth in the Perris 40-lap main event. To date, the former National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year has one feature win, one heat race victory, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, ten top-10 finishes, and 29 feature laps led. “The Cadillac” will have his sights on earning his second career USAC/CRA triumph at the “Hall of Fame Classic.”
Currently eleventh in points, Yorba Linda, California’s Logan Williams leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Chris Gansen, Gary Taylor, and Cody Swanson are also in contention. Local 360 iron-block powered Sprint Cars are welcome to race with USAC/CRA. Per series rules, all fuel-injected 410 and 360 powered sprint cars must run the Hoosier 105/16 Medium Right Rear Tire and all four corners must be Hoosier. Cars must pass a tech inspection and one-way radios are mandatory for drivers.
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon leads the Amsoil USAC National Sprint point standings. Bryan Clauson, “The People’s Champion” Dave Darland, Jon Stanbrough, Chase Stockon, Tracy Hines, Justin Grant, “The Madman” Robert Ballou, “The Bear” Chris Windom, and C.J. Leary round out the top-10 drivers. Other drivers expected to be in action are Darren Hagen, Chad Boespflug, and Jarrett Andretti.
Canyon Speedway Park is located at 9777 West Carefree Highway in Peoria, Arizona. To get to the track, take Lake Pleasant Parkway, then 1.3 miles West on Carefree Highway. On race day, Adult Tickets will be $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday. Kids Tickets (7-12) are $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday, with Children (6 & Under) are FREE. VIP Suite tickets are also available for $30 on Friday and $35 on Saturday. For more event information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or call (602) 258-7223 (RACE).
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Engler Machine & Tool, Extreme Mufflers, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, Saldana Racing Products, Weld Racing, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/USAC_CRA).
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CANYON HALL OF FAME CLASSIC WINNERS:
2011-Bryan Clauson, 2012-Mike Martin, 2013-Chase Stockon.
CANYON USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Bryan Clauson – 13.418 (10/27/12)
2014 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS:
11-Damion Gardner, 2-Robert Ballou, 1-Rico Abreu, 1-Christoper Bell, 1-Matt Mitchell, 1-Mike Spencer, 1-Richard Vander Weerd, 1-Austin Williams, 1-Cody Williams.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS:
1-Damion Gardner-1,255, 2-Mike Spencer-1,045, 3-Brody Roa-790, 4-Matt Mitchell-787, 5-Cody Williams-786, 6-Austin Williams-760, 7-Jake Swanson-660, 8-Richard Vander Weerd-656, 9-Nic Faas-642, 10-Ryan Bernal-508, 11-Logan Williams-466, 12-Cory Kruseman-381, 13-Chris Gansen-355, 14-Jace Vander Weerd-353, 15-Kevin Thomas Jr.-347, 16-Ronnie Gardner-293, 17-Gary Taylor-263, 18-Colby Copeland-262, 19-R.J. Johnson-257, 20-Rickie Gaunt-239.
AMSOIL NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS:
1-Brady Bacon-1,868; 2-Bryan Clauson-1,815; 3-Dave Darland-1,790; 4-Jon Stanbrough-1,690; 5-Chase Stockon-1,532; 6-Tracy Hines-1,452; 7-Justin Grant-1,418; 8-Robert Ballou-1,412; 9-Chris Windom-1,351; 10-C.J. Leary-1,268.
2014 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
November 14: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)