By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 24, 2019… Four more sprint car entries have arrived for the November 27th and 28th “79th Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Ventura Raceway. The non-point races for the USAC West Coast and VRA 360 Sprint Cars will close with the finale of the “ARP Battle of the Beach” mini-series. Also featuring the NOS Energy Drink USAC National and Western States Midget Series, the prestigious event will draw a talented roster of drivers from across the country.
Newly crowned USAC West Coast Champion, Tristan Guardino (Fremont, CA) will be in action at the “Thanksgiving Classic.” Racing the family owned #15T Dorso’s Automotive / Allied Auto Stores Maxim, Guardino scored wins at Ventura (March 23rd), Tulare (June 7th), and Santa Maria (June 15th). In addition, he posted two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, eleven top-10 finishes, and 87 feature laps led on the season.
Running a part time schedule, 2018 Champion Austin Liggett (Tracy, CA) finished seventh in the USAC West Coast point standings. In six starts, Liggett posted four wins and two second place finishes in the campaign. With eleven victories to his credit, Austin is tied for third with former champions “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. and Bud Kaeding in series wins.
Northern California drivers Nate Schank (Santa Rosa) and Bruno Bianchi (Petaluma) have also entered the “Turkey Night Grand Prix.” Schank finished eleventh and Bianchi placed seventeenth at Petaluma on October 12th.
The 360 Sprint Car Entry Form for the “79th Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix” can be found online at westcoastsprintcars.com/2019/tn19.pdf.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
– TURKEY NIGHT ENTRIES: Thursday, October 31st, is the deadline for the $50 early entry fee. Any entry postmarked or received after October 31st will have a $100 entry fee. Entries submitted on raceday will be $100. USAC West Coast Sprint Car series rules will apply.
– 2019 APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535, BILLY BOAT: FRAC-0375S, COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S, FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101, SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78, SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK. *Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
– FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
– FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY.
– COCKPIT ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS ARE ALLOWED.
– The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier.
– Engine restrictor rules are 1-7/8″ with open heads and 2-3/16″ with ASCS cylinder heads.
– The weight rule is 1,475 lbs. with driver.
– The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Rule Book can be found online at westcoastsprintcars.com and usacracing.com.
Advance tickets for the “79th Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix” are available online through venturaraceway.com or by calling 805.648.7223. Ventura Raceway is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, California.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Butlerbuilt Professional Seat Systems, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Saldana Racing Products, Sway-A-Way Racing Technology, Ultra Shield Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, 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 series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content at westcoastsprintcars.com and the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
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2019 TURKEY NIGHT GRAND PRIX SPRINT CAR ENTRIES:
Car # – Driver – Hometown – Car Owner
1S- Nate Schank / Santa Roa, CA / Janis Schank
2- J.J. Ringo / Morgan Hill, CA / Keller Motorsports
15T- Tristan Guardino / Fremont, CA / Rick Guardino
17- Bruno Bianchi / Petaluma, CA / Dan Phillips
81- Ricky Lewis / Oxnard, CA / Steve Watt
81M- Slater Helt / Harrisonville, MO / Steve Watt
81S- Michael Pickens / Auckland, NZ / Steve Watt
81T- Tyler Courtney / Indianapolis, IN / Steve Watt
81X- Cody Majors / Simi Valley, CA / Steve Watt
83- Austin Liggett / Tracy, CA / Tim Liggett
99T- Tanner Boul / Auberry, CA / Boul Racing
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS: 2009-Justyne Hamblin, 2010-Craig Stidham, 2011-Richard Vander Weerd, 2012-Bud Kaeding, 2013-Danny Faria Jr., 2014-Matt Mitchell, 2015-Danny Faria Jr., 2016-Brody Roa, 2017-Jake Swanson, 2018-Austin Liggett, 2019-Tristan Guardino.
TURKEY NIGHT 360 DIRT SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS: 2016-Geoff Ensign, 2017-Tyler Courtney, 2018-Carson Macedo.
2019 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 4-Austin Liggett, 3-Tristan Guardino, 2-Jake Swanson, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Kaleb Montgomery, 1-Brody Roa, 1- Troy Rutherford.
FINAL 2019 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Tristan Guardino-860, 2. Ryan Timmons-710, 3. Koen Shaw-622, 4. T.J. Smith-550, 5. J.J. Ringo ®-539, 6. Hannah Mayhew ®-497, 7. Austin Liggett-468, 8. Austin Ervine-458, 9. Slater Helt ®-428, 10. Jake Swanson-400, 11. Troy Rutherford-328, 12. Steve Hix-308, 13. Danny Faria Jr.-294, 14. Michael Faccinto-275, 15. Cody Majors-266, 16. Ricky Kirkbride-255, 17. Tanner Boul ®-243, 18. Tom Hendricks-228, 19. Brandon Wiley-213, 20. Brent Owens ®-210, –. Kaleb Montgomery-210.