From Lance Jennings
HANFORD, CA – MARCH 10, 2010… Round two for the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series will be held this Saturday night, March 13th, at Giant Speedway in Hanford, California. It will be the first of five events at the 3/8-mile facility, followed by June 5th, July 17th, August 21st, and the Jim Turner Memorial on September 11th. The Turner Memorial is also the finale for the Southwest Contractors 360 Clash, a four-race mini-series that has a $5,000 point fund.
Several key players in last season’s championship point chase will be looking to rebound after a tough night at the Tulare season opener. Defending Champion Justyne Hamblin of Hanford, Bakersfield’s Rusty Carlile, Clovis’ Peter Murphy, and Kerman’s Davey Pombo are among a talented roster of drivers that will be looking to visit Hanford’s victory circle.
Visalia’s Dean “Kiwi” Alexander scored the 25-lap feature win last Saturday night at Tulare’s Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway. The pilot of the McCowan Motorsports #11 Maxim now sits atop the series point standings and has a five-point advantage over Fresno’s Craig Stidham.
Stidham, who started twelfth in last weekend’s feature, charged through the field to finish second in his Brad D. Johnson Trucking #3S TCR. Last season, the former Trophy Cup Champion had 5 top-5 finishes, 1 fast time, and scored back-to-back wins at Hanford on June 20th and June 26th.
Sitting third in the point standings is “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. from Tipton. The veteran driver took his DeBoer & Sons Trucking #17 Maxim to a third place finish after starting eleventh. Faria also scored a series win last year at Santa Maria on September 19th.
Visalia’s Jace VanderWeerd is fourth in the point standings. Driving Ron VanderWeerd’s Mid Valley Pipe & Supply #88 Maxim, Jace came from ninth to battle his way up to the fourth spot. Last season, VanderWeerd had 5 top-5 finishes, 3 fast times, and won the inaugural series event at Hanford on March 14th.
“The Central Valley Samurai” Garrett Ishii from Caruthers sits fifth in the point standings. The pilot of the Ishii Racing #71G Maxim and Rebel Cup Feature Winner is the thick of the point chase. Ishii is only 15 points behind Alexander.
Giant Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford, California. Also on the card are the Western States Modifieds, IMCA Stocks, and the Bud Light Mini-Stocks. The Driver’s Meeting will be at 5:00pm with Hot Laps at 5:30pm. Qualifying is scheduled for 6:30, with racing to follow.
For event information, please visit www.kingsspeedway.net or call (559) 584-RACE (7223).
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car series, visit www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, and www.usacracing.com.
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USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS:
1. Dean Alexander, 11- 68
2. Craig Stidham, 3S- 63
3. Danny Faria Jr., 17V- 61
4. Jace VanderWeerd, 88- 58
5. Garrett Ishii, 71G- 53
6. Peter Murphy, 21- 50
7. Richard VanderWeerd, 10- 49
8. Chris Ennis, 86- 44
9. Jimmy Thompson, 71R- 43
10. Andy Ferris, 4J- 38
11. Jonathan Logan, 32- 35
12. T.J. Smith, 14- 32
13. Justyne Hamblin, 8- 30
14. Steve Osborne, 9J- 29
15. Danny Sheridan, 18- 29
16. Matt Day, 97- 26
17. Dave Knott, 28- 25
18. Ricky Kirkbride, 87- 21
19. Matt Streeter, 14JR- 19
20. Albert Pombo, 35- 18