By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – AUGUST 17, 2010… When the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars compete this Saturday, August 21st at Hanford, Davey Pombo will be looking for another victory. The veteran driver claimed the Hanford win on August 7th and sliced Craig Stidham’s point lead down to 44 points. With six nights remaining on the schedule, the series championship is still up for grabs.
The August 21st event at Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway will also showcase the Kings Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Central California Modifieds, and Bud Light Mini-Stocks. The Spectator Gates will open at 5:30pm, Time Trials at 6:30pm, with racing to follow.
The Hanford 3/8-mile clay oval has hosted 3 other races in the 2010 campaign. “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. won the 30-lap feature from the sixteenth starting spot on March 13th. Justyne Hamblin made history on June 5th by becoming the second female driver in USAC history to win a sprint car main event on dirt. On July 17th, Bud Kaeding won his second feature of the year by claiming the Jim Evett Memorial victory. To date, ten different drivers have scored wins in fifteen events.
Craig Stidham of Fresno has led the point standings since March 27th at Bakersfield. The former Rebel Cup Sprint Car champion is closing in on his first series title and leads all drivers on the circuit with four feature wins. Driving the Brad Johnson Trucking / KRC Safety #3S TCR, Stidham was eighth quick in time trials, won the BR Motorsports / Saldana Racing Products Heat Race #2, and finished sixth in the feature at Hanford on August 7th.
Kerman’s Davey Pombo is second in the series point chase. Piloting Junior Bowman’s Buster & Ziggy #3 Bullet, Pombo scored his second feature win of the year at Hanford on August 7th. The former Bandit Sprint Car champion was also second quick in time trials and finished third in his heat race.
T.J. Smith of Fresno is third in the series point standings. Driving Steve LeGras’ UHL Rubber #14 Maxim, Smith won the Bud Stanfield Memorial at Santa Maria on July 24th. At Hanford on August 7th, the former Plaza Park track champion earned his third Sander Engineering Fast Time Award of the year. In addition, Smith was second in his heat race and finished third in the feature.
Hanford’s Justyne Hamblin is fourth in the series point chase. Piloting the JH Motorsports / Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino #8 Speed Tech, Hamblin scored the Hanford victory on June 5th. On August 7th at Hanford, the defending series champion was fourteenth quick in time trials, second in her heat race, and finished eleventh in the feature.
Peter Murphy of Clovis is fifth in the series point standings. Driving Junior Bowman’s Buster & Ziggy Enterprise #11 Bullet, Murphy is looking for his first feature victory of the season. The former SCRA Sprint Car champion was eleventh quick in time trials at Hanford on August 7th. In addition, Murphy was fifth in his heat race and finished fourth in the feature after starting thirteenth. That drive earned Peter his second King Racing Products Hard Charger Award of the year.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Bakersfield’s Rusty Carlile, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton, Visalia’s Jace and Richard VanderWeerd, Chris Ennis of Bakersfield, Mariposa’s Andy Ferris, Bakersfield’s Ricky Kirkbride, Visalia’s Jesse Mack, 2006 SCRA champion Jonathan Logan of Hanford, and San Martin’s Wes Gutierrez.
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension, Cory Kruseman’s Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Port City Racing, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford, California. Reserved Grandstand tickets are $15 and General Grandstand tickets are $12. The track offers also offers a Family Pass for two adults and three kids. Reserved Family Passes are $45 and General Family Passes are $35. For more event information, please visit www.giantchevroletspeedway.com or call (559) 584-RACE (7223).
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, please visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on facebook.
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USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Craig Stidham 895; 2. Davey Pombo 851; 3. T.J. Smith 747; 4. Justyne Hamblin 678; 5. Peter Murphy 665; 6. Danny Faria Jr. 607; 7. Rusty Carlile 593; 8. Jace VanderWeerd 562; 9. Richard VanderWeerd 534; 10. Chris Ennis 446; 11. Ricky Kirkbride 404; 12. Andy Ferris 381; 13. Wes Gutierrez 352; 14. Geoffrey Strole 341; 15. Jonathan Logan 335; 16. Jesse Mack 303; 17. Jared Little 271; 18. Jimmy Thompson 269; 19. Koen Shaw 265; 20. Danny Sheridan 226.