By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – SEPTEMBER 7, 2010… This Saturday, September 11th, Hanford’s Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway will host the “Jim Turner Memorial” featuring the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series. The event will be the season finale for the Southwest Contractors 360 Clash mini-series and will also showcase the IMCA Stock Cars and Bud Light Mini-Stocks. The Spectator Gates will open at 5:30pm, Time Trials are scheduled for 6:30pm, with racing to follow.
Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway has held five races in the 2010 campaign. “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Justyne Hamblin, Bud Kaeding, Davey Pombo, and T.J. Smith have scored wins on the Hanford clay oval. With the season winding down for the USAC West Coast 360 Sprints, Saturday’s event could play a key role in the championship chase.
Heading into Saturday’s show, Fresno’s Craig Stidham holds a one point advantage over Kerman’s Davey Pombo in the 360 Clash standings. The same two drivers are locked in a tight battle for the series championship, with Pombo sitting 29 points behind Stidham.
Driving the #3S Brad Johnson Trucking / KRC Safety Maxim, Stidham has led the point standings since March 27th at Bakersfield. On August 28th at Santa Maria, the former California Rebel Cup Sprint Car champion was fourth quick in time trials, third in his heat race, and finished ninth in the feature. Craig leads all drivers on the circuit with four main event wins and would like to add the Jim Turner Memorial to his resume.
Piloting the #3 Junior Bowman / Buster & Ziggy Bullet, Pombo has two feature wins on the season. At Santa Maria on August 28th, the former Bandit Sprint Car champion was second quick in time trials, third in his heat race, and third in the main event. Davey will be looking for the 360 Clash victory and edge closer to the series championship.
Fresno’s T.J. Smith is currently the hottest driver in the series. Sitting third in the point chase and fourth in the 360 Clash, the pilot of the #14 Steve LeGras / UHL Rubber Maxim has won three of the last four main events. The August 28th Santa Maria winner was third quick in time trials and second in his heat race. Smith won at Hanford on August 21st and will be working for the Turner Memorial victory.
Justyne Hamblin of Hanford is fourth in the series point standings and third in the 360 Clash. Driving the #8 JH Motorsports / Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino Speed Tech, Hamblin was sixth quick in time trials, third in her heat race, and fifth in the Santa Maria feature. The defending series champion made history at Hanford on June 5th by becoming the second female driver to win a USAC dirt sprint car main event. Justyne will look to make more history with a Turner Memorial feature win.
Tipton’s “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. is currently fifth in the series points and sixth in the 360 Clash. Piloting the #17V Louie De Groot & Sons Dairy / Borges Farms Maxim, Faria has finished second in the last four main events. At Santa Maria, Danny recorded his series leading sixth Sander Engineering Fast Time Award of the year and won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. “Hollywood” won at Hanford on March 13th from sixteenth and wants to add Saturday’s Turner Memorial to his win list.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Bakersfield’s Rusty Carlile, Clovis’ Peter Murphy, Visalia’s Jace and Richard VanderWeerd, Chris Ennis of Bakersfield, San Martin’s Wes Gutierrez, Bakersfield’s Ricky Kirkbride, Mariposa’s Andy Ferris, 2006 SCRA champion Jonathan Logan of Hanford, and Visalia’s Jesse Mack.
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.
In remembrance of the events that occurred on September 11th 2001, the National Guard will be on hand. Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford, California. Reserved Grandstand tickets are $13 and General Grandstand tickets are $10. The track offers also offers a Family Pass for two adults and three kids. Reserved Family Passes are $40 and General Family Passes are $30.
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 POINT STANDINGS:
1. Craig Stidham 1006; 2. Davey Pombo 977; 3. T.J. Smith 887; 4. Justyne Hamblin 792; 5. Danny Faria Jr. 742; 6. Rusty Carlile 697; 7. Peter Murphy 685; 8. Richard VanderWeerd 641; 9. Jace VanderWeerd 601; 10. Chris Ennis 530; 11. Ricky Kirkbride 479; 12. Wes Gutierrez 444; 13. Andy Ferris 406; 14. Geoffrey Strole 400; 15. Jonathan Logan 355; 16. Jesse Mack 340; 17. Koen Shaw 328; 18. Jared Little 308; 19. Jimmy Thompson 269; 20. Danny Sheridan 226.
SOUTHWEST CONTRACTORS 360 CLASH POINT STANDINGS:
1. Craig Stidham 185; 2. Davey Pombo 184; 3. Justyne Hamblin 161; 4. T.J. Smith 147; 5. Rusty Carlile 144; 6. Danny Faria Jr. 143; 7. Wes Gutierrez 137; 8. Chris Ennis 115; 9. Ricky Kirkbride 99; 10. Geoffrey Strole 99; 11. Jesse Mack 89; 12. Jared Little 74; 13. Peter Murphy 69; 14. Albert Pombo 59; 15. Richard VanderWeerd 56; 16. Jonathan Logan 54; 17. Andy Ferris 44; 18. Ronnie Case 44; 19. Jace VanderWeerd 39; 20. Adam Frith-Smith 35.