By Gary Thomas
Tulare, CA – October 27, 2010…Coming off another successful Trophy Cup this past weekend the Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway is now gearing up for the 31st running of the Pacific Coast Nationals on Saturday night November 13.
The event will feature the USAC National & CRA Sprint Cars, as well as the USAC National & Western Midgets on the always exciting Tulare, California based 1/3 mile clay oval. Tickets are currently on sale and are $35 for reserved grandstand seats and $30 for general admission bleachers. To order tickets contact (559) 688-0909.
The star-studded top-five in the USAC National Sprint Car standings is currently made up of Levi Jones, Bryan Clauson, Damion Gardner, Jerry Coons Jr. and Tracy Hines, with the top-five in the USAC National Midget standings being comprised of Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons Jr., Darren Hagen, Tracy Hines and Brad Kuhn.
The Pacific Coast Nationals was originally started by J.C. Agajanian in 1962 and was held at the Ascot Park in Gardena until the track’s closing in 1990. The event was moved following that, but was stopped after the 1995 season where it was last held at the nearby Kings Speedway in Hanford, until returning to competition last year at the Thunderbowl.
This year’s second running of the event at the Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway will also mark the season finale for the USAC National Sprint Car Series and the champion will be crowned after the main event. A week prior to the Tulare visit the series will also invade the Perris Auto Speedway for the prestigious three-night Budweiser Oval Nationals.
Last year’s Pacific Coast Nationals featured a two-night USAC National/CRA event with Garrett Hansen and Jon Stanbrough claiming main event wins respectively. In 2010 the show has been condensed into a one-night stand with the USAC National/Western Midgets added in to give fans the most bang for their buck possible.
“We’re definitely excited to have all these big name wingless drivers coming to the Thunderbowl again this season,” said Don Sharp of Thunderbowl Raceway. “Last year was the first time we held the Pacific Coast Nationals in Tulare and this season we have added in the midgets along with the sprints, to make for what should be a can’t miss event.”
More info on the Pacific Coast Nationals can be found at http://www.thunderbowlraceway.com and http://www.usacracing.com or by calling (559) 688-0909
The Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on the corner of Bardsley and K Streets in Tulare, California
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Former winners of the Pacific Coast Nationals
1962 – Jim Wood
1963 – Jim Cox
1964 – Marshall Sargent
1965 – Dick Fries
1967 – Bobby Adamson
1968 – Bob Hogle
1972 – Gene Brown
1973 – Rick Ferkel
1974 – Clark Templeman
1976 – Ron Shuman
1977 – Ron Shuman
1978 – Buster Venard
1979 – Dean Thompson
1980 – Dean Thompson
1981 – Sammy Swindell
1982 – Dean Thompson
1983 – Ron Shuman
1984 – Bubby Jones
1985 – Dean Thompson
1986 – Brad Doty
1987 – Steve Kinser
1988 – Steve Kinser
1989 – Brad Noffsinger
1990 – Rip Williams
1991 – Bubby Jones
1992 – Lealand McSpadden
1993 – Rip Williams
1994 – Ron Shuman
1995 – Mike Kirby
2009- Jon Stanbrough