By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – AUGUST 18, 2011… This Saturday night, August 20th, the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series will compete at Scott Woodhouse’s Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway. Also featured on the action packed card will be the Winged ASCS Southern California Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, and IMCA Stock Cars. The Pit Gates will open at 1:00pm, Spectator Gates at 5:00pm, Time Trials at 6:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 6:30pm.
Twin brothers Richard and Jace VanderWeerd of Visalia lead the championship point chase heading into Saturday’s action. Piloting the family owned #10 VanderWeerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Richard holds a seventy-one point advantage over the competition. VanderWeerd placed third at Santa Maria on July 30th and has one feature win, three Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and led seventeen main event laps. Richard will be looking for the Hanford feature victory and inch closer to the championship.
Jace VanderWeerd raced the family owned #88 VanderWeerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim to seventh at Santa Maria on July 30th. With seventy-four points up for grabs at Hanford, Jace will have his sights set on Saturday’s 30-lap win and gain some valuable ground on his brother. To date, last year’s USAC/CRA Sprint Car Rookie of the Year has one feature win, one heat race victory, eight top-10 finishes and led fourteen main event laps on the year.
After winning his first career series feature at Santa Maria on July 30th, Hollister’s Ryan Bernal climbed to third in the point chase. Driving Danny Olmstead’s #11D S&S Automotive / Dorso’s Automotive Maxim, Bernal has two heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and led seventy-nine main event laps. The former Wingless Spec Sprint Champion is eighty-one points behind the leader and will be looking for the top spot on Saturday.
“Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton is tied with Bernal for third in the point standings. Piloting Junior Bowman’s #2 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Bullet, Faria was second to Bernal at Santa Maria and won Hanford’s Jim Evett Memorial on July 16th. The veteran driver has two Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and led thirty-two laps on main event competition. Faria will be looking to add Saturday’s feature win to his resume.
Sitting fifth in the championship points is “Wide Open” Wes Gutierrez of San Martin. Driving the WG Motorsports’ #007 ButlerBuilt / Competition Suspension Inc. DRC, Gutierrez claimed sixth at Santa Maria on July 30th. The hard charging driver leads the series with four heat race victories and has six top-10 finishes on the year. Wes will have his eyes on Saturday’s 30-lap main event win.
Campbell’s Bud Kaeding and Peter Murphy of Clovis have also claimed feature wins in 2011. Kaeding leads the series with four victories and Murphy won Tulare’s 30-lap main event on April 30th. Saturday’s card will mark the fourth of seven scheduled events at Hanford’s Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway, including the “Jim Turner Memorial” on September 10th.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Greg Alexander of Gardena, Rancho Palos Verdes’ Dennis Howell, Fresno’s T.J. Smith, Justyne Hamblin of Hanford, and Bakersfield’s Rusty Carlile. In addition, Hanford’s Jonathan Logan, Kerman’s Davey Pombo, and Ricky Kirkbride of Bakersfield should be on hand to battle for the victory.
Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 S. 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Reserved Grandstand tickets are $15. Advance tickets are on sale now and camping is available on the fairgrounds. For more event information, visit giantchevroletspeedway.com or call (559) 584-RACE (7223).
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt, Competition Suspension Inc., 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, Port City Racing, Rod End Supply, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on facebook.
USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1-Richard VanderWeerd-517; 2-Jace VanderWeerd-446; 3-Ryan Bernal-436; 4-Danny Faria Jr.-436; 5-Wes Gutierrez-424; 6-Bud Kaeding-376; 7-Greg Alexander-352; 8-Dennis Howell-349; 9-T.J. Smith-330; 10-Justyne Hamblin-323.
USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT SCHEDULE:
August 20 – Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA