By Lance Jennings
Dubbed “The Finals,” the Hanford, California 3/8-mile facility will be the site where championships will be crowned in both series. Joining the program will be the Vintage Super Modifieds with spectator gates opening at 5:00pm and racing set to begin at 6:00pm.
After scoring a runner-up finish at the Oval Nationals, Temecula’s Mike Spencer holds a fifty-three point lead over the competition. Driving Ron Chaffin’s famed #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim, the 3-time defending champion leads the series with six feature wins, five Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards (tied), and four Competition Suspension Inc. Semi-Main wins, eighteen top 10 finishes, and 146 feature laps led. In addition, Spencer has six heat race victories to his credit. The Bruce Bromme Jr. led team will be looking to close out another championship season win a victory at Hanford.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach is second in the Amsoil USAC/CRA point chase and claimed sixth at the Perris Oval Nationals. Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / VP Racing Fuels Spike, the 2008 Rookie of the Year is tied for the series lead with five Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards. Faas also has three feature wins, seven heat race victories, three Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Awards, seventeen top-10 finishes, and sixty-four feature laps led on the year. Nic still has a mathematical shot at the title and will be looking for a Hanford feature win.
Yorba Linda’s Matt Mitchell is third in the championship hunt. Driving the J.W. Mitchell Motorsports’ #37 Mancha Realtors / Sierra Springs Maxim, the former USAC Western Midget Series Rookie of the Year scored twenty-third at the Oval Nationals. Mitchell leads USAC/CRA with nine heat race victories and four Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Awards. In addition, Matt has two feature wins, seventeen top-10 finishes, and forty-nine feature laps led on the year. Mitchell will have his sights set on a Hanford victory on Saturday.
Austin Williams of Yorba Linda is fourth in the Amsoil USAC/CRA point standings. The 2009 Rookie of the Year had a tough crash in the afternoon show and missed the finale of the Oval Nationals. Piloting Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Viper, Williams has one feature win, three heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Award, ten top-10 finishes, and thirty feature laps led on the season. All of us with USAC/CRA wishes Austin a quick and complete recovery.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams of Yorba Linda has climbed to fifth in the championship points. Driving Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Viper, Williams scored fifteenth in the Oval Nationals. “The Cadillac” has five heat race victories, one Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Award, and eight top-10 finishes in the 2011 campaign. Cody will be looking for his first series feature win at Hanford.
Bud Kaeding, Cory Kruseman, Robert Ballou, Kyle Larson, Bryan Clauson, Chris Windom, and Damion Gardner have also scored feature wins in 2011. Kaeding won the Hanford shootout on May 7th, while Kruseman won the Watsonville show on June 16th and the following night at Santa Maria. Ballou won the first night of the “Louie Vermeil Classic” at Calistoga and Larson won the “Tiner Family Classic” at Chico. Clauson swept the “Hall of Fame Classic” at Peoria, Arizona’s Canyon Speedway Park and Windom won the second round of the Perris Oval Nationals. Gardner won last weekend’s $12,500 finale of the Oval Nationals at Perris Auto Speedway.
Among the other top USAC/CRA contenders expected to be in action are Visalia’s Greg Bragg, “Showtime” Danny Sheridan of Santa Maria, “The Ripper” Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, “Super” Rickie Gaunt of Torrance, Norco’s Ronnie Gardner, Riverside’s “Dynamite” David Cardey, Visalia’s Richard and Jace VanderWeerd, and more.
The USAC National Series is led by Levi Jones of Olney, Illinois. Jones is looking for his fifth career series championship as he battles with Chris Windom, (Canton, IL), Jon Stanbrough (Avon, IN), Hunter Schuerenberg (Sikeston, MO), and Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA). Other series drivers expected to compete are Tracy Hines (Wilkinson, IN), Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN), “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, CA), Bryan Clauson (Noblesville, IN), Bobby East (Brownsburg, IN), Keith Bloom Jr. (Anderson, CA), and more.
Local 360 iron-block powered Sprint Cars are welcome to race, but must run the USAC National & USAC/CRA approved series tires (not local approved Hoosiers). Cars must also meet series tech standards and race track muffler rules. The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series does not charge for transponders, but drivers must have one-way radios. In addition, the series is offering a bonus to the highest finishing 360 team- a $200 cash award from the United States Auto Club and 20 gallons of methanol from So-Cal Performance. The owner or driver must have a current USAC membership.
Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 S. 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Reserved Grandstand tickets are $35 and General Grandstand tickets are $30. The track is offering discounts to Seniors (55+), Military (with ID), and Children (7-12). Kids 6 and under are FREE. Advance tickets are on sale and camping is available on the fairgrounds. For more event information, visit giantchevroletspeedway.com or call (559) 584-RACE (7223).
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series would like to thank Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Donovan Engineering, Electro Tech Powder Coating, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Sander Engineering, and So-Cal Performance for their support. For more information, visit usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on facebook.
NEW AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS:
1-Mike Spencer, 1,212; 2-Nic Faas-1,159; 3-Matt Mitchell-1,073; 4-Austin Williams-741; 5-Cody Williams-633; 6-Greg Bragg-631; 7-Danny Sheridan-570; 8-Rip Williams-552; 9-Rickie Gaunt-520; 10-Ronnie Gardner-484.
NEW USAC AMSOIL NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS:
1-Levi Jones-1,602; 2-Chris Windom-1,569; 3-Hunter Schuerenberg-1,378; 4-Jon Stanbrough-1,376; 5-Tracy Hines-1,250; 6-Damion Gardner-1,248; 7-Robert Ballou-1,238; 8-Bryan Clauson-1,187; 9-Dave Darland-1,119; 10-Bobby East-994.
NEW USAC NATIONAL DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
1-Bryan Clauson-1,056; 2-Chris Windom-1,024; 3-Kyle Larson-1,016; 4-Levi Jones-1,007; 5-Tracy Hines-989; 6-Bobby East-942; 7-Jerry Coons Jr.-921; 8-Hunter Schuerenberg-864; 9-Jon Stanbrough-834; 10-Darren Hagen-824.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT SCHEDULE:
November 12: *Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.