From Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – FEBRUARY 20, 2012… This Saturday, February 25th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will kickoff their 2012 campaign at Perris Auto Speedway. Joining the traditional 410 cubic-inch powered machines will be the winged California Lightning Sprints and popular PAS Senior 360 Sprint Cars. The spectator gates for the “Sokola Shootout” will open at 5:00pm, with racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” to begin at 7:00pm.
After winning his fourth straight championship, Temecula’s Mike Spencer is back in Ron Chaffin’s potent #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim. Last season, the second generation driver led the series with six feature wins, five fast time awards (tied), four semi-main wins, nineteen top-10 finishes, and 146 feature laps led. In addition to having seven heat race victories, Spencer won Santa Maria’s Last Man Standing Dash on August 13th and the $10,000 “Legends of Ascot Match Race” at Perris on November 5th. Mike won the first three main events of 2011 and will be looking start the new season with a victory.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach finished second in last year’s point chase and is set to return in Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / VP Racing Fuels Spike. The 2008 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year won three features in a row at Perris and tied Spencer for the series lead with five fast time awards and set the 1-lap track records at Victorville and Canyon. In addition, the young driver had seven heat race victories, three hard charger awards, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 64 feature laps led. Faas will have his sights set on adding the “Sokola Shootout” to his resume.
Yorba Linda’s Matt Mitchell drove the J.W. Mitchell Motorsports’ #37 Mancha Realtors / Sierra Springs Maxim to third in the final point standings. The former USAC Western Midget Series Rookie of the Year had a solid year by claiming two Perris feature wins and led all drivers with nine heat race victories and four hard charger awards. In addition, the USAC/CRA standout had seventeen top-10 finishes and 49 feature laps led on the season. Mitchell will be one of the favorites to watch in Saturday’s 30-lap main event.
Austin Williams of Yorba Linda had a breakout season and scored fourth in championship points. Driving Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Viper, the 2009 Rookie of the Year won his first career USAC/CRA feature at Santa Maria on August 13th. Williams closed out the season with three heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, ten top-10 finishes, and thirty feature laps led to his credit. The son of Hall of Fame driver Rip Williams will be looking for his first Perris win at the “Sokola Shootout.”
Visalia’s Greg Bragg raced Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass and Mirror / Pacific Business Machine Buckley to fifth in last year’s standings. The veteran driver did not score a main event win, but had three heat race victories, two hard charger awards, eleven top-10 finishes, and fourteen feature laps led. Bragg will be taking time off to spend with his family and Casey Shuman will fly in from Indiana to drive the Moose Racing entry.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Yorba Linda’s Cody and “The Ripper” Rip Williams, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman of Ventura, “Dynamite” David Cardey of Riverside, Visalia’s Richard and Jace VanderWeerd, and many more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior tickets (65 and over) are $20, and $5 for Children (6-12). For more information, please visit www.perrisautospeedway.com or call (951) 940-0134.
For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on facebook. If you or your company would like to become part of the series for the upcoming season, please email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
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2012 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
February 25: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
March 31: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
April 28: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
May 19: Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA
May 26: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
June 2: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ
June 15: **Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA
June 16: **Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
July 28: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 10: **Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA
August 11: **Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA
August 18: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
September 1: **Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA
September 2: **Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA
September 5: **Silver Dollar Speedway – Chico, CA
September 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
October 6: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
October 26: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ
October 27: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ
November 2: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
November 3: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC National Sprints.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC Western Classic Racing Series.
This schedule is subject to change.