By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – MARCH 26, 2012… This Saturday, March 31st, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway for their second round of the 2012 campaign. Joining “The Power of Purple: Relay for Life Fundraiser benefiting the American Cancer Society” card will be the winged California Lightning Sprints and popular PAS 360 Senior Sprint Cars. The spectator gates will open at 5:00pm, with racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” to begin at 7:00pm.
After sweeping the “Sokola Shootout” and earning the “Dean Thompson Award” on February 25th, Nic Faas of Huntington Beach sits atop the point standings. Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / VP Racing Fuels Spike, the 2008 Rookie of the Year broke Damion Gardner’s 1-lap track record (set October 31, 2002), won his heat race, and claimed the feature win after starting eighth. This Saturday night, Faas will have his eyes set on another Perris victory.
Piloting the J.W. Mitchell Motorsports’ #37 Mancha Realtors / Sierra Springs Water Maxim, Yorba Linda’s Matt Mitchell is second in the standings, eight points behind Faas. The former USAC Western Midget Series Rookie of the Year was second quick, second in his heat race, and placed third in the “Sokola Shootout.” Last Saturday, Mitchell was second in the USAC West Coast 360 show at Bakersfield and will be looking for the feature win at Perris Auto Speedway.
Sitting third in the championship chase is Ryan Bernal of Hollister. Driving Keith Ford’s #73X King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, Bernal was tenth fast in time trials, fourth in his heat race, and led the first twenty-two laps before finishing second in the feature. Like Mitchell, the Santa Maria Champion raced at Bakersfield, where he scored third after starting sixteenth. Ryan will be driving the Kittle Motorsports’ #18 Pace Lighting / PIPE Sherman this Saturday and would like to add a USAC/CRA main event to his resume.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer is currently fourth in the point standings. Piloting Ron Chaffin’s #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim, the 4-time USAC/CRA Champion qualified fourth, ran third in his heat race, and claimed fourth in the feature after starting thirteenth. Spencer won Ventura’s $2,500 All Coast Construction 360 Challenge on March 10th and will be looking to take the 30-lap main event on Saturday.
“The Kruser” Cory Kruseman of Ventura sits fifth in the points battle. Driving Mark Priestley’s #7 Roy Miller Freightlines / Sander Engineering Maxim, the 2006 Champion was twelfth quick, fourth in his heat race, and scored fourth in the season opener. Kruseman ran fifth in the All Coast Construction 360 Challenge and celebrated Spencer’s win as the car owner. Last year’s USAC Western Midget Series Champion is always a threat to claim the feature victory.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are “Dynamite” David Cardey of Riverside, Buena Park’s Brody Roa, Yorba Linda’s Austin, Cody and “The Ripper” Rip Williams, Visalia’s Richard and Jace VanderWeerd, Josh Ford of Camarillo, Norco’s Ronnie Gardner, 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.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series would like to thank Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Integra Shocks, Keizer Wheels, LRB Inc. Race Products, Ringers Gloves, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, please email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on facebook.
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USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1-Nic Faas-74; 2-Matt Mitchell-66; 3-Ryan Bernal-62; 4-Mike Spencer-60; 5-Cory Kruseman-53; 6-David Cardey-52; 7-Brody Roa-51; 8-Rip Williams-42; 9-R.J. Johnson-39; 10-Richard VanderWeerd-39.
2012 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
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 (Non-Points)
September 2: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Non-Points)
September 5: Silver Dollar Speedway – Chico, CA (Non-Points)
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.