By Dick Jordan
Ryan Bernal, the 2011 runner-up in the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, is the 2012 point leader entering this Saturday’s Chris & Brian Faria Memorial” at the Tulare (Calif.) Thunderbowl Raceway.
Bernal, of Hollister, Calif., sped to victory in Saturday night’s 30-lap USAC West Coast Sprint Car race at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., leading the final 26 laps after passing Richard Vander Weerd on lap five. Trailing Bernal’s Keith Ford King Racing Products/A & A Precision Machine Spike/Raney to the checkered flag were Danny Sheridan, Markus Niemela, Danny Faria Jr. and Bud Kaeding, who recovered from a flip during qualifying.
Kaeding has “owned” the Tulare oval in recent times, winning three of the last five USAC West Coast Sprints there. Bernal, however, won the most recent race at the one-third mile dirt oval last October.
2012 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1-Ryan Bernal-134, 2-Markus Niemela-122, 3-Bud Kaeding-117, 4-Danny Faria Jr.-108, 5-Matt Mitchell-95, 6-Kevin Barnes-74, 7-Chris Ennis-72, 8- Danny Sheridan-66, 9-Justyne Hamblin-65, 10-Steve Conrad-65.