From Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – AUGUST 1, 2012… This Saturday, August 4th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will return to Scott Woodhouse’s Kings Speedway in Hanford. The “3rd Annual Jim Evett Memorial” will also showcase IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Stock Cars, and Mini Stocks. The front gates will open at 5:00pm and racing at the “King of the Dirt Tracks” will begin at 6:30pm.
Saturday’s point race honors Jim Evett, a longtime supporter of racing in the California. Well respected in the pit area, Evett is perhaps best known for supporting the efforts of his grandson Jonathan Logan. Competing on a budget, the team raced with the non-winged 360s of the Central Valley and occasionally with the 410s of SCRA and USAC/CRA. In 2006, Logan and Evett enjoyed one of their best seasons, earning the SCRA 360 Championship and scoring victories at Quincy and Chowchilla. The partnership continued to have modest racing success until Jim’s passing in 2010. Jonathan still drives in his grandfather’s memory and will be looking for his first USAC West Coast victory on Saturday.
Heading into the tenth race of the campaign, Campbell’s Bud Kaeding holds a sixty-six point advantage over the competition. Piloting Junior Bowman’s #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Bullet, the 2010 Evett Memorial Winner was twelfth at Santa Maria on July 7th. To date, the 3-time Oval Nationals Champion has three feature wins, four heat race victories, one Ringers Gloves / Kaeding Performance Hard Charger Award, eight top-five finishes, and forty-one feature laps led. Bud won at Hanford on June 9th and will be looking to repeat at Saturday’s $1,500-to-win Jim Evett Memorial.
Ryan Bernal of Hollister has climbed to second in the point chase. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, the 2-time Santa Maria track champion finished third after starting eighteenth on July 7th. In 2012, Bernal has three feature wins, one Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Diversified Machine Inc. Semi-Main win, two Ringers Gloves / Kaeding Performance Hard Charger Awards, six top-5 finishes, and sixty-six feature laps led. Ryan will be one of the favorites to watch on Saturday.
Tipton’s “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. is third in the point standings. Piloting his #17V Johnston Calf Pens / Buster & Ziggy Enterprises Bullet, the 2011 Evett Memorial Winner scored fourth at Santa Maria after starting fifteenth. The veteran driver has yet to score a USAC West Coast feature in 2012, but has one Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, one Ringers Gloves / Kaeding Performance Hard Charger Award, and four top-5 finishes. “Hollywood” scored the May 19th victory at Hanford with USAC/CRA and will be looking to add another Evett Memorial to his resume.
Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda sits fourth in the championship points. The driver of Steve Watt’s #18 Christian Stover Foundation / Steve Watt Enterprises Maxim skipped the Santa Maria race to prepare for Indiana Sprint Week. Mitchell is another driver looking to win a West Coast main event, but has one Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, five top-5 finishes, and nineteen feature laps led on the season. As this writing goes to press, Mitchell is recovering from a July 18th crash at Terre Haute and could miss Saturday’s race at Hanford.
Rauma, Finland’s Markus Niemela is currently fifth in the point chase. Piloting Steve Watt’s #81 Lost Reality / Steve Watt Enterprises Maxim, Niemela ran eighth at Santa Maria after starting twelfth. During the 2012 campaign, Niemela has not won a USAC West Coast feature, but has three heat race victories and three top-5 finishes on the year. Markus will be looking to breakthrough this Saturday and claim the Jim Evett Memorial.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are “Showtime” Danny Sheridan, 2011 Champion Richard Vander Weerd, “The Rickster” Ricky Kirkbride, “The Bakersfield Bullet” Rusty Carlile, Kevin Barnes, 2009 Champion Justyne Hamblin, Chris Gansen, Austin Liggett, Steve Conrad, Jace Vander Weerd, and many more.
Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Grandstand tickets are $12 with discounts available for Seniors (55+), Military (with I.D.), and Children 7-12. Kids 6 and under are FREE at all non-special events. Advance tickets are on sale now and camping is available on the fairgrounds. For more event information, visit www.kingsspeedway.net or call (559) 584-RACE (7223).
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, ButlerBuilt, Competition Suspension Inc., Cory Kruseman’s Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, LRB Inc. Race Products, ParkerStore of Phoenix, Ringers Gloves, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, Sander Engineering, and Weld Racing for their support.
For more information on the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/#!/pages/USAC-West-Coast-Sprint-Car-Series/369549755817 )
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JIM EVETT MEMORIAL WINNERS:
2010- Bud Kaeding; 2011- Danny Faria Jr.
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT STANDINGS:
1. Bud Kaeding 486; 2. Ryan Bernal 420; 3. Danny Faria Jr. 405; 4. Matt Mitchell 391; 5. Markus Niemela 389; 6. Danny Sheridan 342; 7. Richard Vander Weerd 294; 8. Ricky Kirkbride 293; 9. Rusty Carlile 249; 10. Kevin Barnes 232; 11. Justyne Hamblin 227; 12. Chris Gansen 199; 13. Austin Liggett 183; 14. Steve Conrad 181; 15. Chris Ennis 150; 16. Kyle Larson 135; 17. Jace Vander Weerd 130; 18. Marty Hawkins 130; 19. Don Gansen 129; 20. Cory Kruseman 125.
2012 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
August 4: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA (Jim Evett Memorial)
September 8: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial)
September 22: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / Non-Points)
September 29: Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA (Billet Cup / John Jewett Memorial / Non-Points)
October 13: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA (Cotton Classic)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With ASCS Canyon Region Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.