From Lance Jennings
Santa Maria, CA — (SEPTEMBER 6, 2012) — After a break in the schedule, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will return to action this Saturday, September 8th, at Kings Speedway in Hanford. The “5th Annual Jim Turner Memorial” will also showcase the winged Rebel Sprint Cars, Hobby Stocks, 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 Turner, a veteran driver from Fresno that succumbed to injuries from a racing accident in late September 2007. Turner, who started racing motorcycles at age 10, won many main events and graduated to Sprint Cars in 1970. Racing with and without a wing from the Central Valley until 1985, Jim returned to motorcycle racing for twenty years. In 2005, Turner purchased another Sprint Car and enjoyed his time at the clay ovals until that fateful day. Scott Woodhouse, Kings Speedway, and the USAC West Coat Sprint Car Series are proud to honor his memory with the annual event.
Heading into Saturday’s Turner Memorial, Bud Kaeding of Campbell maintains a 92 point lead over the competition. Driving Junior Bowman’s #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Bullet, the 3-time Oval Nationals Champion has three feature wins, five heat race victories, two Ringers Gloves / Kaeding Performance Hard Charger Awards, nine top-five finishes, and forty-one feature laps led. Kaeding won at Hanford on June 9th and will be looking clinch the title with another main event win.
Rauma, Finland’s Markus Niemela has climbed to second in the point standings. Competing in his first season with the USAC West Coast Sprints, the pilot of Steve Watt’s #81 Lost Reality / Steve Watt Enterprises Maxim has yet to win feature. To date, the hard charging driver has one Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, and four top-5 finishes on the year. Niemela will be among the favorites to claim the Jim Turner Memorial victory.
Sitting third in points is “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton. Driving his #17V Johnston Calf Pens / Buster & Ziggy Enterprises Bullet, Faria is another fast driver that has yet to score a series win in 2012. As this writing goes to press, “Hollywood” 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. Danny won his first USAC/CRA feature at Hanford on May 19th and will be looking to put on a show at the Turner Memorial.
Ryan Bernal of Hollister is fourth in the point chase. Piloting Keith Ford’s #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, the 2-time Santa Maria track champion 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. Bernal won at Kings Speedway on April 7th and will have his sights on adding Saturday’s main event to his resume.
Santa Maria’s “Showtime” Danny Sheridan is currently fifth in the standings. Splitting time between the Pace Lighting sponsored #21 KPC of Warren Dorathy and the Kittle Motorsports’ #18K Sherman, Sheridan has yet to claim a USAC West Coast series win in 2012. To date, the former Bandit Sprint Car Champion has one Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one Ringers Gloves / Kaeding Performance Hard Charger Award, and five top-5 finishes. Danny is not a stranger to Hanford’s victory lane and is a threat to win on any given night.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are 2011 Champion Richard Vander Weerd, “The Rickster” Ricky Kirkbride, “The Bakersfield Bullet” Rusty Carlile, 2009 Champion Justyne Hamblin, Kevin Barnes, Austin Liggett, Chris Gansen, Jace Vander Weerd, 2006 SCRA 360 Champion Jonathan Logan, and many more.
Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Grandstand tickets are $15 and $2 off for Military. Seniors (55+) and Kids 7-12 are $8. Children 6 and under are FREE. 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 TURNER MEMORIAL WINNERS:
2008- Justin Grant; 2009- Richard Vander Weerd; 2010- T.J. Smith; 2011- Wes Gutierrez.
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT STANDINGS:
1. Bud Kaeding 542; 2. Markus Niemela 450; 3. Danny Faria Jr. 424; 4. Ryan Bernal 420; 5. Danny Sheridan 398; 6. Matt Mitchell 391; 7. Richard Vander Weerd 365; 8. Ricky Kirkbride 333; 9. Rusty Carlile 297; 10. Justyne Hamblin 263; 11. Kevin Barnes 248; 12. Austin Liggett 243; 13. Chris Gansen 227; 14. Steve Conrad 181; 15. Jace Vander Weerd 176; 16. Jonathon Logan 154; 17. Chris Ennis 150; 18. Don Gansen 146; 19. Kyle Larson 135; 20. Marty Hawkins 130.
2012 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
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.