By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – SEPTEMBER 12, 2012… This Saturday, September 15th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway for the 5th Annual “Glenn Howard Memorial.” Joining the action packed card will be the PAS Senior 360 Sprint Cars and the winged California Lightning Sprints. The spectator gates will open at 5:00pm, with racing set begin at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” at 7:00pm.
Saturday’s event honors Glenn Howard, considered by many in the industry as a “racer’s racer.” Throughout his involvement in racing, Glenn served as a crew member, driver, car owner, sponsor, official, and business man. Howard’s So-Cal Performance in Downey has been recognized as a major parts supplier to racers across the globe for many years. In 1993, Glenn became the first president of the Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) and helped to build the foundation of the nationally respected club. After his term was over, Howard remained active in motorsports until his passing in September 2007. Glenn’s son Steve has continued the family tradition with So-Cal Performance by helping racers and contributing to events like the annual “Louie Vermeil Classic” at Calistoga and the Glenn Howard Memorial. Don Kazarian, Perris Auto Speedway, and the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series are proud to honor Glenn’s memory with the annual event.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer holds a commanding 303 point lead heading into Saturday’s Howard Memorial. During the 2-day Vermeil Classic at Calistoga, the driver of Ron Chaffin’s #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim, scored a third and second place finish. To date, Spencer has seven feature wins, four heat race victories, one Keizer Wheels / Ringers Gloves Hard Charger Award, sixteen top-5 finishes, and 139 feature laps led to his credit. The 4-time champion will be looking to claim his first Howard Memorial victory as he gets closer to another title.
After Calistoga, Brody Roa of Buena Park has climbed to second in the point chase. Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Spike, Roa scored two fifth place finishes in the Vermeil Classic. The former Wagsdash Champion has one feature win, two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Diversified Machine Inc. Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Ringers Gloves Hard Charger Award, 47 feature laps led, and six top-five finishes on the year. This Saturday, Brody will have his sights on adding the Howard Memorial to his resume.
Hollister’s Ryan Bernal is third in the championship points. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, the Santa Maria Track Champion won the first night at Calistoga and scored eleventh in the finale. To date, Bernal has two feature wins, two heat race victories, one Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Award, eight top-5 finishes, and 94 feature laps led. Last year’s USAC West Coast Rookie of the Year will among the favorites to watch at Perris.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach is fourth in the point standings. The pilot of Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Competition Suspension Inc. Spike did not compete in the Vermeil Classic after engine woes sidelined the team. Last year’s Howard Memorial Winner will be in action at Perris and has one feature win, two Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, two Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Awards, nine top-5 finishes, and 26 feature laps led to his credit. The former USAC Western Midgets Champion will have his sights on winning another Howard Memorial.
Yorba Linda’s Austin Williams sits fifth in series points. The driver of Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike had a rough Labor Day weekend, scoring a twentieth and sixteenth place finish. In 2012, Williams has one feature win, four heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Diversified Machine Inc. Semi-Main win, one Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels Hard Charger Award, seven top-5 finishes, and 29 feature laps led. The former Rookie of the Year will be looking rebound with a Howard Memorial victory.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are “The Ripper” Rip Williams of Yorba Linda, Ventura’s “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Yorba Linda’s “Cadillac” Cody Williams, Seth Wilson of Las Vegas, “Dynamite” David Cardey of Riverside, Visalia’s Richard and Jace Vander Weerd, “Super” Rickie Gaunt of Torrance, and many more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior tickets are $20, Active Military, Students (13-18), and Kids tickets (6-12) are $5. Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call (951) 940-0134.
To catch all of the action of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series at Perris Auto Speedway, Mike Truex’s Loudpedal Productions has DVD videos available for purchase. For more information, call (805) 407-7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com. In addition, Perris Auto Speedway offers a pay per view feed of every event at www.circletracknetwork.com.
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 Racing Shocks, Keizer Wheels, LRB Inc. Race Products, Ringers Gloves, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/#!/USAC_CRA).
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GLENN HOWARD MEMORIAL WINNERS:
2008- Tony Jones; 2009- Bryan Clauson; 2010- Cory Kruseman; 2011- Nic Faas.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINTS:
1. Mike Spencer 1090; 2. Brody Roa 787; 3. Ryan Bernal 776; 4. Nic Faas 769; 5. Austin Williams 706; 6. Rip Williams 696; 7. Cory Kruseman 613; 8. Cody Williams 519; 9. Matt Mitchell 461; 10. Seth Wilson 431; 11. David Cardey 362; 12. David Bezio 320; 13. Richard Vander Weerd 308; 14. Jace Vander Weerd 273; 15. Greg Alexander 188; 16. Jake Swanson 175; 17. Josh Ford 99; 18. Josh Pelkey 81; 19. Tony Everhart 68; 20. Jon Kairot 38.
2012 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
September 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Memorial)
October 6: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Southern California Fair)
October 26: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 27: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 2: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 3: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC National Sprints.