by Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – APRIL 1, 2013… After a break in the schedule, the cars and stars of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday, April 6th. “The Power of Purple Night” benefiting the City of Perris Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society will also feature the PAS Young Gun Sprints, PAS Senior Sprints and WRA Vintage Cars. The spectator gates will open at 5:00pm, with racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” to begin at 7:00pm.
After winning two out of the three races in the campaign, Noblesville, Indiana’s Bryan Clauson sits atop the point standings. Piloting Mike Martin’s #16B Ultimate Offroad / Naquin Precision Earth Moving Maxim, Clauson also has two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one heat race victory, three top-5 finishes, and 39 feature laps led. The USAC National Sprint Car Champion has returned to the Midwest and will miss Saturday’s action at Perris.
“The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord is tied for second in the championship points. Racing Mark Alexander’s #4A Scott Sales Company / Competition Suspension Inc. Spike, Gardner ran second in the March 9th “Sokola Shootout” at Perris. As this writing goes to press, the 2005 Champion has three top-5 finishes on the year and will be looking for his series leading 42nd win on Saturday.
Gardner’s teammate, Huntington Beach’s Nic Faas is tied for second in the point chase. Driving Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Competition Suspension Inc. Spike, Faas scored third in the “Sokola Shootout.” The 1-lap track record holder at Perris has three top-5 finishes and 5 feature laps led on the season. On Saturday, Nic will have his sights on winning the 30-lap main event and taking over the points lead.
Sitting fourth in the point standings is Bud Kaeding of Campbell. Piloting Junior Bowman’s #29 Ultimate Offroad / Buster & Ziggy Enterprises Bullet, Kaeding ran twelfth at Perris after starting seventeenth. In 2013, the 3-time Oval Nationals Champion has recorded two top-10 finishes and will be looking to score the $2,500 victory at Perris.
Torrance’s “Super” Rickie Gaunt is fifth in the USAC/CRA points. Racing David Miller’s #66 Tom Roberts Design / Barnes Systems Inc. Eagle, Gaunt was fourth in the “Sokola Shootout” after starting ninth. To date, the 2004 SCRA Champion has two top-10 finishes on the season and will be looking to claim the feature win at Perris Auto Speedway.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are R.J. Johnson, Ryan Bernal, “Cadillac” Cody Williams, 5-time Champion Mike Spencer, Austin Williams, Brody Roa, “The Ripper” Rip Williams, Matt Mitchell, Richard Vander Weerd, “Dynamite” David Cardey, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Seth Wilson, Jace Vander Weerd, 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, BR Motorsports, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, Weld Racing, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series in 2013, email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
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-
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Bryan Clauson-210; 2. Damion Gardner-187; 3. Nic Faas-187; 4. Bud Kaeding-146; 5. Rickie Gaunt-134; 6. R.J. Johnson-127; 7. Ryan Bernal-124; 8. Cody Williams-111; 9. Mike Spencer-104; 10. Charles Davis Jr.-102; 11. Austin Williams-100; 12. Brody Roa-99; 13. Hunter Schuerenberg-91; 14. Rip Williams-90; 15. Matt Mitchell-84; 16. Josh Hodges-62; 17. David Cardey-61; 18. David Bezio-57; 19. Mike Martin-52; 20. Richard Vander Weerd-50.
2013 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
April 6: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
April 19: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ
April 20: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ
May 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Don Flanders Classic)
May 18: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA
May 25: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute To Indy)
June 14: **Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA
June 15: Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Firecracker 30)
August 9: **Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA
August 10: Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA
August 17: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 31: **Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 1: **Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 14: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 5: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Southern California Fair Race)
October 25: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 26: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 1: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 2: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
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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.