From Scott Daliosio
Perris, CA — (April 30, 2013) — After a month away, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series returns to “The Southern California Home of Major League Sprint Car Racing,” Perris Auto Speedway, this Saturday night, May 4th, for the running of the Don Flanders Classic. Joining the popular series will be the PAS Senior Sprints and The PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars presented by The Sprint Car Driving Experience. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM on Saturday and the first race will get the green flag at 7:00.
“Saturday’s race honors a great guy in the sprint car world,” promoter Don Kazarian stated on Monday. “Don Flanders was a car owner, innovator and a helper to one and all. Time and time again he would walk up and hand teams money to keep them going and he was always giving us money to hand out to drivers in the field. Usually it was for guys who finished at the back of the pack.”
Track announcer Scott Daloisio echoed Kazarian’s sentiments.
“It seemed like every time I saw Don Flanders or received an E-mail from him, he was adding money to the purse,” Daloisio said. “He especially liked helping the small guys. The last time I saw Don at The PAS was last August or September and he handed me a sizable check and told me to have it split between the last six place finishers in the next two races. Just a wonderful man who will be missed by everyone.”
Concord’s Damion Gardner won both of the USAC/CRA races at Cocopah Speedway in Yuma, Arizona two weeks ago. Those triumphs propelled the 2005 series champion to the top of the 2013 championship standings. Heading into Saturday’s Don Flanders Classic on the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval, Gardner leads teammate Nic Faas of Huntington Beach by a mere four-points. Fellow Northern California racer Bud Kaeding of Campbell is third in the standings followed by five-time defending series champion Mike Spencer of Temecula and Phoenix, Arizona’s R.J. Johnson.
The last time the series visited The PAS on April 6th, Faas took the lead for the win with a little over a lap to go when Riverside’s David Cardey started running out of fuel. Gardner turned in a dazzling drive from the back of the pack after an early race tangle to also get by Cardey on the final lap for second. A disappointed Cardey ended up third.
Thus far in six USAC/CRA races this season, Gardner and Faas, who drive for the Mark Alexander team that is headquartered in Gardena just a mile or two west of where Ascot was located, have three wins. Amazingly, neither of the teammates has finished worse than fourth. In addition to his two victories, Gardner has two second and two fourth place finishes. As well as his win, Faas has a pair of seconds, a third and a fourth.
Noblesville, Indiana’s Bryan Clauson has two wins in the series in 2013. One of his wins was at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Arizona and the other was at The PAS season opener. Johnson won the other series race on his home turf in Peoria in March.
Saturday will also be a “Power of Purple Night” as the track collects money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. 2013 is the eighth year in a row that the track, its fans, teams and sponsors will donate $10,000.00 to help fight the dreaded disease.
Tickets for Saturday’s battle on the famous clay of The PAS are $25.00 for adults. Seniors get in for $20.00. Active military members with proper id, teens 13-18 with their school id and kids 6-12 get in for just $5.00. Children 5 and under are free.
Amsoil USAC/CRA Points
1. Damion Gardner – Concord, CA – 397
2. Nic Faas – Huntington Beach, CA – 393
3. Bud Kaeding – Campbell, CA – 312
4. Mike Spencer – Temecula, CA – 294
5. R.J. Johnson – Phoenix, AZ – 266
6. Cody Williams – Yorba Linda, CA – 242
7. Brody Roa – Buena Park, CA – 226
8. Austin Williams – Yorba Linda, CA – 224
9. Bryan Clauson – Noblesville, IN – 210
10. Charles Davis Jr. – Buckeye, AZ – 207
For more information call The PAS at: (951) 940-0134.
Camping for all events at The PAS is available for $25.00 per night. The campground will open at noon the day before each event. Tailgating in the spectator parking lot will begin at 1:00 PM for all PAS events as well.