by Lance Jennings
HANFORD, CA – AUGUST 4, 2013… Despite multiple caution flags, Tipton’s “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. led all 30-laps to win the “4th Annual Jim Evett Memorial” at Kings Speedway. The $1,500 Hanford victory was Faria’s fourth career USAC West Coast Sprint Car triumph and his first win of the season. Richard Vander Weerd, Bud Kaeding, Marty Hawkins, and Ryan Bernal followed “Hollywood” to the checkered flags.
With starter Willie Williams waving the green flag, Faria charged from third to take command of the main event. Looking for his first career victory, dash winner Austin Liggett challenged Faria hard for the top spot. After four laps, “Hollywood” was able to shake free from Liggett and began to run away from the field. With yellow and red flags halting the action, Danny had excellent restarts and sprinted away from Liggett, Bud Kaeding, and Jace Vander Weerd. Continuing to hit his marks, Faria was able to claim victory at the Kings County Fairgrounds.
After finishing second the last two shows, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. raced his #17V Johnston Calf Pens / DeBoer & Sons Trucking Spike to the feature win. This year’s Billet Cup Champion qualified fifth out of twenty-three cars, won the DJ Safety Heat Race #2, and ran third in the dash. Recording his second “Evett Memorial” victory, Faria increased his point lead with one Weld Racing Fast Time Award, six heat race victories, two Woodland Auto Display Dash win, one BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, twelve top-10 finishes, and 54 feature laps led to his credit.
Richard Vander Weerd of Visalia raced to third at the checkered flags after starting fourteenth. After his twin brother Jace was too light over the scales during the post-race inspection, Richard was credited with second. Driving the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard earned his series leading eleventh career fast time award. Placing sixth in his heat race, the 2011 Champion is currently fourth in the point chase with four main event wins, three Weld Racing Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, two Woodland Auto Display Dash wins, one semi-main win, two BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Awards, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 101 feature laps led.
Campbell’s Bud Kaeding battled hard and scored third in the “Jim Evett Memorial.” Piloting Junior Bowman’s #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Bullet, Bud was sixth fast in time trials, won the Saldana Racing Products / Keizer Wheels Heat Race #3, and was second in the dash. To date, Kaeding is third in the standings with three heat race victories, two Woodland Auto Display Dash wins, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 7 feature laps led on the season.
Marty Hawkins of Santa Rosa had one of his best nights of the campaign with a fourth place finish after starting ninth. Racing his #3M Blakeley Landscaping / The Toiyabe Group Eagle, Hawkins qualified twelfth overall and claimed second in his heat race. As this writing goes to press, Marty has climbed to tenth in the point chase with one heat race victory and three top-10 finishes.
Hollister’s Ryan Bernal earned his second BR Motorsports / Racing Optics “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fifth place run from twenty-third. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Bernal’s primary car had engine problems in time trials. Scoring fourth in his heat race with a backup car, Ryan left Hanford second in points with five main event wins, one Weld Racing Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash wins, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 85 feature laps led on the year.
Austin Liggett of Tracy raced to victory in the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Piloting the family owned #83 Lucas Oil / Excel Environmental Services Maxim, Liggett challenged Faria in the opening laps and raced hard to stay up front. After a mid-race spin knocked him out of contention, Austin scored fourteenth in the main event. Earlier in the program, Liggett was seventh quick in time trials and won his first Woodland Auto Display Dash. Last season’s Rookie of the Year sits ninth in championship points with two heat race victories and three top-10 finishes in the campaign.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will take a break in the schedule and will return to action on September 7th at Bakersfield Speedway. The action packed showcase will also feature Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, and Mini Stocks. Advance tickets are on sale and for more information, visit www.bakersfieldspeedway.com or call 661.393.3373.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, 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, email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/#!/pages/
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USAC WEST COAST SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
August 3, 2013 – Hanford, California – Kings Speedway – “Jim Evett Memorial”
WELD RACING TIME TRIALS:
1. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-15.894; 2. Markus Niemela, 81, Watt-16.097; 3. Jace Vander Weed, 88, Vander Weerd-16.138; 4. Tom Hendricks, 14K, Kruseman-16.145; 5. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-16.179; 6. Bud Kaeding, 29, Bowman-16.185; 7. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-16.356; 8. Jonathan Logan, 32, Evett/Logan-16.433; 9. Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-16.454; 10. Ricky Kirkbride, 87, Van Meter-16.647; 11. Matt Day, 97, Day-16.670; 12. Marty Hawkins, 3M, Hawkins-16.705; 13. Jay Waugh, 89K, Kruseman-16.765; 14. Rusty Carlile, 51, Carlile-16.769; 15. Jeff Sibley, 18, Watt-16.800; 16. Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-16.855; 17. Kolby Araki, 30K, Araki-16.898; 18. Kenny Perkins, 0K, Perkins-17.038; 19. Adam Frith-Smith, 62, Frith-Smith-17.489; 20. Aiden Corish, 21K, Kruseman-17.628; 21. Seth Hancock, 51S, Hancock-17.751; 22. Greg Turner, 5, Perkins-18.520; 23. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Austin Liggett, 2. Kevin Barnes, 3. Jay Waugh, 4. Ricky Kirkbride, 5. Greg Turner, 6. Richard Vander Weerd, 7. Tom Hendricks, 8. Adam Frith-Smith. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Danny Faria Jr., 2. Rusty Carlile, 3. Markus Niemela, 4. Ryan Bernal, 5. Jonathan Logan, 6. Aiden Corish, 7. Matt Day, 8. Kolby Araki. NT
SALANA RACING PRODUCTS / KEIZER WHEELS HEAT RACE 3: (10 laps)
1. Bud Kaeding, 2. Marty Hawkins, 3. Jace Vander Weerd, 4. Will Perkins, 5. Landon Hurst, 6. Jeff Sibley, 7. Seth Hancock. NT
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY DASH: (6 laps)
1. Austin Liggett, 2. Bud Kaeding, 3. Danny Faria Jr., 4. Jace Vander Weerd, 5. Ricky Kirkbride, 6. Landon Hurst, 7. Jonathan Logan. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Danny Faria Jr. (3rd), 2. Richard Vander Weerd (14th), 3. Bud Kaeding (2nd), 4. Marty Hawkins (9th), 5. Ryan Bernal (23rd), 6. Tom Hendricks (15th), 7. Kevin Barnes (12th), 8. Aiden Corish (20th), 9. Landon Hurst (6th), 10. Jay Waugh (10th), 11. Adam Frith-Smith (19th), 12. Seth Hancock (21st), 13. Kenny Perkins (13th), 14. Austin Liggett (1st), 15. Greg Turner (22nd), 16. Markus Niemela (8th), 17. Ricky Kirkbride (5th), 18. Rusty Carlile (11th), 19. Kolby Araki (18th), 20. Jonathan Logan (7th), 21. Jeff Sibley (17th), 22. Matt Day (16th), 23. Jace Vander Weerd (4th). NT
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**Matt Day and Kolby Araki flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Danny Faria Jr.
BR MOTORSPORTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Ryan Bernal (23rd to 5th)
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT POINT STANDINGS:
1-Danny Faria Jr.-682, 2-Ryan Bernal-661, 3-Bud Kaeding-637, 4-Richaed Vander Weerd-630, 5-Markus Niemela-559, 6-Rusty Carlile-482, 7-Jace Vander Weerd-435, 8-Ricky Kirkbride-376, 9-Austin Liggett-354, 10-Marty Hawkins-335.