From Lance Jennings
Santa Maria, CA — (December 18, 2013) — USAC Western Operations Director Chris Kearns has released the upcoming schedule for the West Coast Sprint Car Series. The Central California traditional sprints are set for twenty-six nights of action, starting with the “3rd Annual Winter Challenge” and closing with the “47th Western World Championships” at Canyon Speedway. Returning to the clay ovals at Las Vegas, Tulare, Bakersfield, Hanford, and Perris, the group will co-sanction seven events with the USAC Western Classic Sprints and will make their debuts at Watsonville and Chowchilla.
Kevin Montgomery’s Canyon Speedway in Peoria, Arizona will showcase ten dates on the calendar. Starting on January 24th, the non-point “Winter Challenge” will feature six races in nine nights with the USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars. The $2,500-to-win “Brawl For It All” on September 27th is the second leg of the popular “Grudge Series” and the “Western World Championships” will pay $7,500-to-win on the final night. Last season, Bryan Clauson won five main events, R.J. Johnson claimed two features, and Mike Spencer celebrated a victory at the fast 1/3-mile oval. For more information on the Canyon events and the “Winter Challenge” mini-series, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.
The 2014 point season for the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will kickoff at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 6th. The “3rd Annual Sin City Showdown” is the first race of the “Grudge Series” with the USAC SouthWest Series and will pay $2,500-to-win. Held during NASCAR weekend, the special Thursday night program will also feature the famed World of Outlaw Sprint Cars on the large 1/2-mile oval. Last March, Clauson continued his hot streak from the Winter Challenge and claimed the jackpot in front of a packed house. For more details on the Las Vegas race, visit www.lvms.com/dirt.
Tulare’s Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway will host five dates on the schedule. Starting on Friday, March 14th with the World of Outlaws, the West Coast Sprints will tackle Steve Faria’s lightning fast 1/3-mile on April 26th, May 17th (with the USAC Western Classic Racing Series), May 31st, and June 21st. Last season, Ryan Bernal earned three victories at Tulare and Richard Vander Weerd added two feature wins to his resume. For more information on the Tulare events, visit www.tularethunderbowl.com.
On March 22nd, the USAC West Coast Sprints will make their only appearance at Scott Schweitzer’s Bakersfield Speedway. Last March, Markus Niemela set a new track record while Vander Weerd, Bernal, and “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. claimed main event wins at the “The West’s Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval.” For more details on the Bakersfield race, visit www.bakersfieldspeedway.com.
Scott Woodhouse’s Kings Speedway in Hanford has five dates on the calendar. Beginning with the “Gary Jacob Memorial” on March 29th, the traditional 360s will return to the 3/8-mile facility on April 25th (with the USAC Western Classic Racing Series), June 7th, July 19th, and August 2nd for the “3rd Annual Billet Cup.” Last season, Vander Weerd and Faria scored two victories, while Bernal and Troy Rutherford also won at Kings Speedway. For more information on the Hanford events, visit www.kingsspeedway.net.
Located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, John Prentice’s Ocean Speedway in Watsonville will host two dates on the schedule. The Friday, May 16th and August 8th races at the popular 1/4-mile facility are co-sanctioned with the USAC Western Classic Sprints. As two of the most anticipated dates on the calendar, it should be noted that Ocean Speedway has a strict noise/muffler rule. All competitors must run quiet mufflers for those events. For more details on the Watsonville shows, visit www.oceanspeedway.com.
On August 9th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will make their first appearance at Chowchilla Speedway. A new promotion team at the Chowchilla Fairgrounds have made improvements to the 1/3-mile facility, including new clay for the racing surface. For more information on the Chowchilla date, visit www.chowchillaautoracing.com.
After a successful debut, the USAC West Coast and SouthWest Sprints will clash at Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway on November 6th. The $2,500-to-win finale of the “Grudge Series” will open the “19th Annual Oval Nationals.” A series champion will be crowned at the event and with both USAC/CRA and the USAC National Series in town, many talented drivers from across the country are expected to compete. For more information on the race at Perris, visit www.perrisautospeedway.com.
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 in 2014, 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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2014 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
January 24: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Winter Challenge / $2,000-to-Win / Non-Points)
January 25: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Winter Challenge / $2,000-to-Win / Non-Points)
January 26: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Winter Challenge / $3,000-to-Win / Non-Points)
January 30: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Winter Challenge / $2,000-to-Win / Non-Points)
January 31: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Winter Challenge / $2,000-to-Win / Non-Points)
February 1: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Winter Challenge / $5,000-to-Win / Non-Points)
March 6: *The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Las Vegas, NV (Sin City Showdown / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series)
March 14: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA
March 22: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
March 29: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA (Gary Jacob Memorial)
April 25: #Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA
April 26: #Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA
May 16: #Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA
May 17: #Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA
May 31: #Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA
June 7: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA
June 21: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA
July 19: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA
August 2: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA (Billet Cup / $2,500-to-Win)
August 8: #Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA
August 9: #Chowchilla Speedway – Chowchilla, CA
September 27: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points)
November 6: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series)
November 20: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / Non-Points)
November 21: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / Non-Points)
November 22: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / $7,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC Southwest Sprints.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC Western Classic Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.