By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – FEBRUARY 20, 2014… The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will kick off their eleventh season on Friday, February 28th at Canyon Speedway’s “7th Annual Copper On Dirt.” Promoted by Kevin Montgomery, the popular two-day event will also feature the Honda USAC Western Midgets, IMCA Modifieds, and West Coast vs. CDM Late Models. The spectator gates will open at 4:00pm with racing scheduled for 7:00pm.
With roots going back to the legendary Manzanita Speedway, NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the inaugural “Copper On Dirt” in 2007. Shane Cottle and Darren Hagen also claimed Manzanita checkered flags before Levi Jones won in 2010 at Tucson’s USA Race Park. Last year, the race was revived at Canyon Speedway and R.J. Johnson earned the popular home track victory. The festivities for the “7th Annual Copper On Dirt” will begin on Thursday night with an open practice from 6-9pm.
After returning from the Midwest, Concord’s “The Demon” Damion Gardner raced to his second USAC/CRA Championship. Driving Mark Alexander’s #4A Scott Sales Company / Advanced Racing Suspension Spike, Gardner led the series with five main event wins and had four Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, ten heat race victories, one dash win, one Last Man Standing Dash win, one semi-main win, twenty top-10 finishes, and 108 feature laps led. “The Demon” will be looking to start his title defense with a victory at the “Copper On Dirt.”
Mike Spencer of Temecula ranked second in the final point standings. Piloting Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer had one feature win, seven Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, one dash win, one hard charger award, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 48 feature laps led. The five-time champion will have his sights on regaining the crown with a victory at Canyon Speedway.
Huntington Beach’s Nic Faas finished third in the USAC/CRA point chase. After driving for Mark Alexander, Faas will race Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike in 2014. Last season, Nic earned four feature wins, four Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, one semi-main win, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 86 feature laps led. The former USAC Western Midget Champion will be looking to score his 11th career USAC/CRA win at the “Copper On Dirt.”
Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda claimed fourth in the championship point standings. Driving his #37 MPD Racing / A.R.T. Enterprises machine, Mitchell won his second “Salute to Indy” and had four heat race victories, one semi-main win, eleven top-10 finishes, and 58 feature laps led to his credit. The former USAC Western Midget Rookie of the Year will have his sights on his first main event triumph at Canyon Speedway.
Campbell’s Bud Kaeding placed fifth in the championship points. Piloting Junior Bowman’s #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Maxim, the 3-time Oval Nationals Champion had one feature win, one heat race victory, one dash win, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, twelve top-10 finishes, and 40 feature laps led. At press time, Kaeding had secured a full-time winged sprint car ride in Northern California.
Yorba Linda’s Austin Williams, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams of Yorba Linda, Buena Park’s Brody Roa, Ryan Bernal of Hollister, and Noblesville, Indiana’s Bryan Clauson round out the top-10 in points. Other drivers expected to be in action are R.J. Johnson, “The Ripper” Rip Williams, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Seth Wilson, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Ronnie Gardner, “The People’s Champion” Dave Darland, J.J. Yeley, and many more.
Canyon Speedway Park is located at 9777 West Carefree Highway in Peoria, Arizona. To get to the track, take Lake Pleasant Parkway, then 1.3 miles West on Carefree Highway. Two-day and single-day advance tickets are on sale now and VIP Suite tickets are also available. For more event information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or call (602) 258-7223 (RACE). In you cannot attend the event, the “7th Annual Copper On Dirt” will also be available live on pay per view at www.thecushion.com.
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: The Hoosier HTW/HT2 Right Rear Tires can be run at the first four dates (2/28 Canyon, 3/1 Canyon, 3/15 Perris, and 4/12 Perris). At Perris Auto Speedway’s May 3rd show, the Hoosier 105/16 Medium will be the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier tires. Fuel-injected iron block 360 sprints must use the Hoosier 105/16 Medium and carbureted spec sprints can still use their local track legal Hoosier tires with USAC/CRA.
Officials with the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series are looking for marketing partners and associate sponsors to join their Racer Contingency Program. 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 Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-
——————————
COPPER ON DIRT NON-WING SPRINT CAR WINNERS:
2007-Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 2008-Shane Cottle, 2009-Darren Hagen, 2010-Levi Jones, 2013-R.J. Johnson.
2014 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
February 28: Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Copper on Dirt)
March 1: Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Copper on Dirt / $3,000-to-Win)
March 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout)
April 12: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (So Cal Sprint Car Spectacular)
May 3: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
May 10: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
May 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute to Indy / $3,000-to-Win)
June 14: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
June 27: Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
June 28: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Firecracker 40 / $3,000-to-Win)
July 5: Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA ($2,750-to-Win)
August 16: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 30: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
August 31: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 4: Silver Dollar Speedway – Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week / $2,750-to-Win)
September 5: Ocean Speedway – Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week / $2,750-to-Win)
September 6: Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA (California Sprint Week / $2,750-to-Win)
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 11: Kings Speedway – Hanford, CA (Cotton Classic / $2,750-to-Win)
November 7: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 8: *Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $20,000-to-Win)
November 14: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
——————————
* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.