By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, April 17, 2014) Sixty-two-year-old Bruce Douglass of Ventura, California made it two wins in a row in the The PAS Senior Sprint Car main event in front a packed house at the “So. Cal Sprint Car Spectacular” last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway.
Bruce Douglass and car owner Victor Davis (in green) are two for two in PAS Senior Sprint Car action in 2014. Media please feel free to publish this photo and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
Joining the STP World of Outlaws and the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars on the prestigious card, the Senior Sprints drew their largest field to date when 19-cars signed in to race.
The scheduled 20-lap main got off to a less than glorious start when Hacienda Heights racer Tony Lima flipped wildly in turn four. The crash was so violent that it tossed the entire front axle and one of the wheels catapulting high into the air and subsequently stuck in the top of The PAS 36-foot high catch fence. Much to the delight of the huge gathering, the former SCRA driver climbed out of extensively damaged bright red and yellow #30 sprint car under his own power.
When the race was restarted it was shortened to 15-laps due to the length of time it took to clean up the mess from the Lima crash and make sure the fence was not damaged. Popular Steve Ostling of Corona won the race to the first corner in Tobey Sampson’s #12 “Frankenstein” that was being raced on the night in honor of Bill and Evelyn Pratt. The car had one of Pratt’s old hoods on and Sampson re-numbered the car from its normal #82 to Pratt’s #12.
Ostling, who was affectionately known as “The Mexican National Champion” during his racing days, only held the lead till the back straightaway when pole sitter Ed Schwartz of Santa Fe Springs took the point. Schwarz, a past winner at The PAS, maintained the lead until Douglass drove by in the Victor Davis blue Lucas Oil #13 on the fourth lap. Once past, there was no catching the chatty racer and he drove the remaining 14-laps at the head of the pack for his second straight win. Schwarz maintained the runner up spot to the finish with 2011 Senior champ Bill Badger of Santa Clarita third. Defending champion Rick Hendrix of Palmdale was fourth and San Diego’s Jess Denome, who was also racing in the USAC/CRA Series on the night, was fifth.
Corona’s Steve Brown was the main event “Hard Charger” finishing 9th after starting in 12th/
Earlier in the night Denome and Hendrix won the two heat races.
After the races at the track and online the next day many fans were thanking track officials for erecting the extra tall 36-foot high safety fence which protected them when Lima’s axle and wheel catapulted into the air.
The Senior Sprints will be back in action along with the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprints and the California Lightning Sprint Cars on May 3rd.
Senior Sprint Main Event (with starting positions): 1. Bruce Douglass (3rd), 2. Ed Schwarz (1st), 3. Bill Badger (4th), 4. Rick Hendrix (5th), 5. Jesse Denome (6th), 6. Bob Alderman (8th), 7. Steve Ostling (2nd), 8. Rich Bender (9th), 9. Steve Brown (12th), 10. Bob Strait (13th), 11. Jim Giardina (14th), 12. Mike Collins (7th), 13. Joe Bowman (16th), 14. Brian Groseheider (17th), 15. Todd Boyy (15th), 16. Darren Slater (18th), 17. Royal Adderson (11th), 18. Tony Lima (10th)
For more information on The PAS call: (951) 940-0134.
Camping for all events at The PAS is available for $25.00 per night. The campground will open at noon on Friday. Tailgating in the spectator parking lot will begin at 1:00 PM for all PAS events as well.
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank its corporate sponsors for the 2014 season. 1-800LoanMart, 777 Racecars, All Coast Construction, Amsoil, Ayers Hotel and Spa, BlueLine Rental, Budweiser, CamGuard, Champion Towing, City of Perris, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Edelbrok, Engine Pro, HD Industries, Hoosier Tires, K&N Engineering, McMahon’s RV, Pep Boys, P.I.P.E., Pepsi-Cola, Pick-A-Part Auto Salvage, Prolong Super Lubricants, Running Waters Hospice, Scott Sales, Shaver Racing Engines, Sherwin-Williams, Showtime Motorsports, Sprint Car Driving Experience, Square H, Swedish Speed, Trench Shoring, US Foods and Valley Auto Salvage.
To keep up with all of the latest Perris Auto Speedway news, photos, gossip and receive special offers, sign up at The PAS Facebook site at: https://www.facebook.com/
You can also keep up with the latest news and receive special offers from The PAS Twitter site: http://twitter.com/
You can also keep up with the latest news and receive special offers from The PAS Twitter site: http://twitter.com/
Video and DVD productions of all racing events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from Loudpedal Productions. For more information on these productions you can contact them by calling (805) 844-3854, E-mailing mailto:trtruex@gmail.com or you can visit the web site http://www.loudpedalvideo.com/
Fans can participate for free in The PAS 2014 Fantasy League at: http://www.shorttrackin.com/. There are separate divisions for the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and the Amsoil OilTwins.com PASSCAR classes of Street Stocks, American Factory Stocks and the Modifieds. Players can compete in as many divisions as they like. Prizes will be announced as they come in.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of October’s Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds.