By Scott Daloisio
(San Pedro, CA, May 8, 2014) San Pedro, California sprint car racer Greg Alexander realized a lifelong dream with a podium finish in the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway. He hopes to carry the momentum into the Ventura Raceway this Saturday, May 10th, and parlay it into a win at the track where he has won four VRA Sprint Car main events in the past.
Saturday dawned with unseasonably hot temperatures and by the time the pit gate opened in the afternoon, the thermometer was hovering around the 100 degree mark. While many thought that was hot, it was ice cold compared the temperature of the west coast’s premiere 410 sprint car series main event later that night. And, one of the drivers in the middle of that inferno like action was Greg Alexander.
Greg Alexander in in the Chuck Tyler Motorsports #72 at Perris Auto Speedway. Media please feel free to publish this photo and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
After a good run in his first outing in the Jake Hodges built Racerafter Chassis on April 12th, Alexander and the Chuck Tyler Motorsports Team had high expectations coming into last Saturday. By the time the last Kevin Winters’ checkered flag had waved on the warm evening, they basked in the glow of their best ever USAC/CRA podium finish.
The team started out the night qualifying 16th in the 30 car field with a lap of 17.419. That placed the friendly driver in the fourth heat race and he booked his way straight into the 30-lap main event with a strong third place finish.
The only potential wrench thrown into the works on the night appeared to be Alexander’s starting spot in the main event. Due to his qualifying time, he had to start 14th (outside row seven) and that is in the second half of the field. That starting spot meant to get a top finish, he would have to pass a lot of cars. It became clear from the green flag, in what turned out to be one of the most exiting races in the tracks 19-season history, that passing cars was not going to be a problem for Alexander. He skillfully sliced and diced his was past 11 other cars who were faster than him at the start of the night, By the time the race ended, he finished third for his first ever podium finish in the tough open wheel series. In addition, he won the Keizer Wheels/Racing Optics Hard Charger Award for passing more cars than any other driver.
“I have wanted this my entire life ever since I was a little kid sitting in stands here at Perris Auto Speedway watching these guys race,” the excited driver said after. “My goal was to get a top five and I got a third. This finish feels so good it is like a win for me, but now I have to go two spots more. This new Racecrafters car is incredible. It works so well. For the last restart I could not believe everybody went high. I stayed down low and the car worked great. I could not be any happier.”
Twenty-four hours after he realized his dream, Alexander was a guest of Dave Stall on the San Diego Motorsports radio show and expressed confidence in the momentum heading to this Saturday’s show at the Ventura Raceway. Thus far in his still young sprint car racing career, Alexander has won five sprint car main events. Four of the five have come at Ventura racing in the VRA Sprint Car Series. He hopes to add another notch to his victory belt at Ventura this Saturday, but this time in the toughest sprint car racing series west of the Mississippi.
Despite the fact that Alexander is not running for points in 2014 and has only started two of the four races thus far, he is ranked is 16th in the championship standings and is only 30-points out of tenth place.
Saturday’s race at the Ventura Raceway will be the only appearance for the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series at the picturesque beach side oval in 2014. Spectator gates will open at 3:00 PM on Saturday and the first race will be at 5:30. The Ventura Raceway is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds just off the 101 in Ventura.
For the 2014 season, the Chuck Tyler Motorsports entry was sponsored by Racecrafters Chassis Design, Construction & Repairs, Barnes Systems, Amsoil, Oiltwins.com, CSI Shocks, SC Grafix, Southwest Scale Chassis and Scott Daloisio Sports.
If you would like to get on board and be involved with Greg Alexander’s racing efforts in 2014, please give him a call at: (714) 610-4566.
Date Track
4/12/14 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 12th in the A Main
5/3/14 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA 3rd in A Main