By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – MAY 7, 2014… This Saturday, May 10th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will invade Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway for the first time since September 2010. The $2,750-to-win, $350-to-start “All Coast Challenge” and “Fred Thomson Tribute Race” will also showcase the popular VRA Pro Dwarf Cars. The Pit Gates will open at Noon, the Front Gates will open at 3:00pm, Drivers Meeting at 3:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 5:30pm at “The Best Little Dirt Track In America.”
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: Thanks to Mike Grosswendt and All Coast Construction, every sprint car team racing with USAC/CRA at Ventura this Saturday will receive 2 FREE PIT PASSES and their ENTRY FEE WILL BE PAID (PER CAR). Mike has been a major supporter of racing on the West Coast for several years and his contributions are appreciated very much. The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier tires. Ventura Raceway has a strict 95db at 100 feet state mandated sound rule and track legal mufflers are Extreme Mufflers (Part #6014-3535 180 Degree, Part #3615-3535), Coast Fabrication (350x625x17-2sVRA), Spintech (180 Degree, 1545P Super Stock Series), B&B Performance (FRAC-0375-S, 180 Degree, with side outlet), Flowmaster (Hushpower, Suitcase- Part 53545-USAC.) The Flowmaster “Suitcase” is also the legal muffler for Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway, Petaluma Speedway, and Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway.
Saturday’s “All Coast Challenge” will mark the 16th appearance of the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The event also honors Fred Thomson who supported sprint car racing in 1955 until his passing in 2003. Fred is perhaps best known for owning cars raced by his son Jim and grandson Brandon with various 360 and 410 sprint car groups in California.
“The Ripper” Rip Williams claimed the inaugural Ventura USAC/CRA feature on May 22, 2004 and 9 drivers have earned victories. “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman leads all racers with six triumphs and Williams has two main event wins. Single victories have been recorded by Mike Kirby, Damion Gardner, Alan Ballard, Mike Spencer, Blake Miller, Scotty Weir, and Tyler Brown. On October 28, 2008, Miller set USAC/CRA’s 1-lap qualifying track record of 11.675, while Ron Shuman set the all-time track record of 11.527 on October 1, 1994.
Heading to Ventura, Concord’s “The Demon” Damion Gardner has a 39 point advantage over the competition. Racing Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike, Gardner finished second last Saturday at Perris after restarting at the back. Entering the fifth point race, the defending champion has three feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, and 45 feature laps led to his credit. “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” will be looking to extend his point lead and earn his series leading 50th win this Saturday night.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach ranks second in USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Faas scored fourth in last Saturday’s 30-lap main event. To date, the former USAC Western Midget Champion has one heat race victory and four top-10 finishes in the campaign. This Saturday, Nic will have his sights on earning his 11th career USAC/CRA feature win at Ventura Raceway.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer is third in the championship points. Driving Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer ran fifth in the Perris Auto Speedway feature. Heading to the “All Coast Challenge,” the five-time champion has two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and 11 feature laps led on the year. Mike will have his sights on earning his 35th career USAC/CRA victory on Saturday night.
Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda sits fourth in the USAC/CRA point chase. Racing his #37 MPD Racing / A.R.T. Enterprises Maxim, Mitchell rebounded from an early flip to score twelfth in the May 3rd feature. After four races, the former USAC Western Midget Rookie of the Year has three top-10 finishes and three feature laps led to his credit. Matt will be looking to claim his sixth career USAC/CRA main event win at Ventura.
Huntington Beach’s Brody Roa has risen to fifth in the point standings. Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa finished seventh last Saturday night. Heading to the “Fred Thomson Tribute Race,” the 2012 Most Improved Driver has one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main Win and two top-10 finishes one the season. Brody will have his sights on claiming his second USAC/CRA victory at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
Currently seventh in points, Gary Taylor of Snohomish, Washington leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Yorba Linda’s Logan Williams, Cody Swanson of Norco, and Verdemont Heights’ Chris Gansen are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Jake Swanson, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Richard Vander Weerd, Austin Williams, Ronnie Gardner, Greg Alexander, A.J. Bender, J.J. Ercse, Seth Wilson, Verne Sweeney, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, David Bezio, Kenny Perkins, Jace Vander Weerd, and more.
Ventura Raceway is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior tickets (60 and older) are $15, Active Military tickets (ID Required) are #15, Student tickets (with ID) are $15, Kids tickets (7-12) are $10, and Children’s tickets (6 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Engler Machine & Tool, Extreme Mufflers, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, 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 Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1-Damion Gardner-286, 2-Nic Faas-247, 3-Mike Spencer-228, 4 Matt Mitchell-195, 5-Brody Roa-152, 6-Cory Kruseman-150, 7-Gary Taylor-143, 8-Jake Swanson-141, 9-Cody Williams-139, 10-Richard Vander Weerd-120, 11-Austin Williams-113, 12-R.J. Johnson-108, 13-Logan Williams-104, 14-Cody Swanson-95, 15-Ronnie Gardner-90, —Greg Alexander-90, 17-Josh Pelkey-79, 18-A.J. Bender-75, 19-J.J. Ercse-68, —Seth Wilson-68.