From Lance Jennings
Santa Maria, CA — (June 11, 2014) — This Saturday, June 14th, the powerful Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars are back in action at the famed Perris Auto Speedway. Promoted by Don Kazarian, the seventh point race of the season will also feature the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, and California Lightning Sprints. The spectator gates will open at 5:00pm and racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” will start at 7:00pm.
Saturday’s event will be the fifth of ten races at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. “The Demon” Damion Gardner won the March 15th “Sokola Shootout,” the April 12th “So Cal Sprint Car Spectacular” and the 40-lap “Salute to Indy” on May 24th. Richard Vander Weerd broke Gardner’s winning streak by claiming his first 410 victory on May 3rd. To date, “The Demon” leads all USAC/CRA drivers with 51 triumphs and 29 “home track” wins. Nic Faas holds the 1-lap qualifying track record of 15.833 set on February 25, 2012.
Heading to Perris, Concord’s “The Demon” Damion Gardner holds an eighty-eight point advantage over the competition. The pilot of Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike claimed his fifth win out of six races at the May 24th “Salute To Indy.” The defending champion has had an outstanding season with two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, and 99 feature laps led to his credit. “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” will be looking to extend his point lead and score his series leading 52nd USAC/CRA victory.
Nic Faas of Huntington Beach ranks second in chase for the championship. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Faas scored twenty-first at the “Salute to Indy” after a first lap tangle ended his night. Entering Saturday’s race, the 2008 USAC Western Midget Champion has two heat race victories and five top-10 finishes on the season. Nic will have his sights on earning his 11th USAC/CRA main event win at Perris Auto Speedway.
Temecula’s Mike Spencer sits third in the point standings. Racing Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer led ten laps and finished second to Gardner on May 24th. Currently, the five-time champion has three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 21 feature laps led in 2014. Mike will have his sights on his 35th career USAC/CRA win this Saturday night.
After taking fifth in the Perris “Salute to Indy,” Brody Roa of Huntington Beach has climbed to fourth in the point chase. Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa has one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and four top-10 finishes on the year. This Saturday, Brody will be looking for his first USAC/CRA “home track” main event win.
Yorba Linda’s Matt Mitchell is fifth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Driving his #37 MPD Racing / A.R.T. Enterprises Maxim, Mitchell scored nineteenth at Perris after an early exit. At press time, the 2004 USAC Western Midget Rookie of the Year has one heat race victory, three top-10 finishes and 3 feature laps led in the campaign. At Perris, Matt will have his sights on taking home his sixth USAC/CRA winning trophy.
Currently eleventh in points, Yorba Linda’s Logan Williams leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Snohomish, Washington’s Gary Taylor, Cody Swanson of Norco, and Verdemont Heights’ Chris Gansen are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Jake Swanson, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Richard Vander Weerd, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Austin Williams, A.J. Bender, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, Jace Vander Weerd, Corey Ballard, Seth Wilson, Verne Sweeney, and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior tickets (65 & older) are $20, Active Military, Students (13-18), and Kids tickets (6-12) are $5. Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
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-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/USAC_CRA). Mike Truex’s Loudpedal Productions has DVDs available for purchase that feature the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. For more information, call 805.407.7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
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PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS:
29-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Mike Kirby, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 5-Danny Sheridan, 4-Bryan Clauson, 4-Matt Mitchell, 3-Dave Darland, 3-Garrett Hansen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-Blake Miller, 2-Chris Windom, 1-Greg Bragg, 1-Daron Clayton, 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-Josh Ford, 1-Darren Hagen, 1-R.J. Johnson, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Richard Vander Weerd, 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Jason York.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Damion Gardner-427, 2. Nic Faas-339, 3. Mike Spencer-301, 4. Brody Roa-246, 5. Matt Mitchell-238, 6. Jake Swanson-228, 7. Cody Williams-217, 8. Richard Vander Weerd-207, 9. Cory Kruseman-206, 10. Austin Williams-176, 11. Logan Williams-165, 12. Gary Taylor-143, 13. A.J. Bender-125, –. Ronnie Gardner-125, 15. Rickie Gaunt-122, 16. Ryan Bernal-112, 17. R.J. Johnson-108, 18. Jace Vander Weerd-102, 19. Cody Swanson-99, 20. Greg Alexander-91.
2014 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
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 (Party At The Coast / $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 Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.