By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, June 8, 2015) When the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series returns to Perris Auto Speedway, “The Southern California Home of Major League Sprint Car Racing”, this Saturday night June 13th, it is bringing something that has been missing for the past few seasons. A very tight point’s race. Heading into Saturday’s event, the top six are separated by less than 100-points.
Over the past seven seasons, 5-time series champion Mike Spencer of Temecula and Concord’s Damion Gardner have won all of the championships. Moreover they have usually done so in convincing style. However, the series, now in its 12th season, is seeing a tight battle as it returns to the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval for the fifth time in 2015. Despite not winning a main event yet this year, Spencer, a 33-year-old Cal Poly Pomona engineering graduate, holds a 25-point lead over Yorba Linda’s Matt Mitchell in the championship standings. Like Spencer, runner up Mitchell has not yet visited victory circle. Consistent finishes have put both of them in the top two spots.
Gardner, who is third in the standings and who has two wins, trails leader Spencer by 39-points. Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd leads the series with four wins, but is fourth in points and trails Spencer by 61-markers. Yorba Linda’s Austin Williams, who has yet to win but who has five top five finishes in the first seven races, is fifth in the standings and is just 10-points behind Vander Weerd.
Current point leader Mike Spencer of Temecula leading fourth in points Richard Vander Weerd of Visalia and third in points Damion Gardner of Concord earlier this year at Perris Auto Speedway. Please give photo credit to Vane.
“The racing with USAC/CRA has been phenomenal this season,” promoter Don Kazarian said on Monday. “Not only for the lead, but throughout the pack. It has all been top shelf stuff. In addition to the great racing, there is a super point’s battle going on and that is a bonus for the fans. They are really into it and pulling for their favorites. With the top drivers being separated by so few points, one slip up by a driver can turn the whole thing upside down.”
Just out of the top five, but only by 23-points, is Anaheim’s Jake Swanson. The 22-year-old Cal State Northridge marketing student is in his second year in the Moose Racing #92 out of Huntington Beach. In four outings at The PAS this year, Swanson has been fast qualifier three times and has recorded the fastest qualifying lap of the year with a time of 16.354 on May 23rd. Those three fast times at The PAS have come in the last three races in a row and in the last two, he has had season best fifth place finishes.
Anaheim’s Jake Swanson, shown on the inside of Garden Grove’s Brody Roa in the photo above, has been fast qualifier the last three races at Perris Auto Speedway. Swanson is sixth in USAC/CRA points and Roa is seventh. Please give photo credit to Vane.
“The makeup of the top 10 in points bodes very well for the future of this series,” Kazarian said. “Of the top ten, only two of the drivers (Spencer and Gardner) are over 30-years-old. Only two others (Mitchell and Cody Williams) are over 25. These guys are going to be superstars and racing against each other for years to come. It is a very exciting time for sprint car racing in Southern California and it is going to stay that way for a lot of years. The talent pool is very deep.”
In addition to the stars from the USAC/CRA Series, The PAS Senior & Young Gun Sprint Car drivers will also be in action on Saturday. The Senior series is for drivers age 45 and older and the Young Guns is for drivers age 14-21.
Saturday’s show will feature qualifying, heat races and main events for the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and heats and main events for the Seniors and Young Guns. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM with the first exciting race at 7:00.
Amsoil USAC/CRA Point Standings
- Mike Spencer – Temecula – 426
- Matt Mitchell – Yorba Linda – 401
- Damion Gardner – Concord – 387
- Richard Vander Weerd – Visalia – 365
- Austin Williams – Yorba Linda – 355
- Cody Swanson – Anaheim – 332
- Brody Roa – Garden Grove – 260
- Cody Williams – Corona – 237
- Logan Williams – Yorba Linda – 184
- Richard Vander Weerd – Visalia – 174
Camping is available for $25.00 per night for all PAS events. The campground opens at noon the day before each event. 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 2015 season. AA Lynco Painting, All Coast Construction, All Seasons Tree Repair, Amsoil, Archibald’s Restaurants, Ayers Hotel and Spa, BlueLine Rentals, Budweiser, California Budget Finance, CamGuard, Champion Towing, City of Perris, Perris Com Ecco, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Drop Zone, Edelbrock, Engine Pro, Harry’s Café, HD Industries, Hoosier Tires, Horizon Solar, K&N Engineering, Livingwaters Hospice, Luke’s Transmission, Moon Nursery, Paul Oil Company, Pepsi-Cola, Pick-A-Part Auto Salvage, Pizza Factory, Red Lion Inns and Suites, Robert Dempster, Scott Sales, Shaver Racing Engines, Sherwin-Williams, Stassines Cross, Square H, Swedish Speed, Trench Shoring, US Foods and Valley News.
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/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480?ref=hl
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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 LoudPedal Productions
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.
racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment.