By Lance Jennings
JUNE 28, 2016… The powerful Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars are back in action this Friday and Saturday night for a special doubleheader. On Friday, July 1st, the traditional 410s will make their only appearance of the year at Santa Maria Raceway for the “Doug Fort Memorial.” The following night, the series will return to Perris Auto Speedway for the popular “Firecracker 30 & Skyconcert.”
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier tires. The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is also the current legal tire with the USAC West Coast, USAC SouthWest, and VRA Sprint Cars. Cars must pass a tech inspection and one-way radios are mandatory for drivers. USAC/CRA charges a $25 entry fee to all competitors and the series rule book can be found online at www.usacracing.com.
Promoted by Mike Kappmeyer, Santa Maria’s “Doug Fort Memorial” will be the twentieth USAC/CRA event at the “West’s Best Short Track.” Six different drivers (Ryan Bernal, Damion Gardner, Rickie Gaunt, Cory Kruseman, Mike Spencer, and Austin Williams) are tied for the series lead with two Santa Maria victories and “The Bullet” Blake Miller set the 1-lap qualifying record of 13.230 on June 14, 2008. The action packed card will also feature the Santa Maria 360 Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, and Mini Stocks. The Pit Gate will open at 10:00am, Spectator Gates will open at 4:00pm, Time Trials are scheduled for 5:00pm, and Racing will begin at 6:00pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232. A complete “Doug Fort Memorial” and series win list at Santa Maria Raceway is at the end of this release.
Saturday’s “Firecracker 30” at Perris Auto Speedway will be the 186th Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car event promoted by Don Kazarian. “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all drivers with 37 Perris victories and Nic Faas set the 1-lap qualifying record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. This season, Bryan Clauson, Josh Hodges, Austin Williams, and Richard Vander Weerd have claimed “home track” victories. The “Power of Purple Night” Benefiting the City of Perris Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society will also showcase the PAS Senior Sprints, PAS Young Gun Sprints, and California Lightning Sprints. The Spectator Gates will open at 3:00pm and there will be an Autograph Session and Kids Games for early arrivals. Racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” will start at 7:00pm and for more information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134. A complete series win list at Perris Auto Speedway is at the end of this release.
Friday’s point race honors Doug Fort, who built and operated the Santa Maria facility. Opening on Sunday, March 31, 1964 with the California Racing Association (CRA) Sprint Cars, Fort continued to serve as owner and promoter until his passing in 1999. During his tenure, the Santa Maria track was named the “Best Short Track Operation West of the Mississippi” on two separate occasions and hosted a wide variety of race cars. Originally a winged 410 sprint car race in 2009, the event changed to a non-winged 360 show in 2012. The race became part of the USAC/CRA 410 schedule in 2014 and the “Doug Fort Memorial” continues to be a popular event at the speedway.
The annual “Firecracker” race has been a Southern California tradition going back to the legendary Ascot Park in Gardena. Howard Gardner won the 1957 event and other winning drivers include Bob Hogle, Billy Vukovich, Jimmy Oskie, Dean Thompson, Bubby Jones, Rip Williams, Brad Noffsinger, and Ron Shuman. When Perris Auto Speedway opened their doors in 1996, the Riverside County oval kept the tradition alive and “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman scored the second of his record six event wins.
Heading to the sixth point race, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) leads the championship standings with a slim two point advantage. Racing the BR Performance owned #91R HD Industries / Lee & Norma Leonard Maxim, Roa scored fourth at Perris on June 11th. To date, the defending 360 Western World Champion has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and five top-10 finishes in the campaign. During the short break, Brody won both USAC West Coast 360 shows at Santa Maria and Hanford. The point leader will be looking to add the “Doug Fort Memorial” and “Firecracker 30” to his resume.
Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) ranks second in the USAC/CRA point chase. Driving the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard led all 30-laps to score the June 11th victory at Perris. At press time, the 2011 USAC West Coast Champion has two heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps to his credit. Currently tied with six other drivers (Robert Ballou, Ryan Bernal, Levi Jones, Bud Kaeding, Blake Miller, and Matt Mitchell) for thirteenth on the series win list, Vander Weerd will have his sights winning at Santa Maria and Perris.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) sits third in the chase for the championship. Piloting Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Clackamas Rigging & Transfer Victory, Swanson ran second to Richard Vander Weerd on June 11th. To date, the 2012 Rookie of the Year has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, one Brown & Miller Racing Solutions Semi-Main win, and five top-10 finishes on the season. This Friday and Saturday, Jake will be looking to win his first USAC/CRA features at Perris and Santa Maria.
Mike Spencer (Temecula, California) is fourth in the point standings. Racing the Gansen Engineering Motorsports owned #4S Trench Shoring / Sander Engineering Maxim, Spencer took sixth at Perris after starting ninth. As this writing goes to press, the five-time champion has five top-10 finishes and 21 feature laps led on the year. Ranked second on the win list with 37 victories, Mike will have his sights on gaining valuable points with triumphs at the “Fort Memorial” and “Firecracker 30.”
After running fifth at Perris on June 11th, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) has climbed to fifth in the USAC/CRA point chase. Driving Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Weld Racing Spike, Gardner has two heat race victories, four top-10 victories, and 20 feature laps led on the year. The four-time champion leads all USAC/CRA drivers with sixty-five wins and will be looking to sweep the shows on Friday and Saturday.
Currently ranked seventh in points, Max Adams (Loomis, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Trent Williams (Victorville, California), Andrew Sweeney (Lomita, California), and Mikey Lovas (Wildomar, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Austin Williams, “The Bear” Jeremy Ellertson, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Chris Gansen, Logan Williams, Jace Vander Weerd, A.J. Bender, “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, Verne Sweeney, Anthony Lopiccolo, Ronnie Gardner, and more.
Santa Maria Raceway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior, Military, and Student tickets (13-17) are $23, Kids tickets (6-12) are $6, and Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Reserved Adult tickets are $30 and Reserved Child tickets (12 & under) are $10. For General Admission, Adult tickets are $25 and Child tickets (6-12) are $5. The event is FREE to residents of the City of Perris with proper identification. 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, All Coast Construction, BR Motorsports, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Stand 21 Racer Goes Safer Foundation, surfnsprint.com, Ultra Shield Race Products, 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 USAC/CRA, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook and Twitter pages.
Loudpedal Productions has Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS:
2004-Rip Williams, 2005-Damion Gardner, 2006-Cory Kruseman, 2007-Tony Jones, 2008-Mike Spencer, 2009-Mike Spencer, 2010-Mike Spencer, 2011-Mike Spencer, 2012-Mike Spencer, 2013-Damion Gardner, 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Damion Gardner.
2016 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS:
1-Bryan Clauson, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Troy Rutherford, 1-Richard Vander Weerd, 1-Austin Williams.
SANTA MARIA AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS:
2-Ryan Bernal, 2-Damion Gardner, 2-Rickie Gaunt, 2-Cory Kruseman, 2-Mike Spencer, 2-Austin Williams, 1-Tyler Brown, 1-Nic Faas, 1-Garrett Hansen, 1-Mike Kirby, 1-Blake Miller, 1-Danny Sheridan, 1-Cody Williams, 1-Rip Williams.
SANTA MARIA “DOUG FORT MEMORIAL” WINNERS:
2009-Tyler Walker; 2010-Tommy Tarlton; 2011-Jonathan Allard; 2012-Cory Kruseman, 2013-Cory Kruseman, 2014-Cody Williams, 2015-Rickie Gaunt.
PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS:
37-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Mike Kirby, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 5-Matt Mitchell, 5-Danny Sheridan, 5- Richard Vander Weerd, 4-Robert Ballou, 3-Dave Darland, 3-Garrett Hansen, 2-Darren Hagen, 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-Josh Hodges, 1-R.J. Johnson, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Austin Williams, 1-Jason York.
PERRIS “FIRECRACKER” WINNERS:
1996-Cory Kruseman, 1997-Rip Williams, 1998-Troy Cline, 1999-Rip Williams, 2000-Cory Kruseman, 2001-Cory Kruseman, 2002-Rickie Gaunt, 2003-Rip Williams, 2004-Damion Gardner, 2005-Cory Kruseman, 2006-Tony Jones, 2007-Tony Jones, 2008-Danny Sheridan, 2009-Cory Kruseman, 2010-David Cardey, 2011-Mike Spencer, 2012-Mike Spencer, 2013-Nic Faas, 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Damion Gardner.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Brody Roa-352, 2. Richard Vander Weerd-350, 3. Jake Swanson-333, 4. Mike Spencer-318, 5. Damion Gardner-308, 6. Austin Williams-255, 7. Max Adams-214, 8. Jeremy Ellertson-212, 9. Cody Williams-208, 10. Chris Gansen-198, 11. Logan Williams-192, 12. Trent Williams-183, 13. Jace Vander Weerd-171, … A.J. Bender-171, 15. Tommy Malcolm-170, 16. Verne Sweeney-163, 17. Josh Hodges-146, 18. R.J. Johnson-122, 19. Parker Colston-119, 20. Anthony Lopiccolo-117.