From Lance Jennings
(September 17, 2019) – This Saturday, September 21st, the chase for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car championship returns to Perris Auto Speedway. Promoted by Don Kazarian, the “12th Annual Glenn Howard Classic” will also feature the PAS Senior Sprints, PAS Young Gun Sprints, and the Western Racing Association Vintage Cars. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California, the spectator gates at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” will open at 5:00pm and racing is scheduled for 7:00pm. At intermission, there will be a candy giveaway for kids and a meet and greet with the fans on the front straightaway. For more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
Saturday’s event honors Glenn Howard who is considered by many in the industry as a “racer’s racer.” Throughout his involvement in racing, Glenn had served as a crew member, driver, car owner, sponsor, official, and businessman. Howard’s So-Cal Performance was recognized as a major parts supplier to racers across the globe for many years. In 1993, Glenn became the first president of the Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) and helped to build the foundation of the nationally respected club. After his term was over, Howard remained active in motorsports until his passing in September 2007. Kazarian, Perris Auto Speedway, and the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series are proud to honor Glenn’s memory with the annual event and the winner’s list is at the end of the release.
To date, there have been 219 USAC/CRA events at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. Since March 6, 2004, 40 different drivers claimed victory at Perris, led by “The Demon” Damion Gardner with 46 victories and Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. During the last six visits, Richard Vander Weerd has two triumphs with other wins scored by Gardner, Brody Roa, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Jake Swanson. The series win list at Perris is at the end of this release.
Entering the seventeenth point race, there have been ten different winners. “The Demon” Damion Gardner has three victories, while Roa, Schuerenberg, Swanson, and Vander Weerd are tied with two wins. Josh Hodges, Chase Johnson, Austin Liggett, Troy Rutherford, and Austin Williams have one triumph on the season.
After winning at Santa Maria on September 7th and claiming the “California Sprint Week” crown by 1-point, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, CA) has a 62-point lead. Racing Mark Alexander’s #4 Trench Shoring / All Coast Construction Spike, Gardner has three feature wins, eight Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, six heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Pyrotect Racing Cells Semi-Main Win, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 70 feature laps led on the year. The seven-time champion leads all drivers with 83 USAC/CRA wins and will be looking for his fifth “Glenn Howard Classic” victory.
After running second to Gardner during “California Sprint Week” and at Santa Maria, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, CA) has climbed to second in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Lucas Oil DRC, Williams has one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one Specialty Fasteners Hard Charger Award, fourteen top-10 finishes, and 18 feature laps led in the campaign. The 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year is tied with Dave Darland, Rickie Gaunt, Brody Roa, and Danny Sheridan with eight series wins and will have his sights on his second “Glenn Howard Classic” triumph.
Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA) ranks third in the chase for the USAC/CRA championship. Driving the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa was third in “California Sprint Week” points and finished sixteenth at Santa Maria. The 2016 USAC West Coast champion has two feature wins, three heat race victories, twelve top-10 finishes, and 104 feature laps led to his credit. It was recently announced that the #91R car was parked and Brody raced to last Saturday’s Peoria USAC SouthWest Sprint Car win in Tanner Grau’s #34 Maxim. Currently tied with Dave Darland, Rickie Gaunt, Danny Sheridan, and Austin Williams with eight USAC/CRA wins, Roa is a threat to win his first “Glenn Howard Classic.”
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA) is fourth in the championship point chase. Piloting John Grau & Mike Burkhart’s #34AZ Stratis Construction / KSE Custom Drywall DRC, Swanson scored third at Santa Maria and placed fifth in “California Sprint Week” standings. To date, the Louie Vermeil Classic winner has two feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one dash win, four heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Pyrotect Racing Cells Semi-Main win, ten top-10 finishes, and 43 feature laps led to his credit. Jake is tied with Darren Hagen, Kevin Swindell, and Chris Windom with four series wins and will be looking to add the “Glenn Howard Classic” to his resume.
Chris Gansen (Verdemont Heights, CA) has climbed to fifth in the USAC/CRA point chase. Racing the family owned #4G Trench Shoring / Circle Track Performance Maxim, Gansen ran ninth at Santa Maria and placed tenth in the “California Sprint Week” standings. At press time, Chris has posted two Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Awards, six top-10 finishes, and 15 feature laps led in the campaign. This Saturday night, Gansen will have his sights on his first USAC/CRA triumph at Perris Auto Speedway.
Currently ranked eleventh in points, Eddie Tafoya Jr. (Chino Hills, CA) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Steve Hix (Ventura, CA), and Jeff Dyer (Bermuda Dunes, CA) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Matt McCarthy, Richard Vander Weerd, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, R.J. Johnson, Austin Liggett, Jace Vander Weerd, Stevie Sussex, Verne Sweeney, Joel Rayborne, Trent Williams, 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 and over) are $20, Active Military (with ID), 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 perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks All Coast Construction, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Flowdynamics, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Saldana Racing Products, Specialty Fasteners, surfNsprint.com, Sway-A-Way Racing Technology, Ultra Shield Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
FloSports has USAC/CRA Sprint Car live videos and on demand coverage available for purchase at floracing.com. A 250-mile blackout from Perris Auto Speedway will be in effect.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Damion Gardner-1064, 2. Austin Williams-1006, 3. Brody Roa-996, 4. Jake Swanson-895, 5. Chris Gansen-699, 6. Tommy Malcolm-598, 7. Charles Davis Jr.-592, 8. Danny Faria Jr.-583, 9. Matt McCarthy-565, 10. Richard Vander Weerd-508, 11. Eddie Tafoya Jr. ®-500, 12. Mike Martin-477, 13. Steve Hix ®-469, 14. Cody Williams-461, 15. R.J. Johnson-458, 16. Austin Liggett-453, 17. Jace Vander Weerd-351, 18. Stevie Sussex-350, 19. Verne Sweeney-348, 20. A.J. Bender-307.