By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 1, 2019… With two point races remaining, the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will invade Santa Maria Raceway this Saturday, October 5th. Promoted by Nick Duggan, the twelfth point race is the last stop of the year for the traditional 360s at “The West’s Best Short Track.” The action packed card will also showcase Pro Stocks, Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, and Dwarf Cars. Located in Nipomo, California, the front gates at Santa Maria Raceway will open at 4:00pm, time trials at 5:00pm, and racing will begin at 5:30pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at santamariaraceway.com or call 310.493.4900.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
– 2019 APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535, BILLY BOAT: FRAC-0375S, COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S, FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101, SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78, SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK. *Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
– FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
– FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY.
– COCKPIT ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS ARE ALLOWED.
– The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier.
– Engine restrictor rules are 1-7/8″ with open heads and 2-3/16″ with ASCS cylinder heads.
– The weight rule is 1,475 lbs. with driver.
– The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Rule Book can be found online at westcoastsprintcars.com and usacracing.com.
– USAC MEMBERSHIPS can be purchased at the track or online at usaclicense.com.
To date, Santa Maria Raceway has held forty West Coast Sprint Car events and Ryan Bernal leads all drivers with six victories. On August 12, 2017, Max Adams lowered the series track record to 13.384, just shy of the all-time 360 record of 13.354 by “Showtime” Danny Sheridan on September 11, 2004. Defending champion Austin Liggett topped the April 27th and August 10th main events, while current point leader Tristan Guardino was victorious on June 15th. The series wins list at Santa Maria is at the end of this release.
Entering the twelfth point race, there have been six different winners. Tristan Guardino and Austin Liggett lead the series with three triumphs while Jake Swanson has two victories on the season. Chase Johnson, Brody Roa, and Troy Rutherford have posted one win as rain claimed the May 18th show at Petaluma.
Closing on his first championship, Tristan Guardino (Fremont, CA) heads to Santa Maria with a stout 141-point lead over the competition. Driving the family owned #15T Dorso’s Automotive / Allied Auto Stores Maxim, Guardino charged to a fourth place finish at Ventura on August 24th after starting tenth. To date, the point leader has three feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 87 feature laps led. With eight victories, Tristan is tied with Peter Murphy and Jace Vander Weerd for seventh on the series win list and will be looking for another win at Santa Maria.
Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, CA) ranks second in the championship point standings. Piloting the family owned #29T Timmons Auto & Truck Repair / Evergood Fine Foods Maxim, Timmons placed fifth at the Ventura County Fairgrounds after starting seventh. At press time, the 2016 Rookie of the Year has two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one heat race victory, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, and eight top-10 finishes to his credit. This Saturday, Ryan will have his sights on the third career USAC West Coast victory.
Koen Shaw (Fresno, CA) sits third in the USAC West Coast point standings. Racing the family owned #88 Shaw Structures Unlimited / PMS Investments KPC, Shaw scored a twelfth place finish in the August 24th feature. To date, the versatile driver has posted one heat race victory and five top-10 finishes in the campaign. This Saturday night, Koen will be looking to earn his first career USAC victory at Santa Maria Raceway.
After running third at Ventura, T.J. Smith (Fresno, CA) has climbed to fourth in the chase for the championship. Driving the May Motorsports’ #8M Salmon Motorsports / Coopers Propane Maxim, Smith has four heat race victories, one Saldana Racing Products Hard Charger Award, six top-10 finishes, and 8 feature laps led on the season. The 2010 Santa Maria Track Champion has four career series wins and will have his sights on his first victory of 2019.
Hannah Mayhew (Acton, CA) ranks fifth in the USAC West Coast point chase. Racing the family owned #43 C&G Farms / Fabwerx Maxim, Mayhew finished thirteenth at Ventura’s “Battle of the Beach Race #3.” At press time, the leading rookie contender has two Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Awards and two top-10 finishes in the campaign. The 2017 Perris Young Gun Sprint Car Champion will be looking for her first USAC win this Saturday night.
While Mayhew leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors, J.J. Ringo (Morgan Hill, CA), Slater Helt (Harrisonville, MO), Tanner Boul (Auberry, CA), and Gage Rucker (Truxton, MO) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Jake Swanson, Austin Liggett, Austin Ervine, Troy Rutherford, Steve Hix, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Michael Faccinto, Cody Majors, “The Rickster” Ricky Kirkbride, Tom Hendricks, Ryan Stolz, Brandon Wiley, Brent Owens, James Herrera, Ricky Lewis, Kaleb Montgomery, 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 $17, Kids Tickets (6-12) are $6, and Kids (5 & Under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at santamariaraceway.com or call 310.493.4900.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Butlerbuilt Professional Seat Systems, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Saldana Racing Products, 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, email 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 at westcoastsprintcars.com and the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
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USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS: 2009-Justyne Hamblin, 2010-Craig Stidham, 2011-Richard Vander Weerd, 2012-Bud Kaeding, 2013-Danny Faria Jr., 2014-Matt Mitchell, 2015-Danny Faria Jr., 2016-Brody Roa, 2017-Jake Swanson, 2018-Austin Liggett.
2019 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Tristan Guardino, 3-Austin Liggett, 2-Jake Swanson, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Brody Roa, 1- Troy Rutherford.
SANTA MARIA USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: (Includes Non-Point Races) 6-Ryan Bernal, 5-Richard Vander Weerd, 3-Tristan Guardino, 3-Austin Liggett, 3-Peter Murphy, 3-Danny Sheridan, 3-Jace Vander Weerd, 2-Danny Faria Jr., 2-Cory Kruseman, 2-T.J. Smith, 1-Max Adams, 1-Greg Alexander, 1-Wes Gutierrez, 1-Davey Pombo, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Troy Rutherford, 1-Craig Stidham, 1-Ryan Timmons.
2019 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Tristan Guardino-739, 2. Ryan Timmons-598, 3. Koen Shaw-509, 4. T.J. Smith-435, 5. Hannah Mayhew ®-408, 6. Jake Swanson-400, 7. J.J. Ringo ®-393, 8. Austin Liggett-390, 9. Austin Ervine-361, 10. Slater Helt ®-356, 11. Troy Rutherford-328, 12. Steve Hix-308, 13. Danny Faria Jr.-294, 14. Michael Faccinto-275, 15. Cody Majors-266, 16. Ricky Kirkbride-255, 17. Tanner Boul ®-243, 18. Tom Hendricks-228, 19. Ryan Bernal-206, 20. Kyle Edwards-179.