By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 12, 2021… This Saturday, October 16th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will crown their champion at Ventura Raceway (Ventura, CA). Promoted by Jim Naylor, the final point race will also serve as a tune-up for November’s “80th Running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix.” Co-sanctioned with the Ventura Racing Association (VRA), the event will also feature the USAC Western States Midgets, Dwarf Cars, WMR Western Midgets, Hobby Stocks, and Motorcycles. The Pit Gates will open at Noon, the Front Gates open at 3:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 5:30pm at “The Best Little Dirt Track in America.” For more event information, visit the track’s website at venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE. For those that cannot travel to the races, floracing.com will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action over the internet.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
– NO ENTRY FEE IN 2021. ALL RACERS MUST PURCHASE THEIR USAC LICENSE / MEMBERSHIPS OR TEMPORARY PERMITS (TPs) ONLINE PRIOR TO THE EVENT AT USACRACING.COM OR USACLICENSE.COM. TPs are $25 and Memberships are $150.
– 2021 ENGINE RULES: Legal ASCS spec cylinder head w/ 2 3/16 Injector/Restrictor; or 2 3/16 with any open legal head. All Open head must be within 1 degree of OEM Head. All heads ASCS and Open must be Chevy 23 degree plus or minus 1 degree. Ford 20 degree plus or minus 1 degree. Dodge 18 degree plus or minus 1 degree.
– 2021 WEIGHT RULE: 1,475 lbs. with driver for cars with an open cylinder head. Cars with an ASCS cylinder head must weigh 1,450 lbs. including driver.
– 2021 TIRE RULE: Due to the current tire shortages, any Hoosier Right Rear Tire is legal for competition with the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars. All four corners must be Hoosier.
– California state protocol calls for competitors, crews, officials, and anyone on the grounds to practice safe social distancing, proper sanitizing, and follow local regulations regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
– ANY WINGLESS SPEC SPRINT is invited to race with the USAC West Coast Sprints and can run their rules 100 percent, including the tire rule.
– TRANSPONDERS ARE MANDATORY.
– ONE WAY DRIVER RADIOS ARE MANDATORY.
– FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
– FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY.
– The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Rule Book can be found online at usacracing.com.
Since April 4, 2009, the Ventura County Fairgrounds has held seventeen West Coast 360 events and eleven different drivers have claimed victory. Led by Tristan Guardino and Jake Swanson with three wins, Guardino also set the 1-lap track record of 11.958 on March 23, 2019. Troy Rutherford won the last appearance at Ventura on June 26th.
Returning to USAC West Coast action, D.J. Johnson (Stockton, CA) holds a stout 134 point lead and has clinched the championship. Racing his #33 Bill’s Tire Service of Pacheco / The Halstead Real Estate Eagle, Johnson scored fourth at Bakersfield on September 18th and missed the following night’s debut at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park. The 2013 USAC Western Classic Sprint Car Rookie of the Year has yet to score a feature win this season, but has been very consistent by posting four heat race victories, one Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, seven top-10 finishes, and 5 feature laps led. Johnson has two career triumphs and will be looking to add Ventura to his win list.
Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, CA) ranks second in the chase for the championship. The pilot of the family owned #29T Timmons Auto & Truck Repair / Evergood Fine Foods Maxim skipped the Bakersfield and Kern County shows to race in the Midwest. At press time, the 2016 Rookie of the Year has two Rod End Supply Hard Charger Awards and six top-10 finishes on the season. With four series wins to his credit, Ryan will have his sights on a victory at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
Jarrett Soares (Gilroy, CA) has climbed to third in the point chase and has earned rookie of the year honors. Driving the family owned #12 DenBeste Water Solutions / C&H Veteran Enterprises Maxim, Soares finished eleventh at Bakersfield and fourth at Kern County. To date, the young driver has one heat race victory, and five top-10 finishes, and 2 feature laps led in the campaign. Jarrett will be looking to claim his first USAC West Coast victory this Saturday night.
Austin Liggett (Linden, CA) sits fourth in the USAC West Coast point standings. The pilot of the family owned #83 Excel Environmental / Liggett Trucking Maxim did not compete at Bakersfield and Kern County. At press time, the 2018 Champion has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, four top-10 finishes and three feature laps led to his credit. With twelve career victories, Austin is a threat to win on any given night.
Tanner Boul (Auberry, CA) is fifth in the championship point chase. The driver of the family owned #99T King Racing Products / BR Motorsports Triple X did not compete at Bakersfield and Kern County. To date, the young driver has posted one heat race victory, one Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award, and four top-10 finishes to his credit. Tanner will have his sights on earning his first win at Ventura Raceway.
Other rookie contenders are Jacob Tuttle (Oakley, CA), Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, CA), Cody Fendley (Placerville, CA), Cody Smith (Chico, CA), Logan Calderwood (Goodyear, AZ), Tuesday Calderwood (Goodyear, AZ), and Nate Schank (Santa Rosa, CA).
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Kyle Edwards, Kaleb Montgomery, Jake Hodges, Chase Johnson, Trent Carter, A.J. Bender, James Herrera, Troy Rutherford, Christopher Muraoka, Hannah Mayhew, Trent Williams, Steve Hix, and more.
A strong contingent of racers with the Ventura Racing Association (VRA) will be on hand. Veteran driver Rick Hendrix leads James Herrera, Jake Hodges, Chris Meredith, Travis Buckley, Troy Rutherford, Bruce Douglass, Hannah Mayhew, Joey Bishop, and Camie Bell.
Ventura Raceway is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, California. General Admission Adult tickets are $22, General Admission Senior (60 and older), Active Military (ID Required), and Student tickets (with ID) are $18. Kids tickets (12 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars, 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 the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
FloRacing.com has live, flag-to-flag coverage of the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series. You can catch the action by subscribing to FloRacing on a monthly or yearly basis to view their huge catalog of live and on-demand auto racing and sporting events.
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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-Tristan Guardino, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-D.J. Johnson.
VENTURA USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR TRACK RECORD: Tristan Guardino – 11.958 (03/23/19)
2021 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Chase Johnson, 2-Ryan Bernal, 1-Shawn Arriaga, 1-Geoff Ensign, 1-Cody Fendley, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Troy Rutherford.
VENTURA USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: (Includes Non-Point Races) 3-Tristan Guardino, 3-Jake Swanson, 2-Ryan Bernal, 2-Troy Rutherford, 1-Brady Bacon, 1-Tyler Courtney, 1-Geoff Ensign, 1-Johnathon Henry, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Carson Macedo.
2021 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. D.J. Johnson-584, 2. Ryan Timmons-453, 3. Jarrett Soares ®-389, 4. Austin Liggett-373, 5. Tanner Boul-310, 6. Kyle Edwards-279, 7. Jacob Tuttle ®-266, 8. Kaleb Montgomery-257, 9. Brody Fuson ®-256, 10. Jake Hodges-244, 11. Ryan Bernal-241, 12. Chase Johnson-240, 13. Brody Roa-229, 14. Cody Fendley ®-210, 15. Travis Buckley-173, 16. Danny Faria Jr.-165, 17. Trent Carter-163, 18. Cody Smith-158, 19. Logan Calderwood ®-153, 20. A.J. Bender-146, 21. Kalib Henry-144, 22. James Herrera-139, 23. Tuesday Calderwood ®-135, 24. Shane Hopkins-131, 25. Nate Schank ®-130, 26. Troy Rutherford-127, 27. Christopher Muraoka-126, 28. Hannah Mayhew-105, 29. Geoff Ensign-78, 30. Daniel Whitley-77, 31. Shawn Arriaga-75, 32. Joe Stornetta Jr.-73, 33. Trent Williams-69, 34. Heath Holdsclaw-67, 35. Jace Vander Weerd-66, 36. Tristan Guardino-60, —. Bradley Terrell-60, 38. Trevor Schmid-60, 39. Trey Walters-56, 40. Gary Paulson-55, 41. Steve Hix-53, 42. Matt Day-52, 43. Grasen Ternora-50, 44. Bob Davis-48, —. Zack Albers-48, 46. Bruce Douglass-47, —. Jake Morgan-47, —. Jeff Dyer-47, 49. David Lindt-45, 50. Rick Hendrix-42, 51. Dylan Bloomfield-36, 52. Braidon Moniz-32, 53. Jimmy Trulli-27, 54. Tom Hendricks-25, 55. Matt Streeter-24, 56. Bill Cornwell-11, 57. Kala Keliinoi-10, —. Michael Faccinto-10.