By Lance Jennings
JUNE 22, 2022… This Saturday, June 25th, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will take center stage at Perris Auto Speedway for the “Bubby Jones and Ray Scheetz Memorial.” Promoted by Don Kazarian, the twelfth point race will also feature the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, and IMCA Modifieds plus “Power of Purple Night” benefiting the American Cancer Society Relay For Life Riverside County East. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California, the Spectator Gates will open at 5:00pm and racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” will start at 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
For those that cannot be at the races, floracing.com will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action over the internet.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
– ALL RACERS MUST PURCHASE THEIR USAC LICENSE / MEMBERSHIPS ONLINE PRIOR TO THE EVENT AT USACRACING.COM OR USACLICENSE.COM. (If racers have a membership question, contact Julie Tanaka at julietanaka@aol.com.)
– APPROVED/LEGAL TIRES: Due to the current tire shortages, ANY Hoosier Right Rear Tire is legal for competition until further notice. All four corners must be Hoosier.
– APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535; SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78; FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101; COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S; B&B: FRAC-0375S; SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK
*Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
– ENTRY FEE: There is an entry fee due at registration / pill pick.
– TRANSPONDERS: Transponders ARE MANDATORY and will be available to rent.
– ONE WAY RADIOS / RACECEIVERS: One way radios ARE MANDATORY.
– FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS: Front axle tether systems (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
– FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS: Full containment seats ARE MANDATORY.
– COCKPIT ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS: Cockpit adjustable shocks ARE ALLOWED.
– RULE BOOK: The USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series Rule Book can be found online at usacracing.com.
– 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.
Since March 6, 2004, the Lake Perris Fairgrounds has held 236 AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and forty-two different drivers have claimed victory. “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all drivers with 50 “home track” wins, including the “So-Cal Showdown” on March 26th. The April 30th “Sokola Shootout” was won by Matt Mitchell and “The Cadillac” Cody Williams topped the May 28th “Salute to Indy.” Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012 and a complete USAC/CRA win list at Perris is at the end of this release.
Saturday’s event honors the memory of Bubby Jones and Ray Scheetz. Bubby was one of the original outlaw sprint car drivers from the Midwest who traveled in search of high paying races. By the time Bubby moved to California in 1980, he was already a top driver in USAC, competed in the 1977 Indianapolis 500, and won many prestigious races like the Western World Championships and Turkey Night Grand Prix. Piloting the famed Kazarian Gas Chem Products entry, Jones earned the 1983 and 1984 CRA Championships and also built his own “BJ” chassis. Also driving for Kathy Lewis, Alex Morales, Bruce Bromme, and Larry Henry, Bubby had won 82 races with CRA before his retirement in the early 1990s. Ray was a top notch mechanic and crew chief on the west coast. Working with the Morales, Gas Chem, Billy Wilkerson, and other teams, Ray is perhaps best known for winning races with Rick Goudy, Bubby Jones, and Ron Shuman. When Perris Auto Speedway was built in 1996, both Jones and Scheetz played key roles in the development of the 1/2-mile oval.
Entering Saturday’s race, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) has a 115-point advantage over the competition. Piloting Mark Alexander’s #1 PerformanceOnline.com / Carman Trucking Spike, Gardner earned the June 11th hard charger award after racing from twenty-fourth to twelfth at Ventura. To date, the nine-time champion has posted five feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, six heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 134 feature laps led to his credit. The “World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” has ninety-four series wins and will be looking to win the “Bubby Jones and Ray Scheetz Memorial.”
After running seventh at Ventura, Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California) has climbed to second in the USAC/CRA point chase. Driving his #37 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Campbell Brothers Storage Maxim, Mitchell has one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, one semi-main win, two hard charger awards, nine top-10 finishes, and 30 feature laps led on the season. The 2014 USAC West Coast Sprint Car Champion has eight career USAC/CRA triumphs and will have his sights on another win at Perris Auto Speedway.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) ranks third in the chase for the championship. Racing the family owned #2 Digalert / Full Throttle Scissor Lift Rental DRC, Williams overcame early mechanical issues to score thirteenth at Ventura from twenty-third. At press time, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, two heat race victories, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, eight top-10 finishes, and 12 feature laps led in the campaign. “The Big Game Hunter” has eleven career wins and will be looking to add another winning trophy to his collection.
Eddie Tafoya Jr. (Chino Hills, California) sits fourth in the USAC/CRA standings. Driving the family owned #51T Specialty Fasteners / DRC Chassis entry, Tafoya earned his first career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award and placed fifth at Ventura. To date, the 2019 USAC/CRA and USAC SouthWest Rookie of the Year has one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award and eight top-10 finishes on the season. This Saturday, Eddie will have his sights on his first USAC/CRA win at Perris Auto Speedway.
Logan Williams (Yorba Linda, California) is fifth in championship points. Piloting John McCarthy’s #5W Flowdynamics Incorporated / Drinkpak DRC, Williams raced from fourteenth to tenth at Ventura. At press time, the 2014 Rookie of the Year has two heat race victories and six top-10 finishes in the campaign. Logan will be looking to earn his first USAC/CRA victory at the “Bubby Jones and Ray Scheetz Memorial.”
Nate Schank (Santa Rosa, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors and ranks eleventh in the point chase. The pilot of the family owned #1$ Joe Hunt Magnetos / Industrial Machine Maxim will be looking for his first victory at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm, Matt McCarthy, Brody Roa, Verne Sweeney, Chris Gansen, Austin Grabowski, A.J. Bender, Kyle Edwards, Jake Hodges, Dan Taylor, Steve Hix, Joel Rayborne, “Showtime” Danny Sheridan, and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $30, Senior tickets (65 & over) are $25, Kids tickets (6 to 12) are $5, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. The Fairgrounds charges $10 for parking. Advance tickets are available and 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 BillsJerky.net, Factory Wraps, Floracing.com, Flowdynamics Incorporated, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner), Hoosier Racing Tires, Laserworx Manufacturing, Woodland Auto Display, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, In Memory of Shawn McDonald, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Vahlco Wheels, and Wilwood Disc Brakes for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact Tony Jones at tonyjonesracing@gmail.com or PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
———————————————–
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-Damion Gardner, 2017-Damion Gardner, 2018-Damion Gardner, 2019-Damion Gardner, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-Damion Gardner
2022 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 5-Damion Gardner, 2-Cody Williams, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Tanner Boul, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Matt Mitchell.
PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Nic Faas – 15.833 (02/25/12)
PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 50-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 8-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Matt Mitchell, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Austin Williams, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 5-Justin Grant, 4-Robert Ballou, 4-Dave Darland, 4-R.J. Johnson, 4-Brody Roa, 3-Brady Bacon, 3-Garrett Hansen, 3-Kevin Thomas Jr., 2-Charles Davis Jr., 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-Blake Miller, 2-Jake Swanson, 2-Chris Windom, 1-Chad Boespflug, 1-Greg Bragg, 1-Daron Clayton, 1-Josh Ford, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-C.J. Leary, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Hunter Schuerenberg, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Cody Williams, 1-Jason York.
2022 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Damion Gardner-772, 2. Matt Mitchell-657, 3. Austin Williams-649, 4. Eddie Tafoya Jr.-595, 5. Logan Williams-574, 6. Cody Williams-524, 7. Charles Davis Jr.-497, 8. Tommy Malcolm-461, 9. Matt McCarthy-413, 10. Brody Roa-408, 11. Nate Schank ®-402, 12. Verne Sweeney-399, 13. Trent Williams-391, 14. Chris Gansen-371, –. Austin Grabowski-371, 16. A.J. Bender-331, 17. Chase Johnson-289, 18. Ricky Lewis ®-235, 19. Kyle Edwards-230, 20. Mike Martin-213, 21. Shane Sexton-208, 22. Tanner Boul-168, 23. Jeff Dyer-162, 24. Jake Hodges-151, 25. Logan Calderwood-144, 26. Austin Liggett-135, 27. Dan Taylor-117, 28. Dustin Cormany-114, 29. Travis Buckley-109, 30. Ryan Bernal-106, 31. Danny Parrish-102, 32. Steve Hix-101, 33. Brody Fuson-100, –. Chris Bonneau-100, 35. Joel Rayborne-93, 36. Danny Sheridan-90, 37. Jonas Reynolds-88, 38. Jess Beckett-87, 39. Ikaika O’Brien-80, 40. R.J. Johnson-76, 41. Troy Rutherford-75, 42. Dustin Burkhart-74, 43. Max Adams-68, 44. Shon Deskins-61, –. Gordon Rodgers-61, 46. Randy Nelson-57, 47. Dawson Faria-53, 48. J.J. Yeley-47, 49. Gary Marshall Jr.-44, 50. Richard McCormick-42, 51. Austin Ervine-37, 52. Stevie Sussex-35, –. Christopher Muraoka-35, 54. Andrew Sweeney-34, 55. Trent Carter-30, 56. Ben Worth-26, –. Tony Everhart-26, 58. Ryan Timmons-24, 59. Sterling Cling-13, 60. Grant Sexton-11, 61. Tuesday Calderwood-10, –. Jim Vanzant-10, –. Camie Bell-10.