By Lance Jennings
AUGUST 30, 2022… This Saturday, September 3rd, the battle for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championship will continue at Bakersfield Speedway. Promoted by Scott Schweitzer, the fifteenth point race will also showcase Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. Located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California, the Pit Gates will open at 3:00pm, the Front Gates will open at 5:00pm, and Racing at “The West’s Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval” is scheduled for 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at bakersfieldspeedway.com or call 661.393.3373.
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 October 23, 2004, Bakersfield Speedway has hosted six AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car events. “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman won that night and is tied with “The Demon” Damion Gardner with two victories at the speedway. On May 14th, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams was victorious and Gardner holds the 1-lap track record of 12.356 that was set on March 12, 2005. The Bakersfield USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
Heading to Bakersfield, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) has a 106-point advantage over the competition. Driving Mark Alexander’s #1 PerformanceOnline.com / Carman Trucking Spike, Gardner finished second to “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. in a hard fought “California Racers Hall of Fame Night” at Perris Auto Speedway on August 20th. To date, the point leader and nine-time champion has posted five feature wins, four Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, seven heat race victories, eleven top-10 finishes, and 150 feature laps led to his credit. The “World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” has ninety-four series wins and will be looking to add another Bakersfield win to his resume.
Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California) ranks second in the USAC/CRA point chase. Driving his #37 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Campbell Brothers Storage Maxim, Mitchell placed third in the “California Racers Hall of Fame Night.” At press time, the 2014 USAC West Coast Sprint Car Champion has one feature win, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, one semi-main win, two hard charger awards, eleven top-10 finishes, and 46 feature laps led on the season. Matt is tied with “The People’s Champion” Dave Darland, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, and “Showtime” Danny Sheridan with eight career USAC/CRA triumphs and will have his sights on another win this Saturday night.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) sits third in the chase for the championship. Racing the family owned #2 Digalert / Full Throttle Scissor Lift Rental DRC, Williams finished fourth at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds on August 20th. To date, 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, ten top-10 finishes, and 13 feature laps led in the campaign. “The Big Game Hunter” ranks seventh with eleven career wins and will be looking to add his first Bakersfield trophy to his collection.
Eddie Tafoya Jr. (Chino Hills, California) is fourth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Driving the family owned #51T Specialty Fasteners / DRC Chassis entry, Tafoya ran fifth in the Perris “California Racers Hall of Fame Night.” At press time, the 2019 USAC/CRA and USAC SouthWest Rookie of the Year has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one semi-main win, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, eleven top-10 finishes, and one feature lap led on the season. This Saturday, Eddie will have his sights on the first USAC/CRA main event win of his career at Bakersfield.
Logan Williams (Yorba Linda, California) ranks fifth in the championship standings. Piloting John McCarthy’s #5W Flowdynamics Incorporated / Drinkpak DRC, Williams flipped during Perris time trials and his night ended early. To date, the 2014 Rookie of the Year has two heat race victories and eight top-10 finishes in the campaign. Logan will be looking to earn the first USAC/CRA victory of his career this Saturday night.
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 entry will have his sights on his first win at “The West’s Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval.”
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm, Brody Roa, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Matt McCarthy, Verne Sweeney, A.J. Bender, Austin Grabowski, Chris Gansen, “T-Dub” Trent Williams, Kyle Edwards, “Sugah” Shane Sexton, Steve Hix, and more.
Bakersfield Speedway is located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California. Adult tickets are $20, Senior Tickets (65 and older) are $18, Military Tickets are $18, Kids Tickets (6 to 12) are $10, and Children Tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at bakersfieldspeedway.com or call 661.393.3373.
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, 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.
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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-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-Brody Roa, 2-Cody Williams, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Tanner Boul, 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Matt Mitchell.
BAKERSFIELD AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Damion Gardner – 12.356 (03/12/05)
BAKERSFIELD AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Damion Gardner, 2-Cory Kruseman, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Cody Williams.
2022 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Damion Gardner-951, 2-Matt Mitchell-845, 3-Austin Williams-810, 4-Eddie Tafoya Jr.-787, 5-Logan Williams-719, 6-Tommy Malcolm-665, 7-Cody Williams-658, 8-Brody Roa-590, 9-Charles Davis Jr.-571, 10-Matt McCarthy-205.