By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 4, 2022… The championship chase for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will resume this Saturday, October 8th at Mohave Valley Raceway. Promoted by Ron Meyer, the sixteenth point race will also feature the California Lightning Sprints, Dwarf Cars, and Vintage Sprint Cars. Located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona, the pit gates at the 1/3-mile track will open at 2:30pm, the spectator gates will open at 5:30pm, with racing scheduled for 7:00pm. For more information, visit mohavevalleyracceway.com or call 928.346.3000.
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: Mufflers ARE NOT REQUIRED at Mohave Valley Raceway.
– 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.
SPECIAL NOTICE AT MOHAVE VALLEY:
– CASH ONLY: Mohave Valley Raceway is a cash only facility. Pit Passes can be paid in advance using the Pit Pay App. The app is available for free at the Apple App Store and Google Play.
– PIT AREA PARKING: Personal vehicles or side by sides, etc. are NOT allowed in the pits. If it is not towing the race car/truck, on the trailer with the car, or in the trailer with the car, then it will NOT be allowed. NO exceptions!
Saturday’s event marks the second event in series history at the Mohave Valley clay oval. On April 23rd, point leader and nine-time champion “The Demon” Damion Gardner raced to victory over “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams, Eddie Tafoya Jr., “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, and Chase Johnson. “The Cadillac” Cody Williams established a new track record by posting a time of 13.974 seconds over the 27-car roster.
While still new to USAC/CRA, the 1/3-mile oval hosted the wingless SCRA 410 Sprint Cars on four occasions. Ron Shuman (1994), Steve Ostling (1995), J.J. Yeley (1996), and Richard Griffin (1998) raced to victory at Mohave Valley. Ostling set the SCRA track record of 14.95 on September 30, 1995.
Heading to Mohave Valley, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) has a 114-point advantage over the competition. Driving Mark Alexander’s #1 PerformanceOnline.com / Carman Trucking Spike, Gardner recorded his sixth win of the season at the September 17th “Glenn Howard Classic” at Perris Auto Speedway. In addition, “The Demon” has five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, seven heat race victories, twelve top-10 finishes, and 171 feature laps led to his credit. Gardner has ninety-five USAC/CRA wins and will be looking to continue his championship bid with another win this Saturday night.
Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California) ranks second in the championship point standings. Piloting his #37 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Campbell Brothers Storage Maxim, Mitchell ran second to Gardner at the “Glenn Howard Classic.” To date, the 2014 USAC West Coast Champion has one feature win, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, one semi-main win, two hard charger awards, twelve 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 a victory at Mohave Valley Raceway.
“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 scored fifth in the September 17th feature at Perris. At press time, “The Big Game Hunter” has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, two heat race victories, one Wilwood Disc Brakes “Lucky 13 Award,” eleven top-10 finishes, and 13 feature laps led in the campaign. The 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year ranks seventh with eleven career triumphs and will be looking for his first win of the year at Mohave Valley.
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 raced from twelfth to eighth at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. To date, Eddie has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one semi-main win, one Wilwood Disc Brakes “Lucky 13 Award,” twelve top-10 finishes, and one feature lap led on the season. The 2019 USAC/CRA and USAC SouthWest Rookie of the Year will have his sights on the first win of his career this Saturday night.
After charging from tenth to fourth at the “Glenn Howard Classic,” Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) has climbed to fifth in the point chase. Piloting Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating DRC, Malcolm has posted three heat race victories, one hard charger award, nine top-10 finishes, and 47 feature laps led in the campaign. Tommy will be looking to earn the first victory of his career at Mohave Valley Raceway.
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 the first win of his career at Mohave Valley.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Logan Williams, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Matt McCarthy, Verne Sweeney, Austin Grabowski, A.J. Bender, Chris Gansen, “T-Dub” Trent Williams, Chase Johnson, “Sugah” Shane Sexton, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Chris Bonneau Shon Deskins, Jonas Reynolds, and more.
Mohave Valley Raceway is located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona. For more event information, visit the track’s website at mohavevalleyracceway.com or call 928.346.3000. Mohave Valley Raceway is a cash only facility and grandstand tickets are available on race day. General Admission tickets are $20, Senior tickets (60 & over) are $18, Military tickets (with ID) are $18, Children tickets (6 to 12) are $10, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. Outside food, beverages, and ice chests are not permitted.
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: 6-Damion Gardner, 2-Brody Roa, 2-Cody Williams, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Tanner Boul, 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Matt Mitchell.
MOHAVE VALLEY AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Cody Williams – 13.974 (04/23/22)
MOHAVE VALLEY AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 1-Damion Gardner
2022 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Damion Gardner-1034, 2-Matt Mitchell-920, 3-Austin Williams-878, 4-Eddie Tafoya Jr.-842, 5-Tommy Malcolm-734, 6-Logan Williams-731, 7-Cody Williams-693, 8-Brody Roa-662, 9-Charles Davis Jr.-635, 10-Matt McCarthy-587.