By Lance Jennings
MAY 30, 2023… This Saturday, June 3rd, the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will make their second and last stop of the year at Bakersfield Speedway. Promoted by Scott Schweitzer, the third championship point race will also feature Stock Cars, California Lightning Sprints, and Mini Stocks. The Pit Gates will open at 2:00pm, Spectator Gates will open at 4:00pm, and Racing is scheduled for 6:00pm at “The West’s Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval.” Located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California, more event information can be found at bakersfieldspeedway.com or by calling 661.393.3373.
For those that cannot travel to the races, bakersfieldspeedway.tv will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action. This is the only official live stream of event.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
– MEMBERSHIPS / TEMPORARY PERMITS: All racers MUST PURCHASE their USAC license / membership or temporary permit online PRIOR TO THE EVENT at usaclicense.com or usacracing.com.
– ENTRY FEE: There is an entry fee due at registration / pill pick.
– TRANSPONDERS: Transponders ARE MANDATORY and will be available to rent.
– APPROVED/LEGAL TIRES: Due to current 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.
– 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 West Coast Sprint Car Series Rule Book can be found online at usacracing.com.
In addition to championship points, each night will award points for the season-long Woodland Auto Display Top Qualifier Standings, Sammy Bahr & Ray Stansberry Feature Points, and Passing Master Standings. The top drivers in Woodland TQ points will take home $500-for-1st, $300-for-2nd, and $200-for-3rd. The winners will be announced at the Awards Banquet following the “George Snider Classic / Championship Night” on October 7th at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park.
Since April 25, 2009, Bakersfield Speedway has hosted nineteen West Coast Sprint Car events. Thirteen different drivers have claimed victory, led by Davey Pombo with three wins. Ryan Timmons won the April 8th season opener and Brody Fuson set the 1-lap track record with a time of 12.354 on September 18, 2021. A complete Bakersfield series win list is at the bottom of this release.
After finishing fifth at Ventura on May 13th, Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, California) has a twenty-six point lead over the competition. Driving the family owned #29T Red Line Oil / Evergood Fine Foods Maxim, Timmons has one feature win, one heat race victory, two top-10 finishes, and 11 feature laps led on the season. The 2016 Rookie of the Year is tied with Craig Stidham for thirteenth on the win list and will be looking for his seventh career victory on Saturday.
After earning his first victory in just his second start, David Gasper (Goleta, California) has catapulted to second in the point chase. Piloting the Gasper Racing / Kittle Motorsports’ #18 Air Repair Klee Certified Construction / Valley Precision Products Triple X, Gasper has one top-10 finish and 24 feature laps led in the campaign. The leading rookie contender and two-time California Lightning Sprint Champion will have his sights on adding another trophy to his collection at Bakersfield.
Ron LaPlant (Oroville, California) ranks third the USAC West Coast point standings. Racing his #69 RJL Truck & Tractor Painting / Feather Falls Casino Eagle, LaPlant scored eighth at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. At press time, the rookie contender has one BR Motorsports / Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award and two top-ten finish on the season. Ron will be looking for the first win of his career at Bakersfield Speedway.
Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, California) is tied with LaPlant for third in the chase for the championship. Driving Bob & Toni Van Meter’s #51 RacePa Motorsports / W.E. Spike, Fuson charged from tenth to third at Ventura Raceway. As this writing goes to press, the USAC Western States Midget Point Leader has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, one BR Motorsports / Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award, one top-10 finish, and 13 feature laps led on the season. Brody will have his sights on his third career victory this Saturday night.
Tyler Hatzikian (Murrieta, California) ranks fifth in the championship point chase. Piloting his #27 Tyler Surfboards / Original Roadhouse Bar & Grill Triple X, Hatzikian placed ninth at Ventura on May 13th. To date, 2022 Rookie of the Year has two top-10 finishes and will be looking to earn his first series win at Bakersfield.
While David Gasper leads the chase for rookie of the year honors, Ron LaPlant (Oroville, California), Jon DeWees (Lemoore, California), Adam Christian (Santa Clara, California), Heath Holdsclaw (Loomis, California), Tom Dunkel (Menifee, California), Bryan Whitley (Oak View, California), and “The Gunslinger” Austin Grabowski (Riverside, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Cody Majors, Kyle Edwards, Steve Hix, Elexa Herrera, Hannah Mayhew, Trent Carter, Chris Ennis, Camie Bell, Troy Rutherford, James Herrera, Charlie Butcher, Joey Bishop, Matt Day, and more.
Bakersfield Speedway is located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California. Adult General Admission Tickets are $25, Senior (65 plus) and Military Tickets are $23, Kids Tickets (6 to 12) are $15, and Children Tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more Bakersfield event information, visit the track’s website at bakersfieldspeedway.com or call 661.393.3373.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks BR Motorsports, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, High Tech Performance, Hoosier Racing Tires, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Steve Lafond / Tear-Off Heaven Fotos, Wagtimers, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email Stephanie Odom at Odom.Stephanie@me.com or 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.
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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, 2022-Trent Carter.
BAKERSFIELD USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR TRACK RECORD: Brody Fuson – 12.354 (09/18/21)
BAKERSFIELD USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Davey Pombo, 2-Ryan Bernal, 2-Chase Johnson, 2-Troy Rutherford, 2-Ryan Timmons, 1-Danny Faria Jr., 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Ricky Kirkbride, 1-Ricky Lewis, 1-Peter Murphy, 1-Craig Stidham, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
2023 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 1-David Gasper, 1-Ryan Timmons.
2023 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ryan Timmons-151, 2. David Gasper®-125, 3. Ron LaPlant®-124, -. Brody Fuson-124, 5. Tyler Hatzikian-116, 6. Cody Majors-107, -. Kyle Edwards-107, 8. Tom Hendricks98, 9. Jon DeWees®-91, 10. Steve Hix-90, 11. Elexa Herrera-79, 12. Hannah Mayhew-76, 13. Trent Carter-68, 14. Chris Ennis-67, 15. D.J. Johnson-61, 16. Adam Christian®-59, 17. Camie Bell-58, 18. Heath Holdsclaw®-55, 19. Tom Dunkel®-49, –. Bryan Whitley®-49, 21. Troy Rutherford-44, 22. James Herrera-43, 23. Charlie Butcher-41, 24. Joey Bishop-37, 25. Matt Day-34, 26. Austin Grabowski®-33, 27. Eathon Lanfri®-28.
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TOP QUALIFIER POINTS: 1. Brody Fuson-8, -. David Gasper®-8, -. Ryan Timmons-8, 4. Cody Majors-7, 5. Troy Rutherford-6, 6. Kyle Edwards-4, 7. Tyler Hatzikian-1.
SAMMY BAHR & RAY STANSBERRY FEATURE POINTS: 1. Ryan Timmons-128, 2. Ron LaPlant®-113, 3. David Gasper®-105, 4. Tyler Hatzikian-104, 5. Brody Fuson-101, 6. Cody Majors-90, -. Kyle Edwards-90, 8. Tom Hendricks-89, 9. Jon DeWees®-85, 10. Steve Hix-75, 11. Elexa Herrera-72, 12. Hannah Mayhew-70, 13. Trent Carter-67, 14. Chris Ennis-61, 15. Adam Christian®-55, –. D.J. Johnson-55, 17. Camie Bell-52, 18. Heath Holdsclaw®-49, 19. Bryan Whitley-43, 20. James Herrera-41, –. Tom Dunkel-41, 22. Joey Bishop-34, 23. Charlie Butcher-33, 24. Matt Day-31, –. Troy Rutherford-31, 26. Austin Grabowski®-27, 27. Eathon Lanfri®-25.
PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1. Jon DeWees®-13, 2. Ron LaPlant®-11, -. Elexa Herrera-11, 4. Tom Hendricks-10, 5. Heath Holdsclaw®-8, 6. Brody Fuson-7, 7. Chris Ennis-6, -. Trent Carter-6, 9. Adam Christian®-5, –. D.J. Johnson-5, 11. James Herrera-4, 12. Ryan Timmons-3, –. Hannah Mayhew-3, 14. Matt Day-2, –. Camie Bell-2, –. David Gasper®-2, –. Bryan Whitley-2, –. Joey Bishop-2, 19. Eathon Lanfri-®-1, –. Cody Majors-1.