By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, November 6, 2023) When Heimark Distributors Anheuser Busch presents the final Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series race of 2023 at Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday, November 11th, attending fans will see the appearances of three newly crowned champions. In addition to the 410 sprint car stars, the PAS Senior Sprints, Young Gun Sprints, and the POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Cars will also be in action. It will be the final chance for fans to see racing at the famous Riverside County clay oval until February 2024. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 p.m. and racing will begin at 7:00.
Heading the list of drivers is PAS regular Brody Roa. The Garden Grove, California racer sewed up his first USAC/CRA championship last weekend at Arizona’s Cocopah Speedway. He will be joined by Ion, California’s Justin Grant who recently put the finishing touches on his second straight USAC National Sprint Car Series title. Grant will be driving the same Matt Mitchell #37 that he wheeled to victory on his only PAS appearance of the year on March 18th. Joining those two champions will be the winningest 410 traditional sprint car driver in the nation this season, Ricky Lewis of Camarillo, California. Lewis has 17 main event wins thus far in 2023. In addition, he was also crowned champion in the Midwest’s BOSS Sprint Car Series. Pleasant Hill, Ohio’s Matt Westfall, who won the USAC National Series race at Texarkana 64 Speedway in Arkansas and who finished 12th in national points, will be making a rare PAS appearance on Saturday.
Saturday’s season finale will be the sixth race of the season for USAC/CRA on its home track in 2023. Yucaipa’s Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm has two wins at Perris this season. He is the only USAC/CRA driver with more than one victory on the Riverside County clay oval this year. Roa, Grant, and Mitchell each have one triumph.
One title that has not been decided yet is The PAS Young Gun Series champion. Technically, the top five in the standings have a mathematical chance of winning the title. Realistically, when the new champion is crowned after Saturday’s main event, the victor should come from a trio of teens who populate the top three spots. Simi Valley high schooler Blake Hendricks comes in with a 13-point lead over second-place 15-year-old Cash Culp of Apple Valley. Elexa Herrera, a 2023 high school graduate who resides in New Cuyama, is 16 points out of the top spot. Defending series champion Stevie Rogers of Apple Valley and Brandon Nelson of Arroyo Grande round out the top five.
Santa Fe Springs driver Ed Schwarz already has his first-ever PAS Senior Sprint Car Series title wrapped up. He has a 90-point lead over 2021 champion Dale Gamer of Anaheim entering Saturday’s event.
The POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Cars will be making their third appearance of 2023 at The PAS. Lakeside’s Brent Sexton and California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Dyer of Yucca Valley have won the first two races. Dyer, who also plans on racing his #39 410 sprint car with USAC/CRA on Saturday, has a 49-point lead over defending SWLS champion Sexton. Dyer’s 16-year-old son, Seth, is third.
In honor of Veteran’s Day, all active military members who show a valid ID at the ticket window on Saturday will get a ticket for $5.00 and a pass for one accompanying guest at the time of purchase.
Adult tickets for Saturday’s season finale are $30.00. For seniors 65 and over it is $25.00. Kids 6-12 get in for $5.00 and children 5 and under are free. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking. There will be plenty of tickets available for everyone at the ticket window on Saturday, this event will not sell out.
For those who wish, advance tickets will be available until 7:00 p.m. Saturday at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7 or by calling 1-800-595-4849.
Perris Auto Speedway is conveniently located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the Southern California Fair), one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway, and go three miles east to the fairgrounds. For directions online, the address to enter is: 18700 Lake Perris Drive and the zip code is 92571.
USAC/CRA races from Perris Auto Speedway are not streamed online.
Fans can stay up to date on track and driver news on The PAS social media efforts at the links below.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480?ref=hl
Twitter: Perris Auto Speedway on Twitter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perrisautospeedway/
Website: http://perrisautospeedway.com/
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank the following corporate partners. Ahern Equipment Rentals, Anderson Chevrolet, Battery Systems, Bud’s Tire, Tire Choice Auto Service, Chris’ Hauling, City of Perris, Communication Innovations, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Ed Moore Bullet Proof Driveshaft, Flowdynamics, HD Industries, Heimark/Anheuser Busch, Hoosier Tires, Inland Rigging, Living Water’s Hospice, LKQ Pick Your Part, Luke’s Transmission, Moose Racing, Pepsi-Cola, Performance Online, Pole Position Raceway, PrintItNow.com, Rainbow Bolt & Supply, Rene’s Bar & Grill, Rugged Radios, Shaver Specialties, Square H, Sunoco Race Fuels, Trench Shoring, Upland Rock, Varner Construction and Vista Paint. ]
For information on 2024 billboard advertising at The PAS, please call 951-940-0134 and ask for Charlie Watson.
DVDs of all the PASSCAR/IMCA racing and Nights of Destruction at The PAS are available from Fourvideos. For more information call (714) 225-9500.
mailto:perrisautospeedway1@gmail.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment.
USAC/CRA Point Standings
1. Brody Roa, Garden Grove, CA … 1093
2. Tommy Malcolm, Yucaipa, CA … 1293
3. Austin Williams, Corona, CA … 944
4. Cody Williams, Norco, CA … 857
5. AJ Bender, San Diego, CA … 854
PAS Young Gun Sprint Car Point Standings
1. Blake Hendricks, Simi Valley, CA … 346
2. Cash Culp, Apple Valley, CA … 333
3. Elexa Herrera, New Cuyama, CA … 330
4. Stevie Rogers, Apple Valley, CA … 315
5. Brandon Nelson, Arroyo Grande, CA … 311
PAS Senior Sprint Car Points
1. Ed Schwarz, Santa Fe Springs, CA … 247
2. Dale Gamer, Anaheim, CA … 157
3. Bob Suchy, Tustin, CA … 111
4. Chris Wakim, Simi Valley, CA … 63
5. Rick Hendrix, Palmdale, CA … 62