By Lance Jennings
APRIL 21, 2025… The cars and stars of the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will head to Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday, April 26th. Promoted by Don Kazarian and presented by Heimark Distributors / Anheuser Busch, the eighth championship point race will also feature the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, PASSCAR Super Stocks, and PASSCAR Street Stocks. 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.
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.)
– 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.
– TIRE RULE: Hoosier tires ARE REQUIRED ON ALL FOUR CORNERS of the car.
– 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.
– MUFFLER RULE: Mufflers ARE REQUIRED at Perris Auto Speedway.
– RULE BOOK: The series rule book is online at usacracing.com.
Heading to Saturday’s action, Perris Auto Speedway has hosted 260 USAC/CRA Sprint Car events since March 6, 2004. In all, forty-seven drivers have claimed victory at their “home track,” led by ten-time champion, “The Demon” Damion Gardner with fifty-one triumphs. During the last two visits, point leader Ricky Lewis and last season’s rookie of the year, David Gasper took the checkered flags at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012 and the complete Perris USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
Ricky Lewis of Oxnard, California sits atop the point standings and leads the competition by thirty-one markers. Racing his #41 Coyote Candle Company / Mesilla Valley Transportation DRC, Lewis won the Casa Grande debut on April 11th and ran third the following night. To date, the young driver has posted four feature wins, two heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and 102 feature laps led in the campaign. With eight career USAC/CRA wins, Ricky primarily races in the Midwest and might miss Saturday’s race at Perris Auto Speedway.
Defending champion, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona has climbed to second in the chase for the USAC/CRA championship. Driving the Petty Performance Racing #33P Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Transport entry, Johnson ran fifth and second at Central Arizona Raceway. At press time, the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion has two Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 3 feature laps led on the year. Currently tied with “The Macho Man” Brady Bacon, “Dynamite” David Cardey, and Richard Vander Weerd with nine wins, R.J. will have his sights on returning to victory circle this Saturday night.
After running eighth and fifth at Casa Grande, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye, Arizona has climbed to third in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting his #47 MP Environmental Services / RSS Industries Triple X, Davis has one heat race victory, one Factory Wraps Semi-Main win, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, five top-10 finishes, and 5 feature laps led on the season. With seven career USAC/CRA wins, the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion is expected to race this Saturday at Perris before heading to the Midwest to battle with the USAC National Series.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California ranks fourth in the point chase. Racing the Tom & Christy Dunkel #17W Inland Rigging / Maxima Oil DRC, Williams finished tenth and seventh at the Pinal County Fairgrounds. At press time, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has posted seven top-10 finishes on the season and is tied with Matt Mitchell with eleven career USAC/CRA wins. “The Big Game Hunter” will be looking for his first victory of the season at Perris.
After racing sixth on April 11th and winning the following night, David Gasper of Goleta, California is fifth in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Driving the Kittle Motorsports / Gasper Racing #18 Art Klee / Valley Precision Products DRC, Gasper has recorded two feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Award, one Factory Wraps Semi-Main win, four top-10 finishes, and 57 feature laps led in the campaign. The 2024 Rookie of the Year has four career victories and will have his sights on another win at Perris Auto Speedway.
Brody Wake of Lake Havasu City, Arizona leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors over Connor Lundy, Cole Wakim, Lonnie Oliver, Connor Speir, Caleb Stelzig, Blake Hendricks, Colt Treharn, and Justin Kierce.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are A.J. Bender, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm, Logan Williams, Blake Bower, Logan Calderwood, Brody Roa, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Verne Sweeney, Elexa Herrera, “Shugah” Shane Sexton, Jeff Dyer, Gary Marshall Jr., Grant Sexton, Brent Sexton, and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. General admission tickets (13 & over) are $35, Senior tickets (65 & over) are $30, Kids tickets (6 to 12) are $10, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. The Lake Perris Fairgrounds charges $20 for parking. Advance tickets are available online for an additional fee, and for more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Factory Wraps, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner), In Honor of Wiley Miller Sr. & Wiley Miller II, Sexton Fire Protection, Silbermann Solar, WC Friend Company Access Systems, and Woodland Auto Display for their support.
For more information on the Avanti Windows & Doors 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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AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS 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-Damion Gardner, 2023-Brody Roa, 2024-R.J. Johnson.
2025 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 4-Ricky Lewis, 2-David Gasper, 1-Jake Swanson.
PERRIS AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Nic Faas – 15.833 (02/25/12)
PERRIS AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 51-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 10-Matt Mitchell, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 8-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Brody Roa, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Justin Grant, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Austin Williams, 5-Brady Bacon, 5-Robert Ballou, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 4-Dave Darland, 4-Charles Davis Jr., 4-R.J. Johnson, 4-Tommy Malcolm, 3-Garrett Hansen, 3-Kevin Thomas Jr., 2-David Gasper, 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-C.J. Leary, 2-Ricky Lewis, 1-Blake Miller, 2-Jake Swanson, 2-Cody Williams, 2-Chris Windom, 1-A.J. Bender, 1-Chad Boespflug, 1-Greg Bragg, 1-Daron Clayton, 1-Josh Ford, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Hunter Schuerenberg, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Jason York.
2025 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ricky Lewis-468, 2. R.J. Johnson-437, 3. Charles Davis Jr.-380, 4. Austin Williams-376, 5. David Gasper-371, 6. A.J. Bender-369, 7. Cody Williams-363, 8. Tommy Malcolm-304, 9. Jake Swanson-299, 10. Logan Williams-290, 11. Blake Bower-289, 12. Logan Calderwood-286, 13. Brody Wake (R)-262, 14. Brody Roa-247, 15. Eddie Tafoya Jr.-236, 16. Connor Lundy (R)-230, 17. Braden Chiaramonte-204, 18. Verne Sweeney-183, 19. Elexa Herrera-142, 20. Cole Wakim (R)-127.