By Lance Jennings
APRIL 28, 2025… After rain washed away last Saturday’s event at Perris, the chase for the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car championship will head to Santa Maria Speedway this Saturday, May 3rd. Now under new ownership, the popular Central Coast facility will also feature Mini Stocks on the racing card. Located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California, the pit booth at “The West’s Best Short Track” will open at 1:00pm, front gates open at 4:00pm, time trials at 5:00pm, and racing will begin at 6:00pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at santamariaspeedway.net or call 310.493.4900.
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 Santa Maria Speedway.
– RULE BOOK: The series rule book is online at usacracing.com.
Santa Maria Speedway has been a popular stop for non-winged sprint car racing since their opening night on May 31, 1964 when Hal Minyard took the checkered flags with the original California Racing Association. Since 2005, the 1/3-mile facility has held thirty-two (32) USAC/CRA Sprint Car events as Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm, Braden Chiaramonte, and R.J. Johnson added Santa Maria to their win list last season. Former champions, “The Demon” Damion Gardner and “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa are tied for the series lead with four victories at “The West’s Best Short Track” and “Bullet” Blake Miller set the 1-lap qualifying record of 13.230 on June 14, 2008. The complete Santa Maria 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 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 return to Santa Maria.
Defending champion, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona ranks second in the chase for the USAC/CRA championship. Driving the Petty Performance Racing #33P Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Transport entry, Johnson 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, the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion will have his sights on returning to victory circle this Saturday night.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye, Arizona sits 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 be heading to the Midwest to battle with the USAC National Series.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California is fourth in the point chase. Racing the Tom & Christy Dunkel #17W Inland Rigging / Maxima Oil DRC, Williams has posted seven top-10 finishes on the season and is tied with Matt Mitchell with eleven career USAC/CRA wins. This Saturday night, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year will be looking for his first victory of the season at Santa Maria.
David Gasper of Goleta, California ranks 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 adding Santa Maria to his resume.
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, and more.
Santa Maria Speedway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior and Military tickets are $23, Student tickets are $10, and Kids tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at santamariaspeedway.net or call 310.493.4900.
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 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.
2025 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 4-Ricky Lewis, 2-David Gasper, 1-Jake Swanson.
SANTA MARIA AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Blake Miller – 13.230 (06/14/08)
SANTA MARIA AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 4-Damion Gardner, 4-Brody Roa, 3-Ryan Bernal, 2-Max Adams, 2-Rickie Gaunt, 2-Cory Kruseman, 2-Mike Spencer, 2-Austin Williams, 1-Tyler Brown, 1-Braden Chiaramonte, 1-Nic Faas, 1-Garrett Hansen, 1-R.J. Johnson, 1-Mike Kirby, 1-Tommy Malcolm, 1-Blake Miller, 1-Danny Sheridan, 1-Cody Williams, 1-Rip Williams.