By Lance Jennings
JULY 1, 2025… The battle for the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car championship will resume this Saturday, July 5th, at Santa Maria Speedway. Now under new ownership, the popular Central Coast oval will have an action packed card that will also feature the winged California 305 Regional Sprint Cars, California Lightning Sprints, and Dwarf Cars. 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 805.619.0478.
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 are 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-three (33) USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and Kaleb Montgomery became the 86th winner in series history on May 3rd. Former champions, “The Demon” Damion Gardner and “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa are tied for the USAC/CRA lead with four victories at “The West’s Best Short Track.” On May 3rd, defending champion R.J. Johnson broke “Bullet” Blake Miller’s 2008 1-lap qualifying record with a new standard of 13.206. The complete Santa Maria USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
Heading to the eleventh championship round, Ricky Lewis of Oxnard, California sits atop the point standings and leads the competition by sixteen markers. Racing his #41 Coyote Candle Company / Mesilla Valley Transportation DRC, Lewis earned his sixth win of the season on June 21st at Perris Auto Speedway with a surge off the final corners. In addition, the point leader has two heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 150 feature laps led in the campaign. Currently tied with Ryan Bernal, Nic Faas, Mike Kirby, and “The Ripper” Rip Williams with ten wins, Ricky will be looking for his first Santa Maria triumph.
Defending champion, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona ranks second in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Driving the Petty Performance Racing #33P Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Transport entry, Johnson led two of the closing laps on June 21st before running second to Ricky Lewis at the checkered flags. To date, the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion has posted four Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 5 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 his first win of the year this Saturday night.
After running third and earning “best passing job” honors at Perris, Yorba Linda, California’s “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams has climbed to third in the chase for the championship. Piloting the Tom & Christy Dunkel #17W Inland Rigging / Maxima Oil DRC, Williams has one heat race victory, two In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Awards, and ten top-10 finishes on the season. Currently tied with Matt Mitchell with eleven career wins, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year will be looking for his first victory of 2025 at Santa Maria.
San Diego, California’s A.J. Bender sits fourth in the USAC/CRA point chase. Driving the family owned #21 Bender Pool & Spa / Matrix Construction Services DRC, Bender salvaged a sixth place finish in the June 21st feature after a tangle sent him to the back of the field. At press time, the former USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year has three heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, seven top-10 finishes, and 2 feature laps led in the campaign. This Saturday night, A.J. will have his sights on the second win of his career at Santa Maria Speedway.
David Gasper of Goleta, California ranks fifth in the championship points. Piloting the Kittle Motorsports / Gasper Racing #18 Art Klee / Valley Precision Products DRC, Gasper placed eleventh in the June 21st main event at Perris. To date, last season’s rookie of the year has posted two feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, one Factory Wraps Semi-Main win, six top-10 finishes, and 57 feature laps led on the season. David is tied with Max Adams, Darren Hagen, Chase Johnson, C.J. Leary, Kevin Swindell, and Chris Windom with four USAC/CRA wins and will be looking for another victory this Saturday.
Connor Lundy of Peoria, Arizona leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors over Brody Wake, Connor Speir, Brecken Guerrero, Cole Wakim, Dayton Shelton, Blake Hendricks, Lonnie Oliver, Caleb Stelzig, Colt Treharn, Lonnie Hochstetler, and Justin Kierce.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Blake Bower, Logan Williams, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Verne Sweeney, Elexa Herrera, Jeff Dyer, Kaleb Montgomery, 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 (10 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-679, 2. R.J. Johnson-663, 3. Austin Williams-566, 4. A.J. Bender-558, 5. David Gasper-556, 6. Tommy Malcolm-504, 7. Cody Williams-474, 8. Charles Davis Jr.-442, 9. Blake Bower-433, 10. Logan Williams-418, 11. Connor Lundy-378, 12. Eddie Tafoya Jr.-354, 13. Brody Wake-351, 14. Brody Roa-339, 15. Jake Swanson-299, 16. Verne Sweeney-293, 17. Logan Calderwood-286, 18. Elexa Herrera-253, 19. Connor Speir-247, 20. Brecken Guerrero-212.
2025 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 6-Ricky Lewis, 2-David Gasper, 1-Kaleb Montgomery, 1-Jake Swanson.
SANTA MARIA AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: R.J. Johnson – 13.206 (05/03/25)
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-Kaleb Montgomery, 1-Danny Sheridan, 1-Cody Williams, 1-Rip Williams.