By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 13, 2025… Continuing his bid for a second championship, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona will lead the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars to Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday, October 18th. The nineteenth championship round for the non-winged sprints will also spotlight the PASSCAR Super Stocks and PASSCAR Street Stocks. Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California and the Spectator Gates will open at 5:00pm with racing at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” starting 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.
Since March 6, 2004, Perris Auto Speedway has hosted 266 USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and forty-seven drivers have claimed “home track” victories. Ten-time champion, “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all series drivers with fifty-one Perris wins and Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. This season, Ricky Lewis has topped four Perris features, David Gasper took the April 1st event, Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm claimed the July 19th victory, and R.J. Johnson has topped the September 13th “So-Cal Showdown” and September 27th show. The complete Perris USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
After running fourth at Mohave Valley on October 4th, R.J. Johnson holds a 65-point advantage over the competition. Driving the Petty Performance Racing #33P Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Transport Sherman, Johnson has two feature wins, five Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Awards, eight heat race victories, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 75 feature laps led on the year. Currently tied with Ryan Bernal, Matt Mitchell, and “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams with eleven wins, the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion will be looking for his third consecutive triumph at Perris Auto Speedway.
Oxnard, California’s Ricky Lewis ranks second in the chase for the USAC/CRA crown. The owner/driver of the #41 Mesilla Valley Transportation / Morris Family Farms DRC led the opening laps at Mohave Valley before mechanical issues ended his night with a nineteenth place finish. At press time, Lewis has posted eight feature wins, three Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 173 feature laps led in the campaign. Now tied with Bryan Clauson with twelve career USAC/CRA wins, Ricky will have his sights on rebounding with another victory this Saturday night.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California sits third in the series championship point standings. Racing the Tom & Christy Dunkel #17W Inland Rigging / Maxima Oil DRC, Williams lead fifteen laps at Mohave Valley before scoring third at the checkered flags. To date, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has recorded one Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, two In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Awards, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 16 feature lap led to his credit. Currently tied with Ryan Bernal, R.J. Johnson, and Matt Mitchell with eleven career wins, “The Big Game Hunter” will be looking for his first victory of the year at Perris Auto Speedway.
San Diego, California’s A.J. Bender ranks fourth in the chase for the USAC/CRA point chase Piloting the family owned #21 Rolls Scaffolding / Matrix Construction Services DRC, Bender scored eighth in the October 4th main event. At press time, the former Turkey Night Grand Prix Sprint Car winner has four heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 5 feature laps led on the year. This Saturday night, A.J. will have his sights on the second “home track” win of his career at Perris.
Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm of Yucaipa, California is fifth in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Racing the Dino Napier #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating DRC, Malcolm had mechanical issues that ended his night at Mohave Valley during the semi-main. To date, the veteran driver has one feature win, three heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, eleven top-10 finishes, and 48 feature laps led on the year. Tommy is tied with “The People’s Champion” Dave Darland, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, Justin Grant, “Showtime” Danny Sheridan, and “KTJ” Kevin Thomas Jr. with eight victories and will be looking to add another win this Saturday night.
Peoria, Arizona’s Connor Lundy leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors over Brecken Guerrero, Connor Speir, Brody Wake, Cole Wakim, Dayton Shelton, Blake Hendricks, Lonnie Oliver, Heath Holdsclaw, Caleb Stelzig, Trenten Shelton, Jacob Tuttle, Lonnie Hochstetler, Colt Treharn, Mark Hanson, Josh Gillis, and Justin Kierce.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., “Bullet” Blake Bower, David Gasper, Eddie Tafoya Jr., “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa, Verne Sweeney, Logan Calderwood, “The Honey Badger” Elexa Herrera, Jeff Dyer, Kyle Edwards, 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: 8-Ricky Lewis, 2-David Gasper, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Tommy Malcolm, 1-Kaleb Montgomery, 1-Logan Seavey, 1-Jake Swanson, 1-J.J. Yeley.
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-R.J. Johnson, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Austin Williams, 5-Brady Bacon, 5-Robert Ballou, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 5-Ricky Lewis, 5-Tommy Malcolm, 4-Dave Darland, 4-Charles Davis Jr., 3-Garrett Hansen, 3-Kevin Thomas Jr., 2-David Gasper, 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-C.J. Leary, 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. R.J. Johnson-1238, 2. Ricky Lewis-1173, 3. Austin Williams-1026, 4. A.J. Bender-992, 5. Tommy Malcolm-942, 6. Charles Davis Jr.-861, 7. Blake Bower-857, 8. David Gasper-807, 9. Connor Lundy (R)-731, 10. Eddie Tafoya Jr.-636, 11. Brody Roa-599, 12. Verne Sweeney-579, 13. Cody Williams-567, 14. Logan Williams-498, 15. Logan Calderwood-489, 16. Brecken Guerrero (R)-485, 17. Elexa Herrera-481, 18. Connor Speir (R)-429, 19. Brody Wake (R)-372, 20. Jake Swanson-299.