By Lance Jennings
PERRIS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 21, 2026… After securing the lead from “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. on lap twenty-seven, Ricky Lewis of Camarillo, California led the rest of the way to claim his third consecutive Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car victory of the season. Driving his #41 Mesilla Valley Transportation / Morris Family Farms DRC, Lewis finished ahead of Davis, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams, Connor Lundy, and Eddie Tafoya Jr. at Perris Auto Speedway.
Starting third, Connor Lundy took the early command of the 30-lap main event. Last season’s rookie of the year found the bottom groove to his liking and held off numerous challenges from Eddie Tafoya Jr., who started seventh. While most of the front runners ran the low line, Ricky Lewis and Austin Williams worked the outside groove. Carrying extra momentum, Lewis powered past Lundy for the top spot on lap 22, but the lead was brief as Charles Davis Jr. put together some fast laps on the inside line to grab the lead. Davis led three circuits before Lewis rode the rim to his fifteenth career USAC/CRA triumph.
USAC/CRA point leader, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona began the night by posting the eighteenth Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of his career. The pilot of the Petty Performance Racing #1P Avanti Windows & Doors / Jugo Superfoods Sherman turned the fastest lap with a time of 16.814 seconds over Lewis, Davis, Lundy, Williams, and the rest of the drivers in attendance. Simi Valley, California’s Blake Hendricks flipped during time trials and walked away while his car was done for the evening.
Multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion, Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye, Arizona raced to victory in the 8-lap Sexton Fire Protection First Heat Race. The owner/driver of the #47 MP Environmental Services / Central Arizona Raceway DRC finished ahead of Johnson, Tafoya, Williams, rookie contender Bryan Whitley, “The Honey Badger” Elexa Herrera, and newcomer Zate Legend.
The 8-lap Roy Miller Freight Lines Second Heat Race went to San Diego, California’s A.J. Bender. Racing the Kim and Richard Bender #21 Rolls Scaffold / Matrix Construction Services DRC, the former USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the year was followed by Lewis, Verne Sweeney, Lundy, Dayton Shelton, and Brecken Guerrero.
By virtue of his fifteenth career victory after starting fifth, Ricky Lewis scored the night’s Hard Charger Award / “Best Passing Job” honors at Perris Auto Speedway. For his efforts, Lewis took home an extra $100 courtesy of former CRA driver Rick Goade, who raced in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
On Saturday, April 11th, the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, California for their sixth point race of the season. For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: March 21, 2026 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. R.J. Johnson, 1P, Petty-16.814; 2. Ricky Lewis, 41, Lewis-16.936; 3. Charles Davis Jr., 47, Davis-17.029; 4. Connor Lundy, 97, Lundy-17.049; 5. Austin Williams, 17W, Dunkel-17.095; 6. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-17.285; 7. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 51T, Tafoya-17.312; 8. Blake Hendricks, 14, Hendricks-17.589; 9. Verne Sweeney, 98, Guerrero-17.634; 10. Bryan Whitley, 22, Whitley-17.829; 11. Brecken Guerrero, 98B, Guerrero-17.906; 12. Elexa Herrera, 5E, Herrera-17.969; 13. Dayton Shelton, 4D, Shelton- 18.029; 14. Zate Legend, Z8, Legend-18.807.
SEXTON FIRE PROTECTION FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, All Cars Transfer To Feature) 1. Charles Davis Jr., 2. R.J. Johnson, 3. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 4. Austin Williams, 5. Bryan Whitley, 6. Elexa Herrera, 7. Zate Legend. 2:30.39.
ROY MILLER FREIGHT LINES SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, All Cars Transfer To Feature) 1. A.J. Bender, 2. Ricky Lewis, 3. Verne Sweeney, 4. Connor Lundy, 5. Dayton Shelton, 6. Brecken Guerrero. 2:32.16.
FEATURE: (30 laps, With Starting Positions) 1. Ricky Lewis (5), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (4), 3. Austin Williams (2), 4. Connor Lundy (3), 5. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (7), 6. R.J. Johnson (6), 7. Verne Sweeney (8), 8. Dayton Shelton, 9. Bryan Whitley (9), 10. Zate Legend (13), 11. Elexa Herrera (11), 12. Brecken Guerrero (10), 13. A.J. Bender (1). NT.
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**Blake Hendricks flipped during qualifications. A.J. Bender flipped during lap 22 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-21 Connor Lundy, Laps 22-23 Ricky Lewis, Laps 24-26 Charles Davis Jr., Laps 27-30 Ricky Lewis.
RICK GOADE HARD CHARGER: Ricky Lewis (5 to 1)
NEW AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS:
NEXT AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: April 11 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California