By Lance Jennings
JULY 8, 2026… The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will return to Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday, July 11th. Presented by Heimark Distributing and Anheuser Busch, the 15th championship point race will also feature the PASSCAR Super Stocks, PASSCAR Street Stocks, and PASSCAR American Factory Stocks. Located at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, the Spectator Gates at “America’s Premier Dirt Track” will open at 5:00pm and racing is scheduled for 7:05pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134. Advance tickets are available online at tix.com/ticket-sales/perris/7.
Early arriving fans can meet “The Mexican National Champion” Steve Ostling. Steve will talk to fans and sign free photos of him driving the potent Fischer Motorsports #29 entry. Starting his career at the legendary Ascot Park in Gardena, California during the mid-1980s with the original California Racing Association (CRA), Ostling won the 1992 Wagsdash at the famed Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona. With nine Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA) victories to his credit, Steve also topped the March 20, 2004 Ventura Racing Association (VRA) 360 Sprint Car main event and a PAS Senior Sprint Car feature during the 2012 “Budweiser Oval Nationals” at Perris. It should be noted that Steve was featured on the program cover for the opening night of Perris Auto Speedway on March 30, 1996. Ostling was at the helm of the Bill and Evelyn Pratt #12 racing with “The Gasman” Richard Griffin in Ron Chaffin’s #50.
There will be a kid’s dance contest at intermission along with bicycle giveaways, t-shirt launches, and Heat Race Hero contests throughout the night. There is something for everyone during the night of family fun.
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: The Hoosier 105/16 Medium or Medium 1 is the only approved right rear tire. Only SC12 left rear tires will be permitted and front tires must be Hoosier.
– RULE BOOK: The series rule book is online at usacracing.com.
– ROLLS SCAFFOLD 360 CHALLENGE: The top finishing 360 Sprint Car is eligible for an extra $360 per night if they finish in the top-six. If there are multiple 360s in the top-six, then the bonus will go to the highest finishing 360 in that main event. If the award is not claimed, then the pot will increase by an additional $360 at the next race until there is a winner. Once the bonus is earned, the process will start over until it is won again. If the award has not been won or whatever money is left over at season’s end will then be divided among the top three in points running a 360 engine.
Since March 6, 2004, Perris Auto Speedway has hosted 273 USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and forty-eight drivers have claimed “home track” victories. Ten-time champion, “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all drivers with fifty-one Perris wins as R.J. Johnson (twice), Ricky Lewis, and Brody Roa have claimed season victories 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.
Laveen, Arizona’s R.J. Johnson is looking to continue his bid for a third consecutive championship. Driving the Petty Performance Racing #1P Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Transport Sherman, Johnson has three wins on the season and currently holds a stout lead in the point chase.
Johnson’s closest competition in the standings is the “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California. Racing the Tom & Christy Dunkel #17W Inland Rigging / Maxima Oil Triple X, Williams had his string of consecutive heat race wins broken last Saturday at Santa Maria at five triumphs. This Saturday night, “The Big Game Hunter” will have his sights on his first main event victory of the campaign.
“The Pineapple” Daylin Perreira of Hilo, Hawaii leads the chase for rookie of the year honors over Bryan Whitley, Wayne Siddle, Zate Legend, David Perry Jr., Cale Coons, Jim Vanzant, Joshua Shipley, Troy DeGaton, A.J. Hernandez, Koen Crawford, Broedy Graham, Drake Cardey, B.J. Fernandez, and Grant Schaadt.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Verne Sweeney, Brecken Guerrero, Connor Lundy, Dayton Shelton, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Cole Wakim, Jeff Dyer, Gary Marshall Jr., and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. General Admission Adult tickets are $30, Senior tickets (65 & over) are $25, Student tickets (13-17) are $15, Kids tickets (6-12) are $10, Active Military tickets (with ID) are $5, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. The Lake Perris Fairgrounds charges $20 for parking. Advance tickets are available at tix.com/ticket-sales/perris/7 and for more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
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.
———————————————–
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-R.J. Johnson.
2026 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 6-Ricky Lewis, 3-R.J. Johnson, 2-Kaleb Montgomery, 2-Kevin Thomas Jr., 1-Brody Roa
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, 9-Brody Roa, 8-David Cardey, 8-R.J. Johnson, 8-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Justin Grant, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Ricky Lewis, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Austin Williams, 5-Brady Bacon, 5-Robert Ballou, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 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, 2-Blake Miller, 2-Mitchel Moles 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.