GARDNER-ROA USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT BATTLE HEADS TO SANTA MARIA
By Lance Jennings
AUGUST 2, 2017... This Saturday, August 5th, the powerful AMSOIL USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Cars will make their last Santa Maria Raceway appearance of 2017. Promoted by Mike Kappmeyer, the ninth point race will also showcase IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods, Dwarf Cars, Legends of Kearney Bowl Super Modifieds, Senior Mini Dwarfs, and Junior Midgets. The front gates at "The West's Best Short Track" will open at 4:00pm and racing will begin at 5:30pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232.
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier tires. The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is also the current legal tire with the USAC West Coast, USAC SouthWest, and VRA Sprint Cars. Cars must pass a tech inspection and one-way radios are mandatory for drivers. USAC/CRA charges a $25 entry fee to all competitors and the series rule book can be found online at www.usacracing.com. USAC MEMBERSHIPS ARE MANDATORY AT RACER’S FIRST EVENT and can be purchased at the track or online at https://usacracing.redpodium.com/2017-usac-sprint-midget-sc.
Since June 18, 2005, Santa Maria Raceway has held 22 USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and 15 different drivers have claimed victory. Ryan Bernal leads all drivers with three wins and “The Bullet” Blake Miller set the 1-lap qualifying record of 13.230 on June 14, 2008. On July 1st, Max Adams raced Dwight Cheney’s #42 Maxim to victory at the “Doug Fort Memorial.” A complete Santa Maria USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
Heading to Santa Maria, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) has a twenty-six point advantage over the competition. Driving Mark Alexander's #4 S.P. Beagle Plumbing / Scott Sales Company Spike, Gardner ran third at Perris Auto Speedway on July 22nd. To date, the five-time champion has three feature wins, three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, seven heat race victories, seven top-10 finishes, and 60 feature laps led on the season. “The Demon” leads all USAC/CRA drivers with 73 victories and will be looking to extend his lead with a victory at Santa Maria.
Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) ranks second in the chase for the championship. Racing the #91R BR Performance owned HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa scored fifth in the Perris main event. At press time, last year’s USAC West Coast Champion has posted two heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 44 feature laps led to his credit. Brody has one career USAC/CRA triumph and will have his sights on gaining valuable points with a victory on Saturday night.
Mike Spencer (Temecula, California) sits third in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting the Gansen Engineering Motorsports #4S Trench Shoring / Ram-Bull Racing Maxim, Spencer placed tenth at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. To date, the five-time champion has one feature win, three heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 28 feature laps led on the year. Mike has 38 career USAC/CRA wins and will be looking to win at Santa Maria Raceway.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) is fourth in the championship point chase. Driving Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Clackamas Rigging and Transfer Triple X, Swanson ran second to R.J. Johnson at Perris. At press time, the 2012 Rookie of the Year has three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Incorporated Semi-Main win, and six top-10 finishes on the season. Jake has one career USAC/CRA victory and will have his sights on his first Santa Maria triumph.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) ranks fifth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams finished sixth in the July 22nd main event. To date, the 2009 Rookie of the Year has two heat race victories, two Saldana Racing Products / Rod End Supply Hard Charger Awards, and seven top-10 finishes in the campaign. Austin is tied with Garrett Hansen for twentieth on the USAC/CRA win list and will be looking to claim his sixth main event.
Currently eleventh in points, Matt McCarthy (Riverside, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Kyle Edwards (Fountain Valley, California) is also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Logan Williams, Richard Vander Weerd, Chris Gansen, Max Adams, “The Bear” Jeremy Ellertson, “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Jace Vander Weerd, A.J. Bender, and more.
Santa Maria Raceway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Adult tickets are $25 and for more event information, visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, All Coast Construction, BR Motorsports, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, surfNsprint.com, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact PR Director Lance Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information on USAC/CRA, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC/CRA DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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AMSOIL 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 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Damion Gardner, 2-R.J. Johnson, 1-Max Adams, 1-Mike Spencer, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
SANTA MARIA AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Ryan Bernal, 2-Damion Gardner, 2-Rickie Gaunt, 2-Cory Kruseman, 2-Mike Spencer, 2-Austin Williams, 1-Max Adams, 1-Tyler Brown, 1-Nic Faas, 1-Garrett Hansen, 1-Mike Kirby, 1-Blake Miller, 1-Danny Sheridan, 1-Cody Williams, 1-Rip Williams.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Damion Gardner-598, 2. Brody Roa-572, 3. Mike Spencer-518, 4. Jake Swanson-514, 5. Austin Williams-469, 6. Cody Williams-396, 7. Logan Williams-367, 8. Richard Vander Weerd-345, 9. Chris Gansen-330, 10. Max Adams-298, 11. Matt McCarthy-274, 12. Jeremy Ellertson-259, 13. Tommy Malcolm-250, 14. Danny Faria Jr.-245, 15. R.J. Johnson-227, 16. Jace Vander Weerd-221, 17. Ronnie Gardner-210, 18. A.J. Bender-198, 19. Verne Sweeney-189, 20. Kyle Edwards-182.
2017 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
August 5: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
August 26: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 2: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 3: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 4: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma CA (California Sprint Week)
September 7: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week)
September 8: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 9: Keller Auto Speedway - Hanford, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 23: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 21: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
November 3: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 4: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 9: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 10: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 11: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with Amsoil USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
