PERRIS “SO-CAL SHOWDOWN” OPENS 15TH USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SEASON
By Lance Jennings
FEBRUARY 27, 2018... This Saturday, March 3rd, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will open their historic fifteenth season at Perris Auto Speedway. The “5th Annual So-Cal Showdown” will also feature the famed World of Outlaw Craftsman Sprint Cars, PAS Senior Sprint Cars and the PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars. In addition, the event is “American Cancer Society Night Benefitting the Up, Down ‘n Dirty 4 a Cure Mud Run.” Advance tickets with a FREE World of Outlaws “Fan Pit Pass” are available online at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=52711&agency=WRG_SNG&pid=8525909. The spectator gates will open at 4:00pm and racing at "America's Premier Dirt Track" will start at 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
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 can be purchased at the track or online at https://usacracing.redpodium.com/2018-usac-sprint-midget-sc
The "So-Cal Showdown" has become one of the “must see” races on the AMSOIL USAC/CRA schedule. Featuring both non-winged and winged 410 cubic inch powered sprint cars, fans can enjoy both styles of racing at one of the finest dirt tracks in the country. “The Demon” Damion Gardner won the inaugural event in 2014 and Richard Vander Weerd dominated the following year. Josh Hodges scored the 2016 win with a dramatic last corner pass and Gardner stood atop the podium last season. At press time, “The Demon” leads all drivers with 43 Perris USAC/CRA victories and Nic Faas set the 1-lap qualifying record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. A complete series win list at Perris Auto Speedway is at the end of this release.
Armed with a new sponsor, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) will be going for his sixth consecutive (7th overall) USAC/CRA Championship. Last season, the pilot of Mark Alexander's #4 Trench Shoring / Weld Racing Spike posted five feature wins, seven Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, eleven heat race victories, one semi-main win, eighteen top-10 finishes, and 150 feature laps led. “The Demon” has seventy-five USAC/CRA victories to his credit and will be looking to win his third “So-Cal Showdown.”
Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) had a breakout year and finished second in the point standings. Racing the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa had two feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one dash win, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, twenty top-10 finishes, and 91 feature laps led in 2017. The second generation driver has three career wins and will have his sights on adding the “So-Cal Showdown” to his resume.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) ranked third in the chase for the championship. Driving Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Phil and Eileen King Triple X, Swanson had five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 13 feature laps led in the campaign. Jake has one career USAC/CRA win and will be looking to earn the $2,500 victory.
Mike Spencer (Temecula, California) finished fourth in his last year of sprint car racing. Piloting the Gansen Engineering Motorsports #4S Trench Shoring / Ram-Bull Racing Maxim, Spencer had one feature win, five heat race victories, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 45 feature laps led on the season. The five-time champion retires with sixty-three USAC/CRA fast time awards and thirty-eight main event wins.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) sat fifth in the championship point chase. Driving Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams posted four heat race victories, two hard charger awards, eleven top-10 finishes, and 10 feature laps led in 2017. The 2009 Rookie of the Year has five career USAC/CRA triumphs and will be looking to join the winner’s list of the “So-Cal Showdown.”
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Logan Williams, Max Adams, Chris Gansen, Richard Vander Weerd, Matt McCarthy, “The Bear” Jeremy Ellertson, R.J. Johnson, “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, Jace Vander Weerd, Brady Short, Logan Seavey, rookie contender Gary Paulson, and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134. Advance tickets with a FREE World of Outlaws “Fan Pit Pass” are available online at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=52711&agency=WRG_SNG&pid=8525909.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, All Coast Construction, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, 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, and Instagram 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-Damion Gardner.
SO-CAL SHOWDOWN WINNERS: 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Richard Vander Weerd, 2016-Josh Hodges, 2017-Damion Gardner.
PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 43-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Matt Mitchell, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Richard Vander Weerd, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 4-Robert Ballou, 4-Dave Darland, 4-R.J. Johnson, 3-Garrett Hansen, 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-Blake Miller, 2- Austin Williams, 2-Chris Windom, 1-Chad Boespflug, 1-Greg Bragg, 1-Daron Clayton, 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-Josh Ford, 1-Justin Grant, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Kevin Thomas Jr., 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Jason York.
2018 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
March 3: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (So-Cal Showdown)
March 9: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Spring Showcase)
March 10: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Spring Showcase)
April 14: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
April 21: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout)
May 5: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA
May 26: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 23: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
July 7: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial)
August 4: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
August 18: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 1: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 2: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 3: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma CA (California Sprint Week)
September 6: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week)
September 7: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 8: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 22: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 28: Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
September 29: Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 20: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
November 2: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 3: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 8: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
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)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with AMSOIL USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
