USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS HEADLINE “SPANKY MATTHEWS MEMORIAL” AT HANFORD
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 17, 2023... After a fierce battle at Perris, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will head to Kings Speedway in Hanford this Saturday, April 22nd. Promoted by Peter Murphy, the “Spanky Matthews Memorial” will also showcase the winged Western Racesaver 305 Sprint Cars and West Coast Sport Compacts. Located at the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California, the Pit Gates open at 1:00pm, the Front Gates open at 4:00PM, Hot Laps at 5:00pm, with Racing at 6:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at racekingsspeedway.com.
For those that cannot travel to the races, floracing.com will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action over the internet.
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)
- APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535; SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78; FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101; COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S; B&B: FRAC-0375S; SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK
*Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
- 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.
- 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.
Kings Speedway has hosted twelve AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all drivers with three victories. Last April, Austin Liggett joined Ricci Faria, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Bud Kaeding, Levi Jones, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., “The Macho Man” Brady Bacon, and “KTJ” Kevin Thomas Jr. on the Hanford win list. Bud Kaeding set the 1-lap track record of 14.793 on November 12, 2011.
Heading to the sixth point race, “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) sits atop the standings by 52 points. Driving the Tom & Christy Dunkel / BR Performance owned #17R Inland Rigging / Dunkel Farms DRC, Roa scored fifth at Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday night. To date, 2019 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion has two feature wins, two heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 40 feature laps led to his credit. With fifteen career wins, Brody will be looking to add Hanford’s “Spanky Matthews Memorial” to his resume.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) is second in the chase for the championship. Racing his #44 WC Friend Company / Trench Shoring DRC, Williams placed tenth at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. At press time, the former National Non-Wing Sprint Car Rookie of the Year has three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards and five top-10 finishes on the season. “The Cadillac” has three career feature wins and will have his sights on a victory at Kings Speedway.
R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) ranks third in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting the family owned #51 Martin Family Auto Museum / Sherman Race Cars entry, Johnson ran second to Matt Mitchell last Saturday night at Perris. To date, the five-time USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion has two heat race victories and five top-10 finishes in the campaign. R.J. will be looking for his eighth career USAC/CRA victory at the Kings County Fairgrounds.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) is fourth in the championship points. Driving his #47 MP Environmental Services / Black Magic Bead Breaker DRC, Davis claimed fourth at Perris Auto Speedway. At press time, the seven-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion has one heat race victory, four top-10 finishes, and 9 feature laps led on the season. “Chargin” Charles has five career USAC/CRA feature wins and will have his sights on adding the Hanford winning trophy to his collection.
After running sixth at Perris, Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) has climbed to fifth in the point chase. Racing Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating Maxim, Malcolm has two heat race victories, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, four top-10 finishes, and 18 feature laps led on the year, Tommy “Thunder” will be looking to earn the first main event win of his career this Saturday night.
Grant Sexton (Lakeside, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors and sits fourteenth in the point standings. The driver of the family owned #22 Sexton Fire Protection / East County Electric Works Triple X is followed by James Turnbull II (Indio, California), Jim Vanzant (Prescott, Arizona), and Braden Chiaramonte (El Cajon, California).
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Logan Calderwood, A.J. Bender, Matt Mitchell, Verne Sweeney, “The Gunslinger” Austin Grabowski, Matt McCarthy, Logan Williams, Andrew Sweeney, Brent Owens, Chris Gansen, Brody Fuson, and more.
Kings Speedway is located at the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. General Admission Adult tickets are $20, General Admission Senior (62 and older), Active Military (ID Required), and General Admission Junior tickets (7 to 17) are $15. Kids tickets (6 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit racekingsspeedway.com or the track’s social media.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks BillsJerky.net, Factory Wraps, Flowdynamics Incorporated, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner), Hoosier Racing Tires, WC Friend Company, Woodland Auto Display, BR Motorsports, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, and Wilwood Disc Brakes for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact Tony Jones at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or PR Director Lance Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information on the AMSOIL 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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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, 2018-Damion Gardner, 2019-Damion Gardner, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-Damion Gardner, 2022-Damion Gardner.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Brody Roa, 1-Justin Grant, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Matt Mitchell.
HANFORD AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Bud Kaeding – 14.793 (11/12/11)
HANFORD AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Damion Gardner, 1-Brady Bacon, 1-Danny Faria Jr., 1-Ricci Faria, 1-Levi Jones, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Cory Kruseman, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Kevin Thomas Jr., 1-Jace Vander Weerd.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Brody Roa-382, 2. Cody Williams-330, 3. R.J. Johnson-324, 4. Charles Davis Jr.-314, 5. Tommy Malcolm-294, 6. Austin Williams-283, 7. Chase Johnson-237, 8. Ricky Lewis-226, 9. Logan Calderwood-213, 10. A.J. Bender-204.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
January 27: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ (Winner: Brody Roa)
January 28: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ (Winner: Brody Roa)
March 3: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (RAIN)
March 4: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (RAIN)
March 18: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Justin Grant)
March 24: Keller Auto Speedway – Hanford, CA (RAIN)
March 25: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA (RAIN)
April 1: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ (Winner: Chase Johnson)
April 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Matt Mitchell)
April 22: Keller Auto Speedway – Hanford, CA (Spanky Matthews Memorial)
April 29: The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park – Bakersfield, CA (With USAC Western States Midgets)
May 6: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
May 20: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)
May 27: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 10: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Bubby Jones & Ray Sheetz Memorial / 40 Laps)
June 24: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA (Richie McGowan Memorial)
July 1: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
July 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 12: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
August 19: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
September 9: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
September 23: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 14: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
November 3: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 4: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 11: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (40 Laps)
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TBA = To Be Announced.
This schedule is subject to change.