USAC WEST COAST & SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR UPDATED RESULTS FROM LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas, Nevada………After two days of a special mid-week racing event from the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the stars of the USAC West Coast and Southwest Series head home in anticipation of the remaining balance of the 2018 championship season.
The California based USAC West Coast series will dive right into a double header at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway this Friday and Saturday March 9 and 10. The series will again join the World of Outlaws as they kick off the 2018 USAC West Coast Championship Season.
The Arizona-based Southwest Sprint Cars will lay idle this coming weekend and return to action at Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley, Arizona on March 17. Defending champion, R.J. Johnson, will take a narrow point lead over Charles Davis, Jr. for the first appearance of 2018 at Arizona.
After several days and many hours of due diligence, USAC Western Director Chris Kearns, has taken both Las Vegas wins away from Justin Grant and team owner Bill Michael due to an unfortunate misinterpretation of the current USAC West Coast/Southwest Sprint Car Rules.
“Bill Michael is one of the most respected car owners in USAC. He runs his operation with class, and there is no doubt in my mind that this was unintentional," stated Kearns.
The Michael team competed in Las Vegas with an older engine that previously conformed to the rules, but does not meet the latest USAC West Coast and Southwest rules. This engine conformed to early ASCS engine rules that governed the Southwest Series for many years.
Since the conversion to USAC Southwest Sprint Cars in 2013, the Michael team had switched to Roush/Yates ASCS-branded engines that brought them many victories and several USAC championships.
“It is unfortunate for the Michael team because they are such great people, and this is clearly an oversight of rules for the 360 engines and the USAC series that conform to them.”
USAC officials stated that, after its investigation and due diligence, it was clear this was unintentional and there will be no further penalty for the team.
Revised USAC West Coast/Southwest Results:
February 28, 2018 – Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
1. Dennis Gile, 2. Brady Bacon, 3. Dalton Hill, 4. Tyler Courtney, 5. Jake Swanson, 6. Charles Davis Jr., 7. Brady Short, 8. Tye Mihocko, 9. Landon Cling, 10. Colton Hardy, 11. Koen Shaw, 12. Michael Fanelli, 13. Ryan Stolz, 14. Johnnie Butler, 15. Stevie Sussex, 16. Austin Ervine, 17. Michael Curtis, 18. Brody Roa, 19. Kevin Thomas Jr., 20. Tanner Carrick, 21. Brandon Halverson, 22. Colby Copeland, 23. Larry Kesterson, 24. Justin Grant.
March 1, 2018 – Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
1. Brody Roa, 2. Tyler Courtney, 3. Brady Bacon, 4. Stevie Sussex, 5. Brady Short, 6. Colby Copeland, 7. Colton Hardy, 8. Charles Davis Jr., 9. Jake Swanson, 10. Landon Cling, 11. Tye Mihocko, 12. Kevin Thomas Jr., 13. Tanner Carrick, 14. Michael Fanelli, 15. Koen Shaw, 16. Johnnie Butler, 17. Austin Ervine, 18. Larry Kesterson, 19. Dennis Gile, 20. Dalton Hill, 21. Ryan Stolz, 22. Justin Grant.