USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS RETURN TO CANYON SPEEDWAY PARK
By Lance Jennings
MARCH 5, 2018... After rain washed out the “So-Cal Showdown,” the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will head to Peoria, Arizona’s Canyon Speedway Park. Promoted by Doug Gabbard, the two-night “Sands Chevrolet Spring Showcase” will start this Friday, March 9th. The Leading Edge IMCA Modifieds, Arizona Differential IMCA Northern Sport Mods, Modlites, and IMCA Sport Compacts will join the action packed card. The spectator gates will open at 5:00pm with racing scheduled to begin at 7:30pm. For more event and ticket information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or call 602.258.RACE (7223). In addition, there will be an Open Practice on Thursday, March 8th, at 7:00pm.
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: MUFFLERS ARE NOT REQUIRED AT CANYON SPEEEWAY PARK. 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
Canyon Speedway Park last hosted the traditional 410 sprints on October 1, 2016 and R.J. Johnson took the checkered flags. In the previous fifteen events at the 1/3-mile oval, nine different drivers have claimed victory and Bryan Clauson leads with five main wins. On November 15, 2014, “The People’s Champion” Dave Darland set the 1-lap qualifying record of 13.072 and a series win list at Canyon 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 add the “Spring Showcase” to his resume.
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 the Canyon Speedway Park triumph.
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 earned his only USAC/CRA victory at CSP on September 30, 2016 and will be looking to claim the “Spring Showcase.”
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 retired 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 at Canyon Speedway Park.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Logan Williams, Max Adams, Chris Gansen, Matt McCarthy, “The Bear” Jeremy Ellertson, R.J. Johnson, “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, Brady Short, Justin Grant, rookie contender Gary Paulson, and more.
Canyon Speedway Park is located at 9777 West Carefree Highway in Peoria, Arizona. To get to the track, take Lake Pleasant Parkway, then 1.3 miles west on Carefree Highway. Adult Tickets are $20 on Friday, $25 on Saturday, Seniors (60 and over) and Military Tickets are $15 on Friday and $20 on Saturday, and Children (11 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or call 602.258.RACE (7223).
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.
PEORIA AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 5-Bryan Clauson, 2-Damion Gardner, 2-R.J. Johnson, 1-Dave Darland, 1-Tracy Hines, 1-Mike Martin, 1-Mike Spencer, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Jake Swanson.
2018 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
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.