SANTA MARIA HOSTS SATURDAY'S 30TH ANNUAL “BUD STANFIELD MEMORIAL”
This Saturday, August 6th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will make their final appearance of the year at Santa Maria Raceway. Promoted by Mike Kappmeyer, the 30th Annual “Bud Stanfield Memorial” is co-sanctioned with the Santa Maria 360 Sprints and will also feature Pro Stocks, Mini Stocks, NMRA TQ Midgets, Mini Dwarfs, and Junior Midgets.
Located in Nipomo, California, the pit gates at "The West's Best Short Track" will open at 10:00am, the front gates open at 4:00pm, and racing will begin at 6:00pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232.
NOTICE TO RACERS: Saturday’s race at Santa Maria will be run under the USAC West Coast Rule Book and a $35 entry fee will be collected. The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier. Cockpit adjustable shocks are NOT allowed and engine restrictor rules are 1-7/8” with open heads and 2-3/16” with ASCS cylinder heads. The weight rule is 1,475 lbs. with driver and the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Rule Book can be found online at www.westcoastsprintcars.com and www.usacracing.com. USAC Memberships can be purchased online at https://usacracing.redpodium.com/2016-usac-licensing and forms will also be available on raceday.
Saturday's event honors Bud Stanfield, a former driver, race car builder, and crew chief at Santa Maria Raceway. After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, Bud built Stock Cars in the late 1950s and wrenched for Al Smith's Super Modified. When the Santa Maria track opened in 1964, Stanfield served as crew chief for several teams and later drove in the Limited Stock Car division.
In 1978, Bud started a family-owned Modified and Sprint Car team for his sons Ed and Allen. The low budget team built their own cars for several years and enjoyed moderate success. Unable to find the sponsorship needed to rebuild the team's equipment, Stanfield became the crew chief for Mike Knopf. Driving the Larabee Brothers Coors Racing Sprint Car, Knopf had immediate results with several fast times and strong finishes.
Unfortunately, on July 14, 1984, Bud was struck by an out of control sprinter that came off the track. After having brain surgery and spending a month in a coma, Stanfield would later succumb to his injuries. Since then, Santa Maria Raceway continues to honor the memory of a racer's racer- Bud Stanfield.
Since May 2, 2009, Santa Maria Raceway has held 29 USAC West Coast Sprint Car events. Richard Vander Weerd leads all drivers with five victories and Ryan Bernal set the one-lap qualifying record of 13.529 seconds on September 17, 2011. On September 11, 2004, “Showtime” Danny Sheridan posted the all-time 360 Sprint Car one-lap record of 13.354.
When the series last visited Santa Maria on June 18th, point leader Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) earned his first victory of the season. Entering the 11th point race, the pilot of the BR Performance-owned #91R HD Industries / Lee & Norma Leonard Maxim has an 87-point lead after scoring fourth at Tulare’s “Peter Murphy Classic.”
To date, the defending Western World 360 Champion has two feature wins, three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one heat race victory, nine top-10 finishes, and 65 feature laps led to his credit. Brody will be looking to continue his championship run with a victory at the “Bud Stanfield Memorial.”
D.J. Johnson (Stockton, California) ranks second in the championship point standings. Driving the family-owned #33 Proplant Farm Services / J. Milano Company Eagle, Johnson scored ninth at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on July 23rd. At press time, the 2013 USAC Western Classic Rookie of the Year has two feature wins, three heat race victories, one BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, nine top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led on the season. D.J. will have his sights on gaining valuable points by adding the “Bud Stanfield Memorial” to his resume.
Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) sits third in the West Coast point chase. Racing the family-owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Jace placed 16th in the “Peter Murphy Classic” finale. Heading to Santa Maria, the 2010 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Competition Suspension Inc. Semi-Main win, six top-10 finishes, and 50 feature laps led. Vander Weerd is tied with Craig Stidham for seventh on the series win list and will be looking for his seventh West Coast triumph.
After claiming fifth at Tulare, Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) has risen to fourth in the championship points. Piloting the family-owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard has one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, one BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, seven top-10 finishes, and three feature laps to his credit. The 2011 series champion won the 2013 “Bud Stanfield Memorial” and will have his sights on his 19th career West Coast victory.
“Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. (Tipton, California) has climbed to fifth in the standings after taking seventh at Thunderbowl Raceway. Driving his #17v Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / SurfnSprint Spike, the two-time champion has posted two heat race victories, two BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Awards, and six top-10 finishes on the year. “Hollywood” won the 2008 & 2015 “Bud Stanfield Memorial” races and will be looking for his tenth career series win.
Currently tenth in points, Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Matt McCarthy (Riverside, California), Colton Slack (Brentwood, California), Ryan Stolz (Atascadero, California), Steven Garris (Escalon, California), and “Chainsaw” Johnny White (Bakersfield, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Max Adams, Austin Liggett, Trey Marcham, Tristan Guardino, Cody Majors, Jeff Sibley, Shannon McQueen, Kyle Smith, and more.
Trent Carter (Terra Bella, California) sits atop the Santa Maria Sprint Car point standings. Jordan Linson, James Herrera, Charlie Butcher, Bill Jones, “Junkyard” Jimmy Thompson, Ryan Stolz, Luke Boles, Jeremy Ellertson, and Matt Day round-out the top-10 drivers.
Santa Maria Raceway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Adult tickets are $16 and for more event information, visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, BR Motorsports, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Stand 21 Racer Goes Safer Foundation, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, and www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC West Coast Facebook and Twitter pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC West Coast Sprint Car DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
-----------------------------------------------
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS:
2009-Justyne Hamblin, 2010-Craig Stidham, 2011-Richard Vander Weerd, 2012-Bud Kaeding, 2013-Danny Faria Jr., 2014-Matt Mitchell, 2015-Danny Faria Jr.
BUD STANFIELD MEMORIAL SPRINT CAR WINNERS:
2000-Greg Porte, 2004-Danny Sheridan, 2005-Peter Murphy, 2006-Davey Pombo, 2007-Greg Porte, 2008-Danny Faria Jr., 2009-Peter Murphy, 2010-T.J. Smith, 2011-Danny Sheridan, 2012-Ryan Bernal, 2013-Richard Vander Weerd, 2015-Danny Faria Jr.
2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS:
4-Bryan Clauson, 2-Josh Hodges, 2-D.J. Johnson, 2-Brody Roa, 2-Troy Rutherford, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
SANTA MARIA USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS:
5-Richard Vander Weerd, 4-Ryan Bernal, 3-Peter Murphy, 3-Danny Sheridan, 2-Danny Faria Jr., 2-Cory Kruseman, 2-T.J. Smith, 2-Jace Vander Weerd, 1-Greg Alexander, 1-Tristan Guardino, 1-Wes Gutierrez, 1-Davey Pombo, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Craig Stidham.
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Brody Roa-698, 2. D.J. Johnson-611, 3. Jace Vander Weerd-578, 4. Richard Vander Weerd-537, 5. Danny Faria Jr.-477, 6. Max Adams-476, 7. Austin Liggett-469, 8. Trey Marcham-457, 9. Tristan Guardino-426, 10. Ryan Timmons-423, 11. Cody Majors-336, 12. Troy Rutherford-335, 13. Jeff Sibley-331, 14. Shannon McQueen-309, 15. Kyle Smith-252, 16. Kevin Barnes-249, 17. Landon Hurst-192, 18. Danny Sheridan-175, 19. Ricky Kirkbride-162, 20. Ryan Bernal-150.
SANTA MARIA 360 SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Trent Carter-215, 2. Jordan Linson-191, 3. James Herrera-166, 4. Charlie Butcher-134, 5. Bill Jones-124, 6. Jimmy Thompson-109, 7. Ryan Stolz-89, 8. Luke Boles-87, --. Jeremy Ellertson-87, 10. Matt Day-83.
2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
August 6: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
August 12: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
August 13: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
November 23: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
November 24: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
-----------------------------------------------
This schedule is subject to change.
LANCE JENNINGS – USAC MEDIA