GUARDINO SHINES AT TULARE’S FARIA MEMORIAL
By Lance Jennings
JUNE 4, 2018... After a torrid battle with Max Adams, Tristan Guardino (Fremont, California) emerged victorious at last Saturday’s “Chris & Brian Faria Memorial.” For Guardino, the $1,500 USAC West Coast Sprint Car triumph marked his fourth career triumph and his first win at Tulare’s Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway. Adams, hard charger “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., point leader Austin Liggett, and Jace Vander Weerd followed Tristan to the checkered flags.
Starting on the outside of the front row, Guardino got the jump and took the early lead. Setting a fast pace on the reworked clay surface, Tristan began to shake free from the competition. After reaching over a half-straightaway advantage, a caution flag on lap fifteen halted the action and bunched the field. On the restart, the second running Adams executed a turn one “slide job” to perfection and grabbed the top spot. Once out front, Adams was on the throttle as Guardino began to rally. Tristan managed to chase Adams down a few laps later and reclaimed the lead on the twenty-fourth circuit. From there, the night belonged to Guardino and the young driver took the “Faria Memorial” victory.
Driving the family owned #15T Dorso’s Automotive / Allied Auto Stores Maxim, Tristan Guardino qualified third out of a thirteen car field and placed fourth in his heat race. At press time, Tristan has climbed to second in points with one feature win, three heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and 34 feature laps led.
Making his first start in Ted Finkenbinder’s #3F Western X-Ray machine, Max Adams (Loomis, California) claimed second at Tulare after a valiant run. The 2016 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year placed sixth quick in time trials and ran third in his heat race. In limited starts, Max ranks sixteenth in points with two top-10 finishes, and 8 feature laps led to his credit.
“Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. (Tipton, California) earned the night’s Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger / “Best Passing Job” honors with a third place run from sixth. Racing his #17V Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / DeBoer & Sons Trucking Spike, Faria qualified fifth overall and won the 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. To date, the two-time champion has one feature win, three heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 39 feature laps led on the year.
Austin Liggett (Tracy, California) scored a hard fought fourth place finish at the “Faria Memorial.” Piloting the family owned #83 Excel Environmental Services / Lucas Oil Maxim, Liggett was second fast in time trials and won the night’s Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Heat Race #2. At press time, the point leader has two heat race victories, six top-10 finished, and 28 feature laps led.
Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) ran fifth at the Tulare County Fairgrounds. Driving the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Jace qualified fourth overall and ran second to Liggett in his heat race. The 2010 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year is currently fifth in the point standings with one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and five top-10 finishes.
Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) posted his third Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of the season. Racing the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard was second to Faria in his heat race and scored tenth in the feature after an early exit. Currently, the 2011 Champion sits third in the point chase with two feature wins, two heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and 44 feature laps led on the season.
This Saturday, June 9th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will make their second of four appearances at Santa Maria Raceway. Co-sanctioned with the local Santa Maria Sprints, the “Ron Otto Memorial” will also feature the IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Santa Maria Dwarf Cars, NMRA TQ Midgets, and Junior Midgets. Santa Maria Raceway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Advance tickets are on sale and visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232 for more information.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, 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, Twitter, and Instagram 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.
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USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: June 2, 2018 – Tulare, California – Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway – “Chris & Brian Faria Memorial”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-15.987; 2. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-16.016; 3. Tristan Guardino, 15T, Guardino-16.076; 4. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-16.214; 5. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-16.342; 6. Max Adams, 3F, Finkenbinder-16.679; 7. Ryan Timmons, 29T, Timmons-16.719; 8. Steve Hix, 57, Hix-16.948; 9. Cody Smothermon, 81, Watt-17.011; 10. Koen Shaw, 88K, Shaw-17.115; 11. Shannon McQueen, 7, Van Meter-17.250; 12. Britton Bock, 67, Bock-19.642; 13. Austin Ervine, 51, AJ-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Faria, 2. R.Vander Weerd, 3. Guardino, 4. Timmons, 5. McQueen, 6. Smothermon. NT
KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Liggett, 2. J.Vander Weerd, 3. Adams, 4. Shaw, 5. Hix, 6. Bock. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Tristan Guardino (2nd), 2. Max Adams (1st), 3. Danny Faria Jr. (6th), 4. Austin Liggett (5th), 5. Jace Vander Weerd (3rd), 6. Koen Shaw (8th), 7. Shannon McQueen (9th), 8. Steve Hix (10th), 9. Britton Bock (12th), 10. Richard Vander Weerd (4th), 11. Cody Smothermon (11th), 12. Ryan Timmons (7th), 13. Austin Ervine (13th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-15 Guardino, Laps 16-23 Adams, Laps 24-30 Guardino.
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Danny Faria Jr. (6th to 3rd)
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Austin Liggett-491, 2. Tristan Guardino-460, 3. Richard Vander Weerd-441, 4. Steve Hix-396, 5. Jace Vander Weerd-390, 6. Koen Shaw-371, 7. Danny Faria Jr.-367, 8. Shannon McQueen-361, 9. Ryan Timmons-349, 10. Britton Bock-300, 11. Ryan Bernal-279, 12. Austin Ervine-263, 13. Ryan Stolz-236, 14. Brandon Wiley-179, 15. Troy Rutherford-171, 16. Max Adams-135, 17. Brody Roa-117, 18. Colby Copeland-114, 19. Trent Carter-107, 20. Hobie Conway-87.
2018 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
June 9: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Ron Otto Memorial)
June 30: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach Race #1)
July 14: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach Race #2)
July 28: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
August 11: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
August 25: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach Race #3)
October 6: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Championship Night)
November 21: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
November 22: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Battle at the Beach Race #4 / Non-Points)
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This schedule is subject to change.