GUARDINO WINS WILD VENTURA BATTLE AT THE BEACH

By Lance Jennings

AUGUST 27, 2018... Regaining the lead on lap twenty-five, Tristan Guardino (Fremont, CA) sailed to last Saturday’s “ARP Battle at the Beach Race #3” triumph at Ventura Raceway. Piloting the family owned #15T Dorso’s Automotive / Allied Auto Stores Maxim, Guardino claimed his second $1,500 USAC West Coast Sprint Car feature win of the campaign over Ryan Timmons, Kyle Smith, Steve Hix, and Charlie Butcher.

Starting on the outside of the front row, Tristan Guardino grabbed the early lead and was pressured by polesitter Austin Liggett. Liggett, the new track record holder, took command on the eighth circuit as he looked to sweep the program. Once out front, Austin reached slower traffic and was soon challenged by defending champion Jake Swanson. The leaders raced in close quarters on the 1/5-mile oval and Liggett was knocked into the infield on lap sixteen. Swanson became the new race leader but soon faced a resurging Guardino. As the laps counted down, Swanson began to struggle with his car and bounced off the fourth turn wall, coming to a stop. From there, Guardino shook free from a charging Ryan Timmons to win the VRA co-sanctioned main event. 

Tristan Guardino began the night by qualifying second out of the eighteen car field and winning the Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Heat Race #2. At press time, Tristan is second in points with one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, seven heat race victories, one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, ten top-10 finishes, and 49 feature laps led to his credit.

Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, CA) charged from twelfth to score second at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Racing the family owned #29T Timmons Auto & Truck Repair / Evergood Fine Foods Maxim, Timmons was sixth fast in time trials and placed fourth in his heat race. To date, the 2016 Rookie of the Year is third in points with one feature win, three heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led on the season.

Kyle Smith (Moorpark, CA) raced from seventh to third in the “ARP Battle of the Beach Race #3. Driving the family owned #55 Roy’s Towing / California RV Service Spike, Smith qualified thirteenth overall and finished third in his heat race. Kyle leads the VRA point standings and has his sights on his fourth track championship.

Steve Hix (Ventura, CA) had a solid night at Ventura Raceway with a fourth place finish. Piloting his #57 No Limit Powder Coating / Delano Roofing Triple X, Hix was fifth quick in time trials and ran second to Guardino in his heat race. At press time, Steve ranks fifth in the point chase with one heat race victory, eight top-10 finishes, and three feature laps led on the year.

Charlie Butcher (Santa Barbara, CA) had his best USAC West Coast run win a fifth place finish after starting fourteenth. Racing his #96 BRC Race Engines entry, Butcher qualified eighth overall and scored fifth in his heat race.  

Austin Ervine (Bakersfield, CA) earned his second Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger / “Best Passing Job” honors with a seventh place run from eighteenth. Driving the AJ Motorsports’ #51 Pritchett Metal Products / Healthy Soil entry, Ervine was ninth fast in time trials and scored sixth in his heat race. The rookie contender is ninth in the point standings with three top-10 finishes.

Austin Liggett (Tracy, CA) earned his second Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, set a new track record, won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1, and scored eleventh in his heat race. Racing the family owned #83 Excel Environmental Services / Lucas Oil Maxim, the point leader left Ventura with two feature wins, two Woodland Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, eleven top-10 finishes, and 91 feature laps led.

Kyle Edwards (Fountain Valley, CA) raced to victory in the Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Heat Race #3. Piloting the family owned #39E Safehouse Security / Day Construction Stinger, Edwards qualified twelfth overall and scored fifteenth in the main event. 

The USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will take a break in their schedule and will return to action on Saturday, October 6th at Santa Maria Raceway. Co-sanctioned with the Santa Maria 360 Sprint Cars, the “Championship Night” is the final point race of the year. The event will also feature the Light Up The World USAC Western States Midgets presented by CBD Living Water, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, NMRA TQ Midgets, and Mini Dwarfs. 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: August 25, 2018 – Ventura, California – Ventura Raceway – “Battle at the Beach Race #3” – co-sanctioned with VRA

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-11.983 (New Track Record); 2. Tristan Guardino, 15T, Guardino-12.077; 3. Troy Rutherford, 11, Rutherford-12.091; 4. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-12.155; 5. Steve Hix, 57, Hix-12.161; 6. Ryan Timmons, 29T, Timmons-12.170; 7. Jeremy Ellertson, 98, Ellertson-12.286; 8. Charlie Butcher, 96, Butcher-12.405; 9. Austin Ervine, 51, AJ-12.623; 10. Shannon McQueen, 7, Van Meter-12.627; 11. Britton Bock, 67, Bock-12.670; 12. Kyle Edwards, 39E, Edwards-12.674; 13. Kyle Smith, 55, Smith-12.682; 14. Rick Hendrix, 15, Hendrix-12.725; 15. Ryan Stolz, 72, Ford-12.736; 16. Tom Hendricks, 14, Hendricks-12.818; 17. Joey Bishop, 45, Bishop-14.926; 18. Jake Swanson, 73T, Ford-NT.

EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Liggett, 2. Ellertson, 3. Smith, 4. Vander Weerd, 5. Hendricks, 6. McQueen. NT

KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Guardino, 2. Hix, 3. Hendrix, 4. Bock, 5. Butcher, 6. Bishop. NT

COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ROD END SUPPLY THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Edwards, 2. Rutherford, 3. Swanson, 4. Timmons, 5. Stolz, 6. Ervine. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Tristan Guardino (2nd), 2. Ryan Timmons (12th), 3. Kyle Smith (7th), 4. Steve Hix (5th), 5. Charlie Butcher (14th), 6. Tom Hendricks (13th), 7. Austin Ervine (18th), 8. Shannon McQueen (16th), 9. Ryan Stolz (15th), 10. Joey Bishop (17th), 11. Jake Swanson (9th), 12. Austin Liggett (1st), 13. Jeremy Ellertson (4th), 14. Jace Vander Weerd (10th), 15. Kyle Edwards (3rd), 16. Rick Hendrix (8th), 17. Troy Rutherford (6th), 18. Britton Bock (11th). NT

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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-7 Guardino, Laps 8-16 Liggett, Laps 17-24 Swanson, Laps 25-30 Guardino

SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Austin Ervine (18th to 7th)

USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Austin Liggett-895, 2-Tristan Guardino-832, 3-Ryan Timmons-763, 4-Shannon McQueen-684, 5-Steve Hix-657, 6-Koen Shaw-632, 7-Britton Bock-562, 8-Danny Faria Jr.-556, 9-Austin Ervine-486, 10-Richard Vander Weerd-441. 

2018 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE

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 / ARP Battle at the Beach Race #4 / Non-Points)

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** = Co-Sanctioned Event with VRA Sprints.

# = Co-Sanctioned Event with Santa Maria 360 Sprints.

This schedule is subject to change.