LAS VEGAS SHOWDOWN OPENS 11TH USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SEASON
By Lance Jennings
FEBRUARY 20, 2019... The eleventh campaign for the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will kickoff on Wednesday, February 27th at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The two-night “8th Annual FVP Platinum Battery Showdown" will also feature the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, K&N Pro Series West Stock Cars, and IMCA Modifieds. The pit gates will open at 10:00am, the spectator gates open at 3:00pm, with racing set for 6:30pm on Wednesday and 7:00pm on Thursday. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.lvms.com/tracks/dirt-track, or call 702.644.4444. Advance tickets can be purchased online at https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/lvms/EN/buy/browse?i%5B0%5D=1325&_ga=2.173977824.253471414.1550713167-5083854.1545972164. A schedule for both nights is at the end of this release.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
- MUFFLERS ARE NOT REQUIRED AT LAS VEGAS.
- FRONT AXLE TETHERS & FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY
- The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier. Cockpit adjustable shocks ARE 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 at the track or online at www.usaclicense.com.
Held during NASCAR weekend, the "FVP Platinum Battery Showdown" has become one of the most popular dates on the schedule. A talented roster of drivers from California, Arizona, and the Midwest are expected to battle for bragging rights at the prestigious event. To date, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has held nine USAC West Coast Sprint Car events and Ryan Bernal is tied with Bryan Clauson for the series lead with two wins on the half-mile oval. On March 9, 2017, Landon Cling established a new 1-lap track record of 17.470 and a complete Las Vegas series win list is at the end of this release.
When the checkered flags flew on October 6th at Santa Maria, Austin Liggett (Tracy, CA) clinched his first USAC West Coast Sprint Car Championship. Piloting the family owned #83 Excel Environmental Services / Lucas Oil Maxim, Liggett won by a slim 17-point margin and became the first driver to earn rookie of the year honors (2012) and the championship. In all, Austin posted two feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, twelve top-10 finishes, and 91 feature laps led on the year. Austin won the Las Vegas event in 2014 and will be looking for his eighth career series triumph.
Tristan Guardino (Fremont, CA) finished second in the USAC West Coast point standings. Racing the family owned #15T Dorso’s Automotive / Allied Auto Stores Maxim, Guardino had two feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, seven heat race victories, one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, twelve top-10 finishes, and 49 feature laps led to his credit. Tristan has five career wins and have his sights on winning the jackpot at Las Vegas.
Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, CA) placed third in the chase for the championship. Driving the family owned #29T Timmons Auto & Truck Repair / Evergood Fine Foods Maxim, Timmons had two feature wins, three heat race victories, ten top-10 finishes, and 57 feature laps led on the season. The 2016 Rookie of the Year has two career wins and will be looking for his first Dirt Track at LVMS victory.
Shannon McQueen (Bakersfield, CA) ranked fourth in the championship point standings. Piloting Bob and Toni Van Meter’s #7 Simpson Race Products / Lucas Oil Maxim, McQueen posted twelve top-10 finishes and 4 feature laps led in the campaign. At press time, the 2012 USAC Western States Midget Champion might miss the “FVP Platinum Battery Showdown” at Las Vegas.
Steve Hix (Ventura, CA) placed fifth in the USAC West Coast Sprint Car point chase. Racing his #57 No Limit Powder Coating / Delano Roofing Triple X, Hix recorded two heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and three feature laps led on the year. Hix has been moving up the West Coast ranks and will have his sights on his first main event win at Las Vegas.
Last season, Britton Bock (Calistoga, CA) earned Rookie of the Year honors and finished eighth in the point chase. Driving Mike Bock’s #67 West Evans Motorsports / Abreu Vineyards Eagle, Bock posted one Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award and seven top-10 finishes on the season. Britton is expected to run a limited schedule in 2019 as he looks for his first USAC West Coast feature win.
Koen Shaw, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Austin Ervine, Ryan Stolz, Richard Vander Weerd, Ryan Bernal, Jace Vander Weerd, Troy Rutherford, Brandon Wiley, Jake Swanson, Trent Carter, Kyle Edwards, Kaleb Montgomery, and James Herrera rounded out the top-20 in last year’s point standings.
Two-day Pit Passes are $100 and single-day Pit Passes are $50.
The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is located twelve miles north of downtown Las Vegas, Nevada off Interstate 15 at Exit 54 (Speedway Blvd). The pit gate will open at 10:00am and more event information can be found at www.lvms.com/tracks/dirt-track, or call 702.644.4444. Advance tickets can be purchased online at https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/lvms/EN/buy/browse?i%5B0%5D=1325&_ga=2.173977824.253471414.1550713167-5083854.1545972164.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, 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.
-----------------------------------------------
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., 2016-Brody Roa, 2017-Jake Swanson, 2018-Austin Liggett.
LAS VEGAS SHOWDOWN WINNERS: 2012-Bud Kaeding, 2013-Bryan Clauson, 2014-Austin Liggett, 2015-Stevie Sussex, 2016-Bryan Clauson, 2017-Ryan Bernal, 2018-Brody Roa.
LAS VEGAS USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Ryan Bernal, 2-Bryan Clauson, 1-Dennis Gile, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Stevie Sussex.
USAC LAS VEGAS FVP PLATINUM BATTERY SHOWDOWN SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH:
Pit Gate: 10:00am
Ticket Booth: 2:00pm
Grandstands: 3:00pm
USAC Drivers Meeting: 3:30pm
Wheel Pack: 4:00pm
USAC Hot Laps: 5:10pm
Opening Ceremonies: 6:15pm
Racing to Follow
THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST:
Pit Gate: 10:00am
Ticket Booth: 2:00pm
Grandstands: 3:00pm
USAC Drivers Meeting: 3:30pm
Wheel Pack: 4:00pm
USAC Hot Laps: 5:10pm
Opening Ceremonies: 6:45pm
Racing to Follow
2019 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
February 27: The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Las Vegas, NV (FVP Platinum Battery Showdown)
February 28: The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Las Vegas, NV (FVP Platinum Battery Showdown)
March 16: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
March 23: *Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach #1)
April 27: #Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
May 17: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Peter Murphy Classic)
May 18: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA
June 1: *Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach #2)
June 8: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)
June 15: #Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Ron Otto Memorial)
August 10: #Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
August 24: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach #3)
October 5: #Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
October 12: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA
November 27: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
November 28: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Battle at the Beach #4 / Non-Points)
-----------------------------------------------
* = Co-Sanctioned Event with VRA Sprints.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with Santa Maria 360 Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.