ROA-GARDNER USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT BATTLE HEADS TO PERRIS
By Lance Jennings
JULY 9, 2019... The battle for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car championship heats up this Saturday, July 13th, at Perris Auto Speedway. Promoted by Don Kazarian, the tenth point event is also a co-sanctioned grudge race with the Arizona based Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest 410 Sprint Car Series. The PAS Senior Sprint Cars and Young Gun Sprint Cars will join the action packed card at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. Located in Perris, California, the spectator gates at "America's Premier Dirt Track" will open at 5:00pm and racing is scheduled for 7:00pm. At intermission, there will be a candy giveaway for kids and a meet and greet with the fans on the front straightaway. For more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
-2019 APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535; SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78; FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101; COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S; B&B: FRAC-0375S; SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK
*Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
- FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
- FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY.
- Hoosier Tires are required on all four corners with the 105/16 Medium and the 105/18 Hard as the only approved right rear tires. The “Medium” is also legal with the USAC National, USAC SouthWest, USAC West Coast, and VRA Sprint Cars.
- Cockpit adjustable shocks ARE ALLOWED.
- USAC/CRA charges a $25 entry fee to all competitors and the series rule book can be found online at usacracing.com.
- USAC MEMBERSHIPS can be purchased at the track or online at usaclicense.com.
- USAC BONUS / Any racer who enters every event for both the AMSOIL USAC/CRA and Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car schedules will have their entry fees reimbursed at the end of the year.
Since March 6, 2004, there have been 217 USAC/CRA events at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. There have been 39 different winners at Perris, led by “The Demon” Damion Gardner with 45 victories and Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. During the last four visits, Richard Vander Weerd has claimed two wins with other wins scored by Brody Roa and Hunter Schuerenberg. A complete series win list at Perris is at the end of this release.
After winning last Saturday’s “Doug Fort Memorial” at Santa Maria, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA) has reclaimed the point lead by a slim 1-point margin. Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa has posted two feature wins, one heat race victory, eight top-10 finishes, and 73 feature laps led to his credit. Also leading the USAC SouthWest point chase, the 2016 USAC West Coast Champion will be looking to grow his point lead with another victory at Perris Auto Speedway.
“The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, CA) enters Saturday’s event ranked second in the chase for the championship. Driving Mark Alexander’s #4 Trench Shoring / All Coast Construction Spike, Gardner placed eighth at Santa Maria after a flat tire ended his chance at the podium. At press time, the seven-time champion has one feature win, five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 33 feature laps led on the year. Also ranked sixteenth in SouthWest points, “The Demon” leads all drivers with 81 USAC/CRA wins and will have his sights on adding another trophy to his collection.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, CA) sits third in the USAC/CRA point standings. Racing Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Lucas Oil DRC, Williams raced from seventh to fourth at the “Doug Fort Memorial.” To date, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has one Specialty Fasteners Hard Charger Award and eight top-10 finishes in the campaign. Currently sitting fourteenth in SouthWest points, Austin will be looking for his eighth USAC/CRA triumph this Saturday night.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA) is fourth in the championship point chase. Piloting John Grau & Mike Burkhart’s #34AZ Stratis Construction / KSE Custom Drywall DRC, Swanson raced from sixth to third at Santa Maria Raceway. At press time, the 2017 USAC West Coast Champion has two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one heat race victory, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Pyrotect Racing Cells Semi-Main win, six top-10 finishes, and 8 feature laps led to his credit. Jake sits eighth in USAC SouthWest points and will have his sights on his first Perris victory.
After running second to Brody Roa at Santa Maria. Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, CA) has climbed to fifth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Driving Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / Rockstar Coatings Maxim, Malcolm has posted two heat race victories, two Competition Suspension Inc. / Pyrotect Racing Cells Semi-Main wins, and four top-10 finishes on the season. This Saturday night, Tommy “Thunder” will be looking to earn the first USAC/CRA victory of his career.
Currently twelfth in points, Eddie Tafoya Jr. (Chino Hills, CA) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Steve Hix (Ventura, CA), and Jeff Dyer (Bermuda Dunes, CA) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Chris Gansen, R.J. Johnson, Matt McCarthy, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Richard Vander Weerd, A.J. Bender, Verne Sweeney, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Stevie Sussex, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Jace Vander Weerd, Matt Mitchell, Joel Rayborne, Austin Liggett, Matt Stewart, and more.
Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA) leads a strong contingent with the Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series. R.J. Johnson, Stevie Sussex, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, “The Real American” Matt Rossi, Jake Swanson, Michael Curtis, and Chris Bonneau round out the top-10 drivers.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior tickets (65 and over) are $20, Active Military (with ID), Students (13-18), and Kids tickets (6-12) are $5. Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks All Coast Construction, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Flowdynamics, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Saldana Racing Products, Specialty Fasteners, surfNsprint.com, Ultra Shield Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, 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 the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
FloSports has USAC/CRA Sprint Car live videos and on demand coverage available for purchase at floracing.com. A 250-mile blackout from Perris Auto Speedway will be in effect.
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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, 2018-Damion Gardner.
2019 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Brody Roa, 2-Hunter Schuerenberg, 2-Richard Vander Weerd, 1-Damion Gardner, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Troy Rutherford.
PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 45-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 8-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Matt Mitchell, 6-Danny Sheridan, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 5-Justin Grant, 4-Robert Ballou, 4-Dave Darland, 4-R.J. Johnson, 4-Austin Williams, 3-Garrett Hansen, 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-Blake Miller, 2-Brody Roa, 2-Kevin Thomas Jr., 2-Chris Windom, 1-Chad Boespflug, 1-Greg Bragg, 1-Daron Clayton, 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-Josh Ford, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Hunter Schuerenberg, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Jason York.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Brody Roa-607, 2. Damion Gardner-606, 3. Austin Williams-544, 4. Jake Swanson-481, 5. Tommy Malcolm-397, 6. Chris Gansen-393, 7. R.J. Johnson-328, 8. Matt McCarthy-322, 9. Cody Williams-318, 10. Richard Vander Weerd-316, 11. A.J. Bender-267, 12. ®Eddie Tafoya Jr.-251, 13. Verne Sweeney-246, 14. Charles Davis Jr.-223, 15. Stevie Sussex-222, 16. ®Steve Hix-217, 17. Mike Martin-210, 18. Danny Faria Jr.-210, 19. Jace Vander Weerd-199, 20. Matt Mitchell-198.
SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Brody Roa-589, 2. R.J. Johnson-536, 3. Stevie Sussex-511, 4. Charles Davis Jr.-482, 5. Mike Martin-467, 6. Matt Rossi-381, 7. Matt Lundy-368, 8. Jake Swanson-357, 9. Michael Curtis-347, 10. Chris Bonneau-300, 11. Josh Hodges-202, 12. Jonas Reynolds-201, 13. Isaac Chapple-200, 14. Austin Williams-189, 15. Daylin Perreira-141, 16. Damion Gardner-139, 17. Dennis Gile-136, 18. Jason McDougal-124, 19. ®Ryan Cully-122, --. Logan Seavey-122.
2019 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
March 8: #Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Winner: Josh Hodges)
March 9: #Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Winner: Hunter Schuerenberg)
March 30: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
April 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Richard Vander Weerd)
May 4: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Winner: Troy Rutherford)
May 11: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA (Winner: Damion Gardner)
May 25: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Hunter Schuerenberg)
June 29: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Richard Vander Weerd)
July 6: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
July 13: #Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 17: #Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 31: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / CSW)
September 1: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / CSW)
September 2: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA (CSW)
September 5: TBA
September 6: Merced Speedway – Merced, CA (CSW)
September 7: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA (CSW)
September 21: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 28: #Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 7: *#Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 8: *#Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 9: *#Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 15: *#Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 16: *#Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Cars.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars.
CSW = California Sprint Week.
This schedule is subject to change.