SHAWN ARRIAGA WINS PETALUMA FEATURE

PETALUMA, CA – JULY 31, 2021… Shortly after winning the companion WMR Midget feature, Shawn Arriaga (Antioch, CA) led all 30-laps to claim the $1,500 USAC West Coast Sprint Car feature at Petaluma Speedway. Racing the Lindsey Arriaga owned #56 Unique Breedz / JB Enterprises entry, Arriaga became 54th winning driver in series history and the second to with a carbureted SPEC power plant. Daniel Whitley, Joe Stornetta Jr., hard charger Jacob Tuttle, and Trevor Schmid rounded out the top five drivers.

Starting on the outside of the front row, Arriaga grabbed the early lead heading into the first corner. The field began to bunch and a wild three car flip halted the action. Safety personnel jumped into action and all of the drivers were able to walk away. On the restart, Arriaga grabbed the top spot and began to run away from the challengers. By mid-race, “The BT Express” Bradley Terrell had reeled in Arriaga and shot for the lead with a three wide pass. Unfortunately, Terrell tangled with slower traffic and caution flag were displayed. With Arriaga’s lead erased, the pressure was on but he was able to shake free and take the checkered flags.

Earlier in his first start of the campaign, Arriaga qualified seventh overall and placed fourth in his heat race.

Jacob Tuttle (Oakley, CA) scored the night’s Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award with a fourth place run from twelfth. Piloting the family owned #69 Contra Cost Radiator Triple X, the rookie contender was twelfth quick in time trials, finished sixth in his heat race, and goes to Merced ranked twelfth in the point standings. 

Austin Liggett (Linden, CA) posted his seventh career Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award. Racing the family owned #83 Excel Environmental Services Maxim, Liggett set a time of 14.797 on the 3/8-mile speedway over the 15-car field. The 2018 champion was fifth in his heat race, did not start the main event, and left the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds sitting third in the point chase.

Daniel Whitley (Ferndale, CA) took the checkered flags in the 10-lap Extreme Mufflers First Heat Race. Piloting the family owned #6K Whitley Ranches Eagle with a carbureted SPEC engine, Whitley qualified fifth overall and finished second to Arriaga in the main event. 

Point leader D.J. Johnson (Stockton, CA) powered his #33 Bill’s Tire Service of Pacheco Eagle to victory in the 10-lap Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars Second Heat Race. Johnson was fourth quick in time trials and earned the night’s Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award after a rough flip ended his night. At press time, D.J. heads to Merced with a 66-point advantage over the competition. 

The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars are back in action this Saturday, August 7th, at Merced Speedway (Merced, CA) for the “Kevin Triplett Memorial.” The USAC Western States and Bay Cities Racing Association (BCRA) Midgets will join the action packed card.

The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, FloRacing.com, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Sway-A-Way Torsion Bars, Ultra Shield Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Woodland Auto Display for their support.  

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 West Coast Sprint Car Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

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USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: July 31, 2021 – Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, California 

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFYING: 1. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-14.797; 2. Joe Stornetta Jr., 8, Richardson-14.933; 3. Bradley Terrell, 43, Terrell-14.950; 4. D.J. Johnson, 33, Johnson-15.046; 5. Daniel Whitley, 6K, Whitley-15.093; 6. Ryan Timmons, 29T, Timmons-15.331; 7. Shawn Arriaga, 56, Arriaga-15.386; 8. Trevor Schmid, 2, Schmid-15.772; 9. Gary Paulson, 51X, Paulson-15.795; 10. Zack Albers, 66S, Shelley-16.082; 11. Bob Davis, 3R, Davis-16.199; 12. Jacob Tuttle, 69, Tuttle-16.247; 13. Dave Lindt, 5150, Wilson-16.273; 14. Cody Smith, 5, Smith-18.342; 15. Bill Cornwell, 3, Garrison-NT.

EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT RACE: (10 laps) 1. Whitley 2, Terrell, 3. Lindt, 4. Arriaga, 5. Liggett, 6. Paulson, 7. Davis, 8. Cornwell. NT.

SWAY-A-WAY TORSION BARS SECOND HEAT RACE: (10 laps) 1. Johnson, 2. Timmons, 3. Smith, 4. Albers, 5. Stornetta, 6. Tuttle, 7. Schmid. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps, with starting positions) 1. Shawn Arriaga (2), 2. Daniel Whitley (4), 3. Joe Stornetta Jr. (8), 4. Jacob Tuttle (12), 5. Trevor Schmid (9), 6. Ryan Timmons (3), 7. Gary Paulson (10), 8. Bradley Terrell (6), 9. Bob Davis (11), 10. Zack Albers (1), 11. Cody Smith (14), 12. Dave Lindt (13), 13. D.J. Johnson (5). NT

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*Cornwell flipped on lap 1 of the first heat. Lindt, Johnson, and Davis flipped on lap 1 of the feature. Liggett and Cornwell did not start feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Arriaga.

ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Jacob Tuttle (12th to 4th)

WILWOOD DISC BRAKES LUCKY 13 AWARD: D.J. Johnson

SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS SPEC AWARD: Shawn Arriaga

NEW USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-D.J. Johnson-448, 2-Ryan Timmons-382, 3-Austin Liggett-373, 4-Kaleb Montgomery-257, 5-Ryan Bernal-241, 6-Tanner Boul-238, 7-Brody Roa-229, 8-Kyle Edwards-217, 9-Jarrett Soares-211, 10-Cody Fendley-210.

NEXT USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR RACE: August 7 – Merced Speedway – Merced, California – “Kevin Triplett Memorial”