CRA SPRINTS RESUME AT THE PAS AUGUST 27; MITCHELL WINS 30-LAPPER AT PERRIS, POINTS TIGHTEN
It’s now a six-man fight for the 2016 USAC/CRA AMSOIL Sprint Car Championship after last Saturday night’s race at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway, won by Matt Mitchell. However, none of the first five point combatants were able to crack the podium in Saturday’s race. The series resumes August 27 in the “California Racers Hall of Fame Night” at Perris.
Mitchell, of Yorba Linda, Calif., led the final four laps after two of the six point leaders had battled for the lead throughout the first 26 laps. Mike Spencer led 18 of the first 26 laps and Damion Gardner led the other eight, but Spencer and Gardner wound up seventh and ninth, respectively, at the checkered flag.
Mitchell piloted the Mike Burkhart Stratis Construction/Westin Diversified RSS/Chevy to the victory, his first of the current campaign, becoming the eighth different winner in eight series races. Austin Williams, Woodland Auto Display fast qualifier Ronnie Gardner, Jake Swanson and Cody Williams completed the “top-five.”
Richard Vander Weerd, who finished 12th Saturday, has a six-point lead over Swanson in the new standings. Gardner sits just one point behind Swanson, while Brody Roa, 17th Saturday, is fourth in the points, 34 behind the leader. Spencer is fifth in the standings, just 37 points back, while Austin Williams is sixth, 62 back.
Mitchell earned Saturday’s BR Motorsports/King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, coming from the 13th starting spot to win.
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UPCOMING USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR EVENTS:
DATE: Saturday, August 27, 2016
SERIES: USAC/CRA AMSOIL Sprint Car Championship
TRACK: Perris Auto Speedway (Perris, California) - 1/2 Mile, Semi-Banked Dirt Oval
EVENT:“California Racers Hall of Fame Night” featuring the USAC/CRA AMSOIL Sprint Cars, PAS Senior Sprints & PAS Young Guns
STARTING TIMES: Front gates will open at 5:00pm and racing will start around 7:00pm.
TICKET PRICES: Children (12 & under): $5.00. Seniors (65 and over): $20.00. Adults (13-64): $25.00.
TRACK ADDRESS: 18700 Lake Perris Drive - Perris, CA 92571
TRACK PHONE: (951) 940-0134
TRACK WEBSITE: http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/
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2016 USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (526) Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, CA)
2. (520) Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA)
3. (519) Damion Gardner (Corona, CA)
4. (492) Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA)
5. (489) Mike Spencer (Temecula, CA)
6. (464) Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, CA)
7. (342) Cody Williams (Yorba Linda, CA)
8. (336) Logan Williams (Yorba Linda, CA)
9. (328) Max Adams (Loomis, CA)
10. (319) Chris Gansen (Verdemont Heights, CA)
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2016 USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR OWNER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (526) Ron Vander Weerd #10
2. (520) Tom & Laurie Sertich #92
3. (519) Mark Alexander #4
4. (492) BR Racing #91R
5. (464) John Jory #2
6. (342) John Jory #44
7. (336) John Jory #5
8. (328) Max Adams #5m
9. (319) Chris Gansen #4G
10. (315) Kevin Ellertson #98
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2016 USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & RESULTS:
Mar 5: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Apr 16: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
WINNER: Josh Hodges
May 7: Ventura, CA – Ventura Raceway
WINNER: Troy Rutherford
May 28: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
WINNER: Austin Williams
Jun 11: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
WINNER: Richard Vander Weerd
Jul 1: Santa Maria, CA – Santa Maria Raceway
WINNER: Ryan Bernal
Jul 2: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
WINNER: Danny Sheridan
Jul 30: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
WINNER: Matt Mitchell
Aug 27: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
Sep 3: Calistoga, CA – Calistoga Speedway
Sep 4: Calistoga, CA – Calistoga Speedway
Sep 5: Petaluma, CA – Petaluma Speedway
Sep 8: Chico, CA – Silver Dollar Speedway
Sep 9: Watsonville, CA – Ocean Speedway
Sep 10: Hanford, CA – Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Sep 24: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
Sep 30: Peoria, AZ – Canyon Speedway
Oct 1: Peoria, AZ – Canyon Speedway
Oct 15: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
Nov 4: Queen Creek, AZ – Arizona Speedway
Nov 5: Queen Creek, AZ – Arizona Speedway
Nov 10: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
Nov 11: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
Nov 12: Perris, CA – Perris Auto Speedway
Races noted with @@@ represent California Sprint Week
Races noted with ### represent a co-sanctioned event with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship
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2016 USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR FEATURE WINS:
1. (1) Ryan Bernal (Santa Maria Raceway on July 1)
(1) Bryan Clauson (Perris Auto Speedway on March 5)
(1) Josh Hodges (Perris Auto Speedway on April 16)
(1) Matt Mitchell (Perris Auto Speedway on July 30)
(1) Troy Rutherford (Ventura Raceway on May 7)
(1) Danny Sheridan (Perris Auto Speedway on July 2)
(1) Richard Vander Weerd (Perris Auto Speedway on June 11)
(1) Austin Williams (Perris Auto Speedway on May 28)
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ALL-TIME USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR DRIVER FEATURE WINS:
1. [65 wins] Damion Gardner
2. [37 wins] Mike Spencer
3. [35 wins] Cory Kruseman
4. [20 wins] Tony Jones
5. [12 wins] Bryan Clauson
6. [10 wins] Nic Faas, Mike Kirby & Rip Williams
9. [9 wins] David Cardey
10. [8 wins] Rickie Gaunt & Danny Sheridan
12. [7 wins] Ryan Bernal, Dave Darland & Matt Mitchell
15. [6 wins] Robert Ballou, Levi Jones, Bud Kaeding, Blake Miller & Richard Vander Weerd
20. [5 wins] Garrett Hansen
21. [4 wins] Darren Hagen, Kevin Swindell & Austin Williams
24. [3 wins] Jerry Coons Jr., Charles Davis, Jr., Jesse Hockett, Jeremy Sherman, Scotty Weir & Josh Wise
30. [2 wins] Rico Abreu, Brady Bacon, Tyler Brown, R.J. Johnson, Kyle Larson & Chris Windom
36. [1 win] Alan Ballard, Jayme Barnes, Christopher Bell, Greg Bragg, Daron Clayton, Shane Cottle, Danny Faria, Jr., Ricci Faria, Josh Ford, Marty Hawkins, Tracy Hines, Kyle Hirst, Josh Hodges, Tim Kaeding, Mike Martin, Adam Mitchell, Brody Roa, Johnny Rodriguez, Troy Rutherford, Jon Stanbrough, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Chase Stockon, Cole Whitt, Cody Williams & Jason York
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ALL-TIME USAC/CRA AMSOIL SPRINT CAR DRIVER 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
