EXTRA BONUSES ADDED TO PERRIS USAC/CRA “CALIFORNIA RACERS HALL OF FAME NIGHT”
By Lance Jennings
AUGUST 23, 2017... After a break in the schedule, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Cars are back in action this Saturday, August 26th, at Perris Auto Speedway. Promoted by Don Kazarian, the "California Racers Hall of Fame Night" will also feature the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, and the Western Racing Association vintage cars. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California, the spectator gates at "America's Premier Dirt Track" will open at 5:00pm and racing is scheduled for 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
NOTICE TO USAC/CRA COMPETITORS: The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier tires. The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is also the current legal tire with the USAC West Coast, USAC SouthWest, and VRA Sprint Cars. Cars must pass a tech inspection and one-way radios are mandatory for drivers. USAC/CRA charges a $25 entry fee to all competitors and the series rule book can be found online at www.usacracing.com. USAC MEMBERSHIPS ARE MANDATORY AT RACER’S FIRST EVENT and can be purchased at the track or online at https://usacracing.redpodium.com/2017-usac-sprint-midget-sc.
Since March 6, 2004, the Lake Perris Fairgrounds has held 198 USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and 34 different drivers have claimed victory. “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all drivers with 42 wins and Nic Faas set the 1-lap qualifying record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. This season, Gardner and R.J. Johnson have two Perris wins and Richard Vander Weerd claimed the March 4th season opener. A complete Perris series win list is at the end of this release.
The "California Racers Hall of Fame Night" continues the rich tradition of honoring those that have contributed to Sprint Car Racing in Southern California. The popular event began in 1996 as the “Jack Kindoll Classic” and when the gates open at 5:00pm, there will be a special autograph session at the PAS Sports Bar. At press time, legends Jimmy Oskie, Brad Noffsinger, Eddie Wirth, Don Thomas, John Redican, Stan Atherton, Chuck Gurney, and Jeff Heywood have confirmed that they will be in attendance. There are rumors of more surprise guests for fans to meet and greet at the autograph session.
Led by Perris and Ascot infield announcer Chris Holt, additional prize money has been raised for Saturday’s “California Racers Hall of Fame Night.” Thanks to the Wilkerson Family and the Woodland Auto Display, Saturday’s “Billy Wilkerson Fast Time Award” winner will earn $600. For the fastest four qualifiers that accept the challenge, the “Junior Kurtz Trophy Dash” will have a $2,000 purse. The dash will consist of four 3-lap races in which all drivers will rotate their starting spots and the high point driver will $1,000. For the heat races, former CRA driver Mark Atchison and AMA Plastics have donated $1,500 in prize money. In addition, Holt has raised an extra $3,400 in lap money for the main event. A special thanks goes out to Chris Holt and everyone that donated to the event.
Entering the tenth point race, there have been sixth different winners at four different racetracks. After salvaging a ninth place finish at Santa Maria on August 5th, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) has slim four point advantage over the competition. Racing Mark Alexander's #4 S.P. Beagle Plumbing / Scott Sales Company Spike, Gardner has three feature wins, four Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, eight heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 60 feature laps led on the year. The five-time champion leads all drivers with 73 USAC/CRA victories and will be looking to claim his fourth straight “California Racers Hall of Fame Night.”
Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) ranks second in the chase for the championship. Driving the #91R BR Performance owned HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa won the August 5th main event at Santa Maria. To date, last year’s USAC West Coast Sprint Champion has posted one feature win, two heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 57 feature laps led to his credit. Brody has two career USAC/CRA triumphs and will have his sights on his first win at Perris Auto Speedway.
After running second to Brody Roa at Santa Maria, Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) has climbed to third in the point standings. Piloting Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Clackamas Rigging and Transfer Triple X, Swanson has three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, three heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Incorporated Semi-Main win, and seven top-10 finishes on the season. The 2012 Rookie of the Year has one career USAC/CRA victory and will be looking to add the “California Racers Hall of Fame Night” to his resume.
Mike Spencer (Temecula, California) sits fourth in the USAC/CRA championship point chase. Racing the Gansen Engineering Motorsports’ #4S Trench Shoring / Ram-Bull Racing Maxim, Spencer placed third in the Santa Maria feature. At press time, the five-time champion has one feature win, four heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 45 feature laps led on the year. Mike ranks second with 38 career USAC/CRA wins and will have his sights on the Saturday night victory.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) ranks fifth in the point standings. Piloting Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams placed sixth at Santa Maria’s 30-lap main event. To date, the 2009 Rookie of the Year has two heat race victories, two Saldana Racing Products / Rod End Supply Hard Charger Awards, and eight top-10 finishes in the campaign. Austin is tied with Garrett Hansen for twentieth on the USAC/CRA win list and will be looking to earn his sixth win at the “California Racers Hall of Fame Night.”
Currently eleventh in points, Matt McCarthy (Riverside, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Kyle Edwards (Fountain Valley, California) is also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Logan Williams, Chris Gansen, Max Adams, Richard Vander Weerd, “The Bear” Jeremy Ellertson, “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, A.J. Bender, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., R.J. Johnson, Jace Vander Weerd, Ronnie Gardner, Verne Sweeney, “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James, and more.
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 www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, All Coast Construction, BR Motorsports, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, surfNsprint.com, Ultra Shield Race Products, 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 USAC/CRA, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC/CRA DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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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.
CALIFORNIA RACERS HALL OF FAME NIGHT / JACK KINDOLL CLASSIC WINNERS: 1996-Lee Brewer Jr., 1997-Rip Williams, 1998-Cory Kruseman, 1999-Richard Griffin, 2000-Cory Kruseman, 2001-Cory Kruseman, 2002-Steve Ostling, 2003-Lance Gremett, 2004-Rickie Gaunt, 2005-Cory Kruseman, 2006-Tony Jones, 2007-Cory Kruseman, 2008-Damion Gardner, 2009-Mike Spencer, 2010-Mike Spencer, 2011-Mike Spencer, 2012-Mike Spencer, 2013-Cory Kruseman, 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Damion Gardner, 2016-Damion Gardner.
2017 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Damion Gardner, 2-R.J. Johnson, 1-Max Adams, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Mike Spencer, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
PERRIS AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 42-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 8-David Cardey, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Matt Mitchell, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Richard Vander Weerd, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 4-Robert Ballou, 4-Dave Darland, 3-Garrett Hansen, 3-R.J. Johnson, 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-Blake Miller, 2- Austin Williams, 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-Scotty Weir, 1-Jason York.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Damion Gardner-658, 2. Brody Roa-654, 3. Jake Swanson-592, 4. Mike Spencer-591, 5. Austin Williams-529, 6. Cody Williams-462, 7. Logan Williams-423, 8. Chris Gansen-368, 9. Max Adams-358, 10. Richard Vander Weerd-345, 11. Matt McCarthy-315, 12. Jeremy Ellertson-287, 13. Tommy Malcolm-250, 14. A.J. Bender-247, 15. Danny Faria Jr.-245, 16. R.J. Johnson-227, 17. Jace Vander Weerd-221, 18. Ronnie Gardner-210, 19. Verne Sweeney-189, 20. Kyle Edwards-182.
2017 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
August 26: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 2: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 3: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 4: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma CA (California Sprint Week)
September 7: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week)
September 8: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 9: Keller Auto Speedway - Hanford, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 23: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 21: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
November 3: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 4: *Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 9: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 10: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 11: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with Amsoil USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
