SANTA MARIA HOSTS USAC/CRA “CALIFORNIA SPRINT WEEK” FINALE
By Lance Jennings

PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 2, 2014… This Saturday, September 6th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will visit Santa Maria Speedway in Nipomo, California for the final round of the “California Sprint Week.” Paying $2,750-to-win and $350-to-start, the seventeenth point race of the season will also showcase the USAC HPD Midgets and Toste Construction Mini Stocks. For more event information, visit www.racesantamariaspeedway.com or call 805.714.8538.

Promoted by Chris Kearns and USAC, Saturday’s event will mark the eighteenth USAC/CRA event held at the popular 1/3-mile clay oval. “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Mike Spencer, and Austin Williams are tied for the series lead with two victories as “The Cadillac” Cody Williams earned his first series win on August 13th. “The Bullet” Blake Miller holds the 1-lap qualifying track record of 13.230, set on June 14, 2008. The Pit Gate will open at 2:00pm, Spectator Gates will open at 4:30pm. Time Trials at 5:15pm, and Racing at "The West’s Best Short Track" will start at 6:00pm. For an additional $5.00, race fans can watch the show from infield grandstands with food, beverage, and beer stands setup nearby.

NOTICE TO COMPETITORS: Per USAC/CRA rules, all fuel-injected 410 and 360 powered sprint cars must run the Hoosier 105/16 Medium Right Rear Tire and all four corners must be Hoosier. Cars must pass a tech inspection and one-way radios are mandatory for drivers. USAC/CRA charges a $25 entry fee to all competitors, which includes a transponder rental. Carbureted spec sprints are welcome to race with USAC/CRA and can still use their track legal Hoosier tires.

At press time, “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord, California has a 176-point advantage over the competition. At Calistoga’s “Louie Vermeil Classic” the driver of Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike scored a tenth place finish. To date, “The World’s Fastest Sprint Car Driver” has seven main event wins, five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, twelve heat race victories, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 154 feature laps led. “The Demon” leads all USAC/CRA drivers with 53 career wins and will have his sights on a third championship.

Running second in the championship points is Temecula, California’s Mike Spencer. Piloting Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer claimed eighth in the finale of the “Louie Vermeil Classic.” Currently, the five-time champion has one feature win, five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, eleven top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led. Mike will be looking to cut into Gardner’s lead with his thirty-sixth USAC/CRA victory.

Nic Faas of Huntington Beach, California is third in the USAC/CRA point standings. As this writing goes to press, the 2008 Rookie of the Year did not compete in the two-day show at Calistoga and could miss the remaining “Sprint Week” events. To date, Faas has three heat race victories, ten top-10 finishes, and 1 feature lap led in the campaign.

Sitting fourth in the USAC/CRA point chase is Yorba Linda, California’s Matt Mitchell. Driving his #37 Campbell Bros. Storage / Pit Boss Maxim, Mitchell set fast time and scored ninth in the Calistoga finale. Currently, the 2-time “Salute to Indy” winner has one feature win, two heat race victories, nine top-10 finishes, and 35 feature laps led on the season. Matt will have his sights on earning the $2,750 payday and adding Santa Maria to his win list.

Brody Roa of Huntington Beach, California is fifth in the point standings. Racing the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa scored twenty-first at Calistoga Speedway after an early exit. To date, the former Wagsdash Champion has five heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, one Keizer Wheels / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, and eight top-10 finishes in 2014. Brody will be looking to claim his first win of the season at Santa Maria Speedway.

Currently eleventh in points, Yorba Linda, California’s Logan Williams leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Chris Gansen of Verdemont Heights, California, Snohomish, Washington’s Gary Taylor, and Norco, California’s Cody Swanson are also in contention.

Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Austin Williams, Jake Swanson, Richard Vander Weerd, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Ryan Bernal, Jace Vander Weerd, Ronnie Gardner, D.J. Johnson, Bud Kaeding, and more.

Santa Maria Speedway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Adult Tickets are $25, Military and Senior Tickets are $23, and Kids Tickets (12-6) are $6, and Children (5 & under) are FREE.. For an additional $5, fans can get a wristband for the infield “Fan Experience.” For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.racesantamariaspeedway.com or call 805.714.8538.

To catch all of the action of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, Loudpedal Productions has DVD videos available for purchase. For more information, call (805) 407-7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.

The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Engler Machine & Tool, Extreme Mufflers, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, Saldana Racing Products, Weld Racing, 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 lwjennings@earthlink.net.

For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on another site (another site/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/USAC_CRA).