SPENCER TOPS AT OCEAN, SHERIDAN WINS SANTA MARIA THRILLER


Perris and Victorville, Calif. ovals are on the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint car radar this week as drivers continue to chase defending four-time series champ Mike Spencer in the standings.


Spencer, of Temecula, Calif., has a comfortable 120-point lead over Nic Faas in the standings after nearly winning a pair of races this past week.


Spencer led the final 16 laps to win Friday’s 30-lapper at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville in his Chaffin Motorsports entry, then finished second in a spectacular finish on Saturday at Santa Maria Speedway. Trailing Spencer at Watsonville were Terry Schank Jr., Brody Roa, Billy Aton and Austin Williams. The win was his 31st in USAC/CRA competition.


Saturday’s race ended with a spectacular last-lap pass by hometown hero Danny Sheridan for the win after trailing Spencer for the previous seven laps. Rip Williams was third, ahead of Jace Vander Weerd and Faas. Vander Weerd led the first eight laps and Sheridan the next 14.


The Watsonville and Santa Maria races also offered points toward the 2012 USAC Western Classic Sprint Series championship and Tony Hunt’s ninth and 14th-place finishes were enough to propel him into the series lead ahead of Shauna Hogg, who did not compete at Santa Maria. Hunt now sits 24 points ahead of Hogg heading into the September 1-2 “Louie Vermeil Classic” at Calistoga, Calif. Speedway.