MATT MITCHELL LEADS USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS TO PERRIS SATURDAY
By Lance Jennings
MARCH 11, 2024... After a break in the schedule, the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will battle this Saturday, March 16th, at Perris Auto Speedway. Promoted by Don Kazarian, the event will also showcase the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, GAS Chassis PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, PASSCAR Street Stocks, and PASSCAR Factory Stocks. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California, the Spectator Gates will open at 5:00pm and racing at "America's Premier Dirt Track" will start at 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134. Race fans are encouraged to support the race track and watch the races in person. USAC/CRA shows at Perris Auto Speedway WILL NOT be live streamed and beware of scammers with fake video links.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
- ALL RACERS MUST PURCHASE THEIR USAC LICENSE / MEMBERSHIPS ONLINE PRIOR TO THE EVENT AT USACRACING.COM OR USACLICENSE.COM. (If racers have a membership question, contact Julie Tanaka at julietanaka@aol.com.)
- ENTRY FEE: There is an entry fee due at registration / pill pick.
- TRANSPONDERS: Transponders ARE MANDATORY and will be available to rent.
- ONE WAY RADIOS / RACECEIVERS: One way radios ARE MANDATORY.
- FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS: Front axle tether systems (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
- FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS: Full containment seats ARE MANDATORY.
- COCKPIT ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS: Cockpit adjustable shocks ARE ALLOWED.
- RULE BOOK: The series rule book is online at usacracing.com, appendix E.
Since March 6, 2004, the Lake Perris Fairgrounds has held 250 USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and forty-three different drivers have claimed victory. “The Demon” Damion Gardner leads all drivers with 51 “home track” series wins and Matt Mitchell won the season opener on February 24th. Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012 and the complete Perris USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
After sweeping the season opener at Perris on February 24th, Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, California) sits atop the standings with a 13 point advantage. Driving the J.W. Mitchell Motorsports’ #37 Channel Islands Floor Coverings / Campbell Brothers Storage Maxim, Mitchell has one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, and 15 feature laps led in the campaign. Currently tied with Ryan Bernal, Nic Faas, Mike Kirby, and “The Ripper” Rip Williams for eighth on the win list, Matt will be looking for his eleventh career USAC/CRA triumph this Saturday night.
Rookie contender David Gasper (Goleta, California) ranks second in the chase for the championship. Piloting the Josh Ford Motorsports’ #73X Surecan LLC / King Racing Products Triple X, Gasper charged to a second place finish at Perris after starting ninth. With one semi-main victory to his credit, the two-time California Lightning Sprint Champion will have his sights on a victory at Perris Auto Speedway.
Ricky Lewis (Oxnard, California) sits third in the USAC/CRA point standings. Racing Dave Brown’s #41 Morris Farms / J&M Racing DRC, Lewis led half of the main event before scoring third at the Perris checkered flags. Ricky scored his only USAC/CRA win last October at Mohave Valley and will be looking to win at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) is fourth in the championship point chase. Driving his #47 MP Environmental / Black Magic Bead Breaker Triple X, Davis ran fifth at the Perris opener after starting twelfth. This Saturday night, the multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion and 1993 CRA Rookie of the Year will have his sights on the sixth USAC/CRA victory of his career.
R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) ranks fifth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting the Yeley / Petty Racing #2 Avanti Windows & Doors Glenn Styres Racing Spike, Johnson placed fourth at the Perris feature on February 24th. The multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion will be looking to score his eighth career USAC/CRA win at Perris.
While David Gasper (Goleta, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors, Braden Chiaramonte (El Cajon, California), Brent Sexton (Lakeside, California), Blake Hendricks (Simi Valley, California), and Elexa Herrera (New Cuyama, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm, Logan Williams, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams, A.J. Bender, Logan Calderwood, “The Gunslinger” Austin Grabowski, Jeff Dyer, Verne Sweeney, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Grant Sexton, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Matt McCarthy, “Shugah” Shane Sexton, and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $30, Senior tickets (65 & over) are $25, Kids tickets (6 to 12) are $5, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. The Fairgrounds charges $10 for parking. Advance tickets are available and for more event information, visit the track’s website at perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks BillsJerky.net, Factory Wraps, Flowdynamics Incorporated, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner), Sexton Fire Protection, WC Friend Company, and Woodland Auto Display, for their support.
For more information on the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
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AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS 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, 2017-Damion Gardner, 2018-Damion Gardner, 2019-Damion Gardner, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-Damion Gardner, 2022-Damion Gardner, 2023-Brody Roa.
PERRIS AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Nic Faas – 15.833 (02/25/12)
PERRIS AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 51-Damion Gardner, 24-Mike Spencer, 19-Tony Jones, 17-Cory Kruseman, 9-Nic Faas, 9-Matt Mitchell, 8-David Cardey, 8-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Brody Roa, 7-Rip Williams, 6-Bryan Clauson, 6-Justin Grant, 6-Mike Kirby, 6-Danny Sheridan, 6-Austin Williams, 5-Brady Bacon, 5-Robert Ballou, 5-Rickie Gaunt, 4-Dave Darland, 4-R.J. Johnson, 3-Charles Davis Jr., 3-Garrett Hansen, 3-Kevin Thomas Jr., 2-Darren Hagen, 2-Jesse Hockett, 2-Levi Jones, 2-C.J. Leary, 2-Tommy Malcolm, 2-Blake Miller, 2-Jake Swanson, 2-Chris Windom, 1-Chad Boespflug, 1-Greg Bragg, 1-Daron Clayton, 1-Josh Ford, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Bud Kaeding, 1-Adam Mitchell, 1-Johnny Rodriguez, 1-Hunter Schuerenberg, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Scotty Weir, 1-Cody Williams, 1-Jason York.
2024 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Matt Mitchell-84, 2-David Gasper-71, 3-Ricky Lewis-70, 4-Charles Davis Jr.-69, 5-R.J. Johnson-68, 6-Tommy Malcolm-63, 7-Logan Williams-54, 8-Braden Chiaramonte-52, --Austin Williams-52, 10-Matt Westfall-47.
2024 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
February 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Matt Mitchell)
March 16: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
March 23: Cocopah Speedway – Somerton, AZ
April 6: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
April 27: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
May 4: TBA
May 25: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 8: Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
June 22: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
July 5: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
July 6: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
July 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 10: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
August 17: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night)
August 31: Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
September 7: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
September 21: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
September 28: Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
October 12: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
October 19: TBA
November 1: Cocopah Speedway – Somerton, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 2: Cocopah Speedway – Somerton, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 8: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 9: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
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TBA = To Be Announced.
This schedule is subject to change.
