MOHAVE VALLEY HOSTS USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS THIS SATURDAY
By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 10, 2023... The chase for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championship resumes this Saturday, October 14th at Mohave Valley Raceway. Promoted by Ron Meyer, the fifteenth point race will also feature Dwarf Cars, Mini Dwarfs- Masters and Sportsman, and the Southwest versus California Lightning Sprints. Located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona, the Pit Gates will open at 2:30pm, the Spectator Gates will open at 5:30pm, with Racing scheduled for 7:30pm. For more information, visit mohavevalleyracceway.com or call 928.346.3000.
NOTE: The November 3&4 “Western World Championships” has been moved from Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande, Arizona to Cocopah Speedway in Yuma, Arizona. Please update your schedules.
NOTE: The November 11 main event at Perris Auto Speedway is now scheduled for 30 laps.
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.)
- APPROVED/LEGAL TIRES: Due to the current tire shortages, ANY Hoosier Right Rear Tire is legal for competition until further notice. All four corners must be Hoosier.
- APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: MUFFLERS ARE NOT REQUIRED at Mohave Valley Raceway.
- 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.
SPECIAL NOTICE AT MOHAVE VALLEY:
- CASH ONLY: Mohave Valley Raceway is a cash only facility.
- PIT AREA PARKING: Personal vehicles or side by sides, etc. are NOT allowed in the pits. If it is not towing the race car/truck, on the trailer with the car, or in the trailer with the car, then it will NOT be allowed. NO exceptions!
Saturday’s race is the fifth event in series history at the Mohave Valley clay oval. Brody Roa topped his second Mohave Valley win on May 6th and Chase Johnson raced to victory on April 1st. On that night, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams lowered his track record with a time of 13.923 seconds. The complete Mohave Valley USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
“The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) leads the USAC/CRA standings with a stout 142 point lead. Driving the Tom & Christy Dunkel / BR Performance owned #17R Inland Rigging / Dunkel Farms DRC, Roa ran second to “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm at the September 23rd “Glenn Howard Classic” at Perris Auto Speedway. To date, Brody has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, five heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 177 feature laps led to his credit. The 2019 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion ranks fourth with 21 career USAC/CRA triumphs and will be looking to get closer to his first CRA crown with another Mohave Valley win.
Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) ranks second in the USAC/CRA point standings and is enjoying his best season in sprint cars. Racing Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating Maxim, Malcolm scored his third win of the campaign at the “Glenn Howard Classic.” To date, the veteran driver has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, five heat race victories, two Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Awards, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, eleven top-10 finishes, and 95 feature laps led on the year. Tommy “Thunder” will have his sights on adding a Mohave Valley victory to his resume.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) is third in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Piloting the family owned #2 Digalert / Ramona Duck Club DRC, Williams charged from seventh to third at Perris Auto Speedway on September 23rd. At press time, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has one heat race victory, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, ten top-10 finishes, and 32 feature laps led to his credit. With eleven career triumphs, Austin will be looking to earn his first win of the season this Saturday night.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) sits fourth in the chase for the championship. The owner/driver of the #44 WC Friend Company / Trench Shoring DRC raced to a seventh place finish at Perris Auto Speedway. To date, the former National Non-Wing Sprint Car Rookie of the Year has six Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, and nine top-10 finishes on the season. “The Cadillac” has three career wins and will have his sights on his first victory of the season.
A.J. Bender (San Diego, California) ranks fifth in the USAC/CRA championship points. Racing the family owned #21 Bender Pool & Spa / GAS Chassis entry, Bender finished nineteenth at the Perris “Howard Classic.” At press time, last season’s USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year has six heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, and ten top-10 finishes to his credit. This Saturday night, A.J. will be looking to claim the first USAC/CRA victory of his career.
Grant Sexton (Lakeside, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors and ranks eighth in the point standings. The driver of the family owned #22 Sexton Fire Protection / East County Electric Works Triple X is followed by James Turnbull II (Indio, California), Jake Andreotti (Castro Valley, California), Tom Dunkel (Menifee, California), Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, California), Dawson Faria (Tipton, California), and Jim Vanzant (Prescott, Arizona).
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Logan Calderwood, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Verne Sweeney, R.J. Johnson, Logan Williams, Chris Gansen, Brent Owens, “The Gunslinger” Austin Grabowski, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Andrew Sweeney, Chris Bonneau, Richard McCormick, Braden Chiaramonte, Mark Henry, and more.
Mohave Valley Raceway is located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona. For more event information, visit the track’s website at mohavevalleyracceway.com or call 928.346.3000. Mohave Valley Raceway is a cash only facility and grandstand tickets are available on race day. General Admission tickets are $25, Senior tickets (60 & over) are $20, Military tickets (with ID) are $20, Children tickets (6 to 12) are $15, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. Outside food, beverages, and ice chests are not permitted.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks BillsJerky.net, Factory Wraps, Flowdynamics Incorporated, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner), Hoosier Racing Tires, WC Friend Company, Woodland Auto Display, BR Motorsports, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, and Wilwood Disc Brakes for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact Tony Jones at tonyjonesracing@gmail.com or PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.
For more information on the AMSOIL 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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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, 2017-Damion Gardner, 2018-Damion Gardner, 2019-Damion Gardner, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-Damion Gardner, 2022-Damion Gardner.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 8-Brody Roa, 3-Tommy Malcolm, 1-Justin Grant, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Matt Mitchell.
MOHAVE VALLEY AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP TRACK RECORD: Cody Williams – 13.923 (04/01/23)
MOHAVE VALLEY AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Brody Roa, 1-Damion Gardner, 1-Chase Johnson.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Brody Roa-1064, 2-Tommy Malcolm-922, 3-Austin Williams-816, 4-Cody Williams-779, 5-A.J. Bender-749, 6-Logan Calderwood-663, 7-Charles Davis Jr.-571, 8-Grant Sexton-544, 9-Verne Sweeney-461, 10-R.J. Johnson-377.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
January 27: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ (Winner: Brody Roa)
January 28: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ (Winner: Brody Roa)
March 3: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (RAIN)
March 4: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (RAIN)
March 18: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Justin Grant)
March 24: Keller Auto Speedway – Hanford, CA (RAIN)
March 25: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA (RAIN)
April 1: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ (Winner: Chase Johnson)
April 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Matt Mitchell)
April 22: Keller Auto Speedway – Hanford, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
April 29: The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park – Bakersfield, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
May 6: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ (Winner: Brody Roa)
May 20: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA (Winner: Tommy Malcolm)
May 27: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Tommy Malcolm)
June 10: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
June 24: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
July 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
August 19: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (RAIN)
September 23: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Tommy Malcolm)
October 14: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
November 3: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 4: Cocopah Speedway – Yuma, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 11: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (30 Laps)
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TBA = To Be Announced.
This schedule is subject to change.
