PERRIS HOSTS 250TH USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE AT SATURDAY SEASON OPENER
By Lance Jennings
FEBRUARY 19, 2024... The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will open their 2024 season this Saturday, February 24th, at Perris Auto Speedway. Promoted by Don Kazarian, the 250th “home track” event will also feature the PAS Senior Sprint Cars, GAS Chassis PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars, PASSCAR Super Stocks, and PASSCAR Street 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.
NOTE: The March 2nd race that was originally scheduled at Cocopah Speedway (near Yuma, Arizona), has been moved to March 23rd.
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.
Since March 6, 2004, the Lake Perris Fairgrounds has held 249 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 Nic Faas set the 1-lap track record of 15.833 on February 25, 2012. The complete Perris USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
On the strength of eight victories, “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) won last year’s championship. Driving the Tom & Christy Dunkel / BR Performance owned #17R Inland Rigging / Dunkel Farms DRC, Roa also posted one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, five heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, fourteen top-5 finishes, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 194 feature laps led to his credit. Currently ranked fourth with 21 career victories, Brody has announced that he will spend more time with his family and plans to run a limited schedule for May Motorsports.
Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) claimed second in the USAC/CRA point standings. Racing Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating Maxim, Malcolm had three feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, six heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, nine top-5 finishes, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 95 feature laps led on the year. Tommy “Thunder” will have his sights on starting his championship bid with a victory this Saturday night.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) placed third in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Piloting the family owned #2 Digalert / Ramona Duck Club DRC, Williams recorded two heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, eight top-5 finishes, eleven top-10 finishes, and 32 feature laps led to his credit. With eleven career triumphs, Austin will be one of the favorites to watch behind the wheel of Tom & Christy Dunkel’s #17W Inland Rigging / Dunkel Farms DRC.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) ran fourth in the chase for the championship. The owner/driver of the #44 WC Friend Company / Trench Shoring DRC recorded six Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, five top-5 finishes, nine top-10 finishes, and three feature laps led on the season. “The Cadillac” has three career wins and will have his sights on the season opening victory at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.
A.J. Bender (San Diego, California) ranked fifth in the USAC/CRA championship points. Racing the family owned #21 Bender Pool & Spa / Schweitzer Racing DRC, Bender had six heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, five top-5 finishes, and ten top-10 finishes in the campaign. The 2022 USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year will be looking to claim his first USAC/CRA victory at the PAS!
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Logan Calderwood, Grant Sexton, Verne Sweeney, R.J. Johnson, Logan Williams, Chris Gansen, “The Gunslinger” Austin Grabowski, Brent Owens, James Turnbull II, Matt McCarthy, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Jeff Dyer, Tom Dunkel, Kyle Edwards, “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, 8-David Cardey, 8-Matt Mitchell, 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 SERIES SCHEDULE
February 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
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.
