BAKERSFIELD’S “MCGOWAN MEMORIAL” UP NEXT FOR USAC/CRA SPRINTS
By Lance Jennings
JUNE 20, 2023... The chase for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championship resumes this Saturday, June 24th at Bakersfield Speedway. Promoted by Scott Schweitzer, the “Richie McGowan Memorial” will also feature IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, and a Fireworks Show. The Pit Gates will open at 2:00pm, Spectator Gates will open at 4:00pm, and Racing is scheduled for 6:00pm at "The West's Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval." Located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California, more event information can be found at bakersfieldspeedway.com or by calling 661.393.3373.
Last Friday, it was announced that the July 1st event scheduled at Santa Maria Raceway has been cancelled. Please update your calendars.
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .)
- APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535; SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78; FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101; COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S; B&B: FRAC-0375S; SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK, P1 AUSTRALIA: SSM5C.
*Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
- 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.
Since October 23, 2004, Bakersfield Speedway has hosted six AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car events. “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman won that night and is tied with “The Demon” Damion Gardner with two victories at the speedway. On May 14, 2023, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams was victorious and Gardner holds the 1-lap track record of 12.356 that was set on March 12, 2005. The Bakersfield USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
Heading to Bakersfield, “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) sits atop the standings with a 100-point lead over the competition. Driving the Tom & Christy Dunkel / BR Performance owned #17R Inland Rigging / Dunkel Farms DRC, Roa earned his sixth win of the campaign at the June 10th “Bubby Jones and Ray Scheetz Memorial” at Perris Auto Speedway. As this writing goes to press, the 2019 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion has also posted one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, ten top-10 finishes, and 134 feature laps led to his credit. With nineteen career triumphs, Brody will be looking to tie Tony Jones for fourth on the series win list at Bakersfield.
Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) ranks second in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating Maxim, Malcolm led seven laps at Perris before finishing second to Roa. To date, the veteran driver has two feature wins, four heat race victories, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, nine top-10 finishes, and 64 feature laps led on the year. Tommy “Thunder” will have his sights on adding the “Richie McGowan Memorial” to his resume.
After finishing twelfth at Perris, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) has climbed to third in the point chase. Driving the family owned #2 Digalert / Ramona Duck Club DRC, Williams has one heat race victory, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, eight top-10 finishes, and 32 feature laps led to his credit. The 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has eleven career victories and will have his sights on winning this Saturday night.
The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) ranks fourth in the chase for the championship. Piloting his #44 WC Friend Company / Trench Shoring DRC, Williams scored sixteenth at the “Jones & Scheetz Memorial.” 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 seven top-10 finishes on the season. “The Cadillac” has three career wins and will be looking to add another Bakersfield trophy to his collection.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) is fourth in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Driving the family owned #2 Digalert / Ramona Duck Club DRC, Williams ran second to Tommy Malcolm at the “Salute to Indy.” 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, eight top-10 finishes, and 21 feature laps led to his credit. With eleven career wins, Austin will have his sights on claiming the “Bubby Jones and Ray Scheetz Memorial.”
A.J. Bender (San Diego, California) is fifth in the USAC/CRA championship standings. Racing the family owned #21 Bender Pool & Spa / GAS Chassis entry, Bender scored a fifth place finish at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. To date, last season’s USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year has five heat race victories, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, and eight top-10 finishes in the campaign. A.J. will be looking to earn the first USAC/CRA win of his career this Saturday night.
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), Brody Fuson (Bakersfield, California), Jake Andreotti (Castro Valley, California), Dawson Faria (Tipton, California), Jim Vanzant (Prescott, Arizona), and Braden Chiaramonte (El Cajon, California).
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Logan Calderwood, Verne Sweeney, Logan Williams, Chris Gansen, Brent Owens, James Herrera, Andrew Sweeney, Jeff Dyer, Camie Bell, and more.
Bakersfield Speedway is located at 5001 North Chester Extension in Bakersfield, California. Adult General Admission Tickets are $30, Senior (65 plus) and Military Tickets are $25, Kids Tickets (6 to 12) are $15, and Children Tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more Bakersfield event information, visit the track’s website at bakersfieldspeedway.com or call 661.393.3373.
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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or PR Director Lance Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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: 6-Brody Roa, 2-Tommy Malcolm, 1-Justin Grant, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Matt Mitchell.
BAKERSFIELD AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Damion Gardner – 12.356 (03/12/05)
BAKERSFIELD AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Damion Gardner, 2-Cory Kruseman, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Cody Williams.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Brody Roa-828, 2-Tommy Malcolm-728, 3-Austin Williams-655, 4-Cody Williams-650, 5-A.J. Bender-570, 6-Logan Calderwood-522, 7-Charles Davis Jr.-460, 8-Grant Sexton-405, 9-Verne Sweeney-326, 10-R.J. Johnson-324.
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 (Richie McGowan Memorial)
July 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 12: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
August 19: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
September 9: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
September 23: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 14: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
November 3: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 4: Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 11: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (40 Laps)
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TBA = To Be Announced.
This schedule is subject to change.
