USAC/CRA SPRINTS RETURN TO KERN COUNTY THIS SATURDAY
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 25, 2023... This Saturday, April 29th, the chase for the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championship heads to The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (KCRP). Promoted by Larry Collins, the seventh point race will also feature the USAC Western States Midgets and Southern California Dwarf Cars. Located at 13500 Raceway Boulevard in Bakersfield, California, the Pit Gates will open at 2:00pm, Hot Laps are scheduled for 5:45pm followed by Time Trials, and Racing is scheduled at 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at kernraceway.com or call 661.835.1264.
For those that cannot travel to the races, floracing.com will broadcast a live stream of the night’s action over the internet.
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.)
- MUFFLERS: Mufflers ARE NOT REQUIRED at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (KCRP).
- 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.
Saturday’s event is the third AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car event at The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (KCRP). The traditional 410s last visited the fast 1/3-mile oval for two nights in March 2021 with victories claimed by Ryan Timmons and Max Adams. Timmons used an iron block 360 engine to power his way to victory and on that night, “The Demon” Damion Gardner set the track record of 14.106 on March 12, 2021.
After winning last Saturday’s “Spanky Matthews Memorial” at Kings Speedway in Hanford, “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) has increased his lead to 79 points over the competition. Driving the Tom & Christy Dunkel / BR Performance owned #17R Inland Rigging / Dunkel Farms DRC, Roa has three feature wins, three heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and 66 feature laps led to his credit. With sixteen career wins, the 2019 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion will be looking to add a Kern County winning trophy to his collection.
“The Cadillac” Cody Williams (Corona, California) ranks second in USAC/CRA title chase. Racing his #44 WC Friend Company / Trench Shoring DRC, Williams earned his fourth Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of the campaign and scored tenth at Hanford. To date, the former National Non-Wing Sprint Car Rookie of the Year has also posted six top-10 finishes and will have his sights on his fourth career victory.
After running second to Brody Roa at Hanford, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, California) has climbed to third in championship points. Piloting the family owned #2 Digalert / Ramona Duck Club DRC, Williams has posted one heat race victory, five top-10 finishes, and 21 feature laps led on the season. The 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year will be looking to earn his twelfth career win this Saturday night.
Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm (Corona, California) has climbed to fourth in the point standings. Racing Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating Maxim, Malcolm scored twelfth after an early exit at the Kings County Fairgrounds. At press time, the veteran driver has two heat race victories, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, one In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award, four top-10 finishes, and 18 feature laps led on the year. This Saturday, Tommy “Thunder” will be looking to score the first win of his career at KCRP.
R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) ranks fifth in the USAC/CRA chase for the championship. The pilot of the family owned #51 Martin Family Auto Museum / Sherman Race Cars entry did not compete at Hanford, but has two heat race victories and five top-10 finishes in the campaign. The five-time USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion has seven career wins and is a threat to win every night.
Grant Sexton (Lakeside, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors and sits eleventh 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), Jim Vanzant (Prescott, Arizona), Jake Andreotti (Castro Valley, California), and Braden Chiaramonte (El Cajon, California).
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Logan Calderwood, A.J. Bender, Verne Sweeney, Andrew Sweeney, Brent Owens, Chris Gansen, Ryan Timmons, Troy Rutherford, Brody Fuson, James Herrera, and more.
The Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway Park (KCRP) is located at 13500 Raceway Boulevard in Bakersfield, California. To get to the speedway, take Interstate-5 and exit at Enos Lane (CA 43, Exit 246) and drive to Raceway Blvd. The track is on the west side of the interstate. Adult tickets are $25, Junior Tickets (10 and under) are $10, and Children (5& Under) are FREE. CAMPING IS FREE and for more event information, visit kernraceway.com or call 661.835.1264.
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: 3-Brody Roa, 1-Justin Grant, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Matt Mitchell.
KERN COUNTY AMSOIL USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Damion Gardner – 14.016 (03/12/21)
KERN COUNTY AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 1-Max Adams, 1-Ryan Timmons.
2023 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-Brody Roa-464, 2-Cody Williams-385, 3-Austin Williams-359, 4-Tommy Malcolm-342, 5-R.J. Johnson-324, 6-Charles Davis Jr.-314, 7-Logan Calderwood-268, 8-A.J. Bender-265, 9-Chase Johnson-237, 10-Ricky Lewis-226.
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 (With USAC Western States Midgets)
May 6: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
May 20: Thunderbowl Raceway – Tulare, CA (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)
May 27: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 10: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Bubby Jones & Ray Sheetz Memorial / 40 Laps)
June 24: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA (Richie McGowan Memorial)
July 1: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
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.
