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Topic: Big names set for Thunderbowl at 30th Pacific Coast Nationals this weekend
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November 10, 2009 at
03:17:42 PM
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This message was edited on
November 10, 2009 at
11:50:42 PM by Gary Thomas
Thunderbowl Raceway finishes off season in style with USAC National & USAC/CRA sanctioned Pacific Coast Nationals this weekend
By Gary Thomas
Tulare, CA – November 10, 2009…The 2009 racing season at the Thunderbowl Raceway will officially come to a close this Saturday and Sunday as the 1/3 mile clay oval plays host to one of the highest profile events in track history with the USAC National and USAC/CRA Wingless 410 Sprint Cars invading the Tulare based facility for the 30th Pacific Coast Nationals.
The Pacific Coast Nationals was originally started by J.C. Agajanian in 1962 and was held at the Ascot Park in Gardena until the track's closing in 1990. The event was moved following that, but was stopped after the 1995 season where it was held last at nearby Kings Speedway in Hanford. This year's revival at the Thunderbowl Raceway will also mark the season finale for the USAC National Sprint Car Series and the champion will be crowned this Sunday night following the 40-lap main event, which will award $12,500 to the winner.
The Tulare County Fairgrounds track has held a number of "big" short track events over the last 10 years, including numerous World of Outlaw shows, as well as the season opener and season finale during the one and only year of the National Sprint Tour in 2006. The Thunderbowl has also held the annual Trophy Cup since '05 and earlier in the decade ran a trio of Thanksgiving weekend 410 sprint car events that drew big names to the track each season.
In addition to all of that the 1/3 mile clay oval also hosted the $20,000 to win U.S. Modified Nationals in '07 and this weekends Pacific Coast Nationals is expected to be right up there with all of those events in the prestige factor. "We're really happy to be bringing this event to Tulare," said Thunderbowl promoter Steve Faria. "With the World of Outlaws not coming back out here in the fall we were looking to bring in another big show and the Pacific Coast Nationals will definitely be a great fit. It's pretty exciting to have all these well known non-wing drivers coming to our track and it should be a great show for the fans."
Former USAC/CRA champion Damion Gardner of Concord, CA has laps in both a winged and wingless sprint car at the Thunderbowl Raceway and comes into the Pacific Coast Nationals with momentum following his big victory in last weekends Budweiser Oval Nationals at the helm of his DG Racing, Pace Lighting No. 71. The former Chili Bowl Midget Nationals winner also scored a big $10,000 victory in USAC National Sprint Car competition at the Lawrenceburg Speedway in early October, which came during just his fourth race back in action after injuries kept him out for nearly a month, following an incident at the Nebraska Raceway Park in August. "The Demon" has won a pair of main events in his Thunderbowl career and currently sits sixth in the National Sprint Car standings.
Coming into the Pacific Coast Nationals having already locked up the USAC National Sprint Car title Avon, Indiana driver Levi Jones will look to finish off the season on a strong note this weekend at the Thunderbowl Raceway. The driver of the Tony Stewart Racing, Chevrolet sponsored No. 20 went into last week's Oval Nationals with just a 27-point lead over Lincoln, Indiana's Dave Darland, however, a tough weekend for Darland allowed Jones to extend the mark to an untouchable 178-point advantage. Jones picked up a victory during the second prelim night this past weekend at the Oval Nationals and brought home a third place finish in Saturday's finale to seal up his third career USAC National Sprint Car championship.
Darland comes into the Thunderbowl looking to rebound after an extremely rough outing at the Oval Nationals that saw him fail to make the main event the final two nights, after running 16th in the feature during the opener on Thursday. "Double D" has long been one of the top open wheel drivers in the country and has championships in the USAC National Sprint Car, Midget and Silver Crown Series, making him one of a select group of racers to have the Triple Crown under his belt. Darland this season has driven his RWB Racing No. 2b sprinter to four National Sprint Car victories and will look to secure the second spot in the series standings this weekend.
Hot on Darland's heels though is Alpine, CA's Cole Whitt, who will bring his Keith Kunz Motorsports, Red Bull No. 67k into the Pacific Coast Nationals just 12-digits behind Darland for the runner-up spot in the USAC National Sprint Car standings. The 18-year-old driver has had a solid '09 campaign and has won a total of 15 main events during the season, including nine at the Kokomo Speedway en route to the track title. Whitt last year captured the USAC National Midget championship and in doing so became the youngest driver to ever accomplish that feat.
Defending USAC National Sprint Car champion Jerry Coons Jr. currently ranks fourth in the standings going into the Pacific Coast Nationals this Saturday and Sunday. By winning both the sprint car and silver crown titles last season the Tuscon, Arizona driver became the fifth driver in USAC history to hold the Triple Crown, after winning the midget title in 2006 and '07. Rounding out the top-five in the USAC National Sprint standings going into the Thunderbowl this weekend is '02 series champion Tracy Hines of Jamestown, Indiana. The former Chili Bowl champ has driven his Tony Stewart Racing No. 21 machine to three National Sprint Car wins this year, with all of those coming on the pavement.
The Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Series has seen an extremely close point fight for much of the season however; Temecula's Mike Spencer has turned up the heat late in the year and comes into the Pacific Coast Nationals holding a 78-point advantage in the standings aboard his Ron Chaffin Racing, Madera Produce No. 50 mount. Spencer captured the Lou Vermeil Classic at the Calistoga Speedway on Labor Day weekend, which marked the first of three straight wins for the defending USAC/CRA champion. Spencer then used the momentum to help score a runner-up finish at last weekends Budweiser Oval Nationals in Perris, where he came very close to winning the event for the first time in his career, until Gardner made the pass with just a few laps remaining in the feature to steal the victory away.
Currently second in the points and continuing to have his best sprint car season to date is "Dynamite" David Cardey, who finished fifth in the main event at the Thunderbowl in May aboard the ITI Performance, Crossno Racing No. 38 sprinter. The Riverside racer finished sixth in the USAC/CRA standings last season and will be looking to rebound this weekend after getting upside down late in the main event at the Oval Nationals, while having a strong run going at the time. Current USAC Western Midget Series point leader Garrett Hansen sits third in the USAC/CRA standings driving the Priestley No. 7 sprint car. The Manhattan Beach driver scored a solid sixth place finish at the Ovals Nationals last weekend and also brought home a fourth place finish in May at the Thunderbowl.
Thunderbowl Raceway wingless 410 track record holder Blake Miller of Yorba Linda comes into the Pacific Coast Nationals ranking fourth in the USAC/CRA standings at the helm of the Gardner Motorsports No. 93 machine. "The Bullet" had a strong night at the Thunderbowl Raceway in May when he began the evening by ripping off a 15.013 in qualifying to re-set his own track record, before charging from ninth to third in the feature. Completing the top five in USAC/CRA points is Santa Maria's "Showtime" Danny Sheridan, who scored a victory and a runner-up finish in a pair of Bandit 360 Series starts at the Thunderbowl Raceway earlier this season in his Kittle Motorsports No. 18.
Indiana resident and Carmichael, CA native Bryan Clauson has had a strong 2009 season and will look to add the Pacific Coast Nationals to his impressive resume this weekend as he competes behind the wheel of the Corey Tucker Racing, Parker Stone sprinter. The immensely talented 20-year-old spent time in the NASCAR ranks, but has come back to sprints and midgets full-time this year and has won 17 main events throughout the season, including a $10,000 triumph at Tri-State Speedway in September and the prestigious Belleville Midget Nationals in August. Clausen also captured the Indiana Midget Week title in June and won opening night of the Oval Nationals this past weekend, before running fourth in Saturday's finale.
Former Thunderbowl Raceway winged 410 sprint car track record holder Kevin Swindell will be in competition at the Pacific Coast Nationals aboard the locally based Roth Motorsports, HR Cattle No. 83 and will be looking to regroup following a tough Oval Nationals last weekend. The Germantown, Tennessee resident picked up a victory for Dennis Roth on prelim night of the Lou Vermeil Classic at Calistoga Speedway and also finished runner-up during Sundays finale. Last season saw him win the Western World Championships at Manzanita Speedway, as well as the Vermeil Classic in Calistoga driving for Nor Cal car owner Tom Rolfe. Swindell's biggest win this year came in May when he made a last lap pass to score victory in the Knoxville Midget Nationals.
The Pacific Coast Nationals will see Grass Valley, CA native Brad Sweet returning to the track in which he made his wingless sprint car debut at back in 2004. The Kasey Kahne Racing driver has experienced much success since hitting the road full-time and has captured prestigious events such as the Belleville Midget Nationals, the 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora and the Knoxville Midget Nationals among others. Sweet last year also scored a big triumph at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway when he claimed victory at the annual Trophy Cup and this Friday will see the 23-year-old make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at the Phoenix International Raceway.
Elk Grove's Kyle Larson will hit the Thunderbowl Raceway clay this weekend after making a successful wingless 410 sprint car debut at the Calistoga Speedway on Labor Day weekend. The 17-year-old turned eyes during the two-night show as he quickly adapted at the intimidating half-mile and was running solidly in the top-five when separate issues each night put him further back in the finishing order than he would have liked. At the Pacific Coast Nationals Larson will be behind the wheel of the Stadelhofer Construction, BK Racing sprinter, the same machine he drove to a fifth place finish at the Trophy Cup.
Other drivers expected at the 30th Pacific Coast Nationals will include Warsaw, Missouri's Jesse Hockett; Ventura's Cory Kruseman; Campbell's Bud Kaeding; Phoenix, Arizona's Chad Boat; Riverside's Josh Wise; Yorba Linda's Rip Williams and Matt Mitchell; Jamestown, Indiana's Jon Stanbrough; Visalia's Gregg Bragg; Norco's Tony Jones; Clovis' Peter Murphy; Anderson's Keith Bloom Jr.; Fremont's Shane Golobic and more.
Tickets for the Pacific Coast Nationals will be the same price both nights with Reserved Grandstand seats being $35 and General Admission Bleacher tickets $30. Children under 12 will be half-price in the bleachers. The front gate of the Thunderbowl Raceway will open at 3pm on Saturday November 14 with wheel packing at 4, qualifying at 5 and first race scheduled for 6. Sunday will see the front gate open at 2pm with wheel packing at 3, qualifying at 4 and first race scheduled for 5. Pit passes will be $35 for members and $40 for non-members with the drivers meeting set to be at 3pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Registration and pill draw will be at 1pm on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
All of the action from the event will be broadcast via live video feed at http://www.usacracing.com/usac_live
More info on the Pacific Coast Nationals can be found at http://www.thunderbowlraceway.com and http://www.usacracing.com
The Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on the corner of Bardsley and K Streets in Tulare, California
 
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:18:58 PM
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Former winners of Pacific Coast Nationals
1962 – Jim Wood
1963 – Jim Cox
1964 – Marshall Sargent
1965 – Dick Fries
1967 – Bobby Adamson
1968 – Bob Hogle
1972 – Gene Brown
1973 – Rick Ferkel
1974 – Clark Templeman
1976 – Ron Shuman
1977 – Ron Shuman
1978 – Buster Venard
1979 – Dean Thompson
1980 – Dean Thompson
1981 – Sammy Swindell
1982 – Dean Thompson
1983 – Ron Shuman
1984 – Bubby Jones
1985 – Dean Thompson
1986 – Brad Doty
1987 – Steve Kinser
1988 – Steve Kinser
1989 – Brad Noffsinger
1990 – Rip Williams
1991 – Bubby Jones
1992 – Lealand McSpadden
1993 – Rip Williams
1994 – Ron Shuman
1995 – Mike Kirby
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:20:14 PM
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Former Chili Bowl Midget Nationals winner Damion Gardner of Concord, CA goes into the Pacific Coast Nationals on the heels of his biggest career sprint car victory following a late race move for the win during last Saturday nights Budweiser Oval Nationals. "The Demon" has won a pair of races in his Thunderbowl Raceway career and will look to add to that this weekend. Photo by http://www.johnsracingphotos.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:21:28 PM
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A strong Oval Nationals last weekend has secured the 2009 USAC National Sprint Car championship for Levi Jones and the Tony Stewart Racing team going into the Thunderbowl Raceway this Saturday and Sunday. It marks the third career series title for the Avon, Indiana driver, who finished on the podium all three nights at the Perris Auto Speedway last weekend, which included winning an ultra exciting Friday prelim. Photo from http://www.tonystewartracing.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:22:24 PM
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Defending USAC/CRA champion Mike Spencer of Temecula has been on fire since Labor Day weekend having scored three victories, as well as a runner-up finish at the Budweiser Oval Nationals last weekend, where he came within just a few laps of victory aboard the famous Ron Chaffin Motorsports No. 50 sprinter. Photo by http://www.johnsracingphotos.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:23:03 PM
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Santa Maria's "Showtime" Danny Sheridan made a pair of Bandit 360 Series starts at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway earlier in the year and earned a victory and a runner-up finish in those two efforts. Photo by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:23:58 PM
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Driving a car for the locally based Roth Motorsports team will be Germantown, Tennessee's Kevin Swindell, who will be looking to rebound in Tulare after a rough outing at the Oval Nationals. Prior to being re-set by Terry McCarl in March of this year the "Bulldog" had also previously held the all-time Thunderbowl Raceway 410 track record since 2005. Photo by http://www.stevesracingphotos.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
03:25:12 PM
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Tickets for the Pacific Coast Nationals will be the same price both nights with Reserved Grandstand seats being $35 and General Admission Bleacher tickets $30. Children under 12 will be half-price in the bleachers. The front gate of the Thunderbowl Raceway will open at 3pm on Saturday November 14 with wheel packing at 4, qualifying at 5 and first race scheduled for 6. Sunday will see the front gate open at 2pm with wheel packing at 3, qualifying at 4 and first race scheduled for 5. Pit passes will be $35 for members and $40 for non-members with the drivers meeting set to be at 3pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Registration and pill draw will be at 1pm on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
All of the action from the event will be broadcast via live video feed at http://www.usacracing.com/usac_live
More info on the Pacific Coast Nationals can be found at http://www.thunderbowlraceway.com and http://www.usacracing.com
The Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on the corner of Bardsley and K Streets in Tulare, California
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 10, 2009 at
07:38:40 PM
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I`m so there . GT any norcal drivers there?
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November 10, 2009 at
08:32:10 PM
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The ones I think we know are at least Larson, Bud Kaeding, Keith Bloom, Shane Golobic and maybe Colby Copeland. Sure there might be some surprises though.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 11, 2009 at
05:15:22 PM
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Also wanted to note that Jerry Coons Jr. will be in a second Roth 83 car this weekend.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 11, 2009 at
05:29:46 PM
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Hey Gary,
Is it a 2 day show or will both nights be seperate events?
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November 11, 2009 at
05:35:28 PM
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From looking at the entry forms it is two separate shows so there won't be anybody locked-in to Sunday or anything like that.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 13, 2009 at
12:32:02 PM
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One last reminder. Hope everyone can make it down at least one night this weekend to pack the stands and help make this an annual event.
For great info on the wingless sprint car scene don't forget to check out www.scrafan.com
This Saturday & Sunday At The Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway
Tulare Fairgrounds
Bardsley & K Street
Tulare, Ca. 93274
Phone: (559) 688-0909
www.tularethunderbowl.com
November 14th & 15th, 2009
USAC National & CRA "Wingless" Sprint Cars
Tickets for the Pacific Coast Nationals will be the same price both nights
Tickets for Reserved Grandstand $35
General Admission Bleacher tickets $30
Children under 12 will be half-price in the bleachers
Saturday November 14
The front gate will open at 3pm
Wheel packing at 4pm - Qualifying at 5pm
First race scheduled for 6pm
Sunday November 15
The front gate open at 2pm
Wheel packing at 3pm, Qualifying at 4pm
First race scheduled for 5pm
Pit passes will be $35 for members
$40 for non-members
Drivers meeting at 3pm on Saturday and 2pm on Sunday.
Registration and pill draw 1pm on Saturday and Noon on Sunday.
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 14, 2009 at
03:12:53 AM
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Hey Gary did you get the Headlights fixed? Lol 
The older I get, the faster I used to be.
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November 14, 2009 at
09:19:15 AM
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Nope my dad's just gonna drive home Sunday afternoon and that will fix that situation hahah. Figure during the day there's no need for head lights 
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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November 16, 2009 at
07:12:02 PM
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This message was edited on
November 16, 2009 at
07:15:01 PM by t-dub
Great info Gary! Thanks as usual for all of the stats! Talk about event build-up! Your the man! Here's hoping that it DOES become an annual event! BTW, it was good seeing and talking to you at Marysville's "Wingless Nats". Tell your Mom , Dad and Bro i said HI. Later, Troy
SUPPORT WILDLIFE, go to a sprint car race!
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