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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series

#92 Greg Bragg. Photo by Doug Allen Photos.

USAC/CRA 410 SPRINT CARS MAKE HANFORD RETURN THIS SATURDAY
By Lance Jennings

SANTA MARIA, CA – MAY 4, 2011… This Saturday, May 7th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will make their return to Hanford's Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway. Joining the traditional 410 cubic-inch powered machines will be the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, and Mini Stocks. The pit gates will open at 1:00pm, spectator gates at 5:00pm, time trials at 6:00pm, with racing to begin at 6:30pm.

“I’m looking forward to seeing these guys roar around my track!” remarked track promoter Scott Woodhouse. "I remember watching these guys as a kid and still remember all the good times I had and wanted to share that with the fans.” The popular series last competed at the Hanford facility in 2007, where "The Kruser" Cory Kruseman scored the 30-lap victory. "The Demon" Damion Gardner and Ricci Faria have also won features at the 3/8-mile clay oval.

Heading into the Hanford event, Temecula's Mike Spencer leads the point standings and remains undefeated in the 2011 campaign. Driving Ron Chaffin's potent #50 Madera Produce / Circle C Marketing Maxim, Spencer has three main event wins, one heat race victory, and leads the series with forty-two feature laps led. The 3-time defending champion will be looking for another victory as he looks to make USAC history with his fourth straight title.

"Dynamite" David Cardey of Riverside is second in the championship points. Piloting his #59 Circle Track Performance / Pick's Racing Engines Viper, Cardey earned the Sander Engineering Fast Time Award and scored third at Perris on April 2nd. To date, the former California Lightning Sprint Champion has one heat race victory, one hard charger award, and three top-10 finishes. David will be looking for the Hanford 30-lap win on Saturday.

Yorba Linda's "The Bullet" Blake Miller sits third in the point chase. Driving Mark Priestley's #7 Roy Miller Freightlines / Sander Engineering Maxim, Miller finished second to Spencer on April 2nd. The former Rookie of the Year has three top-10 finishes and has led six feature laps in 2011. This Saturday, Blake will have his sights set on a Hanford victory.

Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda is fourth in the USAC/CRA points. Piloting the #37 J.W. Mitchell Motorsports Maxim, backed by Mancha Realtors and Sierra Springs, Mitchell won the DJ Safety Heat Race #3 and scored fourth at Perris. The USAC Western Midget Series graduate has three top-10 finishes to his credit and will look to add a Hanford feature to his resume.

Visalia's Greg Bragg is fifth in the point standings. Driving Tom and Laurie Sertich's #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Pacific Business Machine Buckley, Bragg claimed seventh on April 2nd. To date, the 3-Time California Lightning Sprint Champion has one heat race victory, one hard charger award, and three top-10 finishes. Greg will be working to put the Moose Racing entry in victory lane.

Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are "Super" Rickie Gaunt of Torrance, Yorba Linda's Austin, Cody, and "The Ripper" Rip Williams, Huntington Beach's Nic Faas, "Showtime" Danny Sheridan of Santa Maria, Norco's Ronnie Gardner, Visalia's Richard and Jace VanderWeerd, and many more.

Local 360 iron-block powered Sprint Cars are welcome to race with USAC/CRA. The 360s can run their local approved tires, but must meet series tech standards and race track muffler rules. The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series does not have an entry fee, but drivers must have one-way radios. In addition, the series is offering a bonus to the highest finishing 360 team. To be eligible for the $200 cash award from USAC and 20 gallons of methanol from So-Cal Performance, the owner or driver must be a USAC/CRA licensed member.

Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds at 801 S. 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Reserved Grandstand tickets are $20 and General Grandstand tickets are $17. The track is offering a $3 discount to Seniors (55+), Military (with ID), and Children (6-12). Kids 5 and under are FREE. Advance tickets are on sale and camping is available on the fairgrounds. For more event information, visit giantchevroletspeedway.com or call (559) 584-RACE (7223).

The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series would like to thank Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Donovan Engineering, Electro Tech Powder Coating, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Keizer Wheels, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support. For more information, visit usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on facebook.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Mike Spencer 214; 2. David Cardey 185; 3. Blake Miller 184; 4. Matt Mitchell 163; 5. Greg Bragg 139; 6. David Bezio 117; 7. Rickie Gaunt 116; 8. Cody Williams 102; 9. Nic Faas 98; 10. Danny Sheridan 94; 11. Austin Williams 93; 12. Richard VanderWeerd 89; 13. Greg Alexander 84; 14. Ronnie Gardner 83; 15. Jace VanderWeerd 79; 16. Damion Gardner 62; 17. Rip Williams 60; 18. Bill Rose 54; 19. Cory Kruseman 52; 20. Tom Grunkemeyer 48.

NEXT AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE:
May 7th - Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway - Hanford, California

How many cars do you think will be there?

This question always drives me nuts! If you are a fan of Sprint Car Racing just show up and support those that are there putting on a show for you! If X number of cars have to show up for you to have a good time then sit at home and watch NASCRAP on TV or better yet watch Oprah!

Joe

PS. My rant isnt directed to you personally but really who really knows the answer until you get to the track!

@ socal i like ur comment.. i have never got that question either.. ive been to many races where its just five cars or wutever the number may be, but they still put a show on.. arive look alive and drink beers!

@ boggsdude i can guarantee more than 20 cars.. solid and going to be a badass show!!

Pushin the cushin! 

The car count question is a very legitimate one. When a fan asks that one particular question, it needs to be taken seriously. Why?

Doing public relations work as I do, the NUMBER ONE issue today's race fan has when deciding to go to the races (or not) is car count. They want to know for their time and cost, what is the amount of entertainment they will get? There are a some tracks that take small car counts and run 4-5 car heats. Sprint car fans get furious over this.

While true that some fans will go to the races regardless of cost (props to you people), those empty seats you see each week are fans who didnt come for various reasons. Car count is at the top of that list.

Interestingly, for the 'sprint car' fan, I have learned from them that ticket prices isnt number two on the list either (as I thought it would be). #2 is having stock car classes on the program. Sprint car fans for the most part, dont care to sit around for an hour or more waiting to see the cars they really paid to see.

To the fan that asked the question, I hope you choose to attend the race coming your way. Everyone we can get to buy a ticket in the stands and/or pits, is supporting the sport we all enjoy.

You are right!

I GUESStimate there will be 100 Sprint Cars then!

Joe

Interesting remark. Enjoy the races

Here is the reality of the situation.

Promotors Need Fans to Pay Admission in order to pay a good purse to get the Car Owners to Show up to get more fans in the stands because more cars on the track to get more fans in the stands with more fans in the stands you can get more cars on the track because the purse has increased allowing the promotor to pay a bigger purse in order to get more more cars on the track in order for them to make some money to get more fans at the track.

Do you see how that sentence never ends or there is a run on sentence there? You break the sentence at any point and the chain breaks! Sorry folks but the days of stand alone shows are just about over! Get your butts to the stands and see if you can keep it going!

Now to the point of the question. How is anyone to answer it? To me, the point of the question is to turn people away from going to the races! Lets say he gets his answer of 22 cars and a "fan" has determined that they need 23 to be happy you have just turned them away from showing up. If you like sprint cars just show up and be a part of the show.

A few weeks ago they had 5 sprint cars at Victorville and I and my friends had a great time! The track was racey and entertaining! Speedway Bikes race with 4 bikes on the track at a time and it is fun to watch!

All this question does is turn people away from showing up in my opinion! How many fans do you figure will show up? How many cars do you figure will be in the parking lot? How many hot dogs do you figure they are going to sell? How many people do you figure wont show up because not enough cars will be there?

Joe

John, the number 2 answer is interesting, it would seem to me this would be a simple fix. I know in this economy promoters need to take in as much as posible to keep going and I know support classes are here to stay, the fix in my simple way of thinking would be to run the sprints first. The track stays good and the sprint fan will not think they are just wasting time!

Grady

. 

Your on the right train of thought. This is what promoters need to be doing if they want to keep the 'sprint fan' in the stands when they run multiple stock car classes. They (promoters) still tend to hold the sprints back in the program to sell that extra beer and hot dog. They need to adapt and change their way of doing business in this regard because the old saying goes.......

You cant sell a hot dog to an empty seat.

If 'Jimmy sprint fan' leaves after the sprint car main, at least he was there to sell something to (including the ticket). Otherwise, to some of the Jimmy's, they just stay away and catch another event at another time.

I've never been one to care about the car count but I do understand why some people ask the question. I've seen good shows with 16 cars, and bad shows with 50 cars, you just never know.

Low car counts can make for sometimes boring and pointless heat races. However, if you end with with an exciting main event, you'll probably go home feeling you saw a good show. One the other hand, watch some good heat races followed by a huggy-pole, freight train A main, and you may go home feeling let down.

As for being a sprint car fan. I don't think anyone who knows boggsdude would question whether or not he is a fan. For some, seeing a race involves more than "just showing up." I've seen what boggsdude go through just to get to the track and enjoy a night at the races.

Recently my health has taken a sh*t and before I go to a race I have to look at the overall picture. Is seeing a good race worth the obstacles it takes to get to the track and get a seat? Is it going to be worth it or good for me to spend several hours on a hard seat in cold weather? And while not so much the number of cars I'll see, the overall quality of the field does come in to play as well.

That said, I hope you all get a great show at Hanford with tons of cars. If it was the same weekend as the Dave Bradway Jr. Memorial race in Chico, I would probably be heading to Hanford Saturday.

CarWash Mike

I disagree with just about everything posted above! I am going to Hanford regaurdless of how many cars are going to be there. The reason I asked the question was because I wanted to know what to expect. That being said, I would be pissed and would not have a good time if six cars showed up! Because I wouldn't want to sit through 9 bomber classes for One heat & a 30 lap heat. I also prefer that they run the sprints last because I like to go to the pits after the races & see the cars, drivers and friends. One more unpopular thing I like is when they drag out the show with dance contests, driver interviews, introductions, & music because for me it is my social event of the month, most of my friends are there it's kind of like a party for me. I love it when cowboy Joe and all my other friends, most of who i have met at the racetrack, I love it when they all come by "my section " and say hello and shoot the breeze with me for a few minutes. If the PAS Sells more beer in the process how is that bad? If they don't make there money, then they build houses on our track and we all lose!

Car Wash Mike is correct if you knew what i went through to go to even a local race at the PAS, let alone going on an overnight trip, nobody would question weather or not I was a real race fan. I have heard about good shows with 12 cars, but 12 cars isn't enough show for most? When you pick & choose your races like me, what are you going to choose A race with 23cars or a race with 14cars? .

I run stock cars before the Sprints to help prep the track! I dont get the beer sales!

Chris Kearns
www.ChrisKearnsPresents.com
805-714-8538
[email protected] 

I agree with all the above, some could careless some do care. I get the fact of traveling and what not, its just too hard to predict what car counts r going to b now days. unless of course ur watchin kws or usac/cra. then u can kind of predict what u will see of course. boggs i totally agree that i like to see the sprints ran last so u and ppl like us can go mingle and check out the sprints. I love going to the pits after to check everything out or buy a shirt and support the teams as well.. I dont think any post on this topic is wrong.. I hope we can all meet up one day and say that was a hell of a race! I hope everyone has a great time at kings this weekend, and if anyone isnt making this race then i hope the race u attend is just as good! Scott does a great job and i know the show will b awesome!

EVERYONE have a great weekend!

Pushin the cushin! 

USAC/CRA or KWS ? I'm 3 hours either way. Car count means little to me, enjoy sprint cars. That being said i'm headed for Scotts place Giant Chev Kings Speedway.