|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series
#007 Wes Gutierrez. Photo by Lance Jennings.
USAC WEST COAST 360S CLASH AT TULARE SATURDAY
By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – APRIL 26, 2011... The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series will return to action this Saturday, April 30th, at Steve Faria's Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare. Joining the popular series will be the Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints vs. ASCS Southern California Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stocks, and Vintage Super Modifieds. The Front Gates will open at 5:00pm, Time Trials will start at 6:00pm, with Racing at the lightning fast 1/3-mile facility to begin at 7:00pm.
Ryan Bernal of Hollister sits atop the point standings heading into Saturday's event. The driver of the #11D Olmstead's Auto Racing Inc. / S&S Automotive Maxim scored a second place finish at Tulare on April 16th. To date, the former Wingless Spec Sprint Champion has three top-10 finishes and has led six main event laps on the season. Bernal will be looking to break through for his first career series win on Saturday.
Visalia's Jace VanderWeerd is fifteen points behind Bernal in the championship hunt. Piloting the family owned #88 VanderWeerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Jace claimed third on April 16th after starting ninth. The April 9th Santa Maria feature winner has three top-10 finishes and has led fourteen main event laps in the 2011 campaign. VanderWeerd will be working to add Saturday's feature win to his resume.
"Wide Open" Wes Gutierrez of San Martin is third in the point chase. Driving the WG Motorsports #007 DRC sponsored by Competition Suspension Inc. and ButlerBuilt, Wes was sixth after starting twelfth on April 16th. Currently, the hard charging driver has two heat race wins and three top-10 finishes on the year. Gutierrez will have his sights set on Tulare's 30-lap main event victory.
After claiming his second win of the year on April 16th, Campbell's Bud Kaeding is fourth in the point standings. Piloting Junior Bowman's #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Maxim, Kaeding has two heat race wins and has led forty-three laps of main event competition. As this writing goes to press, the 3-time USAC Silver Crown Champion has been competing in Australia.
Gardena's Greg Alexander sits fifth in the championship point chase. Driving Chuck Tyler's #72 Maxim backed by Trench Shoring and Amsoil, Greg placed sixteenth in the Tulare April 16th feature. To date, Alexander has one heat race win and two top-10 finishes to his credit. This Saturday, Greg will be looking to rebound with a main event triumph.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Hanford's Justyne Hamblin, Visalia's Richard VanderWeerd, Fresno's T.J. Smith, "Hollywood" Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton, Hanford's Jonathan Logan, Dennis Howell of Rancho Palos Verdes, Bakersfield's Rusty Carlile, and many more.
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt, Competition Suspension Inc., Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Port City Racing, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
Tulare's Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds at the corner of Bardsley and K Streets. Reserved Grandstand Tickets are $16 and Bleacher Tickets are $13. Advance tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling the track office at (559) 688-0909. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.tularethunderbowl.com.
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on facebook.
USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ryan Bernal 185; 2. Jace VanderWeerd 170; 3. Wes Gutierrez 161; 4. Bud Keading 148; 5. Greg Alexander 141; 6. Justyne Hamblin 136; 7. Richard VanderWeerd 133; 8. T.J. Smith 121; 9. Danny Faria Jr. 114; 10. Johnathon Logan 93; 11. Dennis Howell 86; 12. Rusty Carlile 84; --. Davey Pombo 84; 14. Ricky Kirkbride 73; 15. Nico Russo 59; 16. Peter Murphy 57; --. Andy Forsberg 57; 18. Cole Peard 55; --. Craig Stidham 55; 20. Marcus Niemela 49.
NEXT USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT RACE:
April 30th – Tulare, CA – Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway
|
