This message was edited on
May 21, 2012 at
10:26:23 PM by ljennings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
#17V Danny Faria Jr. in Victory Circle at Hanford's Kings Speedway. Photo by Paul Trevino.
DANNY FARIA JR. IS USAC/CRA KING AT HANFORD
By Lance Jennings
HANFORD, CA – MAY 20, 2012… Charging from the twelfth starting spot, "Hollywood" Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton scored his first Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series feature at Hanford's Kings Speedway. The veteran driver took the lead from pole-sitter Nic Faas on lap eighteen, fought through heavy traffic, and led the rest of the way to claim the $2,500 victory ahead of Ryan Bernal, Mike Spencer, Faas, and Cody Williams.
Title contenders Nic Faas of Huntington Beach and Yorba Linda's Matt Mitchell shared the front row of the 30-lap feature. With the green flag waving, the seventeen car field roared into the first turn and several cars tangled together. After a quick scramble by drivers to avoid the incident, the tangle had claimed Mitchell, Ryan Bernal, Cody Williams, and Seth Wilson. With the yellow flag displayed over the speedway, officials worked to clear the track as Mitchell was taken to the work area and the others were able to restart.
By USAC/CRA rule, when three or more cars are involved in a first lap incident, those drivers are given their spot back in a complete side by side restart. Unfortunately, Mitchell and his team were unable to make the needed repairs in time. With the field lined up and ready to go, Hollister's Ryan Bernal joined Faas up front.
On the restart, Faas got the jump on Bernal and looked to distance himself from the field. "The Ripper" Rip Williams quickly dropped Bernal to third, followed by Richard Vander Weerd, Cody Williams, and Austin Williams. By the third circuit, Danny Faria Jr. was the man on the move and diced with Bernal for fourth. Two laps later, Faria claimed third as Faas was close to a half straightaway advantage over second place. Mike Spencer, the current point leader, was running seventh.
On the ninth lap, Faria wrestled second away from "The Ripper" and now had an open track. Faas, who preferred to run the outside line, was quickly approaching slower traffic. The stage was now set for high drama.
With Faas' progress slowed by a treacherous cushion and slower traffic, Faria made up valuable ground and closed within striking distance by lap sixteen. Two laps later, Faria managed to take the lead away from Faas, only to have his efforts erased by a caution. The yellow flag waved for Austin Liggett, who had spun his 360 powered machine to a stop. Liggett was able to rejoin the field and scored fifteenth in his first USAC/CRA start.
Reverting back to lap seventeen, Faas was back out front with Faria on his rear nerf bar. Bernal was third, with Rip in fourth, and Spencer holding down fifth. Faas picked up the pace in the single file restart and attacked the cushion. Faria dove low and as the pair reached the second corner, Faas slipped off the edge heading down the back chute. Now in command, Danny began to power away with Nic recovering in second and a three way battle for third with Rip, Ryan, and Mike.
With five laps to go, "Hollywood" continued to lead the way and reached heavy lapped traffic. Bernal had claimed second, Spencer secured third, Faas maintained fourth, and Cody Williams had battled to fifth after falling to eighth. The leader began to slice his way through the lappers as Bernal and Spencer looked for an opening. It was not to be on this night as Faria held on to claim his first traditional 410 victory at Scott Woodhouse's 3/8-mile track.
Piloting his #17V Johnston Calf Pens / Buster & Ziggy Enterprises Bullet, Danny Faria Jr. earned the Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job" honors with a twelfth to first place run. Earlier in the program, the USAC West Coast 360 standout was twelfth fast on the night and won the 10-lap Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #2. It was a night to remember for the local Central Valley driver.
Hollister's Ryan Bernal came home second in the USAC/CRA main event after winning the companion USAC Western Midget feature in dramatic fashion. Driving Keith Ford's #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, Bernal qualified fifth and won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. As the series heads to Perris on May 26th for the "Salute To Indy," Ryan has climbed to third in the point standings.
Mike Spencer of Temecula earned the program's LRB Inc. Race Products Award for his third place finish. Piloting Ron Chaffin's #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim, the 4-time champion earned his third Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award of the campaign and scored fourth in his heat race. Heading to Perris, Spencer now holds an eighteen point advantage over the competition.
After leading the first seventeen laps, Nic Faas scored fourth at Hanford. Driving Mark Alexander's #4 Scott Sales Company / Competition Suspension Inc. Spike, Faas was eighth quick in time trials and finished second in his heat race to Faria. The 2008 USAC Western Midget Series Champion is second in the point chase going to the annual "Salute to Indy."
Yorba Linda's "Cadillac" Cody Williams claimed fifth in the 30-lap feature. Piloting Jack Jory's #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams was third fast on the night and scored fifth in his heat race. As this writing goes to press, the former National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year is eleventh in the point chase.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series would like to thank Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Integra Racing Shocks, Keizer Wheels, LRB Inc. Race Products, Ringers Gloves, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support. For more information, visit www.usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on Facebook or Twitter.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will be back in action this Saturday, May 26th, at Perris Auto Speedway for the annual "Salute To Indy." Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, more event information can be found at www.perrisautospeedway.com or calling (951) 940-0134.
To catch all of the action of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series at Perris Auto Speedway, Mike Truex's Loudpedal Productions has DVD videos available for purchase. For more information, call (805) 407-7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com. In addition, Perris Auto Speedway offers a pay per view feed of every event at www.circletracknetwork.com.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
May 19, 2012 – Hanford, California – Kings Speedway
SANDER ENGINEERING / ROD END SUPPLY TIME TRIALS:
1. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-15.421; 2. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-15.614; 3. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-15.617; 4. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-15.626; 5. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-15.756; 6. Rip Williams, 3, Jory-15.845; 7. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-15.930; 8. Nic Faas, 4, Alexander-15.946; 9. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-15.973; 10. Seth Wilson, 1, Wilson-15.994; 11. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.060; 12. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-16.089; 13. Rusty Carlile, 51, Carlile-16.122; 14. Marty Hawkins, 3M, Hawkins-16.389; 15. Corey Ballard, 20, Ballard-16.750; 16. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-16.755; 17. Billy Blinn, 26, Blinn-17.244.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Ryan Bernal, 2. Jace Vander Weerd, 3. Brody Roa, 4. Mike Spencer, 5. Cody Williams, 6. Matt Mitchell, 7. Rusty Carlile, 8. Corey Ballard, 9. Billy Blinn. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Danny Faria Jr., 2. Nic Faas, 3. Rip Williams, 4. Richard Vander Weerd, 5. Austin Williams, 6. Marty Hawkins, 7. Austin Liggett, 8. Seth Wilson. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions)
1. Danny Faria Jr. (12th), 2. Ryan Bernal (4th), 3. Mike Spencer (8th), 4. Nic Faas (1st), 5. Cody Williams (6th), 6. Rip Williams (3rd), 7. Austin Williams (7th), 8. Brody Roa (11th), 9. Jace Vander Weerd (9th), 10. Rusty Carlile (13th), 11. Marty Hawkins (14th), 12. Billy Blinn (17th), 13. Seth Wilson (10th), 14. Corey Ballard (15th), 15. Austin Liggett (16th), 16. Richard Vander Weerd (5th), 17. Matt Mitchell (2nd). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-17 Nic Faas, Laps 18-30 Danny Faria Jr.
RINGERS GLOVES / KEIZER WHEELS HARD CHARGER: Danny Faria Jr. (12th to 1st)
LRB INC. RACE PRODUCTS AWARD: Mike Spencer
NEW AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINTS:
1. Mike Spencer 272; 2. Nic Faas 254; 3. Ryan Bernal 227; 4. Matt Mitchell 216; 5. Austin Williams 191; 6. Brody Roa 181; 7. Rip Williams 173; 8. David Cardey 142; 9. Richard Vander Weerd 136; 10. Jace Vander Weerd 133; 11. Cody Williams 129; 12. Seth Wilson 121; 13. Cory Kruseman 106; 14. Josh Ford 99; 15. David Bezio 93; 16. Jake Swanson 86; 17. Greg Alexander 85; 18. Tony Everhart 54; 19. Josh Pelkey 51; 20. Rusty Carlile 34.
2012 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
May 26: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute To Indy)
June 2: Cocopah Speedway - Yuma, AZ
June 15: **Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
June 16: **Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Firecracker 30)
July 28: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 10: **Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
August 11: **Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Wagscash)
August 18: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
September 1: **Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 2: **Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 5: **Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Non-Points)
September 15: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
October 6: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Southern California Fair)
October 26: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 27: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 2: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 3: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC National Sprints.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC Western Classic Racing Series.
This schedule is subject to change.
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