|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
#91R Brody Roa at Yuma's Cocopah Speedway. Photo by Doug Allen.
BRODY ROA SCORES WIRE-TO-WIRE VICTORY AT YUMA
By Lance Jennings
YUMA, AZ – JUNE 3, 2012… Starting on the pole position, Buena Park's Brody Roa led all 30-laps in the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series debut at Cocopah Speedway in Yuma, Arizona. The $2,500 payday marked Roa's first career triumph with the group as he joins Ron Shuman (CRA), Lealand McSpadden (CRA), Mike Kirby (CRA), and Richard Griffin (SCRA) as feature winners at the Yuma facility.
Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Spike, Brody Roa got the jump on outside front row starter "The Ripper" Rip Williams and held off several challenges from "The Kruser" Cory Kruseman. With temperatures over 100 degrees and constant winds throughout the day, Roa showed the patience of a veteran and hit his marks on the Yuma clay oval. Following Brody across the finish line were Seth Wilson, Kruseman, Mike Spencer, and Matt Mitchell.
After qualifying ninth fast in time trials, Roa placed fifth in his heat race. With seventeen entries in the pit area and a heat race flip by Fast Time Qualifier Nic Faas, Brody inherited the pole position. The former USAC Ford Focus Midget Champion made the best of the opportunity and led every lap to claim the main event victory. To date, Roa has six top-10 finishes and is tied for second with thirty feature laps led on the year.
Making a charge from seventh, Seth Wilson of Las Vegas claimed second at Cocopah Speedway. Driving his #1X Racing Optics / X Stack Competition Welding machine, the former Victorville track champion was third quick on the night and placed sixth in his heat race. Wilson was strong on this night and has one heat race victory, one Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job" Award, and two top-10 finishes to his credit.
After making some early challenges for the lead, Ventura's "The Kruser" Cory Kruseman earned the LRB Inc. Race Products Award for his third place finish. Piloting Mark Priestley's #7 Roy Miller Freight Lines / Sander Engineering Maxim, the 2006 USAC/CRA Champion was fifth fast in time trials and third in his heat race. To date, the future Hall of Fame driver has two heat race victories and four top-ten finishes on the year. Cory will be looking forward to USAC/CRA's return to Watsonville on June 15th, where he has scored the last two feature wins.
Temecula's Mike Spencer finished fourth after starting eighth in the Yuma feature. Driving Ron Chaffin's famed red #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim, Spencer was second quick on the night and second in his heat race. The 4-time series champion leads the point standings and leads USAC/CRA in feature wins (3), Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Awards (4), top-10 finishes (tied with 6), and feature laps led (70). In addition, Mike has one heat race victory, and one Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels "Hard Charger" Award in 2012.
Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda stormed to fifth after starting twelfth at Cocopah Speedway. Piloting the J.W. Mitchell Motorsports' #37 J.M. Mancha Realtors / Sierra Spring Water Maxim, Matt qualified thirteenth and won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. In the six races to date, the former USAC Western Midget Series Rookie of the Year has two heat race victories and five top-10 finishes. Mitchell will be looking to score victories at Watsonville on June 15th and Santa Maria the following night.
Huntington Beach's Nic Faas earned the night's Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job" honors with a sixth place run after starting seventeenth. Driving Mark Alexander's #4 Scott Sales Company / Competition Suspension Inc. Spike, Faas earned his second Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award of the year and flipped in his heat race, scoring seventh. Switching to a back-up car, the 2008 USAC Western Midget Series Champion charged forward to salvage his night. As this writing goes to press, Nic has one feature win, three heat race victories, six top-10 finishes, and twenty-five feature laps led.
Austin Williams of Yorba Linda won the program's Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #2. Piloting Jack Jory's #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams was fifth fast in time trials and seventh in the main event. In 2012, Austin has three heat race victories, one Competition Suspension Inc. / Diversified Machine Inc. Semi-Main win, one Ringers Gloves / Keizer Wheels "Hard Charger" Award and five top-10 finishes. The son of Hall of Fame Driver Rip Williams will have his sights on wins at Watsonville and Santa Maria, where he claimed victory on August 13, 2011.
El Cajon's Tony Everhart finished thirteenth and won the $250 bonus offered by the United States Auto Club (USAC) to the highest finishing 360. Driving his #55 Demo Incorporated / Commercial Floor Services Ellis with an ASCS legal engine, Everhart was fifteenth in qualifications and eighth in his heat race. The 1994 California Lighting Sprint Champion is still recovering from his May 26th Perris crash during practice and was happy to earn the bonus.
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 on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/#!/USAC_CRA).
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will return to action on Friday, June 15th, at John Prentice's Ocean Speedway in Watsonville. Co-sanctioned with the USAC Western Classic Sprints, the event will also feature USAC Ford Focus Midgets, Junior Ford Focus Midgets, Micro 600s, and Modifieds. For more information, visit www.oceanspeedway.com/Watsonville or call 831.622.WINN (9466).
The following night, June 16th, both USAC/CRA and the Western Classic group will travel to Chris Kearns' Santa Maria Speedway. The event will feature a $1,000 Winner-Take-All Wheelie Contest and also showcase Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Okie Bowl Hardtops. For more information, visit www.racesantamariaspeedway.com or call 805.922.2232.
--------------------------------------------------------
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
June 2, 2012 – Yuma, Arizona – Cocopah Speedway
SANDER ENGINEERING / ROD END SUPPLY TIME TRIALS:
1. Nic Faas, 4, Alexander-16.734; 2. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-17.094; 3. Seth Wilson, 1X, Wilson-17.184; 4. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-17.225; 5. Austin Williams, 44, Jory-17.746; 6. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-17.783; 7. Cory Kruseman, 7, 17.795; 8. Rip Williams, 3, Jory-17.834; 9. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-17.953; 10. Stevie Sussex, 2Y, Yeley-17.965; 11. David Bezio, 37X, Bezio-17.981; 12. A.J. Bender, 12, Bender-18.091; 13. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-18.093; 14. Bobby Bender, 11, Bender-18.150; 15. Tony Everhart, 55, Everhart-19.058; 16. Jim Donley, 71K, Kruseman-19.414; 17. Jordan Stetson, 8AZ, Stetson-19.483.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. Matt Mitchell, 2. David Bezio, 3. Cory Kruseman, 4. Cody Williams, 5. Brody Roa, 6. Seth Wilson, 7. Nic Faas, 8. Tony Everhart, 9. Jordan Stetson. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Austin Williams, 2. Mike Spencer, 3. Bobby Bender, 4. Rip Williams, 5. Mike Martin, 6. Stevie Sussex, 7. A.J. Bender, 8. Jim Donley. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions)
1. Brody Roa (1st), 2. Seth Wilson (7th), 3. Cory Kruseman (3rd), 4. Mike Spencer (8th), 5. Matt Mitchell (12th), 6. Nic Faas (17th), 7. Austin Williams (6th), 8. David Bezio (10th), 9. Cody Williams (5th), 10. Rip Williams (2nd), 11. Stevie Sussex (9th), 12. Bobby Bender (13th), 13. Tony Everhart (14th), 14. Jordan Stetson (16th), 15. Jim Donley (15th), 16. Mike Martin (4th), 17. A.J. Bender (11th). NT
----------------------------
**Nic Faas flipped during the first heat.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Brody Roa
RINGERS GLOVES / KEIZER WHEELS HARD CHARGER: Nic Faas (17th to 6th)
LRB INC. RACE PRODUCTS AWARD: Cory Kruseman
NEXT AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE:
June 15: **Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
-----------------------------------------------
** = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC Western Classic Racing Series.
|
