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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC Western Classic Racing Series
#73 Ryan Bernal Wins At Ocean Speedway. Photo by Lance Jennings.
RYAN BERNAL STORMS TO WATSONVILLE VICTORY
by Lance Jennings
WATSONVILLE, CA – APRIL 21, 2013... Taking the lead from Tanner Swanson on lap four, Ryan Bernal of Hollister led the rest of the way to claim Friday’s season opener for the USAC Western Classic Sprint Cars. The 30-lap victory at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway was Bernal’s third career win with the young series as Colton Slack, Swanson, Matt Streeter, and D.J. Johnson followed Ryan to the checkered flags.
Piloting Keith Ford’s #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, Ryan Bernal qualified second overall and finished third in his heat race. Starting sixth in the main event, the 2-time Santa Maria track champion earned the night’s Kaeding Performance / Racing Optics “Hard Charger” award. After taking command, Bernal earned a comfortable lead and despite several caution flags and close calls with slower traffic, Ryan was not to be denied. With the feature win, Bernal leads the point chase as the series heads to Placerville on May 4th.
Brentwood’s Colton Slack started on the pole position and made a late charge for fourth to claim second. Racing the family owned #17 S&S Automotive / Vornhagen Body & Paint Maxim, Slack was ninth quick in time trials and placed third in his heat race. After the main event at Ocean Speedway, Colton and his carbureted machine are second in the point standings
Tanner Swanson of Kingsburg led the first three laps of the feature before scoring third at the finish line. Driving Alan Kaiser’s #69 Kaiser Construction Maxim, Swanson qualified seventh and won the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Tanner ran second for the majority of main event until a late race “slide job” by Slack took the spot. As the series prepares for Placerville, Swanson is third in the championship points.
Galt’s Matt Streeter charged back from an early spin to place fourth at Watsonville. Piloting his #14JR T&T Trucking / S&S Automotive Maxim, Streeter was fourth fast in qualifications and fourth in his heat race. Running second in the early stages of the feature, a spin on lap nine appeared to knock him out of contention. Matt put on a show as he moved to the front and earned fourth in the standings.
D.J. Johnson of Stockton came home fifth in his first start with a fuel-injected 410 engine. Racing the family owned #33 Unique Breeds / Proplant Farm Services Eagle, Johnson qualified fifth and ran fourth in his heat race. As this writing goes to press, the spec sprint graduate is sixth in the point chase.
Pleasanton’s Nathan Washam earned the first Saldana Racing Products / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award of the season. Piloting Jamie Hood’s #33X Dan’s Upholstery / Aquarius Consulting F5 Twister, Washam ran fifth in his heat race and seventh in the main event. The young driver left Watsonville seventh in the point standings.
Shauna Hogg of Fair Oaks won the program’s 8- lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. Driving the family owned #5 Borello Racing Engines / Jerry Crowell Racing Shocks Eagle, Hogg qualified twelfth and scored twelfth in the feature after a tangle ended her night. The veteran driver is eleventh in points heading to Placerville.
The USAC Western Classic Racing Series will return to action on Saturday, May 4th, at Placerville Speedway. Located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, the event will also feature Limited Late Models and Pure Stocks. Advance tickets are on sale and for more information, visit www.placervillespeedway.com or call 530.626.3680.
The USAC Western Classic Racing Series would like to thank Amsoil, Hoosier Tire, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, SBI Fuel Systems, and Saldana Racing Products for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at [email protected].
For more information on the USAC Western Classic Racing Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WesternClassicSprints).
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USAC WESTERN CLASSIC SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
April 19, 2013 – Watsonville, California – Ocean Speedway
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / ROD END SUPPLY TIME TRIALS:
1. Nathan Washam, 33X, Hood-14.814; 2. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-14.837; 3. Tony Hunt, 56, Phulps-15.030; 4. Matt Streeter, 14JR, Streeter-15.101; 5. D.J. Johnson, 33, Johnson-15.129; 6. Joe Stornetta, 3F, Finkenbinder-15.249; 7. Tanner Swanson, 69, Kaiser-15.355; 8. Klint Simpson, 84, Simpson-15.482; 9. Colton Slack, 17, Slack-15.485; 10. Gordon Rodgers, 94, Dusin-15.949; 11. Jim Richardson, 8, Richardson-16.152; 12. Shauna Hogg, 5, Hogg-16.191; 13 Tom Baker, 3T, Baker-16.389; 14. Scott Hall, 56X, Hall-18.921; 15. A.J. Kirkpatrick, 12K, Kirkpatrick-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (8 laps)
1. Tanner Swanson, 2. Tony Hunt, 3. Gordon Slack, 4. D.J. Johnson, 5. Nathan Washam, 6. Jim Richardson, 7. A.J. Kirkpatrick, 8. Tom Baker. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE 2: (8 laps)
1. Shauna Hogg, 2. Scott Hall, 3. Ryan Bernal, 4. Matt Streeter, 5. Klint Simpson, 6. Gordon Rodgers, 7, Joe Stornetta. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Ryan Bernal (6th), 2. Colton Slack (1st), 3. Tanner Swanson (2nd), 4. Matt Streeter (4th), 5. D.J. Johnson (3rd), 6. Tony Hunt (5th), 7. Nathan Washam (9th), 8. Jim Richardson (13th), 9. Klint Simpson (11th), 10. Scott Hall (8th), 11. Gordon Rodgers (12th), 12. Shauna Hogg (7th), 13, Tom Baker (14th), 14. A.J. Kirkpatrick (15th). NT
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**Joe Stornetta flipped during the second heat. Did Not Start Feature, Slated to Start 10th.
**Gordon Rodgers flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Tanner Swanson, Laps 4-30 Ryan Bernal.
KAEDING PERFORMANCE / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Ryan Bernal (6th to 1st)
USAC WESTERN CLASSIC SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ryan Bernal-71; 2. Colton Slack-63; 3. Tanner Swanson-62; 4. Matt Streeter-59; 5. Tony Hunt-56; 6. D.J. Johnson-55; 7. Nathan Washam-52; 8. Jim Richardson-42; 9. Klint Simpson-40; 10. Scott Hall-40; 11. Shauna Hogg-37; 12. Gordon Rodgers-34; 13. Tom Baker-28; 14. A.J. Kirkpatrick-27; 15. Joe Stornetta-3.
2013 USAC WESTERN CLASSIC SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
May 4: Placerville Speedway - Placerville, CA
June 14: *Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
June 21: Stockton 99 Dirt Track - Stockton, CA
July 12: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (Howard Kaeding Classic)
August 9: *Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
August 17: Reno Tahoe Fernley Speedway - Fernley, NV
August 31: *Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 1: *Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic)
September 5: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions)
TBA: Reno Tahoe Fernley Speedway - Fernley, NV
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series.
This schedule is subject to change.
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