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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series
#4J Andy Ferris. 14th in USAC West Coast Sprint Points. Photo by Steve Lafond / Tear-Off Heaven Fotos.
SANTA MARIA HOSTS “5TH ANNUAL DOUG FORT MEMORIAL” SATURDAY
by Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – JULY 1, 2013... This Saturday, July 6th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will make their final Santa Maria appearance of the season. The “5th Annual Doug Fort Memorial” will also showcase the VP Racing Fuels Late Models, Tilton IMCA Super Stocks, Okie Bowl Hardtops, American Stocks, and Condon Motorsports Mini Dwarfs. The front gates will open at 4:30pm, time trials will start at 5:00pm, and racing at "The West Coast's Best Short Track" will begin at 6:00pm.
Saturday's point race honors Doug Fort, who built the Santa Maria 1/3-mile clay oval. Opening on Sunday, March 31, 1964 with the California Racing Association (CRA) Sprint Cars, Fort continued to serve as owner and promoter until his passing in 1999. During his tenure, Santa Maria Speedway was named the "Best Short Track Operation West of the Mississippi" on two separate occasions and hosted a wide variety of race cars. The famed World of Outlaws, Stock Cars, IMCA Modifieds, Midgets, California Dirt Cars, Winged Sprint Cars, and Non-Winged Sprint Cars have battled on the Santa Maria clay. Doug Fort dedicated his life to racing and the staff at Santa Maria Speedway is proud to honor his memory.
Originally a winged 410 sprint car race, the "Doug Fort Memorial” continues to be a popular event at Santa Maria Speedway. Last season, the race was showcased as part of the USAC vs. ASCS “Grudge Series” and “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman raced a Keith Ford entry to victory.
Heading to Santa Maria, two-time track champion Ryan Bernal of Hollister holds a twenty-four point advantage over the competition. Piloting Keith Ford's #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Bernal scored third in Santa Maria’s “Bud Stanfield Memorial” on June 22nd. Currently, the 2011 Rookie of the Year has five main event wins, four heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, one BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, twelve top-10 finishes, and 85 feature laps led. Ryan has four career wins at Santa Maria and will be one of the favorites to watch on Saturday.
Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd is second in the USAC West Coast standings. Racing the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Richard led all 30-laps to win the “Bud Stanfield Memorial.” The 2011 Champion has two Weld Racing Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, two Woodland Auto Display Dash wins, one semi-main win, two BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Awards, twelve top-10 finishes, and 101 feature laps led. Vander Weerd will miss Saturday’s “Doug Fort Memorial” to prepare for “Indiana Sprint Week.”
"Hollywood" Danny Faria Jr. of Tipton is third in the championship points. Driving his #17V Johnston Calf Pens / DeBoer & Sons Trucking Spike, Faria scored tenth at Santa Maria after a flip ended his night. This year’s Billet Cup point champion has one Weld Racing Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, one BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, nine top-10 finishes, and 22 feature laps led. Danny and Crew Chief Vinnie Lattner will be looking for their first win of the season at the “Doug Fort Memorial.”
Campbell’s Bud Kaeding sits fourth in the point standings. Piloting Junior Bowman's #29 Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / Kaeding Performance Bullet, Kaeding ran seventh at Santa Maria. To date, the defending series champion has two heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, ten top-10 finishes, and 2 feature laps led to his credit. On Saturday, Bud will have his sights on his first USAC West Coast victory at Santa Maria Speedway.
Jace Vander Weerd of Visalia is fifth in the point chase. Driving the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Jace claimed fifth in the “Stanfield Memorial.” Currently, the 2010 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year has three heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, and six top-10 finishes on the season. Like his twin brother Richard, Jace will be in Indiana to prepare for “Sprint Week” with the USAC National Sprints.
Currently eighth in the standings, Riverdale’s Landon Hurst leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Jeff Sibley of Oakdale, Terra Bella’s Trent Carter, Garrett Long of Springville, and Springville’s Seth Hancock are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Flying Finn” Markus Niemela, “The Bakersfield Bullet” Rusty Carlile, "The Rickster" Ricky Kirkbride, Austin Liggett, Dennis Howell, Marty Hawkins, Kevin Barnes, Andy Ferris, Kolby Araki, Don Gansen, Chris Gansen, and more.
Santa Maria Speedway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Adult tickets are $18, Senior, Military, and Student tickets (13-17) are $16, Kids tickets (6-12) are $6, and Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.racesantamariaspeedway.com or call (805) 315-2023.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, Weld Racing, and Woodland Auto Display 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 West Coast Sprint Car Series, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/#!/pages/USAC-West-Coast-Sprint-Car-Series/369549755817).
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DOUG FORT MEMORIAL SPRINT CAR WINNERS:
2009- Tyler Walker; 2010- Tommy Tarlton; 2011- Jonathan Allard; 2012- Cory Kruseman.
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1-Ryan Bernal 588; 2-Richard Vander Weerd-564; 3-Danny Faria Jr.-478; 4-Bud Kaeding-449; 5-Jace Vander Weerd-412; 6-Markus Niemela-408; 7-Rusty Carlile-357; 8-Landon Hurst-281; 9-Ricky Kirkbride-276; 10-Austin Liggett-266; 11-Kevin Barnes-264; 12-Dennis Howell-250; 13-Marty Hawkins-236; 14-Andy Ferris-226; 15-Jeff Sibley-217; 16-Chris Ennis-215; 17-Matt Day-197; 18-Brody Roa-146; 19-Jonathan Logan-136; 20-Kolby Araki-112.
2013 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
July 6: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial)
July 20: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
August 3: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Evett Memorial)
September 7: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
September 20: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial)
September 21: Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (John Anthony Sharp Memorial)
September 28: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points)
October 12: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Cotton Classic)
October 31: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points)
November 14: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / Non-Points)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / Non-Points)
November 16: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / $7,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC Southwest Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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