USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS AT VENTURA SATURDAY
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 30, 2019... This Saturday, May 4th, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will make their only appearance of the year at Ventura Raceway. Promoted by Jim Naylor, the fifth point race will also feature the VRA Senior Sprints, California Lightning Sprints, and the Focus/WMR Midgets. The Pit Gates will open at Noon, the Front Gates will open at 3:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 5:30pm at “The Best Little Dirt Track in America.” For more event information, visit the track’s website at venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE.
NOTICE TO RACERS:
-2019 APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: EXTREME: 6014-3535, 3615-3535; SCHOENFELD: 14272535, 14272735-78; FLOWMASTER: 53545-10, 13516100, 13516101; COAST FABRICATION: 350x625x17-2S; B&B: FRAC-0375S; SPINTECH: 1545P SUPER STOCK
*Failure to comply with the muffler rule will risk disqualification from the event.
- FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
- FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS ARE MANDATORY.
- Hoosier Tires are required on all four corners with the 105/16 Medium and the 105/18 Hard as the only approved right rear tires. The “Medium” is also legal with the USAC National, USAC SouthWest, USAC West Coast, and VRA Sprint Cars.
- Cockpit adjustable shocks ARE ALLOWED.
- USAC/CRA charges a $25 entry fee to all competitors and the series rule book can be found online at usacracing.com.
- USAC MEMBERSHIPS can be purchased at the track or online at usaclicense.com.
- USAC BONUS / Any racer who enters every event for both the AMSOIL USAC/CRA and Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car schedules will have their entry fees reimbursed at the end of the year.
Since May 22, 2004, the Ventura County Fairgrounds has held twenty USAC/CRA Sprint Car races. “The Ripper” Rip Williams won the Ventura USAC/CRA debut and “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman leads all drivers with six series wins. “The Bullet” Blake Miller set the USAC/CRA qualifying record of 11.675 on October 25, 2008 and “The Flying Shoe” Ron Shuman posted the all-time 410 non-wing record of 11.527 on October 1, 1994. Last year, Brody Roa earned the special 40-lap victory and a complete series win list at Ventura is at the bottom of this release.
Heading to Ventura, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA) sits atop the point standings with a thirteen point advantage. Racing the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Roa took third in the April 13th “Sokola Shootout” at Perris. To date, the 2016 USAC West Coast Sprint Car Champion has one feature win, four top-10 finishes, and 44 feature laps led to his credit. Brody is tied with Matt Mitchell, and Austin Williams for fifteenth on the win list and will be looking for his eighth career triumph.
“The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, CA) is second in the chase for the championship. Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Trench Shoring / All Coast Construction Spike, Gardner set fast time and ran fifth in the “Sokola Shootout.” At press time, the seven-time champion has two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, and four top-10 finishes on the year. This Saturday, “The Demon” will have his sights on the eighty-first USAC/CRA victory of his career.
After running second to Richard Vander Weerd at Perris, R.J. Johnson (Laveen, AZ) has climbed to third in the USAC/CRA point chase. Driving the Bobby Martin Racing #51 Martin Family Auto Museum / Pro Flyer Race Engines Sherman, Johnson has three heat race victories, three top-10 finishes, and sixteen feature laps led in the campaign. The five-time USAC SouthWest Champion has six career USAC/CRA wins and will be looking to add Ventura to his resume.
“The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams (Yorba Linda, CA) ranks fourth in the point standings. Racing Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Lucas Oil DRC, Williams finished ninth at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds. To date, the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year has four top-10 finishes on the season and will have his sights on his eighth career win.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, AZ) is fifth in championship point standings. Piloting his #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis scored a fourteenth place finish in the April 13th main event. At press time, the defending USAC SouthWest Champion has two heat race victories, one Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Award, and one top-10 finish on the season. “Chargin” Charles is the 1993 CRA Rookie of the Year and will be looking for his fourth career USAC/CRA triumph.
Currently tied for twenty-third in points, Eddie Tafoya Jr. (Chino Hills, CA) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Jeff Dyer (Bermuda Dunes, CA), Steve Hix (Ventura, CA), Stephen Sanchez (Flagstaff, AZ), and Ryan Cully (Alger, WA) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Stevie Sussex, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, “Thunder” Tommy Malcolm, Richard Vander Weerd, Chris Gansen, Matt McCarthy, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., A.J. Bender, Jake Swanson, Jace Vander Weerd, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, and more.
Ventura Raceway is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, California. Adult tickets are $25, Senior tickets (60 and older) are $15, Active Military tickets (ID Required) are $15, Student tickets (with ID) are $15, Kids tickets (7-12) are $10, and Children’s tickets (6 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.venturaraceway.com or call 805.648.RACE.
The AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks All Coast Construction, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Flowdynamics, Hoosier Racing Tire, Loudpedal Productions, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Saldana Racing Products, Specialty Fasteners, surfNsprint.com, Ultra Shield Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, contact PR Director Lance Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
FloSports has USAC/CRA Sprint Car live videos and on demand coverage available for purchase at floracing.com.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS: 2004-Rip Williams, 2005-Damion Gardner, 2006-Cory Kruseman, 2007-Tony Jones, 2008-Mike Spencer, 2009-Mike Spencer, 2010-Mike Spencer, 2011-Mike Spencer, 2012-Mike Spencer, 2013-Damion Gardner, 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Damion Gardner, 2016-Damion Gardner, 2017-Damion Gardner, 2018-Damion Gardner.
2019 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Hunter Schuerenberg, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
VENTURA AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 6-Cory Kruseman, 2-Damion Gardner, 2- Mike Spencer, 2-Rip Williams, 1-Alan Ballard, 1-Tyler Brown, 1-Mike Kirby, 1-Blake Miller, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Troy Rutherford, 1-Richard Vander Weerd, 1-Scotty Weir.
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Brody Roa-287, 2. Damion Gardner-275, 3. R.J. Johnson-262, 4. Austin Williams-242, 5. Charles Davis Jr.-187, 6. Stevie Sussex-184, 7. Mike Martin-174, 8. Tommy Malcolm-173, 9. Josh Hodges-164, 10. Richard Vander Weerd-158, 11. Chris Gansen-146, 12. Isaac Chapple-126, 13. Jason McDougal-124, 14. Matt McCarthy-111, 15. Danny Faria Jr.-109, 16. A.J. Bender-105, 17. Jake Swanson-104, 18. Jace Vander Weerd-101, 19. Cody Williams-95, 20. Landon Cling-94.
2019 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
March 8: #Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Winner: Josh Hodges)
March 9: #Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Winner: Hunter Schuerenberg)
March 30: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Brody Roa)
April 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Richard Vander Weerd)
May 4: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
May 11: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
May 25: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 29: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
July 6: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial)
July 13: #Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 17: #Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 31: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / CSW)
September 1: Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / CSW)
September 2: Petaluma Speedway – Petaluma, CA (CSW)
September 5: TBA
September 6: Merced Speedway – Merced, CA (CSW)
September 7: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA (CSW)
September 21: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 28: #Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 7: *#Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 8: *#Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 9: *#Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 15: *#Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 16: *#Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Cars.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars.
CSW = California Sprint Week.
This schedule is subject to change.