USAC WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE HEADS TO WATSONVILLE AND HANFORD
The cars and stars of the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series are ready to clash for the final two nights of the championship point season. With Brody Roa, D.J. Johnson, and Jace Vander Weerd still contending for the title, the special Watsonville-Hanford doubleheader opens this Friday, August 12th at John Prentice’s Ocean Speedway. The following night, the series champion will be crowned at the Ron Vander Weerd and Bubby Morse promoted Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds.
NOTICE TO RACERS: Friday’s Watsonville race and Saturday’s Hanford event will be run under the USAC West Coast Rule Book and a $35 entry fee will be collected. The Hoosier 105/16 Medium is the ONLY legal right rear tire and all four corners must be Hoosier. Cockpit adjustable shocks are NOT allowed and engine restrictor rules are 1-7/8” with open heads and 2-3/16” with ASCS cylinder heads. The weight rule is 1,475 lbs. with driver and the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Rule Book can be found online at www.westcoastsprintcars.com and www.usacracing.com. Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway has a strict sound rule and the Flowmaster “Suitcase” (Part 53545-USAC) is the ONLY TRACK LEGAL MUFFLER. If the sound levels are broken, the racer will be disqualified and not allowed to compete.
Friday’s event marks the return of the USAC West Coast Sprints to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds since 2014. Making two stops that season, Ryan Bernal won the series debut on May 16th and Matt Mitchell claimed the August 8th victory on his way to the championship. The one-lap qualifying track record of 12.832 seconds was posted by Ryan Bernal on August 8, 2014 and a complete series win list at Ocean Speedway is at the end of this release.
Since March 14, 2009, the Kings County Fairgrounds has hosted forty-three West Coast Sprint Car races. Richard Vander Weerd leads all drivers with eight victories and veteran Peter Murphy set the 1-lap qualifying track record of 15.290 on March 13, 2010. On April 2nd, Richard Vander Weerd took the checkered flags and Brody Roa scored the June 26th victory. A complete series win list at the Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds is at the end of this release.
Heading to Watsonville, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) has a 92-point advantage over the competition. After engine problems sidelined the BR Performance owned #91R HD Industries Maxim during the week, Roa jumped into Steve Watt’s #81S Maxwell Industries CS9 and ran second in last Saturday’s “Bud Stanfield Memorial” at Santa Maria. To date, the defending Western World 360 Champion has two feature wins, three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, ten top-10 finishes, and 65 feature laps led to his credit. Brody will be looking to lock up the championship with victories at Watsonville and Hanford.
D.J. Johnson (Stockton, California) ranks second in the USAC West Coast point chase. Racing the family owned #33 Proplant Farm Services / J. Milano Company Eagle, Johnson scored fourth in the Santa Maria main event. As this writing goes to press, the 2013 USAC Western Classic Rookie of the Year has two feature wins, three heat race victories, one BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, ten top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led on the season. D.J. will have his sights on taking the championship by sweeping the Watsonville and Hanford shows.
Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) sits third in the championship point standings. Piloting the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Jace led all 30-laps to claim his first win of the season at the “Bud Stanfield Memorial.” To date, the 2010 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Competition Suspension Inc. Semi-Main win, seven top-10 finishes, and 80 feature laps led. Vander Weerd still has a mathematical shot at the championship with triumphs at Watsonville and Hanford.
Jace’s twin brother Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) is fourth in the chase for the championship. Driving the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard scored seventeenth at Santa Maria after an early flip. At press time, the 2011 Champion has one feature win, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, two heat race victories, one BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, seven top-10 finishes, and three feature laps to his credit. Vander Weerd has 18 West Coast victories on his resume and will be one of the favorites to watch.
“Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. (Tipton, California) sits fifth in the point standings. Racing his #17V Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / SurfnSprint Spike, Faria placed sixth at the “Bud Stanfield Memorial.” To date, the two-time champion has posted one Woodland Auto Display Fast Tie Award, two heat race victories, two BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Awards, and seven top-10 finishes on the year. “Hollywood” has nine career West Coast triumphs and will be in the mix for victories at Watsonville and Hanford.
Currently ninth in points, Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Colton Slack (Brentwood, California), Matt McCarthy (Riverside, California), Ryan Stolz (Atascadero, California), Steven Garris (Escalon, California), and “Chainsaw” Johnny White (Bakersfield, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Max Adams, Tristan Guardino, Austin Liggett, Troy Rutherford, Cody Majors, Jeff Sibley, Shannon McQueen, Kyle Smith, and more.
Ocean Speedway is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville, California at 2601 E. Lake Avenue. For ticket and event information, visit the www.racepmg.com or call 831.662.9466 (WINN).
Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds is located at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Adult tickets are $15, Student and Senior tickets are $12, and Kids (5 and Under) are FREE. Camping is available on the fairgrounds and for more event information, visit www.racekingsspeedway.com or call 559.651.1990.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, BR Motorsports, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Stand 21 Racer Goes Safer Foundation, Ultra Shield Race Products, 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 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
For more information, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, and www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC West Coast Facebook and Twitter pages.
Loudpedal Productions has USAC West Coast Sprint Car DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
-----------------------------------------------
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS:
2009-Justyne Hamblin, 2010-Craig Stidham, 2011-Richard Vander Weerd, 2012-Bud Kaeding, 2013-Danny Faria Jr., 2014-Matt Mitchell, 2015-Danny Faria Jr.
2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS:
4-Bryan Clauson, 2-Josh Hodges, 2-D.J. Johnson, 2-Brody Roa, 2-Troy Rutherford, 1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Jace Vander Weerd, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
WATSONVILLE USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS:
1-Ryan Bernal, 1-Matt Mitchell.
HANFORD USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS:
8-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Ryan Bernal, 5-Danny Faria Jr., 4-Bud Kaeding, 3-Jace Vander Weerd, 2-Justyne Hamblin, 2-Peter Murphy, 2-T.J. Smith, 2-Craig Stidham, 1-Aaron Altaffer, 1-Rusty Carlile, 1-Wes Gutierrez, 1-Cory Kruseman, 1-Davey Pombo, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Troy Rutherford, 1-Terry Schank Jr.
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Brody Roa-774, 2. D.J. Johnson-682, 3. Jace Vander Weerd-660, 4. Richard Vander Weerd-574, 5. Danny Faria Jr.-544, 6. Max Adams-534, 7. Tristan Guardino-475, 8. Austin Liggett-469, 9. Ryan Timmons-465, 10. Trey Marcham-457, 11. Troy Rutherford-401, 12. Cody Majors-377, 3. Jeff Sibley-365, 14. Shannon McQueen-357, 15. Kyle Smith-302, 16. Kevin Barnes-249, 17. Landon Hurst-192, 18. Danny Sheridan-175, 19. Ricky Kirkbride-162, 20. Colton Slack-154.
2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
August 12: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
August 13: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
November 23: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
November 24: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
-----------------------------------------------
This schedule is subject to change.
