Nipomo, California (July 5, 2025)………Continuing a career year with the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series, Ricky Lewis of Oxnard, California scored his seventh win of the campaign on Saturday night at Nipomo, California’s Santa Maria Speedway.
Starting sixth, the pilot of the #41 Coyote Candle Company / Mesilla Valley Transportation DRC took command from Kaleb Montgomery on the 24th circuit and led the rest of the way to grab the 11th USAC CRA triumph of his career. For his efforts, the point leader also took home a $500 cash bonus from Avanti Windows & Doors.
Outside front row starter A.J. Bender led the first two laps until resulting damage after contact knocked him out of contention as Montgomery took over the top spot. Montgomery, the May 3rd Santa Maria winner, set a blistering pace and was slicing through traffic at will. Lewis steadily surged forward and was gaining ground on the leader.
Things changed on lap 20 after a caution erased Montgomery’s advantage and Lewis was now within striking distance. Ricky made the most of the opportunity and powered to the checkered flags over David Gasper, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams, Montgomery and R.J. Johnson.
Lewis opened the night by earning his third career Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Award with USAC CRA. The point leader was the first car out to qualify at the Central Coast oval and recorded a time of 13.354 seconds over the 16 car roster.
Defending series champion R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona raced to victory in the 10-lap WC Friend Company Access Systems / In Honor of Wiley Miller Sr. & Wiley Miller II / Silbermann Solar First Heat Race. Veteran driver Verne Sweeney, who began racing sprint cars with the original California Racing Association at Ascot Park in the late 1980s, won the In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner / Sexton Fire Protection / Factory Wraps Second Heat Race.
By racing to the feature win after starting sixth, Ricky Lewis earned the night’s In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award / “Best Passing Job” honors. In addition, Ricky will get an extra $150 bonus from Steve Lafond Photos for his efforts at Santa Maria Speedway.
On Saturday, July 19th, the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series will be back in action at Perris Auto Speedway. Located at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Perris, California, the series’ “home track” will host the twelfth championship point race of the year.
For more information on the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car 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.
AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: July 5, 2025 – Santa Maria Speedway – Nipomo, California
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY / WC FRIEND COMPANY ACCESS SYSTEMS QUALIFYING: 1. Ricky Lewis, 41, Lewis-13.354; 2. Austin Williams, 17w, Dunkel-13.694; 3. Kaleb Montgomery, 3, Montgomery-13.708; 4. Connor Lundy, 97, Lundy-13.815; 5. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-13.893; 6. David Gasper, 18, Kittle/Gasper-13.943; 7. R.J. Johnson, 33p, Petty-13.995; 8. Blake Bower, 17x, Dunkel-14.316; 9. Tommy Malcolm, 5x, Napier-14.400; 10, Verne Sweeney, 98, Guerrero-14.788; 11. Brody Wake, 78B, Wake-14.857; 12. Brecken Guerrero, 98B, Guerrero-15.092; 13. Elexa Herrera, 5E, Herrera-15.215; 14. Jeff Dyer, 39, Cal-Sun-15.317; 15. Brandon Nelsen, 94, Nelsen-16.325; 16. Connor Speir, 57s, Speir-NT.
WC FRIEND COMPANY ACCESS SYSTEMS / IN HONOR OF WILEY MILLER SR. & WILEY MILLER II / SILBERMANN SOLAR FIRST HEAT: (10 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. R.J. Johnson, 2. Tommy Malcolm, 3. Kaleb Montgomery, 4. A.J. Bender, 5. Ricky Lewis, 6. Elexa Herrera, 7. Brandon Nelsen, 8. Brody Wake. NT
IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER / SEXTON FIRE PROTECTION / FACTORY WRAPS SECOND HEAT: (10 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. Verne Sweeney, 2. David Gasper, 3. Austin Williams, 4. Connor Lundy, 5. Jeff Dyer, 6. Brecken Guerrero, 7. Blake Bower. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Ricky Lewis (6), 2. David Gasper (1), 3. Austin Williams (5), 4. Kaleb Montgomery (4), 5. R.J. Johnson (7), 6. Blake Bower (8), 7. Tommy Malcolm (9), 8. Connor Lundy (3), 9. Verne Sweeney (10), 10. Brecken Guerrero (11), 11. Jeff Dyer (13), 12. Brandon Nelsen (14), 13. Elexa Herrera (12), 14. A.J. Bender (2). NT
**Connor Speir flipped during qualifying. Brody Wake flipped on lap 1 of the first heat. Brandon Nelsen flipped on lap 30 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 A.J. Bender, Laps 3-23 Kaleb Montgomery, Laps 24-30 Ricky Lewis.
IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER / STEVE LAFOND PHOTOS HARD CHARGER: Ricky Lewis (6th to 1st)
NEW AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Ricky Lewis-759, 2-R.J. Johnson-729, 3-Austin Williams-641, 4-David Gasper-631, 5-A.J. Bender-600, 6-Tommy Malcolm-563, 7-Blake Bower-490, 8-Cody Williams-474, 9-Charles Davis Jr.-442, 10-Connor Lundy-435.
NEXT AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: July 19, 2025 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California
