USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CARS HEADLINE HANFORD FAIR RACE
By Lance Jennings
JUNE 14, 2017... Round #11 for the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will be held this Saturday, June 17th, at Hanford’s Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds. Making their final appearance at the 3/8-mile oval, the “Kings County Fair Race” will also feature IMCA Stock Cars and Mod Lites. The front gates will open at 5:00pm and racing is scheduled for 7:00pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at www.kellerautospeedway.com or call 559.651.1990.
PIT PARKING: The Pit Gate entrance for the Fair Race is off of Hanford-Armona Road. Please use GATE A. The Pit Gate will open at 2:30pm both days. Admission is $40 for Pit Pass. $10 for Pit Parking ($5 at the Gate A entrance and $5 at the pit entrance behind the scoreboard.)
NOTICE TO RACERS: 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. USAC MEMBERSHIPS ARE MANDATORY AT THE FIRST RACE and can be purchased at the track or online at https://usacracing.redpodium.com/2017-usac-sprint-midget-sc.
Heading into Saturday’s event, the Kings County Fairgrounds has hosted forty-six USAC West Coast Sprint Car shows. Richard Vander Weerd leads all drivers with nine victories and veteran Peter Murphy set the 1-lap qualifying track record of 15.290 on March 13, 2010. Austin Liggett won the March 25th race and “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. took the April 29th checkered flags. A complete series win list at Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds is at the end of this release.
Fresh off his third straight win at Santa Maria’s “Ron Otto Memorial,” Ryan Bernal (Hollister, California) has a 45-point lead over the competition. Racing Keith Ford’s #73 Edgewater Construction / Sun Valley Ag Transport XXX, Bernal has six feature wins, one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, four heat race victories, two BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Awards, eight top-10 finishes, and 69 feature laps led to his credit. Ryan leads all drivers with thirty-three victories and is always a threat to win.
After running sixth at Santa Maria, Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) has climbed to second in the point chase. Driving the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, one heat race victory, and seven top-10 finishes on the year. Vander Weerd has nineteen career USAC West Coast victories and will be looking for his first win of the campaign.
Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) is third in the chase for the championship. Piloting the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Jace scored fifteenth in the “Ron Otto Memorial” after a tangle ended his night. To date, the 2010 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year has three heat race victories, seven top-10 finishes, and 2 feature laps led on the season. With eight career victories, Vander Weerd is tied with Peter Murphy for sixth on the series win list and will have his sights on his first triumph of 2017.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) has risen to fourth in the point standings. Racing Tom and Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Clackamas Rigging and Transfer XXX, Swanson ran second at Santa Maria. At press time, the 2012 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year has one feature win, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, seven top-10 finishes, and 46 feature laps led. Jake has two career USAC West Coast main event wins and is a fan favorite.
Austin Liggett (Tracy, California) sits fifth in championship point standings. The pilot of the family owned #83 Excel Environmental / Lucas Oil ART skipped last Saturday’s “Ron Otto Memorial” to compete in a Petaluma Wingless Spec Sprint race. To date, the 2012 Rookie of the Year has one feature win, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one BR Motorsports / King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, seven top-10 finishes, and 7 feature laps led on the season. Austin is tied for twelfth on the West Coast win list and will have his sights on the Hanford victory.
Currently tenth in points, Brandon Wiley (Santa Maria, California) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Steve Hix (Ventura, California) and Steven Garris (Escalon, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Tristan Guardino, Cody Majors, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Ryan Timmons, Max Adams, Jeff Sibley, “The Milkman” Joe Stornetta Jr., Shannon McQueen, Ryan Stolz, “G-Man” Geoffrey Strole, and more.
Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds is located at 801 South 10th Avenue in Hanford, California. Tickets for the Fair and races are $18 for all ages. Camping is available on the fairgrounds and for more event information, visit www.kellerautospeedway.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, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, 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, Twitter, and Instagram 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.
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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-Brody Roa.
2017 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR WINS: 6-Ryan Bernal, 1-Danny Faria Jr., 1-Kyle Hirst, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Jake Swanson.
HANFORD USAC WEST COAST SPRINT WINS: 9-Richard Vander Weerd, 7-Ryan Bernal, 6-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-Austin Liggett, 1-Davey Pombo, 1-Brody Roa, 1-Troy Rutherford, 1-Terry Schank Jr.
USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Ryan Bernal-628, 2. Richard Vander Weerd-583, 3. Jace Vander Weerd-566, 4. Jake Swanson-565, 5. Austin Liggett-497, 6. Tristan Guardino-452, 7. Cody Majors-450, 8. Danny Faria Jr.-424, 9. Ryan Timmons-400, 10. Brandon Wiley-364, 11. Steve Hix-322, 12. Max Adams-295, 13. Jeff Sibley-270, 14. Joe Stornetta Jr.-260, 15. Steven Garris-258, 16. Shannon McQueen-256, 17. Geoff Ensign-244, 18. Ryan Stolz- 235, 19. Kyle Smith-185, 20. Tye Mihocko-158.
2017 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
June 17: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
July 8: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle of the Beach Race #2)
July 28: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA
July 29: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA
August 12: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
October 7: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Championship Night)
November 22: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points)
November 23: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Battle of the Beach Race #4 / Non-Points)
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This schedule is subject to change.