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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
JOSH HODGES WINS PERRIS SO-CAL SHOWDOWN WITH LAST CORNER PASS
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 19, 2016... There is an old saying that goes “it is not over until it is over.” That was the case last Saturday as Josh Hodges (Tijeras, New Mexico) earned his first career Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car win at Perris Auto Speedway with a dramatic last corner pass. “The Demon” Damion Gardner, Brody Roa, Richard Vander Weerd, and R.J. Johnson chased Hodges to the checkered flags.
Taking the lead from Richard Vander Weerd on the tenth lap, Damion Gardner looked for his first victory of the year. Dominating the event, “The Demon” shook free from several challenges as an intense battle raged for the next nine spots. Running his preferred outside groove, Gardner slipped by a slower car in the third corner of the last lap. Hodges, now in second and free from Roa, ran hard on the bottom line, passed the slower car, and caught the leader in the last corner. With checkered flags waving, Hodges had a better drive and claimed the victory in front of the large Perris crowd. Fans roared in approval after witnessing a great race.
Racing the family owned #74X Jackson Compaction / Mesilla Valley Transportation Maxim, Josh Hodges had a night to remember. The young driver overcame engine issues and qualified fifteenth out of the twenty-six racers in the pit area. From there, Josh won the Circle Track Performance / Keizer Wheels Heat Race #3 and earned the night’s BR Motorsports / King Racing Products “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors by winning the feature after starting fifteenth. Hodges headed back home to New Mexico tied for the USAC/CRA point lead with Brody Roa.
After leading most of the race, “The Demon” Damion Gardner (Concord, California) had to settle for second in the “So-Cal Showdown.” Piloting Mark Alexander’s #4 Scott Sales Company / Weld Racing Spike, Gardner was third fast in time trials and placed third in his heat race. Before climbing to ninth in points, Damion honored sponsor Ken Goecke with memorial laps alongside “The Cowboy” Tony Jones and “Super” Rickie Gaunt in a trio of Alexander team cars.
Racing from sixth, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) scored third in the 30-lap main event. Driving the BR Performance owned #91R HD Industries / Lee & Norma Leonard Maxim, Roa qualified second overall and ran second to Richard Vander Weerd in his heat race. Heading to Ventura on May 7th, the 360 Western World Champion has moved into a tie with Josh Hodges for the point lead.
Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) led the first nine laps from the pole position before taking fourth at Perris Auto Speedway. Racing the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard was ninth quick in qualifications and won the night’s 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. The 2011 USAC West Coast Champion is now third in the standings, just two points behind Hodges and Roa.
R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) had a solid night at Perris and claimed fifth in the “So-Cal Showdown.” Piloting Bobby Martin’s #51 Weiler Farms / Pecon Builders entry, Johnson qualified fourth overall and ran second to Jake Swanson in his heat race. The three-time USAC SouthWest Champion retuned to Arizona ranked fourth in the USAC/CRA point chase.
“The Flying Peanut” Parker Colston (Lake Elsinore, California) earned his first career USAC/CRA Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award. Driving Richard Gore’s #64 Circle Track Performance / Jim Ruth Maxim, Colston was fifth in his heat race and won the night’s 12-lap Brown & Miller Racing Solutions Semi-Main. Heading to Ventura, last season’s Rookie of the Year is fourteenth in the point standings.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) raced to victory in the night’s 10-lap Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. Racing Tom & Laurie Sertich’s #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Clackamas Rigging & Transfer Victory, Swanson was tenth quick in time trials and scored ninth in the main event. The 2012 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year left Perris tied with teammate Mike Spencer for fifth in the chase for the championship.
On Saturday, May 7th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will invade Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. Located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, California, the date will also showcase Senior Sprints and Focus Midgets. More event and ticket information can be found at www.venturaraceway.com or calling 805.648.RACE.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, All Coast Construction, BR Motorsports, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Incorporated, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Stand 21 Racer Goes Safer Foundation, surfnsprint.com, 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 [email protected].
For more information on USAC/CRA, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook and Twitter pages.
Loudpedal Productions has Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229.
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
April 16, 2016 – Perris, California – Perris Auto Speedway – “So-Cal Showdown”
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Parker Colston, 64, Gore-16.826; 2. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.839; 3. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-16.862; 4. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-16.950; 5. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-16.962; 6. Tommy Malcolm, 5X, Napier-17.120; 7. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-17.125; 8. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-17.231; 9. Logan Williams, 5, Jory-17.261; 10. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-17.415; 11. Mike Spencer, 92M, Sertich-17.425; 12. Jeremy Ellertson, 98, Ellertson-17.610; 13. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-17.690; 14. Cal Smith, 39, Cal-Sun-17.695; 15. Josh Hodges, 74X, Hodges-17.748; 16. Anthony Lopiccolo, 36, Springstead-18.028; 17. Tom Hendricks, 14, Hendricks-18.060; 18. Eddie Tafoya, 51T, Tafoya-18.093; 19. Max Adams, 5M, Adams-18.113; 20. Verne Sweeney, 98X, Tracy-18.156; 21. Greg Alexander, 23, Bellegante-18.362; 22. Matt Stewart, 84, Stewart-18.383; 23. Patrick Clark, 21K, Kruseman-19.282; 24. Chris Dyson, 16K, Kruseman-19.623; 25. Andrew Sweeney, 98JR, Tracy-19.765; 26. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Swanson, 2. Johnson, 3. Adams, 4. C.Williams, 5. Colston, 6. Gansen, 7. Lopiccolo, 8. Stewart, 9. A.Sweeney. NT
DJ SAFETY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Vander Weerd, 2. Roa, 3. Spencer, 4. A.Williams, 5. Bender, 6. Hendricks, 7. V.Sweeney, 8. Clark, 9. Smith. NT
CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE / KEIZER WHEELS THIRD HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Hodges, 2. L.Williams, 3. Gardner, 4. Ellertson, 5. Tafoya, 6. Dyson, 7. Malcolm, 8. Alexander. NT
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS SEMI: (12 laps)
1. Colston, 2. Gansen, 3. Malcolm, 4. Bender, 5. Smith, 6. Lopiccolo, 7. Hendricks, 8. Tafoya, 9. Alexander, 10. V.Sweeney, 11. Stewart, 12. A.Sweeney, 13. Clark, 14. Dyson. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Josh Hodges (15th), 2. Damion Gardner (5th), 3. Brody Roa (6th), 4. Richard Vander Weerd (1st), 5. R.J. Johnson (4th), 6. Austin Williams (3rd), 7. Max Adams (19th), 8. Cody Williams (2nd), 9. Jake Swanson (10th), 10. Mike Spencer (11th), 11. Logan Williams (9th), 12. Chris Gansen (13th), 13. A.J. Bender (22nd), 14. Jeremy Ellertson (12th), 15. Tom Hendricks (17th), 16. Anthony Lopiccolo (16th), 17. Verne Sweeney (20th), 18. Tommy Malcolm (8th), 19. Cal Smith (14th), 20. Greg Alexander (21st), 21. Parker Colston (7th), 22. Eddie Tafoya (18th). NT
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**Bender flipped during qualifications. Malcolm flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1- 9 Vander Weerd, Laps 10-29 Gardner, Lap 30 Hodges.
BR MOTORSPORTS / KING RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER: Josh Hodges (15th to 1st)
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Josh Hodges-146, --. Brody Roa-146, 3. Richard Vander Weerd-144, 4. R.J. Johnson-122, 5. Jake Swanson-117, --. Mike Spencer-117, 7. Cody Williams-104, 8. Max Adams (R)-103, 9. Damion Gardner-100, 10. Austin Williams-99, 11. Logan Williams-84, 12. A.J. Bender-83, 13. Bryan Clauson-82, 14. Parker Colston-81, 15. Chris Gansen-74, ---. Jeremy Ellertson-74, 17. Tommy Malcolm-63, 18. Danny Faria Jr.-58, 19. Verne Sweeney-54, 20. Jace Vander Weerd-38.
2016 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE-TRACK-LOCATION
May 7: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA
May 28: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 11: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
July 1: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
July 2: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Firecracker 30)
July 30: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 27: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 3: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week presented by All Coast Construction)
September 4: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week presented by All Coast Construction)
September 5: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma CA (California Sprint Week presented by All Coast Construction)
September 8: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week presented by All Coast Construction)
September 9: Ocean Speedway - Watsonville, CA (California Sprint Week presented by All Coast Construction)
September 10: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA (California Sprint Week presented by All Coast Construction)
September 24: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 30: Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 1: Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 15: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
November 4: *Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 5: *Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 10: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 11: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
November 12: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals presented by All Coast Construction)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with Amsoil USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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