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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
#4 “The Demon” Damion Gardner. 3-Time USAC/CRA Champion. Photo by Scott Sheldon / SprintCarScotty.com.
PERRIS "SOKOLA SHOOTOUT" OPENS 12TH USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SEASON
By Lance Jennings
PHOENIX, AZ – FEBRUARY 28, 2015... On Saturday, March 7th, the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will open their twelfth season at Perris Auto Speedway with the annual “Sokola Shootout." Joining the traditional 410 cubic-inch powered sprints will be the PAS Senior Sprint Cars and Young Gun Sprint Cars. The spectator gates will open at 5:00pm, with racing at "America's Premier Dirt Track" scheduled to begin at 7:00pm. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call 951.940.0134.
The "Sokola Shootout" has been a popular event on the West Coast since March 17, 2001 when "The Cowboy" Tony Jones won the inaugural race at Manzanita Speedway. Originally called the "Sokola Classic" to honor past CRA President and USAC Sprint Supervisor Gary Sokola, the race has grown to also recognize his family and their contributions to racing. Last year, “The Demon” Damion Gardner earned his second Sokola victory on March 15th after passing Mike Spencer on lap fourteen. This Saturday night, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, and Spencer will be looking to join Gardner, “The Shermanator” Jeremy Sherman and Mike Kirby as the only two-time winners of the prestigious event.
After scoring eleven wins in twenty-two races, “The Demon” Damion Gardner of Concord, California claimed his third Amsoil USAC/CRA Championship in 2014. Driving Mark Alexander's #4 Scott Sales Company / J&D Performance Spike, Gardner also earned ten Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, fifteen heat race victories, twenty-one top-10 finishes and 205 feature laps led. After recording those stats, Alexander Racing was named the 2014 non-winged sprint car “Team of the Year” by a panel voting with the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. This Saturday, “The Demon” will be looking for his series leading 58th triumph and 33rd USAC/CRA “home track” feature win.
Temecula, California’s Mike Spencer finished second in the Amsoil USAC/CRA point standings. Racing Ron Chaffin’s #50 Grubstake Mini Storage / Madera Produce Maxim, Spencer won at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway on June 27th. In addition, the five-time champion had five Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, two heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 108 feature laps led to his credit. Mike will have his eyes on his second “Sokola Shootout” victory and his 36th USAC/CRA triumph.
Claiming his sixth career USAC/CRA victory at Perris on June 14th, Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda, California took third in the championship point standings. Driving his #37 Campbell Bros. Storage / Pit Boss Jacks Maxim, Mitchell also had one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, ten top-10 finishes, and 35 feature laps led on the season. The 2014 USAC West Coast Champion will be looking to add the “Sokola Shootout” to his resume.
Corona, California’s “The Cadillac” Cody Williams ranked fourth in the Amsoil USAC/CRA point chase. Piloting Jack Jory’s #44 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams earned his first USAC/CRA main event win at Santa Maria on July 5th. The former National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year ended his season with one heat race victory, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, ten top-10 finishes, and 29 feature laps led on the year. “The Cadillac” will have his sights on earning his first “home track” win at Perris Auto Speedway.
Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California placed fifth in the final point standings. Racing Jack Jory’s #2 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, Williams earned a dramatic victory at Petaluma on June 28th. The 2009 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year closed out his campaign with two heat race victories, one semi-main win, eight top-10 finishes, and 51 feature laps led. Austin will be looking to score his fourth career USAC/CRA feature win on Saturday.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Brody Roa, Jake Swanson, Richard Vander Weerd, Logan Williams, “The Kruser” Cory Kruseman, Chris Gansen, Jace Vander Weerd, R.J. Johnson, Ronnie Gardner, “Super” Rickie Gaunt, and more.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in Perris, California. Adult tickets are $20, Senior tickets are $20, Active Military, Students (13-18), and Kids tickets (6-12) are $5. Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.perrisautospeedway.com or call (951) 940-0134.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing 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 the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/USAC_CRA). Mike Truex's Loudpedal Productions has DVDs available for purchase that feature the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. For more information, call (805) 407-7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
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SOKOLA CLASSIC / SHOOTOUT WINNERS:
2001-Tony Jones; 2002-Jeremy Sherman; 2003-Jeremy Sherman; 2004-Cory Kruseman; 2005-Mike Kirby; 2006-Mike Kirby; 2007-Not Held; 2008-Not Held; 2009-Rickie Gaunt; 2010-Damion Gardner; 2011-Mike Spencer; 2012-Nic Faas; 2013-Bryan Clauson; 2014-Damion Gardner.
2015 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE:
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
March 7: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout)
March 20: USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Copper On Dirt)
March 21: USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Copper On Dirt)
April 18: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (So Cal Sprint Car Spectacular)
May 2: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
May 9: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (All Coast Challenge / $5,000-to-Win)
May 23: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute To Indy)
June 13: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA
July 3: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial)
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Firecracker 40)
August 15: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 5: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 6: Calistoga Speedway - Calistoga, CA (Louie Vermeil Classic / California Sprint Week)
September 7: Petaluma Speedway - Petaluma, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 10: Silver Dollar Speedway - Chico, CA (Gold Cup Race of Champions / California Sprint Week)
September 11: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial / California Sprint Week)
September 12: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (California Sprint Week)
September 19: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
October 23: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 24: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 12: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 13: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 14: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 19: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 20: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 21: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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