Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (May 1, 2007) – The American Sprint Car Series Canyon Region is set to bring the state's top wingless Sprint Car shoes to Tucson, AZ, for the first time this season with this Saturday night's event atop the semi-banked, 3/8-mile United Sports Arizona Race Park clay oval.
And as USA Race Park celebrates Cinco De Mayo Night, a host of challengers will try to put an end to Jeremy Sherman's red-hot start to the 2007 season.
Sherman, the two-time and reigning Arizona state champion hailing from Surprise, AZ, has been unstoppable in the early portion of the season. In fact, posting three feature wins in as many events to open the year, the only thing that has stopped Sherman from reaching victory lane thus has been Mother Nature with a pair of events wiped out due to inclement weather.
But with all three victories at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, a change of venue brings fresh hope for a gaggle of contenders.
Past State champ Josh Pelkey enters Saturday's card at USA Race Park just 32 points off Sherman's fast early pace in the championship points race.
Mike Leslie enters the event third in points, with Rookie sensation Jeremy Reagles a strong fourth. Sixteen-year-old Michael Colegrove and Yuma's Mike Martin enter Saturday's event tied for fifth, with the balance of the top ten including Bernie Smith, Seainn Hendricsen, Andrew Reinbold and Bob Ream, Jr.
Several other drivers are within striking distance of the top ten, including J.T. Imperial (just six points out), Thomas Ogle, Shon Deskins, Chad Boat and Nick Aiuto.
Once again, $50 certificates will be awarded to each of the heat race winners, with Racing Optics sponsoring heat race one, Parker Store sponsoring heat race two, Kenz & Leslie/BG Chemicals sponsoring heat race three and Sunoco sponsoring heat race four. Arizona Race Mart sponsors the Pole Dash, while Sunoco will also award a $50 certificate to each "B" Main winner in ASCS Canyon Region action this year.
Saturday's racing action goes green at 6:45 p.m.
United Sports Arizona Race Park is located 15 miles southeast of Tucson on I-10 to Exit 275, then 1.9 miles south on Houghton Road, then one mile west on Dawn Avenue. For more information, contact the track at 520-574-8515.
The ASCS Canyon Region brings the best in wingless Sprint Car racing to Arizona in 2007 with a slate of 24 events. In addition to Manzanita Speedway, the series will also be in action at Tucson's USA Race Park and Casa Grande's Central Arizona Raceway over the course of the season.
The 2007 season marks the 16th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with the series set to sanction approximately 240 nights of racing at more than 100 different race tracks throughout at least 30 different states and Canada.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.
