Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

USAC’s 2007 WESTERN CHAMPIONS HONORED AT BANQUET IN ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA

NOVEMBER 25, 2007 --- The United States Auto Club’s 2007 racing series champions were toasted Saturday night at the annual Western Awards Banquet at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Arcadia, Calif.

Drivers Tony Jones of Norco, Calif. (Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints), Ryan Kaplan of Chico, Calif. (Lucas Oil Western Sprints), Johnny Rodriguez of Elk Grove, Calif. (Western Midgets), Tim Skoglund of Fresno, Calif. (California Paved Ford Focus), Nic Faas of Huntington Beach, Calif. (California Dirt Ford Focus), Ryan Burdett of West Jordan, Utah (Young Automotive Rocky Mountain Sprint Cars) and Tim Savage of Herriman, Utah (Utah Ford Focus) earned 2007 driving titles.

Car owners Western Speed Racing of Madera, Calif. (California Dirt Ford Focus) and Faas (California Paved Ford Focus), Mitchell Motorsports of Yorba Linda, Calif. (Western Midgets), Michael Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. (Lucas Oil Western Sprints), Alexander Racing of Torrance, Calif. (Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints), Frank Burdett of West Jordan, Utah (Young Automotive Rocky Mountain Sprints) and Savage (Utah Ford Focus) were also lauded for the championship-winning efforts.

Assisting emcee Rob Klepper with interview were Perris Auto Speedway announcers Scott Daloisio and Chris Holt, while special addresses were given by USAC President Rollie Helmling, USAC Western Operations VP Tommy Hunt and Daloisio.

Special awards were presented to Jerry Faas of Huntington Beach, Calif. (the Walt Johnson Memorial Award, presented by Bob Pool and Pat & Walt Johnson Jr.); Ron Sutton of Sacramento, Calif. (the Curly Merrill Let’s Go Racing Award) and Duane McQueen of Bakersfield, Calif. (Joe Lynch Memorial Award presented by Wally Pankratz).

Josh Laughton, the Hoosier Tire West representative, assisted in presenting Hoosier/K & N Engineering “Rookie of the Year” and Hoosier “Most Improved Driver” awards. Earning rookie honors were Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind. (Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints), Ryan Kaplan of Chico, Calif. (Lucas Oil Western Sprints), Quintin Crye of Gridley, Calif. and C.J. Sarna of Palm Desert, Calif. (Western Midgets) and Robby Josett of Santa Clarita, Calif. (California Ford Focus).

Hoosier “Most Improved” drivers for 2007 were David Cardey of Riverside, Calif. and Blake Miller of Yorba Linda, Calif. (Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprints), JoJo Helberg of Rohnert Park, Calif. (Lucas Oil Western Sprints), Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda, Calif. (Western Midgets) and Dennis Howell of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. (California Ford Focus).

Jim Naylor of Ventura Raceway accepted USAC’s Western Race Organizer of the Year award from Tommy Hunt.

Earl’s Fast Qualifying Champions Lance Pierovich of Alamo, Calif. (Western Midgets) and Alan Kaiser of Vallejo, Calif. (Lucas Oil Western Sprints) and Lincoln Electric Western Mechanical Achievement Award winner Steve Alexander of Torrance, Calif. were announced and will receive their 2007 awards at the USAC National Awards Dinner in Indianapolis, Ind. January 19.

A capacity turnout of nearly 300 were in attendance for Saturday night’s festivities.

Congrats to all the 2007 champs! Just a couple of questions:

Nearly 300 was a 'capacity' crowd? That's only about 42 people per  division represented. Who's the brainchild that scheduled such an event on a holiday weekend when everyone is on the road visiting relatives???? Maybe USAC should try another weekend next year.

its USAC Yenko,if there is a right and a wrong way to do something USAC always gets it wrong

ROB

Did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason for having the banquet on Thanksgiving weekend had something to do with the fact that all these divisions (with the exception of USAC/CRA & the dirt focus series) were all racing at Irwindale on Thursday night? Besides racers aren't out visiting realitives on Thanksgiving weekend,they're racing.

These guys come from Nor.Cal,Central Cal,Utah and So. Cal. so it makes perfect sense to have the banquet the same weekend of the race,since all these people are already in the area for the race.

I'll agree that 300 people isn't many for amount of divisions that are honored,but if this banquet was anything like the one I went to in 2005 which was booked at a place that was no where near large enough and put getting tickets at a premium could have something to do with the low turnout of people.

CRA91

You made my point exactly. Here you had all these race teams that were already in the area, yet hardly anyone showed up (again, based on an average of 40 or so people per division). Either they went on with their holiday plans for the weekend after the races or (and I hate to think of this possibility).....they just didnt care???