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USAC/CRA Wingless 410 Sprints on tap for Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway this Sunday night

By Gary Thomas

Tulare, CA – May 21, 2008…The Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway will host the Wingless 410 Sprint Cars of the USAC/CRA Series this Sunday night May 25 in the second annual “Salute to Indy” at the 1/3 mile clay oval. The event will be just the second time since 2004 that wingless 410’s have competed at the Tulare County Fairgrounds facility and will also mark the second appearance for the series at the track.

The USAC/CRA Series was formed in 2004 and often produces some of the most exciting racing anywhere, with the traditional wingless “back ‘em in” style of racing that fans have loved for years. Other than the two-day show to be held on Labor Day weekend in Calistoga, the “Salute to Indy” at the Tulare Thunderbowl will be farthest North the USAC/CRA Series will get, so this will be a can’t miss evening of competition for fans around the Central Valley.

Spicing things up for the night will be the fact that a total of $1,500 has been accumulated to award the top five finishing winged sprint car drivers who take their tops off for the event. The payoff will be: $500 for the highest finisher, $400 for the second, $300 for the third, $200 for the fourth and $100 for the fifth. The money for the bonus has come in courtesy Central Valley companies KRC Safety Equipment, Sharp Insurance and Elite Landscaping.

Topping the entry list for this Sunday’s event will be Golden State Challenge Series regular Bud Kaeding who will be behind the wheel of the locally based Roth Motorsports No. 83jr. The two-time and defending USAC Silver Crown champion had been a wingless regular in the past, but the last couple years have seen him cut back on his wingless schedule due to financial reasons. The Campbell driver finished fifth at the Thunderbowl less than two weekends ago during the Chris & Brian Faria Memorial.

Kaeding showed at the end of last season however, that he didn’t forget how to do it without the wing as he picked up his third career Oval Nationals win at Perris in November worth $25,000. In addition to that he also brought home a third place finish at Manzanita’s Western World Championships just a week after. During the ’08 season the 28 year-old has been a top five runner with the Golden State Challenge Series and has one main event win on the season.

Current USAC/CRA Series point leader and defending “Salute to Indy” champ Cory Kruseman of Ventura will lead the charge for the wingless warriors. The super talented driver picked up the inaugural USAC/CRA main event win at the Thunderbowl Raceway last season and is expected to bring four of his Kruseman Motorsports sprinters this Sunday. Kruseman leads the series with three victories on the season and has also won a total of four main events at the Thunderbowl in his career. In addition to that he was the ’06 USAC/CRA Series champ and is also a two-time winner of both the Oval Nationals and the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals among others.

Temecula’s Mike Spencer currently sits second in the USAC/CRA point standings as he competes in the famed Ron Chaffin Motorsports, Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply No. 50. Spencer finished second in points last year during his first season wheeling the “Little Red Sucker,” which has seen drivers such as Damion Gardner, Richard Griffin and Lealand McSpadden at the helm in the past. Spencer will look to cut into Kruseman’s point lead this weekend as well as improve on last year’s finish of 20^th in Tulare.

Thunderbowl Raceway wingless track record holder Blake Miller sits third in the points going into the weekend. The driver of the Black Widow Racing No. 93 finished fifth last season in Tulare during the main event, following his lap of 15.679 in qualifying, which broke the all-time wingless track record at the 1/3 mile clay oval. Former Bandit Series champion “Showtime” Danny Sheridan was the most recent winner in USAC/CRA competition and comes into the “Salute to Indy” sitting fifth in the points. The Santa Maria racer drove the Kittle Motorsports No. 18 to third place finish last season at the Thunderbowl.

Defending USAC/CRA Series champion Tony Jones of Norco has cut back his schedule a bit this season, yet still sits eighth in the point standings aboard the Alexander Racing No. 4. “The Cowboy” dominated the early going of last season’s main event at the “Salute to Indy” in Tulare, before he caught the wall on a lap 12 restart and fell to sixth where he went on and finished.

Fan favorite Peter Murphy of Clovis will be in action at the “Salute to Indy” aboard the Tarlton & Son No. 21t, the same car he has campaigned very successfully in the wingless 360 scene the last couple years. Murphy has made two Golden State Challenge Series starts at the Thunderbowl this season and has tallied finishes of 10^th and 12^th. Other possible wingless 410 entrants for this Sunday will be Garrett Hansen, Tyler Brown, David Cardey, Davey Pombo, Josh Ford and more.

The Western States Modifieds will compete in their fourth point race of the season at the “Salute to Indy” this Sunday. Current WSM point leader Brian Cass will lead the charge into the event and will be looking for his third win of the season. During the previous event two weeks back at the Thunderbowl it looked like Cass might make it three for three on the season as he jumped out into the lead and led until lap 18. At that point he was passed by eventual winner Kenny Nott who would proceed to hold off a hard charging Bobby Hogge IV who started 23^rd on the grid.

Cass ended up finishing in the third spot to maintain his point lead over second place in points Paul Stone who finished right behind him in fourth. Stone won last years WSM main event at the “Salute to Indy” and will look to gain ground on Cass in the points this Sunday. The WSM point finale will occur on June 28 at the annual Pombo/Sargent Classic and will be the final tune-up at the track for U.S. Western Modified Nationals, which will be held on September 25, 26 and 27.

The front gate will open up at 5 pm this Sunday evening with Reserved Grandstand tickets costing $18 and General Admission bleacher tickets costing just $15. To purchase tickets call (559) 688-0909. First race is scheduled for approximately 7pm. For a seating chart, directions, a list of hotels and more, log onto http://www.tularethunderbowl.com

The Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway is located at the Tulare County Fairgrounds on the corner of Bardsley and K Streets in Tulare.

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

Photos by Johns Racing Photos

Former USAC/CRA, Oval Nationals and Chili Bowl champion Cory Kruseman leads the points going into this weekend

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Three-time Oval Nationals champion Bud Kaeding will be on hand as a special entrant for the "Salute to Indy." Kaeding currently sits 4th in the Golden State Challenge Series standings

www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com

thanks Gary once again the NorCal guys kick us SoCal fans collective butts in taking care of their teams.

ROB

Well Rob, if you think Norcal is kicking our ass in support of our racers, the Zanzabuku Sports Lounge in Lakewood is posting $500 to to be distributed to the top four USAC/CRA drivers at the Thunderbowl this Sunday evening. Put that in your pipe and smoke it

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Turn4Rob, I must take issue with your statement, "... again the NorCal guys kick us SoCal fans collective butts in taking care of their teams."

You forget about the Ralphie Section that each week collects money for a needy race team? Or how about the People's Championship Point Fund at the PAS? Which was the idea of fans at Perris and implemented by Don Kazarian and David Cardey's father (sorry can't think of Mr. Cardey's first name). I support the fund each week and look forward to Jeff K.'s videos. How about Jeff generously donating a free video to each contributor of $20 or more to the fund? And I am sure there are many anonymous contributors each week who help out their favorite USAC/CRA race teams. And then there is Ken Wagner, better known as Wags, who throws a big party and race each year with the help of many race fans to generate money for the wingless warriors. He collects money from the fans each week for the annual "Wags Dash" at Ventura. SkyHarborCowboy is always generating money for the racers as he is currently with his 50/50 car count. And last but not least is businessman, fan and former driver Steve Howard who has spent many long hours working to get the USAC/CRA race off the ground at the famous Calistoga 1/2 mile.

Don't sell your fellow fans short here in southern California. I think we do our share of helping out the drivers and owners that we enjoy watching. The Bradway up north in Chico is the single biggest show the GSC sprinters run each year and the community really gets behind the race. I am sure you know all of this, but Chico is a small town in Northern California, universally known as a party town because of its state college. The races up there are the only thing going on each Friday and Saturday night. Hard to compare to the diversity of southern California. Your trip north is hardly a fair comparison to our weekly shows. It would be like comparing the Oval Nationals down here to one of Chico's regular weekly races or a GSC show at Ocean, Placerville, or Antioch.

I think that I know where you are going with your comments about us getting our ass kicked by the northerners, but please recognize the fact that several of us do contribute to the sport that we all love. You may have made the remarks to help motivate the fan base down here, but don't forget or leave out the many givers in the stands of Perris or Victorville.

Now I will step off of the soap box.

.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Tripcrwn,I can't argue the point that there is fan support in Socal what with Donnie K,Jim Cardey ,Wags,and the Ralphie section(btw the turn 4 crowd donates a good portion of the Ralphie section $$).but it seems to me that the Nocal Hosers do alot more than we do,everytime I attend a GSC show they are doing something to help the teams I'm sorry I just don't see ithat with Socal fans.

maybe you and me can get together and see if we can't get something going around Socal.I'll be in turn 4 sat. nite

ROB

ps I almost forgot to thank Zanabuku for their contributions to the teams

Unfortunately Rob I can't make Saturday night, but I will be in Tulare come Sunday. I respect your opinion and I am all for helping our car owners and drivers. Hope to see you at the Thunderbowl or some time soon.

Robert Davidson, Lakewood

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

Just to be fair, the Bradway is a well established event so that does help when it comes to collecting addtional funds for the racers. As far as Hoserville goes, we had a great time at the Bradway and with the help of hats that were made for us, we collected enough to give the heat race winners a tire and five sleeves of tear-offs.

Dave Durica does the hard work, collecting lap money for the A and B mains, 52 laps in call and even in these tough times he was able to get them all sold at $100 per lap.

Racer Dan Simpson put up $500 for the hardcharger. The car owner of the #24 driven by Tyler Walker got the ball rolling putting up $500 for fast time. Then with announcer Troy Hennig plugging it, people just kept adding to get the fast time award up to $1500 and second quick up to $750.

It was an outstanding year and I'm proud of the way our fans came through.

I have no doubt the fans in Southern California could do the same thing.

I hope to see some of you at Tulare.

CWM