|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR SERIES
#51 Rusty Carlile, 2009 Cotton Classic Winner. Photo by Lance Jennings.
HANFORD'S COTTON CLASSIC THIS SATURDAY FOR USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINTS
By Lance Jennings
HANFORD, CA – OCTOBER 12, 2010… The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series will take center stage this Saturday, October 16th, at Hanford's Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway. The "25th Annual Cotton Classic" is a special non-points event that will also showcase the Winged 410 Sprint Cars. The Spectator Gates will open at 5:30pm, Time Trials are scheduled for 6:30pm, with racing to follow.
The Hanford facility hosted six races for the Traditional 360 Sprint Cars in 2010. "Hollywood" Danny Faria Jr. won from the sixteenth starting spot on March 13th. Justyne Hamblin made history on June 5th by becoming the second female driver in USAC history to win a dirt Sprint Car feature. Bud Kaeding won the Jim Evett Memorial on July 17th, while Davey Pombo scored the 30-lap win on August 7th. T.J. Smith won the last two Hanford events, recording victories on August 21st and the Jim Turner Memorial on September 11th. In twenty races, twelve different drivers have won with the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series.
Fresno's Craig Stidham clinched the series championship at Tulare on October 2nd. Piloting the #3S Brad Johnson Trucking / KRC Safety Maxim, Stidham won four main events in 2010. The former Trophy Cup champion has two Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards and led the series with nine heat race wins. In addition, Craig has eighteen top-10 finishes, one King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, and has led seventy-five main event laps.
Kerman's Davey Pombo finished second in the point standings. Driving the #3 Junior Bowman / Buster & Ziggy Bullet, Pombo has two feature wins on the season. The Southwest Contractors 360 Clash champion has four Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards, four heat race wins, nineteen top-10 finishes, two King Racing Products Hard Charger Awards, and has led sixty main event laps.
Fresno's T.J. Smith claimed third in the point chase. Piloting the #14 Steve LeGras / UHL Rubber Maxim, Smith tied with Stidham for the series lead with four main event victories. The Bud Stanfield Memorial winner has four Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards, three heat race wins, sixteen top-10 finishes, and tops the series with ninety-one feature laps led.
Hanford's Justyne Hamblin scored fourth in the point standings. Driving the #8 JH Motorsports / Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino Speed Tech, Hamblin has one feature victory on the year. Last year's series champion has three heat race wins, fifteen top-10 finishes, three King Racing Products Hard Charger Awards, and has led thirteen main event laps.
Tipton's "Hollywood" Danny Faria Jr. was fifth in the point chase. Splitting time between the #17V Louie De Groot & Sons Dairy Maxim and the #8M May Motorsports Maxim, Faria has one feature victory in 2010. The veteran driver leads the series with six Sander Engineering Fast Time Awards. In addition, Danny has eight heat race wins, nine top-10 finishes, one King Racing Products Hard Charger Award, and has led eleven main event laps.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Clovis' Peter Murphy, Visalia's Jace and Richard VanderWeerd, last year's Cotton Classic winner Rusty Carlile of Bakersfield, San Martin's Wes Gutierrez, Bakersfield's Ricky Kirkbride, Hanford's Geoffrey Strole, Mariposa's Andy Ferris, and Jonathan Logan of Hanford.
For competitors with the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, pit passes are $37 with a portion being donated to the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. For this event, all series rules will apply except mufflers must meet 95db at 100 feet. Teams can run Hoosier RC1 or D12 Left Rear Tires, while everyone must run a RC3 Right Rear Tire. Spec Sprints are welcome to run, but must run the tires mentioned above. If teams have transponders, please bring them to the event as Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway has electronic scoring.
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension Inc., Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Port City Racing, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway is located on the Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford, California. Reserved Grandstand tickets are $20 and General Grandstand tickets are $17. Camping is available on the fairgrounds and overnight camping will be allowed in the pits for free. For more event information, please visit www.giantchevroletspeedway.com or call (559) 584-RACE (7223). Advance tickets are on sale.
For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, please visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, www.racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on facebook.
----------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Craig Stidham 1158; 2. Davey Pombo 1117; 3. T.J. Smith 1025; 4. Justyne Hamblin 959; 5. Danny Faria Jr. 841; 6. Peter Murphy 840; 7. Richard VanderWeerd 823; 8. Rusty Carlile 758; 9. Jace VanderWeerd 735; 10. Wes Gutierrez 624; 11. Chris Ennis 574; 12. Ricky Kirkbride 515; 13. Geoffrey Strole 492; 14. Jonathan Logan 424; 15. Andy Ferris 404; 16. Jared Little 370; 17. Jesse Mack 340; 18. Koen Shaw 328; 19. Jimmy Thompson 318; 20. Bud Kaeding 245.
|
