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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
Perris USAC/CRA Glenn Howard Memorial Podium. (L-R) 2nd: Richard Vander Weerd, 1st: Mike Spencer, Trophy Girl, 3rd: Rip Williams. Photo by Doug Allen.
MIKE SPENCER SAILS TO GLENN HOWARD MEMORIAL VICTORY
By Lance Jennings
PERRIS, CA – SEPTEMBER 17, 2012… Taking the lead from "The Ripper" Rip Williams on lap six, Mike Spencer of Temecula led the rest of the way to claim the 5th Annual Glenn Howard Memorial. Last Saturday's $2,500 triumph at Perris Auto Speedway was Spencer's eighth Amsoil USAC/CRA feature victory of the campaign as he was followed by Richard Vander Weerd, Williams, fast time qualifier Nic Faas, and "Dynamite" David Cardey.
Driving Ron Chaffin's famed #50 Madera Produce / Grubstake Mini Storage Maxim, Spencer started seventh in the main event and quickly made his way forward. While several caution flags halted the action on the third circuit, the 4-time champion slipped past Jace Vander Weerd on the restart to claim second. Continuing his pursuit of early leader Williams, the Amsoil USAC/CRA point leader soon took command. Once out front, a red flag for Jace Vander Weerd and a yellow on lap 15 for Cody Williams did not slow down Mike's pace. Making quick work of slower traffic, the Saldana Racing Products / Circle Track Performance Heat Race #2 winner was not to be denied on this night. Taking the checkered flags, Spencer won his first Howard Memorial and carries a 326 point lead heading to the Perris' Southern California Fair on October 6th.
Visalia's Richard Vander Weerd had one of his best nights in USAC/CRA action with a second place run. Piloting the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, last year's USAC West Coast Sprint Series Champion was third fast, third in his heat race, and started sixth in the feature. Vander Weerd battled hard to advance in the Howard Memorial and was rewarded with a solid drive. Despite missing several races, Richard is currently twelfth in the point chase with six top-10 finishes to his credit.
After leading the first five laps, "The Ripper" Rip Williams of Yorba Linda came home third in the Glenn Howard Memorial. Driving Jack Jory's #3 John Jory Corporation / AMA Plastics Spike, the 2004 Champion qualified eleventh, placed fourth in his heat race, and earned the night's LRB Inc. Race Products Award. Williams had one of his best nights of the season and is fifth in the championship points with twelve top-10 finishes.
Huntington Beach's Nic Faas earned his third Sander Engineering / Rod End Supply Fast Time Award and scored fourth in the feature. Piloting Mark Alexander's #4 Scott Sales Company / Competition Suspension Inc. Spike, Faas claimed third in his heat race and has climbed back to third in the standings. As this writing goes to press, the former USAC Western Midget Champion has fourteen top-10 finishes on the year.
"Dynamite" David Cardey of Riverside claimed fifth in the Howard Memorial after starting ninth. Driving Tom & Laurie Sertich's #92 Huntington Beach Glass & Mirror / Victory Race Cars entry, Cardey was fifth quick in time trials, fifth in his heat race, and won the 12-lap Competition Suspension Inc. / Diversified Machine Inc. Semi-Main. The former California Lighting Sprint Champion sits eleventh in points with five top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Ventura's "The Kruser" Cory Kruseman earned the night's Keizer Wheels / Ringers Gloves "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job" honors with a seventh place run after starting twenty-first. The pilot of Mark Priestley's #7 Roy Miller Freightlines / Sander Engineering Bullet missed time trials while returning from testing an off-road car and scored eighth in his heat race after suffering front end damage. Placing second to Cardey in the semi-main, the 2006 Champion is seventh in the standings with twelve top-10 finishes on the season.
David Bezio of El Cajon drove his #37X Inga Bezio Salon / Everhart Construction DRC to victory in the Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. The California Lightning Sprint graduate was fifteenth quick on the night and placed thirteenth in the main event. To date, Bezio has five top-10 finishes on the year and is thirteenth in points heading to the October 6th Fair Race.
Piloting John Springstead's 360 powered #36 Food Cart USA / Harbor Tire Jon Boy, Lakewood's J.J. Ercse won the DJ Safety Heat Race #3. The former USAC TQ Midget Champion was twenty-first in time trials and scored thirteenth in the main event. In limited appearances with USAC/CRA, Ercse has one top-10 finish on the season.
Chad Boespflug of Brownsburg, Indiana made his first Perris USAC/CRA start in six years and won the SBI Fuel Systems / Integra Racing Shocks Heat Race #4. Subbing for Ryan Bernal in Keith Ford's #73 King Racing Products / A&A Precision Machine Spike, the former SCRA 360 Champion qualified fourteenth and placed tenth in the Howard Memorial. In only three appearances, Boespflug has registered three top-10 finishes on the year.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will be back in action on Saturday, October 6th, for the "Southern California Fair Race" at Perris Auto Speedway. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, more event information can be found at www.perrisautospeedway.com or calling (951) 940-0134.
To catch the action of the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, Mike Truex's Loudpedal Productions has DVD videos available for purchase. For more information, call (805) 407-7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
The Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series would like to thank Hoosier Tire, Circle Track Performance, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Integra Racing Shocks, Keizer Wheels, LRB Inc. Race Products, Ringers Gloves, Rod End Supply, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
For more information on the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com/cra or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/USAC-CRA-Sprint-Car-Series/167535183297971) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/#!/USAC_CRA).
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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
September 15, 2012 – Perris, California – Perris Auto Speedway - "Glenn Howard Memorial"
SANDER ENGINEERING / ROD END SUPPLY TIME TRIALS:
1. Nic Faas, 4, Alexander-16.370; 2. Mike Spencer, 50, Chaffin-16.479; 3. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-16.796; 4. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-16.830; 5. David Cardey, 92, Sertich-16.867; 6. Rickie Gaunt, 37, Mitchell-16.879; 7. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.942; 8. Seth Wilson, 1X, Wilson-17.048; 9. Jake Swanson, 41, Henry/Jones-17.080; 10. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-17.209; 11. Rip Williams, 3, Jory-17.223; 12. Bobby Bender, 11, Bender-17.226; 13. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-17.244; 14. Chad Boespflug, 73, Ford-17.262; 15. David Bezio, 37X, Bezio-17.333; 16. Charles Davis Jr., 4G, Cook-17.341; 17. Billy Blinn, 26, Blinn-17.349; 18. Corey Ballard, 20, Ballard-17.368; 19. Kenny Perkins, 0K, Perkins-17.451; 20. Greg Alexander, 72, Tyler-17.531; 21. J.J. Ercse, 36, Springstead-17.584; 22. A.J. Bender, 12, Bender-17.648; 23. Bud Kaeding, 29, Bowman-17.811; 24. Cal Smith, 39, CalSun-18.017; 25. Ed Schwarz, 47, Perkins-18.273; 26. Mike Collins, 04, Perkins-18.368; 27. John Aden, 12X, Blair-18.489; 28. Jerry Welton, 62, Welton-19.137; 29. Jon Kairot, 0, Perkins-19.412; 30. Kyle LeDuc, 23, Bellegante-19.556; 31. Cory Kruseman, 7, Priestley-NT; 32. Trevor Cooper, 21K, Kruseman-NT; 33. Tony Jones, 4X, Alexander-NT.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps)
1. David Bezio, 2. Bud Kaeding, 3. Nic Faas, 4. Rip Williams, 5. David Cardey, 6. John Aden, 7. Kenny Perkins, 8. Cory Kruseman. NT
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps)
1. Mike Spencer, 2. Greg Alexander, 3. Charles Davis Jr., 4. Rickie Gaunt, 5. Jerry Welton, 6. Trevor Cooper, 7. Cal Smith, 8. Bobby Bender. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE 3: (10 laps)
1. J.J. Ercse, 2. Jace Vander Weerd, 3. Richard Vander Weerd, 4. Brody Roa, 5. Billy Blinn, 6. Ed Schwarz, 7. Jon Kairot. NT
SBI FUEL SYSTEMS / INTEGRA RACING SHOCKS HEAT RACE 4: (10 laps)
1. Chad Boespflug, 2. Corey Ballard, 3. Cody Williams, 4. A.J. Bender, 5. Mike Collins, 6. Kyle LeDuc, 7. Jake Swanson. NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION INC. / DIVERSIFIED MACHINE INC. SEMI-MAIN: (12 laps)
1. David Cardey, 2. Cory Kruseman, 3. Kenny Perkins, 4. Billy Blinn, 5. Trevor Cooper, 6. Cal Smith, 7. Kyle LeDuc, 8. Mike Collins, 9. John Aden, 10. Jon Kairot, 11. Jerry Welton. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps - With Starting Positions)
1. Mike Spencer (7th), 2. Richard Vander Weerd (6th), 3. Rip Williams (2nd), 4. Nic Faas (8th), 5. David Cardey (9th), 6. Brody Roa (3rd), 7. Cory Kruseman (21st), 8. Rickie Gaunt (4th), 9. Charles Davis Jr. (11th), 10. Chad Boespflug (10th), 11. Bud Kaeding (19th), 12. Greg Alexander (16th), 13. David Bezio (13th), 14. J.J. Ercse (17th), 15. Cal Smith (20th), 16. Trevor Copper (22nd), 17. Billy Blinn (12th), 18. Cody Williams (5th), 19. Kenny Perkins (15th), 20. Jace Vander Weerd (1st), 21. A.J. Bender (18th), 22. Corey Ballard (14th). NT
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**Seth Wilson flipped during qualifications.
**Bobby Bender flipped during the second heat.
**Jace Vander Weerd flipped on lap 6 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-5 Rip Williams, Laps 6-30 Mike Spencer.
RINGERS GLOVES / KEIZER WHEELS HARD CHARGER: Cory Kruseman (21st to 7th)
LRB INC. RACE PRODUCTS AWARD: Rip Williams
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT POINTS:
1-Mike Spencer-1,163, 2-Brody Roa-837, 3-Nic Faas-832, 4-Ryan Bernal-776, 5-Rip Williams-755, 6-Austin Williams-706, 7-Cory Kruseman-658, 8-Cody Williams-545, 9-Matt Mitchell-461, 10-Seth Wilson-431.
2012 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
October 6: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Southern California Fair)
October 26: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
October 27: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Hall of Fame Classic)
November 2: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
November 3: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Budweiser Oval Nationals)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC National Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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