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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series
RICHARD VANDER WEERD SHINES IN SANTA MARIA RETURN
By Lance Jennings
SANTA MARIA, CA – APRIL 13, 2015... Last Saturday, Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd had a night to remember at Santa Maria Raceway. The 2011 Champion not only claimed his first main event of the season, he swept the program by also setting fast time, winning his heat race, and earning the hard charger award. D.J. Johnson, “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., “Shifter” Landon Hurst, and Trey Marcham chased Vander Weerd to the checkered flags.
Starting sixth in the feature, Richard Vander Weerd powered to fourth by the end of the first lap. Driving the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard steadily made his way forward and powered by Johnson for the lead on lap thirteen. A caution flag for Arizona visitor Tye Mihocko erased the pass and Vander Weerd settled back into second. Five laps later, Vander Weerd regained the top spot and sailed to his sixteenth career USAC West Coast triumph. With the victory, Richard is fourth in points with one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one DMI / Ultra Shield Race Products Hard Charger Award, five top-10 finishes, and 36 feature laps led.
Looking for his first series win, D.J. Johnson of Stockton led the first eighteen laps but had to settle for second. Racing the family owned #33 Unique Breeds / Proplant Farm Services Eagle, Johnson qualified sixth out of fifteen racers and won the 10-lap DJ Safety Heat Race #2. The former USAC Western Classic Rookie of the Year ranks sixth in the standings with four top-10 finishes on the year.
Tipton’s “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr. had a solid night at Santa Maria with a third place run from fifth. Piloting Junior Bowman’s #17V Buster & Ziggy Enterprises / SurfNsprint Spike, Faria was second quick in time trials and claimed second to Johnson in his heat race. With the podium finish, “Hollywood” has taken over the points lead with one high point driver award, two heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 26 feature laps led to his credit.
“Shifter” Landon Hurst of Riverdale charged from ninth to score fourth at Santa Maria Raceway. Driving the family owned #179 Kings River Commodities / Duinkerken Farms Maxim, Hurst qualified eighth overall and placed fifth in his heat race. Heading to Tulare on May 16th, the former Rookie of the Year sits seventh in points on the strength of one DMI / Ultra Shield Race Products Hard Charger Award, four top-10 finishes, and 5 feature laps led.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma’s Trey Marcham scored fifth in the Santa Maria feature. Racing Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Marcham was fourth fast in time trials and claimed third in his heat race. The Rookie of the Year contender is fifth in the point chase with one heat race victory, four top-10 finishes, and 4 feature laps led on the season.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will take a break in the schedule and will be back at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway on May 16th for the “Chris & Brian Faria Memorial.” On that night, the King of the West Sprint Cars and the Western Racesaver Sprint Cars will join the showcase. For more information, visit www.tularethunderbowl.com or call 559.688.0909.
The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks Amsoil, Hoosier Tire, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Diversified Machine Inc., Extreme Mufflers, Keizer Wheels, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra Shield Race Products, and Woodland Auto Display for their support.
For more information, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/#!/pages/USAC-West-Coast-Sprint-Car-Series/369549755817), or Twitter (www.twitter.com/USACwc360). Mike Truex's Loudpedal Productions has DVDs available for purchase that feature the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars and for more information, call 805.407.7229 or visit www.loudpedalvideo.com.
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USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
April 11, 2015 – Santa Maria, California – Santa Maria Raceway
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY TIME TRIALS:
1. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-14.367; 2. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Bowman-14.566; 3. Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-14.680; 4. Trey Marcham, 73, Ford-14.851; 5. Tristan Guardino, 81, Watt-14.983; 6. D.J. Johnson, 33, Johnson-15.005; 7. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-15.069; 8. Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-15.205; 9. Tye Mihocko, 5, Mihocko-15.223; 10. Shannon McQueen, 87, Van Meter-15.230; 11. Luke Boles, 56, Boles-15.289; 12. Jeff Sibley, 42N, Sibley-15.381; 13. Bill Jones, 91, Jones-15.631; 14. Jordan Linson, 10J, Linson-17.445; 15. James Herrera, 16J, Herrera-19.156.
EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE #1: (10 laps)
1. R.Vander Weerd, 2. Mihocko, 3. Boles, 4. Guardino, 5. J.Vander Weerd, 6. Barnes, 7. Jones, 8. Herrera. NT
DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE #2: (10 laps)
1. Johnson, 2. Faria, 3. Marcham, 4. McQueen, 5. Hurst, 6. Sibley, 7. Linson. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Richard Vander Weerd, (6th) 2. D.J. Johnson (2nd), 3. Danny Faria Jr. (5th), 4. Landon Hurst (9th), 5. Trey Marcham (4th), 6. Tristan Guardino (3rd), 7. Jace Vander Weerd (8th), 8. Jeff Sibley (12th), 9. Luke Boles (11th), 10. Kevin Barnes (7th), 11. Bill Jones (13th), 12. James Herrera (15th), 13. Jordan Linson (14th), 14. Shannon McQueen (10th), 15. Tye Mihocko (1st). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-18 Johnson, Laps 19-30 R.Vander Weerd.
DIVERSIFIED MACHINE INC. / ULTRA SHIELD RACE PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER: Richard Vander Weerd (6th to 1st)
WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1 1. Danny Faria Jr.-363, 2. Ryan Bernal-320, 3. Jace Vander Weerd-307, 4. Richard Vander Weerd-295, 5. Trey Marcham-270, 6. D.J. Johnson-266, 7. Landon Hurst-260, 8. Tristan Guardino-186, 9. Austin Liggett-175, 10. Jeff Sibley-70, 11. Colby Copeland-166, 12. Kevin Barnes-141, 13. Brody Roa-125, 14. Bud Kaeding-122, 15. Tye Mihocko-99, 16. Shannon McQueen-92, 17. Max Adams-91, 18. Troy Rutherford-87, 19. Jonathan Henry-78, 20. Chris Ennis-73.
2015 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
May 16: Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial)
May 30: Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
June 20: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA
June 27: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
July 25: Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Peter Murphy Classic)
August 1: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
August 22: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial)
September 26: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points)
October 3: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA
October 10: Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (KRC Safety Fall Shootout)
November 19: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series)
November 20: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series)
November 21: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC Southwest Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
ATTACHED PHOTOS/IMAGES:
#10 Richard Vander Weerd wins at Santa Maria Raceway. Photo by Lance Jennings / SCRAFAN.COM.
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