USAC Regional Preview: 7/5/2019

#28m Matt McCarthy
(Lance Jennings Photo)

JULY 4, 2019… After a hard fought battle at Perris, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will invade the Santa Maria Raceway this Saturday, July 6th. Promoted by Nick Duggan, the “11th Annual Doug Fort Memorial” is the first of two appearances at the central coast 1/3-mile oval. The action packed card will also feature IMCA Modifieds, Mini Stocks, Dwarf Cars, and the NMRA TQ Midgets. Located in Nipomo, California, the front gates at “The West’s Best Short Track” will open at 4:00pm, time trials at 5:00pm, and racing will begin at 5:30pm. For more information, visit the track’s website at santamariaraceway.com or call 310.493.4900.

#42 Eddie Strada (Chad Warner Photo)

East Coast Sprints Celebrate Independence Saturday at New Egypt

New Egypt, New Jersey (July 1, 2019)………The USAC Rapid Tire East Coast Sprint Cars get back after it this Saturday night, July 6, for their only appearance of the season at New Jersey’s New Egypt Speedway.

The series was last in the Garden State near the end of May at Bridgeport where Joey Biasi (Mary D, Pa.) scored the victory.  Eddie Strada (Lake Ariel, Pa.) scored the East Coast victory at New Egypt one year ago and, wouldn’t you know it, he comes into this weekend’s race as the series’ most recent feature winner, which get got done last Sunday at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park in New York.

In last year’s New Egypt race, Strada was followed to the line by defending champ and current point leader Steven Drevicki (Reading, Pa.) and Chandler Leiby (Carlisle, Pa.).  Those three finished in the top-four of Sunday’s event at Glen Ridge as well.

Billy Pauch, Jr. has also confirmed that he will be in the USAC East Coast Sprint Car field on Saturday night, driving Bill Gallagher’s No. 5G, substituting for Timmy Buckwalter, a two-time series winner this year.

Vahlco Wheels Modifieds, Crate Modifieds and Mike’s Performance Center 4-Cylinders are also on the card Saturday.  Adult (16+) admission is $26, Seniors (65+) are $24 while Teens (12-15) & Military with ID are $15 and Kids 11 & Under are FREE!

USAC RAPID TIRE EAST COAST SPRINT POINTS: 1-Steven Drevicki-508, 2-Chandler Leiby-472, 3-Eddie Strada-464, 4-Ryan Quackenbush-424, 5-Chris Allen, Jr.-416, 6-Timmy Buckwalter-363, 7-Bill Unglert-362, 8-Eric Jennings-312, 9-Carmen Perigo-266, 10-Joey Biasi-237.

#11 Kendall Ruble (Vincennes, Ind.) (Neil Cavanah Photo)

Bloomington and Spoon River Fire Up for Weekend Midget Action

Speedway, Indiana (July 1, 2019)………USAC Midget racing on two fronts are headed for the Midwest border states of Indiana and Illinois this weekend.

An open USAC Midwest Midget Regional Special Event race utilizing standard USAC Midget racing rules, will be competing alongside the USAC Speed2 Midwest Thunder Midgets in a combined show at Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway on Friday, July 5.  Sterling Cling (Tempe, Ariz.) won the first of these events at Bloomington back in May.  Aaron Leffel (Springfield, Ohio) leads the Midwest Thunder standings while Stratton Briggs (Anna, Ohio) won the most recent round last Saturday at Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway.

Stratton Briggs (Anna, Ohio) is coming straight off a Midwest Thunder Midget victory last Saturday at Montpelier.  Briggs is second in the standings, 43 points behind two-time and defending series champ Aaron Leffel (Springfield, Ohio), a two-time series winner this year.

In neighboring Illinois, the USAC Speed2 IMRA Midgets are back at Spoon River Speedway in Canton, Ill. this Saturday night, July 6.  Korey Weyant (Springfield, Ill.) captured last Saturday’s score there, ending defending series champion Andy Baugh’s three-race reign at the 3/8-mile dirt oval.  Baugh leads the standings 32 over Tyler Roth (Springfield, Ill.), a June winner at Macon (Ill.) Speedway.

Friday at Bloomington, it’s the “Fireworks Extravaganza” presented by Curry Auto Center.  UMP Modifieds, Midwest Mini Sprints and Super Stocks are also in action, concluding with an awesome fireworks display to celebrate USA’s 243rd birthday.  Pit gates open for the event at 3pm (Eastern) with grandstands opening at 5pm, hot laps at 6:30pm and racing at 7pm.  Adult general admission tickets are $15, student/military tickets are $10 (with ID) and kids 12 and under are free.

Fireworks are on the docket this Saturday at Spoon River.  Pits open at 3pm (Central), pill draw ends at 5:30pm, drivers meeting at 6pm and hot laps at 6:15pm with racing to follow.

(Steve Koletar Photo)

Tobias Memorial Begins Action Track USA’s 2nd Half on July 10

Kutztown, Pennsylvania (July 3, 2019)………While that dreaded four-letter word – rain – dominated the first seven weeks of the 2019 campaign, track officials, racers, and fans are chomping at the bit to get the second half of the season underway at Championship Energy Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairgrounds.

And the remaining slate of blockbuster events gets started in a big way on Wednesday, July 10, with the running of the Seventh Annual Ronnie Tobias Memorial. Honoring the memory of a talented dirt Modified wheel-twister and brother to Action Track USA co-owner Rich Tobias, the program will once again be highlighted by Twin 20-lap features for the USAC All Pro SpeedSTRs. They will be joined by the Hyper Racing EVO Injection 600 Sprints, the All Star Slingshots, and the Junior Slingshots.

Last year’s Ronnie Tobias Memorial turned out to be a “first-of-its-kind” event, as one driver swept both ends of the SpeedSTR Twin 20’s while another chauffeur copped both of theTwin 17’s for the 600 Sprints. Briggs Danner, the teenage sensation from Allentown, PA, notched his second and third SpeedSTR victories and Tim Buckwalter recorded his first two wins of the season in the 600’s. Dylan Hoch triumphed in the 40-lap main for the All Star Slingshots.

This year’s agenda calls for the Twin 20’s for SpeedSTR competitors, and a single, 25-lap shootout for the 600 Sprint jockeys. The All Star Slingshots will compete in a 40-lapper once again, and the Junior Slingshots take part in a 15-lap feature.

Pit gates open at 4 p.m., with grandstand gates swinging open at 5:00. Warm-ups get underway at 6:05, with qualifying races going green immediately after the hot lap sessions.

Coming up on July 17 is the highly anticipated debut of winged 600 Sprints at the Berks County oval. The winged race was postponed by rain on June 19. SpeedSTRs, Slingshots, and the Restricted 600’s are also on the July 17 menu.

A huge night of racing is set for Wednesday, July 24, as the twice postponed Dick Tobias Classic, a 75-lap affair for the SpeedSTRs that pays a hefty $5,000 to the winner, will be a major part of the show. The All Star Slingshots will share the spotlight that night as they participate in the annual Kutztown Komet 100, a race that pays tribute to one of Kutztown’s most well known citizens, the late, great Freddy Adam. Adam was one of the best dirt Modified pilots of the ’60’s and ’70’s, and was widely known as “the Kutztown Komet”. The 600 Sprints are also on the July 24 docket.

Then, on July 31, the clay will be sprayed by one of the wildest, most competitive forms of motorsports on the planet. For the very first time, the USAC Nos Energy Drink National Midget Championship series will visit Championship Energy Action Track USA. Joining the mighty Midgets on the card will be Hyper Racing 600 Speedweek presented by 600cc Performance. The entire night is being sponsored by Belfor Property Restoration and Storm Chassis.

For additional information on all things Action Track USA, check the speedway’s website at www.actiontrackusa.com or follow us at www.facebook.com/ActionTrackUSA. The Twitter handle is: @actiontrackusa.

Sources: USAC PR

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