8/3/2011
Sprint Source
WESTERN CLASSIC SPRINTS HEAD TO CHICO AND PLACERVILLE FOR DIRT DOUBLE
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (August 3, 2011) – Tony Hunt will look to add to his points lead as the USAC Western Classic Racing Series continues its inaugural season with a return to Dennis Gage’s Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday night and the series debut at Alan Handy’s Placerville Speedway on Saturday night. A strong field of traditional non-wing sprint cars will be in action on both nights on the quarter-mile dirt oval tracks.
Friday’s race in Chico will be the “Wayne Sue Classic” honoring the 49-time Silver Dollar Speedway feature winner, while the “Mike McCreary Classic” on Saturday at Placerville will honor the late driver and sprint car constructor. Both nights will see BCRA Midgets in action as well with Friday night’s Midget card to be co-sanctioned by the USAC Western States and WMRA.
Hunt leads USAC rookie Geoff Ensign of Sebastopol by 64 points heading into the weekend. Ensign has a strong dirt resume that he bolstered with a second place finish in USAC action at Ocean Speedway in June against the USAC/CRA contingent.
Fair Oaks’ Shauna Hogg leads the dirt points for the USAC WCRS and is third in the overall series order. San Francisco’s Tim Barber, teammate to Ensign, trails Ensign by nine points and is fourth overall. Scott Pierovich rounds out the top-five in the standings.
The inaugural series campaign has seen five different winners through seven of the 16 scheduled races. Cory Kruseman led the CRA and WCRS combined features at both Ocean Speedway and Santa Maria Speedway. Hunt has scored a pair of pavement wins, while Bill Rose, Pierovich, and Cody Gerhardt each have one win.
Among those vying for the USAC WCRS dirt championship includes Tim Sherman, Marty Hawkins, Jerry Kobza, Todd Miller, Jr. and multi-time Ocean Speedway champion Ryan Bernal. Bernal comes into the weekend after a strong victory with the USAC West Coast 360s at Santa Maria Speedway.
The Carson City, NV driving team of Jeff Shurley and Mark Beck are also expected this weekend along with Chico’s Don Emery and Winton’s Gordon Rodgers who are full-time competitors on the pavement as well. A bevy of local winged talents will shed their tops for the weekend with Andy Forsberg expected for Friday’s show, along with Chico regulars Colby Copeland and Jason York planning to run both nights.
Other likely contenders this weekend include Matt Sherman, Richard Brace, Jr., Jim Richardson, Mason and Cody Myers, James Sweeney, Billy Strange, Jr., and Scott Hall.
Along with more than two dozen sprint cars expected each night, fans will be treated to an equally large field of BCRA and USAC Midgets. BCRA points leader Nick Foster, Jr. and USAC points leader David Prickett will both be on hand to defend their positions on top.
On Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway, front grandstand gate will open at 6 p.m. with racing is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. General adult admission into the grandstands is $15.00, while juniors and seniors are $12.00 and children $6.00.
Saturday night’s show at Placerville Speedway will have the front grandstand gate opening at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. General adult admission is $13.00 with seniors and juniors $11.00 and children $6.00.
More information on the USAC Western Classic Racing Series is available on Facebook at keywords “USAC Western Classic Racing Series”. The United States Auto Club is online at www.usacracing.com The USAC Western States is available at www.usacwesternstates.com with contact information and the latest news.
The USAC Western Classic Racing Series is brought to you by: Amsoil, Hoosier Tires West, and Kaeding Performance.
Article Credit: Steven Blakesley / Blakesley Sports Media
Submitted By: Steven Blakesley