2019 CRA & Southwest Sprint Cars at Arizona Speedway

USAC/CRA & SW Sprints Set For Arizona

USAC/CRA & SW Sprints Set For Arizona

AMSOIL USAC/CRA and Sands Chevrolet Southwest Sprint Cars invade Arizona Speedway for a "grudge match" this Saturday, September 28.

Sep 26, 2019 by Richie Murray
USAC/CRA & SW Sprints Set For Arizona

After a hard fought “Glenn Howard Classic” at Perris, the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will invade San Tan Valley’s Arizona Speedway this Saturday, September 28th.

Watch CRA and Southwest Sprint Cars at Arizona Speedway

The annual “Hall of Fame Classic” has been an Arizona tradition going back to 2000 at the legendary Manzanita Speedway when it was Originally sanctioned by the Sprint Car Racing Association (SCRA). Jeremy Sherman won that inaugural race and since then, the event has been a part of the USAC/CRA, USAC National, and USAC SouthWest Sprint Car schedules. Current point leader, Damion Gardner leads all drivers with three “Hall of Fame Classic” victories and the event winner’s list is at the end of the release.

To date, there have been eight USAC/CRA events at the fast 1/3-mile clay oval. Since November 4, 2016, seven different drivers claimed victory, led by Chris Windom with two titles. Chad Boespflug set the 1-lap track record of 14.625 on November 5, 2016.

Entering the 18th point race, there have been 10 different winners with USAC/CRA. As previously mentioned, Gardner has three of those victories. In addition, Brody Roa, Hunter Schuerenberg, Jake Swanson, Richard Vander Weerd, and Austin Williams are all tied with two wins. Josh Hodges, Chase Johnson, Austin Liggett, and Troy Rutherford each have one victory in the campaign.

Going into this weekend at Arizona Speedway, Gardner has a 59-point lead. He scored a third place finish in last Saturday’s “Glenn Howard Classic” at Perris Auto Speedway. To date, he has three feature wins, nine Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, seven heat race victories, and 81 feature laps led on the season. Gardner is also ranked 12th in USAC SouthWest points and leads all drivers with 83 wins as he looks for his fourth “Hall of Fame Classic” victory. 

Watch CRA and Southwest Sprint Cars at Arizona Speedway

Last Saturday, Williams claimed his second win of the year at the “Glenn Howard Classic.” He is currently ranked second in the point chase, and has one Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award, three heat race victories, one Specialty Fasteners Hard Charger Award, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led in the campaign. As of now he's sitting 12th in the USAC SouthWest standings, the 2009 USAC/CRA Co-Rookie of the Year is tied with Ryan Bernal, David Cardey, and Richard Vander Weerd with nine series wins.

Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA) sits third in the championship point standings and will be making his first start in Dwight Cheney’s #42 Racing Optics / Sander Engineering Maxim car. He briefly led at Perris before finishing fifth at the checkered flags. The 2016 USAC West Coast champion has two feature wins, three heat race victories, 13 top-10 finishes, and 105 feature laps led to his credit. In addtion, he's currently tied with Dave Darland, Rickie Gaunt, and Danny Sheridan with eight USAC/CRA wins.

Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA) is fourth in the chase for the championship after he came in second to Williams at the “Glenn Howard Classic” a week ago. To date, the Louie Vermeil Classic winner has two feature wins, two Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, one dash win, five heat race victories, and 43 feature laps led to his credit. He is also ranked sixth in USAC Southwest points, along with being tied with Darren Hagen, Kevin Swindell, and Chris Windom with four USAC/CRA wins.

Watch CRA and Southwest Sprint Cars at Arizona Speedway

Chris Gansen (Verdemont Heights, CA) ranks fifth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Driving the family owned #4G Trench Shoring / Circle Track Performance Maxim, Gansen raced from eighth to a sixth place finish at Perris Auto Speedway. He's claimed two Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Awards, seven top-10 finishes, and 15 feature laps led in the campaign. Also placed 21st in USAC SouthWest points.

Currently ranked 10 in points, Eddie Tafoya Jr. (Chino Hills, CA) leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. Steve Hix (Ventura, CA), and Jeff Dyer (Bermuda Dunes, CA) are also in contention.

Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Tommy Malcolm, Matt McCarthy, Charles Davis Jr., R.J. Johnson, Mike Martin, Stevie Sussex, Joel Rayborne, and more.

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AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS: 2004-Rip Williams, 2005-Damion Gardner, 2006-Cory Kruseman, 2007-Tony Jones, 2008-Mike Spencer, 2009-Mike Spencer, 2010-Mike Spencer, 2011-Mike Spencer, 2012-Mike Spencer, 2013-Damion Gardner, 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Damion Gardner, 2016-Damion Gardner, 2017-Damion Gardner, 2018-Damion Gardner.

HALL OF FAME CLASSIC WINNERS: 2000-Jeremy Sherman, 2001-Tony Jones, 2002-Damion Gardner, 2003-Charles Davis Jr., 2004-Mike Kirby, 2005-Damion Gardner, 2006-Jeremy Sherman, 2007-Danny Sheridan, 2008-Cancelled, 2009-Not Held, 2010-Not Held, 2011-Bryan Clauson, 2012-Mike Martin, 2013-Chase Stockon, 2014-Bryan Clauson, 2015-Mike Spencer, 2016-R.J. Johnson, 2017-R.J. Johnson, 2018-Damion Gardner. 

2019 AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 3-Damion Gardner, 2-Brody Roa, 2-Hunter Schuerenberg, 2-Jake Swanson, 2-Richard Vander Weerd, 2-Austin Williams, 1-Josh Hodges, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Troy Rutherford.

SAN TAN VALLEY AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Chris Windom, 1-Tyler Courtney, 1-Damion Gardner, 1-Justin Grant, 1-Thomas Meseraull, 1-Chase Stockon, 1-Jake Swanson.

AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Damion Gardner-1142, 2. Austin Williams-1083, 3. Brody Roa-1063, 4. Jake Swanson-975, 5. Chris Gansen-757, 6. Tommy Malcolm-666, 7. Matt McCarthy-608, 8. Charles Davis Jr.-592, 9. Danny Faria Jr.-583, 10. Eddie Tafoya Jr. ®-549, 11. Richard Vander Weerd-508, 12. Steve Hix ®-505, 13. R.J. Johnson-499, 14. Cody Williams-495, 15. Mike Martin-477, 16. Austin Liggett-453, 17. Verne Sweeney-391, 18. Jace Vander Weerd-351, 19. Stevie Sussex-350, 20. A.J. Bender-307.

SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Brody Roa-775, 2. R.J. Johnson-743, 3. Stevie Sussex-701, 4. Charles Davis Jr.-658, 5. Mike Martin-613, 6. Jake Swanson-470, 7. Matt Lundy-427, 8. Matt Rossi-413, 9. Chris Bonneau-362, 10. Michael Curtis-357, 11. Austin Williams-324, 12. Damion Gardner-269, 13. Josh Hodges-202, 14. Jonas Reynolds-201, 15. Isaac Chapple-200, 16. Dennis Gile-199, 17. Hunter Schuerenberg-197, 18. Daylin Perreira-194, 19. Tommy Malcolm-190, 20. Matt McCarthy-152.