SANTA MARIA, California -- The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series is back in action this Saturday, July 24th, at Chris Kearns' Santa Maria Speedway. The Bud Stanfield Memorial will be the fourth event of the year at "The West's Best Short Track" where Danny Sheridan, Craig Stidham, and Jace VanderWeerd claimed victory. The "Mega 97.1 FM Night" will also feature the Toste Construction Mini Stocks, Vintage Sprints, and CDCRA Dwarf Cars. The Front Gates will open at 5:00pm, Time Trials will start at 6:00pm, with Racing at 7:00pm.
Point leader Craig Stidham of Fresno leads all drivers on the circuit with four feature wins. The pilot of the Brad Johnson Trucking / KRC Safety #3S Maxim was fifth quick in time trials, third in his heat race, and third in the feature at Hanford last Saturday. Stidham is closing in on his first series title, but will have to contend with a talented roster of drivers at Santa Maria.
Kerman’s Davey Pombo has one main event victory in the 2010 campaign and will be looking to cut into Stidham's point lead. Driving Junior Bowman's Buster & Ziggy #3 Bullet, Pombo was eighth quick in time trials, won the BR Motorsports / Saldana Racing Products Heat Race, and finished second in the main event at Hanford.
Fresno's T.J. Smith is third in the point standings. Last Saturday at Hanford, Smith was third quick in qualifying, won the Competition Suspension Heat Race, won the Dash, and scored twenty-second place in the feature. Look for the Steve LeGras' UHL Rubber #14 Maxim to rebound with a strong run at Santa Maria.
Justyne Hamblin of Hanford is fourth in the point chase. Driving the JH Motorsports / Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino #8 Speed Tech entry, Hamblin has one feature victory on the season. At Hanford, the defending series champion was ninth quick in qualifying, third in her heat race, and sixth in the main event.
Clovis' Peter Murphy is currently fifth in the point standings. Piloting Junior Bowman's Buster & Ziggy #11 Bullet, Murphy is still looking for his first win of the season. The versatile driver was nineteenth quick in time trials, fifth in his heat race, and fourth in the main event after starting seventeenth. That drive earned the Santa Maria track champion the King Racing Products Hard Charger Award.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Bakersfield's Rusty Carlile, Visalia's Jace & Richard VanderWeerd, Tipton’s “Hollywood” Danny Faria Jr., Bakersfield's Chris Ennis, Mariposa's Andy Ferris, Ricky Kirkbride of Bakersfield, Hanford's Jonathan Logan, Wes Gutierrez of San Martin, and 4-time Santa Maria track champion "Junkyard" Jimmy Thompson from Arroyo Grande.
The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension, Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, Port City Racing, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support.
Santa Maria Speedway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange on Hutton Road. Adult tickets are $16, Senior, Military, and Student tickets (13-17) are $14, Kids tickets (6-12) are $5, and Children’s tickets (5 and under) are FREE. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.racesantamariaspeedway.com.
