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(JUNE
5, 2007, PERRIS, CA) This is a weekend everybody has
been looking forward to with a lot of anticipation. The
tension is thick and there are beads of sweat forming on
everyone’s forehead as they wonder. Many scratch their
knuckles and speculate to those close by about what is about
to happen. Heck no, we are not referring to the final ever
episode of the Sopranos? We are talking of the next race for
the Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, presented by Temecula
Valley Pipe and Supply, at Perris Auto Speedway this
Saturday night. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM with
racing at 7:00. June is ”Kid’s Month” at The PAS and
all kids 12 and under will be admitted free on Saturday when
an adult accompanies them.
Heading
into the weekend, Tony still sits on top of the heap, but
someone is determined to knock him off his pedestal. Come on
now, get this straight! We are not talking of Phil
Leotardo’s attempts to bump off Tony Soprano! We are
talking about the Lucas Oil USAC/CRA Series point leader
Tony Jones being challenged by the hottest Sprint Car
drivers in the nation the past couple of weeks, Blake
Miller. And, even though his nickname is “The Bullet,”
Miller plans to takedown Jones in a Sprint Car on the famous
Riverside County clay oval instead of with a nine millimeter
outside the Bada Bing.
In
reality, Miller, a slender red headed 20 year-old from Yorba
Linda, California, has been on fire for nearly a month. On
May 12th, the 2005 VRA Sprint Car champion flipped in turn
one just after taking the lead in the main event from Jones
at The PAS and was thus denied his first ever 410 Sprint Car
win. However, he rectified that situation two weeks later
when he won the Annual Salute to Indy main event at The PAS
on Memorial Day weekend.
Less
than 24 hours after the win at The PAS, Miller shattered the
410 traditional Sprint Car one lap track record at the
Thunderbowl in Tulare, California and he finished fifth in
the main event that evening. Last Saturday, Miller shined
again on his old VRA stomping grounds when the series hit
the beach at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. For the second
show in a row, he was fast qualifier and for the second time
in a week, he won the main event. That second victory ties
Miller with Jones, Ventura, California’s Cory Kruseman and
Scotty Weir of Marion, Indiana as the only drivers in the
series with more than one win in 2007. By the way,
Miller’s two wins have come in only five starts in Jeff
Gardner’s eight year-old Sled chassis.
While
Miller has been the man of the hour, Norco, California’s
Jones has been the man of the year. Heading into
Saturday’s competition on the lightning fast clay oval,
the “Open Wheel Cowboy” holds a commanding 145-point
lead over Temecula, California’s Mike Spencer in the
championship standings. Through 17 races, Jones has been
having a remarkable season. He has only finished out of the
top five four times all season long and only once has he
finished worse than 7th (14th on march 9th at Las Vegas).
Rising
star “Showtime” Danny Sheridan, of Santa Maria,
California, has closed to within five-points of second place
Spencer.
Thus
far in 2007, The PAS has hosted eight Lucas Oil USAC/CRA
races and there is yet to be a repeat winner. Among the
stars who have not won at The PAS this year are defending
USAC/CRA champion Kruseman, 2004 USAC/CRA Champion Rip
Williams of Yorba Linda, California and 2004 SCRA Champion
“Super Rickie” Gaunt of Torrance, California.
We
have to ask the following compelling questions regarding
this weekend. Can Blake Miller keep his hot streak alive?
Can Tony Jones maintain his huge point lead? Will there be
nine different PAS winners in nine races after Saturday
night? Can Mike Spencer hold off Danny Sheridan? Will Silvio
Dante survive his gunshot wounds and who will win the war
between Tony Soprano and Phil Leotardo? The only way to get
the answers for the first four questions is to visit Perris
Auto Speedway this Saturday night. Answers for the other two
will be determined on Sunday at 6:00 PM Pacific time on HBO.
This
weekend’s tense display by the dirt track desperados will
include qualifying, four clay slingin’ 10-lap heat races
and a 12 lap B main and a 30 lap A main event shootout.
On
Friday, the red-hot drag racing action at the Street Legal
Strip at The PAS will continue. Friday’s gates will open
at 5:00 PM with racing at 6:00.
Anyone
wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at
(951) 940-0134.
Perris
Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds
(home of the Southern California Fair), approximately one
hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To
get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit at the Ramona
Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.
Video
and DVD productions for all Lucas Oil USAC/CRA at races
Perris Auto Speedway are available from North Hollywood,
California’s Raceway Video. For more information on these
shows call Jeff Kristensen at (818) 618-9764 or visit the
website at www.racewayvideo.com
racesatthepas@aol.com
is the only authorized Internet address to issue official
media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval
Entertainment
USAC/CRA
SERIES SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS
1. Tony Jones – Norco, CA – 984
2. Mike Spencer – Temecula, CA - 839
3. Danny Sheridan – Santa Maria, CA – 834
4. Rickie Gaunt – Torrance, CA – 818
5. Scotty Weir – Marion, IN – 718
6. Rip Williams – Yorba Linda, CA – 624
7. Cory Kruseman – Ventura, CA - 591
8. R.J. Johnson – Phoenix, AZ – 510
9. Darren Hagen – Riverside, CA – 460
10. David Cardey – Riverside, CA - 448
11. Josh Ford – Oxnard, CA – 413
12. Garrett Hansen – Manhattan Beach, CA - 388
13. Rodney Argo – Gardena, CA – 388
14. Blake Miller – Yorba Linda, CA – 368
15. Jason York – Chico, CA – 358
16. Charles Davis Jr. – Buckeye, AZ – 350
17. Tyler Brown – Norco, CA – 338
18. Michael Trimble – San Jose, CA – 330
19. J Hicks – Lomita, CA – 279
20. Alan Ballard – Bakersfield, CA - 267
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