7/6/2011
Sprint Source
TONY HUNT LEADS USAC WESTERN CLASSIC SPRINTS TO STOCKTON
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (July 6, 2011) – Tony Hunt will continue his drive for a seventh career USAC title as he leads the USAC Western Classic Racing Series points coming into this Saturday night’s pavement race at Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, Calif. The Lincoln driver has a 65 point advantage over Shauna Hogg through six rounds of the inaugural campaign.
Saturday’s USAC quadruple-header will also see USAC Western Midgets, USAC Ford Focus Midgets, and USAC Ford Focus Young Guns challenging the historic quarter mile paved oval. The historic track was closed in 2006 but was reopened by the Noceti family in 2009 to great fanfare and many modern improvements to the facility. Speeds have increased dramatically thanks to a fresh asphalt surface.
The USAC Western Classic Racing Series is a 16 race series with eight dirt and eight asphalt races for traditional sprint cars. The first six races were an even split of dirt and pavement shows, with Hunt being the only repeat winner thus far. Hunt has won both pavement races at Madera Speedway along with a runner-up finish at All American Speedway. He was also the second highest finishing WCRS competitor at Ocean Speedway against the USAC/CRA.
Other winners this season on the WCRS schedule have included Bill Rose (Chico), Scott Pierovich (All American Speedway), Geoff Ensign (highest finisher at Watsonville), and Tim Barber (highest finisher at Santa Maria). Ensign emerged from the dirt double-header two weeks ago to be third in the points standings, one point behind Hogg.
Barber’s top finish at Santa Maria propelled him to fourth in the standings with Pierovich falling to fifth after a wild flip at Watsonville forced him to miss Santa Maria. Folsom’s Jerry Kobza rounds out the six cars that have contended the full schedule to date.
The USAC Western Classic Racing Series pavement races also pay points for the USAC Western Sprint Car Series that competes throughout the Western United States. Visalia’s Audra Sasselli leads the series by just 25 points over Clovis’ Luis Ramos. Hunt ranks third in the series with Salt Lake City July 2 winner Cody Gerhardt, a rookie, in fourth. His teammate Tim Skoglund is fifth.
Other pavement sprint cars expected on Saturday night include Brian McClish, Gordon Rodgers, Don Emery, Marvin Mitchell, and Bill Logan.
Saturday’s USAC Western Midget event is the first pavement race of their 2011 series, while on the Ford Focus side Portland, OR’s Keegan Walmer leads the NorCal series with the Young Guns led by 12 year-old Trevor Hunt of Kansas City, MO.
The all-USAC show will get underway at 6 p.m. with general admission tickets just $15 for adults, $10 for juniors ages 11-15 and kids under 10 are free! Stockton 99 Speedway is online at www.stockton99.com
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
