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SPRINT CAR YOUTH MOVEMENT HITS PERRIS AUTO
SPEEDWAY
By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, March 15, 2024)
Even though the frequency is nothing like
the changing of the guard at London’s
Buckingham Palace, changing of the guard
happens periodically in all forms of
motorsports. That includes short track
racing and in this case, the Avanti
Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car
Series that will be making its second
appearance of 2024 at Perris Auto Speedway
this Saturday night, March 16th.
18-year-old David Gasper finished 2nd and
turned in the fastest lap in the
season-opening main event. Doug Allen
photo.
The changing of the guard
has happened several times since Perris
Auto Speedway opened in 1996. At that time
some of the stars previously raced at
legendary Ascot Park in Gardena which
closed its doors in 1990. Ascot heroes
like Rip Williams, Ron Shuman, and Leland
McSpadden were part of the show. Joining
them were up-and-comers like JJ Yeley,
“The Gas Man” Richard Griffin, “Super”
Ricke Gaunt, Cory Kruseman, and Tony
Jones. As the racing progressed through
the years, along came new heroes like “The
Demon” Damion Gardner, Mike Spencer, Matt
Mitchell, Brody Roa, the Williams
brothers, and Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm.
These are just a few of the stars who have
graced the clay at Perris Auto Speedway.
17-year-old Braden Chiaramonte went from
16th to 8th and had the second-fastest lap
in the season-opening main event. P1
Racing Image.
Could there be a new
group of young stars emerging on the scene
today? From the looks of the field on
opening night for the Avanti Windows and
Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, the answer is
yes. A strong bevy of young drivers showed
up for the opener and two of them gave the
veteran drivers all they could handle.
“The season opener was a great night
of racing,” promoter Don Kazarian said.
“There is a lot of young talent coming
into the series and they shined on opening
night. Especially David Gasper and Braden
Chiaramonte. Gasper charged all the way up
to second and he was closing on winner
Matt Mitchell late in the race.
Chiaramonte came from deep in the pack and
finished eighth. It is safe to say that
each of them will win a series main this
year.”
For the record, Santa
Barbara, California’s Gasper, the 2021 and
2022 California Lightning Sprint Car
Series champion, started ninth and drove
up to second. Chiaramonte, who lives in El
Cajon, California, and who turned 17 the
day after the race, started 16th and
weaved his way through the pack to finish
eighth. Perhaps as impressive as their
finishes was the fact that amongst a field
of veterans, they were the two fastest
drivers in the main event. Gasper was the
only driver to break the 17-second barrier
when he recorded a 16.965 on the last lap
while trying to chase down Mitchell. One
lap earlier, Chiaramonte’s 17.072 made him
the second-fastest driver in the
30-lapper.
“The confidence, speed,
and car control those two guys showed in
the main event, was amazing,” Kazarian
raved. “They looked like they had been out
there for years. Their combined total of
410 starts at Perris now stands at three.
I am excited to see more of them and the
other up and coming youngsters in the
series as they get in more laps.”
Another teen to be reckoned with this
season is Lakeside, California’s Grant
Sexton. Last year was the 2022 POWRi
Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series
champion’s first full-season racing 410
sprint cars. The 19-year-old won the
USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year Award. In
addition, he placed seventh in the
championship point standings. This season
his 50-year-old father Brent is trying to
emulate him by winning the Rookie of the
Year title.
Among the other
youngsters on hand were Goodyear,
Arizona’s Logan Calderwood. The ASCA 2022
Southwest Series champion finished 12th in
the standings in his first full USAC/CRA
season in 2023. He won one of the heat
races on opening night three weeks ago and
finished 13th in the main event. Two teens
who graduated from the PAS Young Gun
series also made their USAC/CRA debuts at
the opener. 2023 Young Gun champion Blake
Hendricks from Simi Valley, California,
and New Cayama’s Elexa Herrera. Throw in
“Shugah” Shane Sexton, who has raced
limited schedules in the series the last
two years, and the future looks bright.
“Those kids all looked good,”
Kazarian concluded. “And there are some
more youngsters on the way that will make
their presence known in USAC/CRA this
year. The future looks bright.”
Spectator gates will open at 5:00 p.m. on
Saturday and the first race will get the
green flag at 7:00. Adult tickets for the
night of exciting dirt track racing and
clean family fun are $30.00. Seniors 65
and over get in for $25.00. For kids 6-12
it is only $5.00, and children 5 and under
are admitted free. Advance tickets are
available online at
https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7
. They can also be ordered by phone at
1-800-595-4849. For fans who do not wish
to purchase tickets in advance, there will
be plenty available for everyone at the
ticket window on Saturday.
Perris
Auto Speedway is conveniently located on
the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of the
Southern California Fair), one hour east
of Los Angeles and one hour North of San
Diego. To get to the track, take the 215
freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway,
and go three miles east to the
fairgrounds. For directions online, the
address to enter is: 18700 Lake Perris
Drive and the zip code is 92571.
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank the
following corporate partners. Ahern
Equipment Rentals, Anderson Chevrolet,
Battery Systems, Bud’s Tire, Tire Choice
Auto Service, Chris’ Hauling, City of
Perris, Communication Innovations, Daytona
Boat & RV Storage, Ed Moore Bullet Proof
Driveshaft, Flowdynamics, GAS Chassis, HD
Industries, Heimark/Anheuser Busch,
Hoosier Tires, Inland Rigging, Living
Water’s Hospice, LKQ Pick Your Part,
Luke’s Transmission, Moose Racing,
Pepsi-Cola, Performance Online, Pole
Position Raceway, PrintItNow.com, Rainbow
Bolt & Supply, Rene’s Bar & Grill, Rugged
Radios, Shaver Specialties, Square H,
Sunoco Race Fuels, Trench Shoring, Upland
Rock, Varner Construction and Vista Paint.
For information on 2024 billboard
advertising at The PAS, please call
951-940-0134 and ask for Charlie Watson.
USAC/CRA races from Perris Auto
Speedway are not streamed online.
Fans can stay up to date on track and
driver news on The PAS social media
efforts at the links below.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480?ref=hl
Twitter: Perris Auto Speedway on
Twitter
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/perrisautospeedway/
Website:
http://perrisautospeedway.com/ 2024 Perris
Auto Speedway Schedule
March 16th
AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS PAS SENIOR
SPRINTS, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND
PASSCAR STREET AND FACTORY STOCK CARS
April 6th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents
NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE
8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND
DOUBLE DECKERS
April 27th AVANTI
USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS,
GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND PASSCAR
SUPER AND FACTORY STOCKS
May 4th
LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF
DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S,
TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE
DECKERS
May 25th "SALUTE TO INDY"
AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR
SPRINTS, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND
PASSCAR SUPER AND STREET STOCKS
June 1st LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT
OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S,
TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE
DECKERS
June 22nd AVANTI USAC/CRA
SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS, GAS
CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND PASSCAR
STREET AND FACTORY STOCKS
July 4th
“FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR AND SKY CONCERT”
(TENTATIVE) LKQ Pick Your Part Presents
NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE
8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND
DOUBLE DECKERS
July 13th AVANTI
USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS Senior Sprints,
GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUNS SERIES, AND PASSCAR
SUPER AND FACTORY STOCKS
August
10th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF
DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S,
TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE
DECKERS
August 17th CALIFORNIA
RACER’S HALL OF FAME NIGHT, AVANTI
USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS Senior Sprints,
GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUNS SERIES AND PASSCAR
SUPER AND STREET STOCKS
September
7th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF
DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S,
TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE
DECKERS
September 21st AVANTI
USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS Senior Sprints,
GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUNS SERIES AND PASSCAR
SUPER AND FACTORY STOCKS
October
26th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF
DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S,
TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE
DECKERS
November 8th 27TH RUNNING
OF THE OVAL NATIONALS Featuring AVANTI
USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS,
GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND PASSCAR
SUPER, STREET AND FACTORY STOCKS
November 9th 27TH RUNNING OF THE OVAL
NATIONALS Featuring AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT
CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS, GAS CHASSIS
YOUNG GUN SERIES – JERRY DODD CHAMPIONS
NIGHT, PASSCAR SUPER, STREET AND FACTORY
STOCKS
THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO
CHANGE.
Perris Auto Speedway is
conveniently located on the Lake Perris
Fairgrounds (home of the Southern
California Fair), one hour east of Los
Angeles and one hour North of San Diego.
To get to the track, take the 215 freeway,
exit on the Ramona Expressway, and go
three miles east to the fairgrounds. For
directions online, the address to enter
is: 18700 Lake Perris Drive and the zip
code is 92571.
Perris Auto
Speedway wants to thank the following
corporate partners. Ahern Equipment
Rentals, Anderson Chevrolet, Battery
Systems, Bud’s Tire, Tire Choice Auto
Service, Chris’ Hauling, City of Perris,
Communication Innovations, Daytona Boat &
RV Storage, Ed Moore Bullet Proof
Driveshaft, Flowdynamics, GAS Chassis, HD
Industries, Heimark/Anheuser Busch,
Hoosier Tires, Inland Rigging, Living
Water’s Hospice, LKQ Pick Your Part,
Luke’s Transmission, Moose Racing,
Pepsi-Cola, Performance Online, Pole
Position Raceway, PrintItNow.com, Rainbow
Bolt & Supply, Rene’s Bar & Grill, Rugged
Radios, Shaver Specialties, Square H,
Sunoco Race Fuels, Trench Shoring, Upland
Rock, Varner Construction and Vista Paint.
For information on 2024 billboard
advertising at The PAS, please call
951-940-0134 and ask for Charlie Watson.
USAC/CRA races from Perris Auto
Speedway are not streamed online.
Fans can stay up to date on track and
driver news on The PAS social media
efforts at the links below.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480?ref=hl
Twitter: Perris Auto Speedway on
Twitter
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/perrisautospeedway/
Website:
http://perrisautospeedway.com/
DVDs of all the PASSCAR/IMCA
racing and Nights of Destruction at The
PAS are available from Fourvideos. For
more information call (714) 225-9500.
mailto:perrisautospeedway1@gmail.com
is the only authorized Internet address to
issue official media news released from
The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval
Entertainment.
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