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SPRINT
CAR RACING TO CHANGE AT PERRIS AUTO
SPEEDWAY
By Scott
Daloisio
(Perris, CA, April 1, 2020)
Spurned on by the wild popularity of the
Double Decker Class during “Nights of
Destruction” at Perris Auto Speedway,
longtime promoter Don Kazarian has
announced some cost-cutting measures for
sprint car racing that will increase both
car and spectator counts when racing
resumes at the famous Riverside County
half-mile clay oval.
Before the
start of the 2019 season, Kazarian
introduced the Double Deckers for “Night
of Destruction.” The concept features one
full-size streetcar secured to the top of
another full-sized car. The driver in the
car on the bottom controls the throttle
and the brakes and the driver in the car
on top controls the steering. There is no
communication system between the two. The
crowds went wild and love them. So,
Kazarian has announced that when sprint
car racing returns, The PAS will be the
first track in the nation running Double
Decker Sprint Cars.
“I have had
extra time on my hands the past few
weeks,” Kazarian said on Tuesday
afternoon. “I have been thinking on what
we could do to cut the cost of sprint car
racing and in the same breath make it more
exciting for the fans. Therefore,
beginning at our next scheduled open-wheel
race, all Sprint Cars will be Double
Deckers. Just like the Stock Car version,
the Sprint Cars will feature the driver on
the bottom controlling the throttle and
brakes and the driver on top will steer.”
The bottom of
the frame rails of the sprint car on top
must be bolted in four places to the top
of the cage of the car underneath. In
addition, there must be three stabilizers
between the two. Two of the stabilizers
will run from the car on top to the down
tubes of the bottom car. The third
stabilizer must connect the rear portion
of the frame of the top car to the top of
the bumper of the car on the bottom.
“When teams
combine it is going to be a huge cost
saving for them,” Kazarian said. “The tire
bills will be cut in half and the wear and
tear on only using one engine for two cars
will be another significant saving. Car
owners will love this. It will also save
for the track as we will only have to pay
half the purse.”
“This should
bring in some extra fans,” Kazarian
continued. “Some people like traditional
wingless sprint cars. Others like winged
cars. Wingless sprint cars have always
been our tradition here. Our regular fans
love them. For fans who like wings, now we
will have something on top for them, too.
Also, with the fans in mind, we are going
to run the cars in a clockwise direction.
For years fans have said they miss the old
days when drivers did not have arm guards
on the right side of the car and they
could see them working in the cockpits. By
going clockwise, both cars will have their
open cockpit side facing the crowd. They
will be able to see two drivers working so
it will be twice as good as it used to
be.”
One person who
is excited about the possibilities is 2007
USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series champion and
now race director Tony Jones. Jones has
been out of the cockpit for over a decade
but feels that this new concept may lure
him back.
“I have got to
give it to Don Kazarian, he thinks of
everything,” Jones enthused. “I have
always been itching to get back in a car
and this may be the way to wind up the
racing portion of my career. Back in the
day, I won some races and I also tore up
some equipment along the way. With this
exciting new concept, if equipment were to
get torn up, I would only get half of the
blame.”
“I have gained
a few pounds, well, I have gained quite a
few pounds since I last raced,” Jones
laughed. “That may make it hard for me to
be in the top car. The extra weight would
affect the balance of the car and make it
more likely to turnover in the corner.
Then again, I hear Rickie Gaunt may want
in on this and if I am teamed up with him,
I will obviously have to be in the top
car.”
The fact of a
Double Decker sprint car flipping has also
prompted Kazarian to think of a safety
issue regarding the driver in the car on
top.
“I was a
little concerned with a car flipping and
the safety of the driver on top,” Kazarian
stated. “I contacted the Acme Aeronautics
Company and they have come up with an
ejection system much like you see in jet
fighters. How cool could that be for the
fans to see a driver eject himself when
trouble happens and then float safely to
the infield?”
“We are really
looking forward to seeing these new cars
in action once we get going again,”
Kazarian said. He then added with a wink
and a smile. “We hope everyone has a Happy
April Fool’s Day.”
To keep up
with all the latest Perris Auto Speedway
news, photos, gossip and receive special
offers, please use the following links:
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/
Perris Auto
Speedway is conveniently located on the
SoCal Fair and Event Center (home of
October’s 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, on the
Ramona Expressway and go three miles east
to the fairgrounds. For directions on
MapQuest, the address to enter is: 18700
Lake Perris Drive and the zip code is
92571.
Perris Auto
Speedway wants to thank its corporate
partners for the 2019 season. Ahern
Equipment Rentals, All Coast Construction,
Battery Systems, Budweiser, Bud’s Tire
Pro, Chris’ Hauling, City of Perris,
Communication Innovations, Daytona Boat &
RV Storage, Ed Moore Bullet Proof
Driveshaft, Flowdynamics, HD Industries,
Hoosier Tires, Inland Rigging, Living
Water’s Hospice, LKQ Pick Your Part,
Luke’s Transmission, Pepsi-Cola, Pole
Position, PrintItNow.com, Rainbow Bolt &
Supply, Rugged Radios, Shaver Specialties,
Square H, Sunoco Race Fuels, Trench
Shoring, Upland Rock, Varner Construction
and Vista Paint.
Video and DVD
productions of all racing sprint cars
events at Perris Auto Speedway are
available from Loudpedal Productions. For
more information on these productions you
can contact them by calling (805)
844-3854, E-mailing
mailto:trtruex@gmail.com or you can visit
the website LoudPedal Productions.
DVD’s of all
the PASSCAR/IMCA racing and Nights of
Destruction at The PAS are available from
Fourvideos. For more information call
(714) 225-9500.
racesatthepas@aol.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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