PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY SALUTES TWO DEPARTING TRACK WORKERS By Scott Daloisio (Perris, CA, January 30, 2022) When Perris Auto Speedway kicks off its 26th season of racing action with LKQ Pick Your Part Night of Destruction #1 on March 5th, two longtime, valuable employees will not be at their familiar posts. Starter Kevin Winters and scoreboard operator Cruz Gomez both worked their final race at the track last November. Winters has been in the flag stand at The PAS for over a dozen years working all shows including USAC and World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, PASSCAR Stock Cars, IMCA Modifieds, and Nights of Destruction. Gomez joined the staff about a half-decade ago in his teens. Both have excelled at their respective duties and have earned the admiration of drivers, fans, and fellow employees. Starter Kevin Winters throws the checkered flag on a hot lab session. Vane Ledgerwood photo. Winters is stepping aside to spend more time with the family. Gomez advised late last season that he had joined the United States Navy and would be leaving in February. “Kevin and Cruz have done phenomenal for us during their tenures at Perris Auto Speedway,” promoter Don Kazarian said. “They have both performed flawlessly in their respective positions. It seems like Kevin has been with us forever. He is always there early to not only prepare himself for the night of racing but also to help with whatever else he could around the track. Cruz has done the same. He is always on time, and he learned a job that is not as easy as it sounds. He did incredibly well, and we are proud that he has joined the Navy. We hope to see both around the racetrack when their schedules permit.” PAS scoreboard operator Cruz Gomez is stepping away from his duties to join the United States Navy. Winters initially planned to step aside after the 2020 season. But when it was canceled due to COVID, he decided to come back in 2021. The search for a new starter ended up being a short one and it was filled by a familiar face around The PAS and to longtime Speedway Motorcycle racing fans. Steve Russell, who served as the scoreboard operator before Gomez came on board and who was a First Division Speedway racer in Southern California, expressed interest in being the new starter. Remembering his work on the scoreboard, Kazarian liked the idea. Russell immediately began attending all the races and was in the flag stand learning from Winters. He progressed quickly and was waving the flags alongside Winters at many of the races as the season progressed. “Steve did an excellent job for us when he worked the scoreboard a few years ago,” Kazarian stated. “When his name came up as a potential starter it was a no-brainer to give him a shot at the job after seeing how well he did on the board. He is going to do incredibly well as a starter. When we brought him in, he got to learn from Kevin, who is one of the best starters in the country. In the races Steve flagged for us last year he did a great job. Hopefully, he will be with us for a very long time.” Russell has a very interesting tie to the history of dirt track racing in Southern California and Perris Auto Speedway. When legendary Ascot Park in Gardena was built in 1957, Russell’s grandfather’s company, Russell & Russell, put the grandstands in at the track. Thirty-nine years later when Perris Auto Speedway was built in 1996, Russell & Russell supplied the grandstands. While the starter’s position has been filled, the search for a scoreboard operator still goes on. Those interested can call the track at (951) 940-0134 or send a message through the track’s Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/southerncaliforniaracing  Advance tickets for all PAS-promoted races will be available soon at www.tix.com. Tickets for the March 26th World of Outlaws - USAC/CRA So Cal Showdown are on sale now at the following link https://mpv.tickets.com/?orgid=52711&agency=WRG_SNG_MPV&eventID=73567 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/ Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank the following corporate partners. Ahern Equipment Rentals, All Coast Construction, Anderson Chevrolet, Battery Systems, Bud’s Tire Pro, Chris’ Hauling, City of Perris, Communication Innovations, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Ed Moore Bullet Proof Driveshaft, Flowdynamics, 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, 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. 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. Perris Auto Speedway 2022 Schedule March 5th "OPENING NIGHT” LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION I - DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS March 19th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS, IMCA SPORT COMPACTS AND IMCA MODIFIEDS March 26th NOS ENERGY DRINK WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SERIES, AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS AND PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS April 2nd PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS April 23rd LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION II - DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS April 30th "SOKOLA SHOOTOUT" AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS AND IMCA MODIFIEDS May 14th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS May 21st LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION III DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8’S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS May 28th "SALUTE TO INDY" AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS AND IMCA MODIFIEDS June 4th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS June 11th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION IV DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS June 25th “BUBBY JONES / RAY SHEETZ MEMORIAL” AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS AND IMCA MODIFIEDS July 2nd FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION V - DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS August 13th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION VI DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS August 20th “CALIFORNIA RACERS HALL OF FAME NIGHT" AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS AND IMCA MODIFIEDS August 27th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS September 3rd LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION VII DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS September 10th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS September 17th "GLENN HOWARD CLASSIC" AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS, IMCA MODIFIEDS AND Lucas Oil POWRi SOUTHWEST LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS September 24th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS October 1st AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS AND IMCA MODIFIEDS October 15th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION VIII DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS October 22nd PASSCAR “CHAMPION’S NIGHT” SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS, PAS MODIFIEDS AND PAS SPORT COMPACTS November 2nd 26TH ANNUAL HEIMARK / ANHEUSER BUSCH OVAL NATIONALS Presented by ALL COAST CONSTRUCTION - Practice Night November 3rd 26TH ANNUAL HEIMARK / ANHEUSER BUSCH OVAL NATIONALS Presented by ALL COAST CONSTRUCTION AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL AND AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS November 4th 26TH ANNUAL HEIMARK / ANHEUSER BUSCH OVAL NATIONALS Presented by ALL COAST CONSTRUCTION AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL AND AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS November 5th 26TH ANNUAL HEIMARK / ANHEUSER BUSCH OVAL NATIONALS Presented by ALL COAST CONSTRUCTION AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL AND AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS November 12th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION IX DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8'S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.