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SPRINT
CARS & MODIFIEDS IN 71ST SALUTE TO INDY
SATURDAY AT PERRIS
By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, May 23, 2022) This
Saturday night, May 28th, Perris Auto
Speedway will host one of the nation’s
oldest sprint car races when the 71st
running of the “Salute to Indy” takes
place. The exciting racing card on the
famous Riverside County half-mile clay
oval will feature the popular 410 cubic
inch Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, IMCA
Modifieds, and The PAS Senior & Young Gun
Sprints. Spectator gates will open at 5:00
P.M. with racing at 7:00.
Brody Roa taking a swig of the victory
chocolate milk after winning last year's
"Salute to Indy." Doug Allen photo.
The “Salute to Indy,” which is a tip
of the hat to the Indianapolis 500, dates
to 1948 when Dempsey Wilson captured the
inaugural running of the now prestigious
race. From 1948 through 1990, the race was
contested in all but five years. After
legendary Ascot Park closed in 1990, it
was put on ice until The PAS hosted it in
1996. Since its rebirth in the Inland
Empire, the famed race has taken place
each year except for 2008 when it was
canceled by rain, and 2020 when it was
wiped out by COVID.
While this
weekend’s event comes 74-years after the
race was initially held, it will be the
71st running. You may be wondering how
that can be as the race did not take place
12-times since its introduction. The
answer is a simple one. Some years in the
1970s and 1980s, Ascot held multiple races
over Memorial Day weekend and each race
was called the “Salute to Indy”. In 1971,
1978, 1981, 1982, and 1983, there were two
“Salute to Indy” races. In 1980, three
editions of the race took place on the
revered grounds located at 190th and
Vermont in Gardena, California.
Over the years, National Sprint Car Hall
of Famers Dean Thompson and Bubby Jones
recorded the most “Salute to Indy” wins
with five victories each. However, all of
Thompson’s wins came in years when the
race was held multiple times. In addition,
three of Jones’s five triumphs took place
when the race was held more than one time
per year.
Only two drivers have
won the race four times. One is National
Sprint Car Hall of Famer Billy Wilkerson
and the other is nine-time USAC/CRA Sprint
Car champion Damion Gardner of Concord,
California. Unlike Thompson and Jones,
Wilkerson and Gardner’s triumphs all came
when the race was only run one time per
year. Wilkerson’s victories came at Ascot
in 1968, 69,’ 72’ and 73.’ Gardner’s
triumphs came in 2003, 04,’ 14,’ and 17’
and all were at The PAS. A win on Saturday
by Gardner would tie him with Thompson and
Jones for the most wins in “Salute to
Indy” history.
In addition to
Gardner, three other past winners of the
“Salute to Indy” will be in action on
Saturday. One is defending race champion
Brody Roa of Garden Grove, California.
Besides Gardner and his arch-rival Roa,
two other past winners, Yorba Linda’s Matt
Mitchell, and “the Big Game Hunter,”
Austin Williams, of Corona, California,
will be racing on Saturday. Mitchell
sipped the traditional chocolate milk that
PAS winners get at the “Salute to Indy,”
in 2011 and 2013. Williams did likewise
when he crossed the finish line first in
2016 and 2018.
Saturday will be the
25th edition of the “Salute to Indy” at
The PAS. As mentioned earlier, it was not
held in 2008 due to rain, and in 2020 when
COVID intervened. Other years in the
race’s long history that it did not take
place were 1950, 1951, 1960, 1965, 1970,
1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995.
Saturday’s show will include qualifying,
10-lap heat races, a 12-lap B Main event,
and a 30-lap A Main for the USAC/CRA
drivers. The IMCA Modifieds will contest
heat races, a B Main if needed, and a
20-lap main event. The Senior Sprint Cars,
for drivers 40-years-old and over, will
contest an eight-lap heat race and a
20-lap main event.
Adult tickets
for Saturday’s “Salute to Indy,” are
$30.00. Seniors 65 and over get in for
$25.00. For kids 6-12, it is just $5.00.
Children 5 and under are free. Parking on
the fairgrounds is $10.00.
Advance
tickets for all Perris Auto Speedway
events, including this Saturday, are on
sale now. Fans can order the tickets
online at
https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7 or
by calling 1-800-595-4849. For fans who do
not wish to purchase tickets in advance,
there will be plenty of tickets available
for everyone at the gate each race night.
Perris Auto Speedway is located on
the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake
Perris Drive in the City of Perris. Take
the 215 Freeway. Exit at the Ramona
Expressway and go east for three miles.
The fairgrounds will be on your right.
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, Anderson Chevrolet,
Battery Systems, 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 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.
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
May 28th
"SALUTE TO INDY" AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT
CARS, PAS SENIOR/YOUNG GUNS SPRINT CARS
AND IMCA MODIFIEDS. PLUS “POWER OF PURPLE
NIGHT” BENEFITING THE AMERICAN CANCER
SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE RIVERSIDE COUNTY
EAST
June 4th PASSCAR SERIES -
SUPER STOCKS, STREET STOCKS/IMCA STOCK
CARS, 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. PLUS “POWER OF PURPLE NIGHT”
BENEFITING THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
RELAY FOR LIFE RIVERSIDE COUNTY EAST
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. PLUS “POWER OF PURPLE NIGHT”
BENEFITING THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
RELAY FOR LIFE RIVERSIDE COUNTY EAST
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 AND WRA VINTAGE CARS ON DISPLAY.
PLUS “POWER OF PURPLE NIGHT” BENEFITING
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY EAST
August 27th
PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET
STOCKS/IMCA STOCK CARS, 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/IMCA STOCK CARS, AMERICAN FACTORY
STOCKS AND IMCA SPORT COMPACTS. (Note; No
IMCA Points will be awarded for this event
due to the IMCA Super Nationals running on
this weekend. PASSCAR points will be
awarded for this event).
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.
PLUS “POWER OF PURPLE NIGHT” BENEFITING
THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY EAST
September
24th PASSCAR SERIES - SUPER STOCKS, STREET
STOCKS/IMCA STOCK CARS, 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/IMCA
STOCK CARS, AMERICAN FACTORY STOCKS, PAS
MODIFIEDS AND PAS SPORT COMPACTS
November 2nd 26TH ANNUAL HEIMARK/ANHEUSER
BUSCH BUDWEISER OVAL NATIONALS - Practice
Night
November 3rd 26TH ANNUAL
HEIMARK/ANHEUSER BUSCH BUDWEISER OVAL
NATIONALS - AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL AND
AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS
November 4th 26TH Annual HEIMARK/ANHEUSER
BUSCH BUDWEISER Oval NATIONALS - AMSOIL
USAC NATIONAL AND AMSOIL USAC/CRA SPRINT
CARS
November 5th 26TH Annual
HEIMARK/ANHEUSER BUSCH BUDWEISEROVAL
NATIONALS - 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. |
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