CHRIS LEVENTIS SEEKS THIRD STRAIGHT STREET STOCK TITLE AT PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY By Scott Daloisio (Perris, CA, February 19, 2024) This Saturday when the 2024 PASSCAR Series kicks off at Perris Auto Speedway, many eyes will be on veteran driver Chris Leventis. The Rancho Palos Verdes, California racer is seeking his third consecutive street stock championship. If he is successful, he will join legendary PAS star Luke Dodd as the only two street stock drivers to take home three straight crowns. Chris Leventis on his way to his second street stock title at Perris in 2023. Kenny Lonngren photo. Leventis has a long history of racing stock cars in Southern California. He began on the dirt at legendary Ascot Park in Gardena in the 1980s. However, he took some time off to raise a family before returning to the dirt track wars. To be exact, he took 20 years off. Few drivers return to the cockpit when they sit out for so long, but racing has always been in Leventis’ blood. In addition to stock cars at Ascot, he raced motorcycles and go-karts back in the day. He won the Baja 250 once on his motorcycle in the mid-1980s. When he came back he methodically climbed back up the racing ladder and has now won the last two street stock championships at The PAS. He attributes his to a simple theory that is not always attainable in the rough and tumble world of street stock racing. Rolling the car back onto the trailer at the end of the night! Dating back to the start of the 2022 season, Leventis has had perfect attendance having started all 22 races in that time. He only won two races and those victories came in 2023. However, starting with that first race in 2022 he finished in the top four an unheard of 21 straight times. That streak was stopped at the last race of the 2023 season, the Jerry Dodd Champion’s Night, when he had car issues. Rather than risk getting the car torn up, he finished back in the pack and as usual, rolled it onto the trailer. “Oh, I was in the back,” Leventis said with a laugh recalling last year’s finale. “It was really muddy out there and my car would not work. I just stayed out of trouble and stayed out of the way. I had already won the championship and did not really care. That was a rough night so I figured I would just sit back and relax. There was no point in me beating my car up for nothing.” “It feels good,” Leventis continued when asked how it feels to be in a position to tie Dodd. “I am ready for the challenge. I am going to give it a shot. There are some pretty tough customers out there but we will give it 100%.” One of Leventis's major competitors is his son George. Getting faster as he gains experience, the 26-year-old had a top-five finish in the PASSCAR Street Stock standings last season. To make it tougher on himself, the elder Leventis is building a new car for George and was putting some of the finishing touches on that car on Monday night. His offspring is getting better with each passing race and with a brand new car, he could be a major thorn in Leventis’ drive to win three titles in a row. But make no mistake about it, the kid is going to have to earn his spurs and is not going to get any slack from his dad. Likewise, the patriarch does not expect any favors from his son. “There is no slack being cut between us,” Leventis firmly responded when asked. “That is not allowed. It is all out or nothing and there are no breaks. The break he got from me is he knows everything I know. That gives him a big edge. He can drive. Do not kid yourself, he is going to be some competition this year. He is still a little bit green, but I think he is going to do well.” In addition to his own car and his son’s car, Leventis will again be fielding a super stock for another Ascot alum, Billy Griffin. When Leventis won a pair of titles at Arizona’s Mohave Valley Raceway, Griffin was one of his main competitors, but they never raced against each other at Ascot. In addition to the street stocks, Rickie Lee of Beaumont will be on hand to open the defense of his 2023 PASSCAR Super Stock crown. The Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will be making their 250th appearance with a full field of 410 sprint cars on Saturday. Rounding out the card will be round #1 of the GAS Chassis Young Guns Sprint Car Series and the PAS Senior Sprints. The champion in the Young Guns will take home a brand new GAS Chassis at the end of the year. The first race of the Perris Auto Speedway 2024 campaign will take the green flag at 7:00 p.m. Spectator gates will open two hours earlier at 5:00. Adult tickets for the night of exciting dirt track racing action 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. Advance tickets can also be ordered by phone at 1-800-595-4849. For those who do not wish to purchase advance tickets, there will be plenty available for everyone at the ticket window on Saturday. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking. Perris Auto Speedway is conveniently located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Boulevard in the City of Perris (92571). Take the 215 freeway. Exit at the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds. 2024 Perris Auto Speedway Schedule February 24th AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR SPRINTS, GAS CHASSIS YOUNG GUN SERIES AND PASSCAR SUPER AND STREET STOCKS March 9th LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION: DEMO CROSS, FIGURE 8'S, TRAILER FIGURE 8’S, MINI STOCKS AND DOUBLE DECKERS 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. 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/ 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. 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.