Turn One
By: Scott Daloisio
In addition to tonight being the Sokola Shootout season opener for the Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, it is also the season opener for The PAS Senior Sprints and the California Lightning Sprint Cars. Mike Spencer has won four Amsoil USAC/CRA titles in a row and will begin the driver for five tonight. Bill Badger in the Senior Sprints and Tim Brown in the California Lightning Sprint Cars are the defending champions of those two series... Longtime USAC Midget racing star Lonnie Carruthers is now living in Mexico where he photographs surfing... Tony Jones has teamed with dad Bubby's best friend and last car owner Larry Henry to field a USAC/CRA team in 2012. Tony is the crew chief while young Jake Swanson has drawn the driving duties... Two weeks from tonight, March 10th, the World of Outlaws will be returning to The PAS for the first time in five years for the "NAPA Know How So Cal Showdown." Major question is, can the "King" Steve Kinser get a win at The PAS before the end of his career? Closing in on his 58th birthday, the last checkered flag of his illustrious career cannot be to far away. The California Lightning Sprints will join the Outlaws on the program. You can get advance tickets online at dirtcar.ticketforce.com/ordertickets.asp?p=210&backurl=default.asp or by calling (877) 395-8606... Southern California will be well represented among the new inductees for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame this year. Colby Scroggin, Gary Sokoloa, Chuck Hulse and Ron Shaver are all going in... Tragic news from Tulsa. On the last morning of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, popular Donnie Ray Crawford, who was slated to compete that day, was killed when his grandfather pulled a gun and shot him. Donnie's mom was also wounded in the attack and his grandfather was killed in the ensuing scuffle... A few weeks ago the Perris Valley Chamber of Commerce presented Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian with the "Small Business of the Year" award... Good news for pavement racing fans in Bakersfield. The Kern County half-mile track that was about 50% complete when the project ground to a halt a few years ago, has been purchased and work is moving forward. Look for the first race there before the year ends. In light of the recent closures of Orange Show Speedway, Victorville Raceway Park and the shocking shuttering of the Irwindale Speedway, it is a nice breath of fresh air. Don't expect Irwindale to be down for long... The PASSCAR Stock Car season opener will take place at The PAS next Saturday with the Oil Twins Amsoil Street Stocks, Modifieds, Sport Mods, Super Stocks, American Factory Stocks, Super 4 Bangers and the CDCRA Dwarf Cars... Damion Gardner and Darren Hagen won the Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Championship season opening races a couple of weeks ago in Florida. Unfortunately new track promoter "Bubba the Love Sponge" from "shock jock" radio fame went on a vicious, immature "Twitter" tirade against USAC, its officials and many of the drivers... Look for Ronnie Gardner to be in action when the Amsoil USAC/CRA Series returns to The PAS on March 31st. The rising young star is missing tonight as he waits for his engine to be completed... Sad to say that Greg Bragg has stepped out of the Moose Racing #92 after several years to spend more time at home. The Visalia farmer will be missed both on and off the track. Second generation star Casey Shuman will be in the #92 tonight... Don't forget to follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Perris-Auto-Speedway/113876798686480 or on Twitter at perrisautospdwy...