By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ | DEC. 13, 2013 - After a successful campaign, USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series Director Kevin Montgomery has released the 2014 schedule. Showcasing thirty-nine nights of action, the Arizona based group will start with the "3rd Annual Winter Challenge" and close with the $7,500-to-win "Western World Championships" at Canyon Speedway Park. In addition, the traditional sprint cars will clash in the special events like the “Grudge Series,” “Freedom Tour,” and “Border Tour” in Nevada, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, and California.
Montgomery’s Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria will host seventeen dates on the calendar. Beginning January 24th, the "home track" for the USAC SouthWest Sprints will battle the USAC West Coast Series at the "3rd Annual Winter Challenge.” Featuring six races in nine nights, the non-point "Arizona Speed Week” will pay at least $2,000-to-win each night and the February 1st winner will take home $5,000. The “CSP Season Opener” is set for March 29th and the “Canyon Clash” is April 26th. The popular two-day “Salute To Indy” will start May 24th and the “Father’s Day Classic” is scheduled for June 14th. The “Summer Slam” will be July 26th and “The Brawl For It All” will return on September 27th. “The Southwest Championships” is October 18th and a champion will be crowned at the “47th Annual Western World Championships” which begins on November 20th. On the strength of six of his eleven wins at Canyon, R.J. Johnson earned the series title in 2013. For more information on the Canyon events and the "Winter Challenge" mini-series, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.
On March 6th, the "Sin City Showdown" at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will open the "Grudge Series" with the USAC West Coast Sprints. Held during NASCAR weekend and featuring the famed World of Outlaw Sprint Cars, the special Thursday non-point event will pay a $2,500 jackpot. Last March, Bryan Clauson raced to the feature win at the large 1/2-mile facility. For more details on the Las Vegas race, check outwww.lvms.com/dirt.
Located on the Pinal County Fairgrounds, Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande has two dates on the schedule. The USAC Southwest Sprints will invade the 3/8-mile clay oval on March 22nd for the “Pinal County Fair Race” and will return on October 4th. Last season, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Josh Pelkey, R.J. Johnson, and Matt Rossi claimed victory at the popular facility. For more information on the Casa Grande events, visitwww.centralazraceway.com.
Starting with the "Spring Fling" on April 12th, Jonah Trussel's Arizona Speedway has six races on the calendar. The 3/8-mile facility in Queen Creek has become a second home to the series and will host the May 10th “Mother’s Day Race,” June 7th, July 12th, September 6th, and November 1st shows. Last season, Mike Martin, R.J. Johnson, and “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. celebrated their wins in victory circle. For more details on the Queen Creek dates, check out www.arizonaspeedway.net.
On May 3rd, the USAC SouthWest Sprints will make their first of five visits to Bugs Norbury’s Prescott Valley Raceway. New to the series, the 1/3-mile oval located on the Yavapai County Fairgrounds will also host the traditional sprints on June 28th, the “Rick Stewart Memorial” on August 1st and 2nd, and October 11th. As this writing goes to press, the track has an official website under construction.
The powerful sprint ars will make their debut at Lawton Speedway on Wednesday, August 13th. Opening the popular four-race “Freedom Tour,” the high-banked 1/4-mile oval regularly hosts Champ Sprints and is a featured stop for the ASCS Sooner Region. Paying $2,500-to-win and $250-to-start, the Lawton race is one of the most anticipated dates on the schedule. For more details on the Lawton, Oklahoma show, check outwww.lawtonspeedway.com.
The following night, August 14th, the “Freedom Tour” will return to Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Located on the historic Route 66, local driver Danny Smith scored a popular $2,500 victory at the fast 1/4-mile oval after starting tenth. For more information on the Creek County date, visitwww.creekcountyspeedway.co.
On Friday, August 15th, C. Ray Hall's 81 Speedway in Wichita, Kansas will host the third night of the "Freedom Tour." Last season, “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl traveled from New Mexico to claim the $2,500 feature win at the 3/8-mile clay oval. For more information on the 81 Speedway race, visit www.81speedway.org.
For the second year in a row, Dodge City Raceway Park will showcase the finale of the “Freedom Tour.” Promoted by former racer Tommie Estes Jr., the large 3/8-mile oval will host the USAC SouthWest Sprints on Saturday, August 16th. Last season, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. and “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl added DCRP to their win list. For more details on the Dodge City, Kansas race, check out www.dodgecityraceway.com.
Royal Jones' El Paso Speedway Park will open the three-race “Border Tour” on Friday, August 29th. Co-sanctioned with the New Mexico Racing Association (NMMRA), the event is the only appearance for the traditional sprints in the "Lone Star State." When the 3/8-mile oval hosted the Arizona-New Mexico "clash" last July, R.J. Johnson raced to the main event win. For more information on the El Paso, Texas race, visitwww.epspeedway.com.
Also promoted by Royal Jones, Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces will host the second night of the “Border Tour.” On Saturday, August 30th, the USAC Southwest and NMMRA Sprints will battle on the 5/16-mile oval. Last July, “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl claimed a popular win in front of his hometown fans. For more details on the Las Cruces, New Mexico event, check outwww.snmspeedway.com.
The USAC-NMMRA “Border Tour” will close at Tularosa Speedway on Sunday, August 31st. New to the SouthWest Sprints and a stop on the NMMRA calendar, the fast 3/8-mile facility will host one of the “must see” dates of the 2014 season. For more information on the Tularosa, New Mexico show, visitwww.whitesandsspeedway.com.
On Thursday, November 6th, Don Kazarian's Perris Auto Speedway will host the $2,500-to-win finale of the "Grudge Series." Co-sanctioned with the USAC West Coast Series, the show at the 1/2-mile oval will kick off the prestigious "19th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals." Last season, five-time USAC/CRA Champion Mike Spencer raced to victory and with other drivers from the USAC National and USAC/CRA sprints in town, many surprise guests will join the battle. For more information on the Perris, California date, visit www.perrisautospeedway.com.
The Awards Banquet for the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will be held at the Arizona Motorsports Hall of Fame on January 4th.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series would like to thank Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, Hose Advantage Store, and the Racers Advantage Store for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SouthwestSprintCars).
2014 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
January 24 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ (SE)
January 25 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ (SE)
January 26 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ (SE)
January 30 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ (SE)
January 31 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ (SE)
February 1 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ (SE)
March 6 - *The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway/Las Vegas, NV (SE)
March 22 - Central Arizona Raceway/Casa Grande, AZ
March 29 - Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
April 12 - Arizona Speedway/Queen Creek, AZ
April 26 - Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
May 3 - Prescott Valley Raceway/Prescott Valley, AZ
May 10: - Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
June 7 - Arizona Speedway/Queen Creek, AZ
June 14 - Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
June 28 - Prescott Valley Raceway/Prescott Valley, AZ
July 12 - Arizona Speedway/Queen Creek, AZ
July 26 -Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
August 1 - Prescott Valley Raceway/Prescott Valley, AZ
August 2 - Prescott Valley Raceway/Prescott Valley, AZ
August 13 - Lawton Speedway/Lawton, OK (SE)
August 14 - Creek County Speedway/Sapulpa, OK (SE)
August 15 - 81 Speedway/Wichita, KS (SE)
August 16 - Dodge City Raceway Park/Dodge City, KS (SE)
August 29 - **El Paso Speedway Park/El Paso, TX
August 30 - **Southern New Mexico Speedway/Las Cruces, NM
August 31 - **Tularosa Speedway/Tularosa, NM
September 6 - Arizona Speedway/Queen Creek, AZ
September 27 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
October 4 - Central Arizona Raceway/Casa Grande, AZ
October 11 - Prescott Valley Raceway/Prescott Valley, AZ
October 18 - Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
November 1 - Arizona Speedway/Queen Creek, AZ
November 6 - *Perris Auto Speedway/Perris, CA (SE)
November 20 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
November 21 - *Canyon Speedway Park/Peoria, AZ
November 22 - *Canyon Speedway Park?Peoria, AZ
* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC West Coast Sprints.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event with NMMRA Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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