12-21-11 USAC West Coast 360 Sprints Series

2012 USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR PREVIEW & SCHEDULE
by Lance Jennings

SANTA MARIA, CA – DECEMBER 21, 2011... Series Promoter Chris Kearns has released the 2012 Schedule for the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Cars. The Central California based group is poised for seventeen nights of action, starting with their debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In addition to Tulare, Hanford, and Santa Maria, the series will return to Bakersfield and make their first "official" appearance at Peoria, Arizona's Canyon Speedway Park.

The "Sin City Showdown" at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway will kickoff the campaign on Thursday, March 8th. Held during NASCAR weekend and showcased with the famed World of Outlaw Sprint Cars, the non-point event opens a three race mini-series with the ASCS Canyon Sprints. Featuring a $2500-to-win and $300-to-start purse, the mini-series dates will be a "must see" for race fans. For more information on the Las Vegas race, visit lvms.com.

Steve Faria's Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare has four dates on the schedule. In addition to the March 17th show with the World of Outlaws, the non-wing 360s will share the spotlight with the King of the West Sprint Cars on April 14th and June 2nd. For details on the Tulare events, visit tularethunderbowl.com.

Scott Schweitzer's Bakersfield Speedway will feature the USAC West Coast 360s on March 24th. This will mark the group's first race at “The West’s Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval" since June 19, 2010 when local favorite Ricky Kirkbride scored the win. For more information on the Bakersfield show, visit bakersfieldspeedway.com.

Starting on April 7th, Scott Woodhouse's Kings Speedway in Hanford has five shows on the calendar. The 3/8-mile facility will host the popular "Jim Evett Memorial" on July 14th with the winged 410 King of the West Sprint Cars. The "Jim Turner Memorial" is set for September 8th and the 27th Annual "Cotton Classic" will close out the schedule on October 13th. For more details on the Hanford events, visit giantchevroletspeedway.com.

Chris Kearns' Santa Maria Speedway will host five dates of the 2012 campaign. The $2500-to-win "War at the Shore" on July 7th will be the second co-sanctioned "challenge" with the ASCS Canyon Sprints. The "Billet Cup" on September 29th is a special non-point race that will add spice to the schedule. For information on the Santa Maria shows, visit racesantamariaspeedway.com.

Kevin Montgomery's Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Arizona will host their first "official" date for the USAC West Coast 360s on September 22nd. The non-point "Brawl for it All" closes out the mini-series with the ASCS Canyon Region and has a $2500-to-win and $300-to-start purse. The 3/8-mile facility is also home to the "Winter Challenge," a series starting on January 27th that showcases six races in nine days. For more details on the Canyon event and the "Winter Challenge" series, visit canyonspeedwaypark.com.

The USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series would like to thank 2011 series sponsors Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt, Competition Suspension Inc., Cory Kruseman's Sprint Car & Midget Driving School, Crow Enterprizes, DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Hilborn Fuel Injection, Hinchman-Indy Racing Uniforms, Integra Shocks, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Port City Racing, Rod End Supply, Saferacer.com, Saldana Racing Products, and Sander Engineering for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series for the upcoming 2012 season, please email PR Director Lance Jennings at lwjennings@earthlink.net.

For more information on the USAC West Coast 360 Sprint Car Series, please visit westcoastsprintcars.com, usacracing.com, racesantamariaspeedway.com, or follow the series on facebook.
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2012 USAC WEST COAST 360 SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE

DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
March 8: *Las Vegas Motor Speedway - Las Vegas, NV (Non-Points)
March 17: Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
March 24: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
April 7: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
April 14: Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
April 21: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
May 5: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
May 12: Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
June 2: Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA
June 23: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
July 7: *Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA
July 14: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
August 4: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
September 8: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
September 22: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Non-Points)
September 29: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Non-Points)
October 13: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With ASCS Canyon Region Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.