DARLAND & CLAUSON READY TO JOIN THE FRAY
Story By:DICK JORDAN / USAC SERIES MEDIA Photos By:DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Indianapolis Ind.-March 1, 2016-USAC Sprint Car Champions Danny Faria Jr. and R.J. Johnson will highlight driver entries for this Friday night’s 5th FVP “Sin City Showdown” at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. Friday’s event kicks off the 2016 battle for the USAC West Coast and Southwest Sprint Car Championships, with full points awarded for both series.
Faria, of Tipton, Calif., captured his second West Coast title last season despite a 12th-place finish at LVMS. Johnson, of Phoenix, Ariz., who finished 11th at LVMS last year, earned his third consecutive Southwest crown last year and was second in the recent five-race “Winter Challenge” series at Peoria, Ariz.
Stevie Sussex won last year’s “Sin City Showdown” and is expected to compete, along with West Coast standouts Richard and Jace Vander Weerd, Brody Roa and Troy Rutherford, plus Southwest stars Charles Davis Jr., Mike Martin, Josh Pelkey, Matt Rossi, Brian Hosford and Colby Copeland.
USAC Triple Crown Champion Dave Darland has also thrown his hat in the ring for Friday’s race. Darland is the all-time leader in terms of USAC National Sprint Car feature victories with a career total of 57. Bryan Clauson, winner of the “Sin City Showdown” in 2013, is also expected to compete Friday.
Saturday’s race opens a 15-race point slate for the West Coast series and a 19-race points campaign for the Southwest series.
Previous “Sin City Showdown” winners include Bud Kaeding (2012), Clauson (2013), Austin Liggett (2014) and Sussex last year.
Friday night’s race will be streamed live on www.dirtvision.com.
NEXT USAC WEST COAST & SOUTHWEST EVENTS:
DATE: Friday, March 4, 2016
SERIES: USAC West Coast & Southwest Sprint Car Series
TRACK: The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Las Vegas, Nevada) – ½ Mile, Semi-Banked Clay Oval
EVENT: FVP “Sin City Showdown” with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
STARTING TIMES:
Pit gates open at 2pm.
Grandstands open at 5pm.
Wheel Pack/Hot Laps begin at 6:15pm.
Opening ceremonies start at 8pm with racing to follow
TRACK ADDRESS: 7000 N Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89115
TRACK PHONE: (702) 644-4444
TRACK WEBSITE: http://www.lvms.com/dirt/
MEDIA COVERAGE: Live on http://www.dirtvision.com
PAST FVP “SIN CITY SHOWDOWN” WINNERS
2012 – Bud Kaeding
2013 – Bryan Clauson
2014 – Austin Liggett
2015 – Stevie Sussex
2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Jan. 22: Peoria, AZ – *** (SE) Canyon Speedway – WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 23: Peoria, AZ – *** (SE) Canyon Speedway – WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 24: Peoria, AZ – *** (SE) Canyon Speedway – WINNER: Josh Hodges
Jan. 29: Peoria, AZ – *** (SE) Canyon Speedway – WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 30: Peoria, AZ – *** (SE) Canyon Speedway – WINNER: Josh Hodges
Mar. 4: Las Vegas, NV – *** The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Mar. 11: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
Mar. 12: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
Mar. 19: Bakersfield, CA – Bakersfield Speedway
Apr. 2: Hanford, CA – Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Apr. 9: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
Apr. 23: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
May 14: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
Jun. 18: Santa Maria, CA – Santa Maria Raceway
Jun. 25: Hanford, CA – Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Jul. 22: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
Jul. 23: Tulare, CA – Thunderbowl Raceway
Aug. 6: Santa Maria, CA – Santa Maria Raceway
Aug. 12: Watsonville, CA – Ocean Speedway
Aug. 13: Hanford, CA – Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Nov. 24: Ventura, CA – (SE) Ventura Raceway
