PERRIS, Calif. — For longtime racing fans in Southern California, it may seem hard to believe, but the 30th season opener at Perris Auto Speedway is one week away.
The milestone campaign launches on Saturday, February 14, when the track hosts the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, along with the PASSCAR Super Stocks and American Factory Stocks.
The season opener marks the first of 24 nights of racing action on the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval, conveniently located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.
Headlining the sprint car portion of the opener is R.J. Johnson, the second-generation standout from Laveen, Arizona, who will be chasing a rare three-peat in the USAC/CRA Series.
Joining him in pursuit of a three-peat is American Factory Stock standout David Stites of Canyon Lake, who is also aiming for his fourth Factory Stock championship in five years. Stites comes in red-hot after winning the first five Factory Stock races of 2025.
Equally dominant in 2025 was Shaun Estes of Riverside, who controlled the PASSCAR Street Stock division. Estes won six of seven main events, finishing second in the lone race he didn’t win. The effort earned him his second Street Stock championship, though unlike Johnson and Stites, his return to the top required patience — 13 years, to be exact.
“Somehow, the first race at The PAS was 30 years ago on March 30,” said promoter Don Kazarian said. “Actually, it should be our 31st season. However, in 2020, we only got one race in due to Covid. We do not count that one.”
