YUMA, Ariz. – The cars and stars of the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will open the season with a special tripleheader at Cocopah Speedway on Jan. 27-29.
The action packed card will also showcase the IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Sport Compacts, with all three nights of racing being broadcast live by SPEED SPORT TV.
Since 2012, Cocopah Speedway has held three AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series events and two drivers have claimed victory. Damion Gardner has two wins and Brody Roa has one triumph. Nic Faas set the one-lap track record of 16.451 seconds on April 19, 2013.
Cocopah Speedway (previously known as Yuma Speedway) has also showcased the original California Racing Ass’n and Sprint Car Racing Ass’n traditional 410 sprint cars. On March 6, 1998, Richard Griffin drove Ron Chaffin’s car to victory with SCRA. In 1992, CRA hosted a TNN-televised event on March 7 and Lealand McSpadden won in a Frank Lewis entry. On Nov. 7 of that same year, Mike Kirby claimed victory driving for Danny Pivovaroff. On Sept. 29, 1989, Ron Shuman won the 30-lap main event in the famed Morales Tamale Wagon.
After earning his ninth championship, Gardner is back at the helm of Mark Alexander’s No. 1 PerformanceOnline.com / Carman Trucking Spike. Gardner closed out his championship run with six feature wins, eight Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, seven heat race victories, two Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Awards, 14 top-10 finishes and 125 feature laps led. Gardner has 89 series wins and will be looking to start another title run with victories at Yuma.Â
Roa finished second in the championship point standings last season. Racing the BR Performance No. 91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Eagle, Roa had two feature wins, three Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Awards, five heat race victories, two Wilwood Disc Brakes Lucky 13 Awards, 16 top-10 finishes and 59 feature laps led in the campaign. With 10 series victories, the 2019 USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series champion will have his sights on sweeping the Yuma tripleheader.
Other drivers expected to participate include Austin Williams, Chris Gansen, Cody Williams, Austin Grabowksi, Charles Davis Jr., Tommy Malcolm, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Verne Sweeney, Logan Williams, Matt McCarthy, A.J. Bender, Matt Mitchell, R.J. Johnson, Shane Sexton, Austin Ervine and more.Â