RICHARD VANDER WEERD WINS SANTA MARIA’S “BUD STANFIELD MEMORIAL” by Lance Jennings SANTA MARIA, CA – JUNE 23, 2013... In dominating fashion, Richard Vander Weerd of Visalia led all 30-laps to claim the “28th Annual Bud Stanfield Memorial” at Santa Maria Speedway. The $1,500 USAC West Coast Sprint Car victory was Vander Weerd’s twelfth career series win and fourth of the campaign. Markus Niemela, fast qualifier Ryan Bernal, Andy Ferris, and Jace Vander Weerd rounded out the top five drivers. Racing the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Richard Vander Weerd qualified fifth overall, placed third in his heat race, and was second in the dash. To date, the 2011 Champion is second in points with two Weld Racing Fast Time Awards, four heat race victories, two Woodland Auto Display Dash wins, one Competition Suspension Inc., / Rod End Supply Semi-Main win, two BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Awards, twelve top-10 finishes, and 101 feature laps led. Rauma, Finland’s Markus Niemela earned the night’s BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award with a second place run from eleventh. Piloting Steve Watt’s #81 Christian Stover Foundation / Steve Watt Enterprises Maxim, Niemela took second from Ryan Bernal with a last corner-last lap pass. The hard charging driver was third fast in time trials and placed sixth in his heat race. Markus left Santa Maria sixth in points with one Weld Racing Fast Time Award, two heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, six top-10 finishes, and 25 feature laps led. Ryan Bernal of Hollister had maintained second before Niemela’s last corner pass relegated the point leader to third. Driving Keith Ford’s #73 Berry Pack / King Racing Products Spike, Bernal earned his first Weld Racing Fast Time Award by out-qualifying the 16 car field. Later, the 2-time Santa Maria Champion was second in his heat race and placed fifth in the dash. Ryan left Santa Maria with a 24 point advantage with five feature wins, four heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, one BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award, twelve top-10 finishes, and 85 feature laps led. Mariposa’s Andy Ferris had his best run of the campaign with a fourth place finish. Racing the Jaye Ferris #4J unsponsored Jon Boy, the veteran driver was second quick in time trials, fourth in his heat race, and sixth in the dash. In a show of sportsmanship, Ferris offered his ride to Danny Faria Jr. after a broken u-joint in qualifying almost parked the Johnston Calf Pens #17V. Andy’s car was not needed as Faria’s crew made repairs with the help from Bud Kaeding and other team members. To date, Ferris has one BR Motorsports / Racing Optics Hard Charger Award and four top-10 finishes in 2013. Jace Vander Weerd of Visalia scored fifth in the “Bud Stanfield Memorial.” Piloting the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Jace qualified tenth, won the DJ Safety Heat Race #2, and was seventh in the dash. The former USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year sits fifth in the standings with three heat race victories, one Woodland Auto Display Dash win, and six top-10 finishes to his credit. Fresno’s Kevin Barnes scored his first heat race win of 2013 by claiming the Extreme Mufflers sponsored event. Driving his #36B B&K Towing / Ken Coventry Racing Engines Speed Tech, Barnes was ninth quick in time trials, eighth in the dash, and twelfth in the main event after an early exit. Despite suffering damage to his car, Kevin vowed to return to Santa Maria for the July 6th Doug Fort Memorial. D.J. Netto of Hanford won his first Woodland Auto Display Dash at Santa Maria. Racing the family owned #88N Netto Ag Incorporated / Van De Pol Enterprises KB, D.J. qualified seventh overall, placed fifth in his heat race, and was sixth in the Stanfield Memorial. Normally racing with the winged Rebel Cup series, Netto has two top-10 finishes in the campaign. On Saturday, July 6th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will make their last appearance of the 2013 at Ruben & Katy Munoz’s Santa Maria Speedway. The “5th Annual Doug Fort Memorial” will also feature the VP Racing Fuels Late Models, Tilton IMCA Super Stocks, Okie Bowl Hardtops, American Stocks, and Condon Motorsports Mini Dwarfs. Located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California, more event information can be found at www.racesantamariaspeedway.com or calling (805) 315-2023. The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series would like to thank Southwest Contractors, Hoosier Tire, Amsoil, BR Motorsports, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Inc., DJ Safety, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Kaeding Performance, Keizer Wheels, King Racing Products, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rugged Radios, SBI Fuel Systems, Saldana Racing Products, Weld Racing, and Woodland Auto Display for their support. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, email PR Director Lance Jennings at [email protected]. For more information on the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, visit westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/#!/pages/USAC-West-Coast-Sprint-Car-Series/369549755817). ----------------------------------------------- USAC WEST COAST SPRINT RACE RESULTS: June 22, 2013 – Santa Maria, California – Santa Maria Speedway – “28th Annual Bud Stanfield Memorial” WELD RACING TIME TRIALS: 1. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-14.082; 2. Andy Ferris, 4J, Ferris-14.143; 3. Markus Niemela, 81, Watt-14.274; 4. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-14.453; 5. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-14.501; 6. Bud Kaeding, 29, Bowman-14.545; 7. D.J. Netto, 88N, Netto-14.569; 8. Rusty Carlile, 51, Carlile-14.621; 9. Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-14.704; 10. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-14.846; 11. Landon Hurst, 179, Hurst-14.938; 12. Bruce Douglass, 31, Douglass-14.959; 13. Victor Davis, 13, Davis- 15.143; 14. Jeff Sibley, 18, Watt-15.267; 15. Cotton Farmer, 15, HAL-15.980; 16. Mike Larsen, 16, Jones-16.496. EXTREME MUFFLERS HEAT RACE 1: (10 laps) 1. Kevin Barnes, 2. Ryan Bernal, 3. Richard Vander Weerd, 4. Landon Hurst, 5. D.J. Netto, 6. Markus Niemela, 7. Victor Davis, 8. Cotton Farmer. NT DJ SAFETY HEAT RACE 2: (10 laps) 1. Jace Vander Weerd, 2. Bud Kaeding, 3. Bruce Douglass, 4. Andy Ferris, 5. Rusty Carlile, 6. Danny Faria Jr., 7. Jeff Sibley, 8. Mike Larsen. NT WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY DASH: (6 laps) 1. D.J. Netto, 2. Richard Vander Weerd, 3. Rusty Carlile, 4. Bud Kaeding, 5. Ryan Bernal, 6. Andy Ferris, 7. Jace Vander Weerd, 8. Kevin Barnes. NT FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Richard Vander Weerd (2nd), 2. Markus Niemela (11th), 3. Ryan Bernal (5th), 4. Andy Ferris (6th), 5. Jace Vander Weerd (7th), 6. D.J. Netto (1st), 7. Bud Kaeding (4th), 8. Rusty Carlile (3rd), 9. Jeff Sibley (14th), 10. Danny Faria Jr. (12th), 11. Landon Hurst (9th), 12. Kevin Barnes (8th), 13. Bruce Douglass (10th), 14. Victor Davis (13th), 15. Cotton Farmer (15th), 16. Mike Larsen (16th). NT ---------------------------- **Landon Hurst and Danny Faria Jr. flipped during the feature. FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Richard Vander Weerd. BR MOTORSPORTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Markus Niemela (11th to 2nd) USAC WEST COAST SPRINT POINT STANDINGS: 1-Ryan Bernal-588, 2-Richard Vander Weerd-564, 3-Danny Faria Jr.-478, 4-Bud Kaeding-449, 5-Jace Vander Weerd-412, 6-Markus Niemela-408, 7-Rusty Carlile-357, 8-Landon Hurst-281, 9-Ricky Kirkbride-276, 10-Austin Liggett-266. 2013 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE DATE - TRACK - LOCATION July 6: Santa Maria Speedway - Santa Maria, CA (Doug Fort Memorial) July 20: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA August 3: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Evett Memorial) September 7: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA September 20: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Jim Turner Memorial) September 21: Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (John Anthony Sharp Memorial) September 28: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points) October 12: Kings Speedway - Hanford, CA (Cotton Classic) October 31: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points) November 14: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / Non-Points) November 15: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / Non-Points) November 16: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / $7,500-to-Win / Non-Points) ----------------------------------------------- * = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC Southwest Sprints. This schedule is subject to change. ATTACHED PHOTOS/IMAGES: #10 Richard Vander Weerd & Crew in Santa Maria Victory Circle. Photo by Rob Hargraves.