ROA RETURNS TO HANFORD’S VICTORY CIRCLE By Lance Jennings APRIL 9, 2018... After winning a three-wide “champions” battle for the lead with Jake Swanson and Richard Vander Weerd, Brody Roa (Garden Grove, California) topped last Saturday’s USAC West Coast Sprint Car race at Hanford. By claiming the 30-lap victory at Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds, Roa earned $1,500 for his efforts ahead of fast qualifier Vander Weerd, Swanson, Jace Vander Weerd, and Ryan Timmons. Piloting the BR Performance #91R HD Industries / Burris Racing Maxim, Brody Roa qualified seventh out of the twenty-car roster and ran second to Richard Vander Weerd in his heat race. Starting fourth, the 2016 champion powered to the lead on lap twenty-four and scored his second win of the season. With five career victories, the second generation driver ranks thirteenth in the point chase with two heat race wins, two top-10 finishes, and 18 feature laps led. Starting third, Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) pressured Jake Swanson for the top spot before finishing second at the checkered flags. Racing the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Richard earned his second Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of the year and won the night’s Extreme Mufflers Heat Race #1. The 2011 champion has taken over the point lead with two heat race victories and two top-10 finishes in the campaign. Subbing for Ryan Bernal, Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) started second and led twenty laps at Hanford before scoring a third place finish. Driving Keith Ford’s #73T Edgewater Construction / Sun Valley AG Transport Triple X, Swanson grabbed the lead from Steve Hix and had a torrid battle with Vander Weerd and Roa. Earlier in the program, the defending champion was fifth fast in time trials and won the Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Rod End Supply Heat Race #2. At press time, Swanson is fourteenth in the standings with one heat race victory and three top-10 finishes to his credit. Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, California) battled from seventh to place fourth at the Kings County Fairgrounds. Piloting the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Stone Gate Development Maxim, Jace qualified fourth overall and took third in his heat race. The 2010 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year has climbed to second in points with one heat race victory and two top-10 finishes on the season. Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, California) had a solid night at Hanford with an eleventh to fifth place run in the 30-lap main event. Racing the family owned #29T Snap-On Tools / Evergreen Fine Foods Maxim, Timmons was eleventh quick in time trials and ran fourth in his heat race. The 2016 Rookie of the Year sits ninth in the standings with one top-10 finish in 2018. Koen Shaw (Fresno, California) earned the night’s Saldana Racing Products / Racing Optics Hard Charger / “Best Passing Job” honors with a ninth place run from sixteenth. Driving the family owned #88K PMS Investments / Shaw Structures Unlimited KPC, Shaw qualified nineteenth with mechanical issues and placed sixth in his heat race. Heading to Santa Maria, Koen is tied for sixth in the point chase with two top-10 finishes. Steve Hix (Ventura, California) raced to victory in the 10-lap Competition Suspension Incorporated / Rod End Supply Heat Race #3. Piloting his #57 No Limit Powder Coating / Delano Roofing Triple X, Hix was sixth fast in time trials and led the first three laps of the feature before scoring sixth. Now ranked sixth in championship points, Steve has also posted two top-10 finishes on the year. On Saturday, April 28th, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will make their first of four appearances at Santa Maria Raceway. The third point race will also feature the Light Up The World Beverages USAC Western States Midgets presented by CBD Living Water, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, QRC Outlaw Karts, and Junior Midgets. Santa Maria Raceway is located 1/4-mile north of the 101/166 interchange at 1900 Hutton Road in Nipomo, California. Advance tickets are on sale and visit the track’s website at www.santamariaraceway.com or call 805.922.2232 for more information. The USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, BR Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Chris Kearns Presents, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Extreme Mufflers, Five Star Grafix, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Pyrotect Racing Cells, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, Ultra Shield Race Products, 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, visit westcoastsprintcars.com and www.usacracing.com. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC West Coast Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages. Loudpedal Productions has USAC West Coast Sprint Car DVDs and videos on demand available for purchase at www.loudpedal.tv and 805.407.7229. ----------------------------------------------- USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: April 7, 2018 – Hanford, California – Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Richard Vander Weerd, 10, Vander Weerd-16.352; 2. Austin Liggett, 83, Liggett-16.474; 3. Danny Faria Jr., 17V, Faria-16.478; 4. Jace Vander Weerd, 88, Vander Weerd-16.533; 5. Jake Swanson, 73T, Ford-16.536; 6. Steve Hix, 57, Hix-16.790; 7. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.934; 8. Trent Carter, 13, Carter-17.147; 9. Kyle Edwards, 39E, Edwards-17.178; 10. Britton Bock, 67, Bock-17.181; 11. Ryan Timmons, 29T, Timmons-17.231; 12. Brandon Wiley, 33B, Team 33-17.326; 13. Ryan Stolz, 72, Ford-17.368; 14. Tristan Guardino, 15T, Guardino-17.453; 15. Shannon McQueen, 7, Van Meter-17.467; 16. Brent Owens, 71, Martin-17.662; 17. Austin Ervine, 51, AJ-18.557; 18. Hobie Conway, 7K, Kruseman-19.108; 19. Koen Shaw, 88K, Shaw-NT; 20. Kevin Barnes, 36B, Barnes-NT. EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. R.Vander Weerd, 2. Roa, 3. J.Vander Weerd, 4. Bock, 5. Stolz, 6. Shaw, 7. Owens. NT KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS / ROD END SUPPLY SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Swanson, 2. Liggett, 3. Guardino, 4. Timmons, 5. Carter, 6. Barnes, 7. Ervine. NT COMPETITION SUSPENSION INCORPORATED / ROD END SUPPLY THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Hix, 2. Wiley, 3. McQueen, 4. Faria, 5. Edwards, 6. Conway. NT FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Brody Roa (4th), 2. Richard Vander Weerd (3rd), 3. Jake Swanson (2nd), 4. Jace Vander Weerd (7th), 5. Ryan Timmons (11th), 6. Steve Hix (1st), 7. Tristan Guardino (8th), 8. Shannon McQueen (9th), 9. Koen Shaw (16th), 10. Britton Bock (10th), 11. Austin Liggett (5th), 12. Brandon Wiley (6th), 13. Trent Carter (14th), 14. Hobie Conway (18th), 15. Kevin Barnes (17th), 16. Kyle Edwards (15th), 17. Danny Faria Jr. (12th), 18. Brent Owens (19th), 19. Austin Ervine (20th), 20. Ryan Stolz (13th). NT ---------------------------- **Faria flipped on lap 23 of the feature. FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Hix, Laps 4-23 Swanson, Laps 24-30 Roa. SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS / RACING OPTICS HARD CHARGER: Koen Shaw (16th to 9th) USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Richard Vander Weerd-156, 2. Jace Vander Weerd-137, 3. Austin Liggett-131, 4. Danny Faria Jr.-112, 5. Steve Hix-110, 6. Koen Shaw-109, -. Shannon McQueen-109, 8. Tristan Guardino-108, 9. Ryan Timmons-103, 10. Brandon Wiley-102, 11. Britton Bock-96, 12. Ryan Bernal-80, 13. Brody Roa-77, 14. Jake Swanson-74, 15. Ryan Stolz-67, 16. Austin Ervine-64, 17. Trent Carter-41, 18. Hobie Conway-38, 19. Johnathon Henry-37, 20. Kevin Barnes-36. 2018 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE April 28: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA May 12: Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds - Hanford, CA May 18: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Peter Murphy Classic) May 19: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Peter Murphy Classic) June 2: Merle Stone Chevrolet Thunderbowl Raceway - Tulare, CA (Chris & Brian Faria Memorial) June 9: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Ron Otto Memorial) June 30: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach) July 14: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach) July 28: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA August 11: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Bud Stanfield Memorial) August 25: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Battle at the Beach) October 6: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA (Championship Night) November 21: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Non-Points) November 22: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA (Turkey Night Grand Prix / Battle at the Beach / Non-Points) ----------------------------------------------- This schedule is subject to change.