Its Western World Week at Canyon Speedway Park

[rebelracewriter]

Its Western World Week at CSP

 

by Lonnie Wheatley

 

PEORIA, Ariz. (November 17, 2014) The Western World Championships, the perfect way to end a season.

Thats how Canyon Speedway Park will bring the curtains down on the 2014 season with this weekends 47th Annual USAC Sands Chevrolet Western World Championships atop the 1/3-mile clay oval near Phoenix.

The Honda USAC National Midgets and the USAC Southwest vs. USAC West Coast Sprint Cars will battle it out for three nights on Thursday, Friday and Saturday following an open practice session on Wednesday night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The weeks festivities get under way early with Tuesday nights Western World Kickoff Party at the Saddle Ranch Chop House in Glendale.

By weeks end, one elite driver could pocket $15,000 in Saturday nights Western World finale with a winners share of $7,500 up for grabs in both the Midget and Sprint Car ranks.

Its a feat that Bryan Clauson pulled off last year. After dominating the Sprint Car portion for his second Western World title in as many years, Clauson made a last lap pass in the Midget main event to make it a sweep.

A winner of ten CSP main events in 2013, Clauson comes off a win in this past weekends USAC National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Classic.

Clauson will have his hands full in both divisions with a number of top competitors looking to add the title of Western World champion to the ledger.

In the Midget ranks, Rico Abreu leads Keith Kunz Racing teammate Christopher Bell into the weekend with Hall of Fame opening night winner Tracy Hines third in points.

Current USAC Southwest points leader R.J. Johnson defends his home turf in the Sprint Car portion with series champion Matt Mitchell leading the way for the USAC West Coast forces along with USAC Western Classics champ Ryan Bernal.

Johnson is one of several top contenders along with Clauson pulling double duty over the weekend including two-time Western World winner Brady Bacon, Dave Darland, USAC/CRA shoe Mike Spencer and Casey Shuman.

Approximately 70 Midgets and Sprint Cars are anticipated for the event, with a quick glimpse at the entry list revealing one of the most competitive fields in Western World history.

Honda USAC National Midgets:

0 Jack Hawley (Menifee, CA)

1p Terry Nichols (Delano, CA)

5d Zach Daum (Pocahontas, IL)

7 Shannon McQueen (Tehachapi, CA)

17 Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA)

17n Johnathon Henry (Stockton, CA)

24 Tracy Hines (New Castle, IN)

32 Casey Shuman (Phoenix, AZ)

51 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)

51 R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ)

52c Isaac Chapple (Wilkinson, IN)

55 Tony Everhart (El Cajon, CA)

56 Darren Hagen (Riverside, CA)

57 Mike Spencer (Temecula, CA)

63 Bryan Clauson (Noblesville, IN)

67 Tanner Thorson (Minden, NV)

68 Ronnie Gardner (Norco, CA)

71 Christopher Bell (Norman, OK)

73 Trey Marcham (Newcastle, OK)

73x Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN)

91T Tyler Thomas (Tulsa, OK)

97 Rico Abreu (Rutherford, CA)

98 Jarid Blondel (Orange, CA)


USAC Southwest vs. USAC West Coast Sprint Cars:


2 Larry Gibson (El Mirage, AZ)

2 Josh Shipley (Peoria, AZ)

02 Matt Rossi (Peoria, AZ)

5 Tye Mihocko (Peoria, AZ)

5v Bradley Terrell (Sebastopol, CA)

7k Bruce St. James (Phoenix, AZ)

7m Mike Spencer (Temecula, CA)

8 Gary Taylor (Snohomish, WA)

11c Michael Curtis (Cottonwood, AZ)

12 Josh Pelkey (Peoria, AZ)

12x Robert Ballou (Rocklin, CA)

16 Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ)

17m Michael Colegrove (Peoria, AZ)

17rw Kevin Thomas, Jr. (Cullman, AL)

19 Andrew Reinbold (Chandler, AZ)

20 Bryan Clauson (Noblesville, IN)

20 Shon Deskins (Waddell, AZ)

20s Jon Stanbrough (Avon, IN)

21az Stevie Sussex (Phoenix, AZ)

22b Chris Windom (Canton, IL)

28 Mark Morin (Surprise, AZ)

30 C.J. Leary (Greenfield, IN)

32b Brian Hosford (Gilbert, AZ)

37 Matt Mitchell (Yorba Linda, CA)

48 Thomas Ogle (Surprise, AZ)

50 Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ)

55 Tony Everhart (El Cajon, CA)

56 Ryan Bernal (Hollister, CA)

73 Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN)

74 Colby Copeland (Roseville, CA)

74x Josh Hodges (Tijeras, NM)

75 Casey Shuman (Phoenix, AZ)

77 Dalten Gabbard (Peoria, AZ)

77m R.J. Johnson (Phoenix, AZ)

87 Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX)

92 Jake Swanson (Anaheim, CA)

98 Matt Lundy (Phoenix, AZ)

99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)

In a slight alteration to the format of yesteryear, the USAC Southwest vs. USAC West Coast Sprint Car field will not be split, with all entries running each night just as the Midgets have done.

While all entries in Midgets will race each night with Thursday and Friday preliminary events following standard USAC format including qualifying, heat races and features, the Sprint Cars will do similar with a full card of heat races and features on both Thursday and Friday. Separate qualifying (Midgets only), heat and feature points will be tabulated to determine Saturday night Western World Championship lineups.

The top eight in combined points for both Midgets and Sprint Cars from Thursday and Friday action will be locked into Saturdays main event. Those eight will engage in a Revenge Draw during Saturdays opening ceremonies to determine the Dash lineups for both Midgets and Sprint Cars. The Dash finish will determine the alignment of the front four rows of the main event.

The balance of the field will be aligned in Qualifying races straight up by points, with finishes determining the balance of the nights A and B Main lineups.

Past Western World Championship Winners (Wing / Non-Wing / Midget)

2013 Bryan Clauson (nw) / Bryan Clauson (m)
2012 Wayne Johnson (w) / Bryan Clauson (nw)
2011 Donny Schatz (w) / Tracy Hines (nw)
2010 Donny Schatz (w) / Brady Bacon (nw)
2009 Sammy Swindell (w) / Brady Bacon (nw)
2008 Kevin Swindell (nw)
2007 Jerry Coons, Jr. (nw)
2006 Josh Wise (nw)
2005 Dave Darland (nw)
2004 Bud Kaeding (nw)
2003 Tony Elliott (nw)
2002 Bud Kaeding (nw)
2001 Jeremy Sherman (nw)
2000 Jay Drake (nw)
1999 Donny Schatz (w)
1998 Tyler Walker (w)
1997 Mark Kinser (w)
1996 Steve Kinser (w)
1995 Lealand McSpadden (nw)
1994 Ron Shuman (nw)
1993 Lealand McSpadden (nw)
1992 Steve Kinser (w)
1991 Danny Lasoski (w)
1990 Steve Kinser (w)
1989 Sammy Swindell (w)
1988 Mark Kinser (w)
1987 Steve Kinser (w)
1986 Bobby Davis, Jr. (w)
1985 Steve Kinser (w)
1984 Ron Shuman (nw)
1983 Steve Kinser (nw)
1982 Steve Kinser (nw)
1981 Ron Shuman (nw)
1980 Jeff Swindell (nw)
1979 Tim Green (nw)
1978 Lealand McSpadden (nw)
1977 Ron Shuman (nw)
1976 Bubby Jones (nw)
1975 Ron Shuman (nw)
1974 Rick Ferkel (nw)
1973 Earl Wagner (nw)
1972 Jan Opperman (nw)
1971 Jan Opperman (nw)
1970 Jerry McClung (nw)
1969 Bob Huebner (nw)
1968 Bob Cleberg (nw)


Three-day advanced tickets are available for just $65 with VIP Suite tickets for all three days available for $95 and All Access Passes for $110. Single day tickets are $20 for both Thursday and Friday and $25 for Saturdays Western World Championships finale.

Detailed Western World Championships ticket information and pricing is available at http://www.canyonspeedwaypark.com/tickets/the-45th-annual-western-world-championships/.

Tickets may be ordered by calling the track at 602-258-RACE (7223).

Hotel Information can be found at http://www.canyonspeedwaypark.com/fan-info/lodging/ or by calling the Courtyard by Marriott at 623-580-8844.

To keep up on all the latest news and happenings, sign up for Canyon Speedway E-News. The track update registration can be found at the top of the www.canyonspeedwaypark.com home page.

The entire 2014 Canyon Schedule and early portion of 2015 can be previewed online at http://www.canyonspeedwaypark.com/schedule/.

Canyon Speedway Park is located in north Peoria, AZ, off Lake Pleasant Parkway, then 1.3 miles west on Carefree Highway. For more information, contact the track at 602-258-RACE (7223) or check online at www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.