The “Gathering of the Clan” as it has been called, the Napa Auto Parts/Budweiser Western World Sprint Car championships begin their three night stand at Manzanita Speedway Thursday night.

Over 100 cars have filed entries for the 36^th running of the Western with both the 410 sprints and the 360’s sharing the show. Half of the field will run qualifying races Thursday night to fill half of the positions in the Saturday night finals and the remaining cars will repeat the process Friday night.  The USAC and SCRA cars, as well as other 410 c.i. cars will run time trials, three heat races and “B” and an “A” feature. The 360’s will have the same format except they will use a pill draw to decide the heat race line-ups.

            The race is also part of the Non Winged World Championship series and USAC drivers—J.J. Yeley, Cory Kruseman, Bud Kaeding and Levi Jones—hold down the top four positions in the latest standings with only the Open Nationals at Perris, CA remaining on the schedule after the Western. It may well be that 2003 marks the first year that a USACer will win the title and this year the champion picks up $16,000.

            In addition to the aforementioned drivers, USAC will also be represented by the 2002 USAC Midget champion  Dave Darland. Dave also won the USAC Silver Crown title in 1999. Tracy Hines, the 2002 USAC Sprint Car champion is entered in both the 410 and 360 races. Tony Elliott will be bringing his familiar Jeff Walker #11 to compete on the half mile track. Tony was the USAC Sprint Car titlist in 1998 and again in 2000.

            Few open wheel fans would disagree with the statement that Phoenix’s J.J. Yeley is the open wheel driver of the year. He has already won the Silver Crown title, his second in two years. The Sprint Car championship which he also won in 2001 and needs only a top 15 finish in one of the two remaining Midget races to win the triple crown a feat accomplished only by NASCAR champion Tony Stewart. Steward owns the MOPAR sprinters that Yeley and Kruseman will drive this weekend.

            This could well be Yeley’s last appearance at Manzy as the rumor mill is rampant and it has been unofficially confirmed that Yeley, who started his racing career at age 14 in Manzanita’s Midgets, will be racing for Joe Gibbs racing starting next year.

            Bud Kaeding is the defending Western World champion and could be looking at three in a row had he not crashed on the last lap while leading the 2001 race which was won by Phoenix’ Jeremy Sherman. Sherman won the 360 part of the Western last year and came from 17^th to finish second in the 410 feature.