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Press Release

BEST FIREWORKS SHOW IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY AND USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS AT PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY THIS SATURDAY!
by Scott Daloisio

(JUNE 27, 2006, PERRIS, CA) Southern California racing fans will literally get some extra bang for their bucks when Budweiser and the City of Perris present the Temecula Valley Pipe & Supply Fireworks Spectacular and the Firecracker Derby for the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars at Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday night, July 1^st. The racing portion of Saturday’s show will include a 40 lap main event. The now legendary PAS Independence Day fireworks extravaganza will follow the last race. Early arriving fans will be treated to games for kids and the USAC/CRA drivers and there will be live music, food discounts and raffles for adult fans in the track’s Club Mud from 3:00 to 5:00 PM. Spectator gates will open two hours early at 3:00 PM on Saturday with racing at 7:00.

When early arriving fans walk into the track on Saturday, they will be greeted by the cars and drivers of the USAC/CRA Series lined up on both sides of the main walkway. “It is a great chance for the fans to get an up close look at the cars, get autographs and meet and take pictures with their favorite drivers,” said Perris Auto Speedway promoter Don Kazarian.

One of the highlights of the PAS Independence Day shows is a series of games and contests where children get to team up with some of their favorite USAC/CRA drivers starting at 4:00 PM. The games with the drivers consist of the water balloon toss and three-legged race. The drivers then get to reverse their normal Saturday night roll as they cheer the kids on in hot dog & water melon eating contests and a sack race. “You should see the look on the faces of the kids when they get to team up with the drivers,” Kazarian said with a smile. “To most of these kids, the drivers are their sports heroes. In their eyes, these guys are worshipped like Gretzky and Jordan. And, the drivers are great with the kids. They come out to show the fans how much they appreciate them and they have a genuine great time, too.”

After Saturday’s race, fans will “ooooh and ahhhh” at was has become known as one of the best fireworks displays in Southern California. It is actually called a “Sky Concert” as the fireworks are synchronized with patriotic music that is played over the track’s state of the art 60,000-watt digital sound system. In addition to crowd in the grandstands, people starting lining the streets and roads up to two miles away before dark to catch a glimpse of the famous pyrotechnical spectacular.

On the racetrack side of the fence, Saturday’s show will feature the third 40-lap main event of the 2006 campaign at The PAS. Norco, California’s Tony Jones and Mike Spencer of Temecula, California have won the two previous 40 lappers this year.

Last Saturday’s show was dominated by series point leader Damion Gardner. The slender Concord, California resident began the evening by setting his twelfth fast qualifying time of the year when he toured the famous half-mile clay oval in a time of 16.454. He took the lead on lap three of the main event and led the final 27 circuits for his series leading fifth win of the season. In posting the popular victory, Gardner added 14 points and now leads Ventura, California’s Cory Kruseman by 17 points in the championship standings heading into this Saturday’s race. Incidentally, Gardner became the first repeat winner of 2006 at The PAS in nine USAC/CRA outings.

Yorba Linda, California’s Rip Williams started the main event in 11^th position and was closing fast on Gardner when the Eddie Ramirez checkered flag ended the 30-lap main event that ran without a caution flag. It was the second straight second place finish at The PAS for the popular 50-year old veteran.

Like Williams, Mike Spencer has been sizzling lately. He sliced his way through the field to take third after starting ninth. Spencer, who received a degree in engineering from Cal Poly Pomona, has only finished out of the top three one time in the last five USAC/CRA races. In the last three races, he has a win, a second and a third place finish.

Saturday’s fire breathing sprint car extravaganza will feature hot laps, qualifying, four 10-lap heat races, C Main (if necessary), a B Main and a 40 lap free for all grand finale A Main event.

Advance tickets are on sale 24 hours a day by calling 1-800-595-4849. You can also order advance tickets on the Internet at tix.com or perrisautospeedway.com.

Saturday night’s affair on Riverside County’s only clay half-mile oval will be preceded by Friday’s drag racing action on the Diamond Valley Honda Street Legal Strip at The PAS Drag Strip. Gates at the drag strip open at 5:00 PM with racing at 6:00. The drag strip is also located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.

Perris Auto Speedway is located on the freeway close Lake Perris Fairgrounds, home of the Southern California Fair, approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go two miles east to the fairgrounds.

Anyone wishing more information can contact Perris Auto Speedway at (951) 940-0134.

racesatthepas@aol.com is the only authorized Internet address to issue official media news released from The Perris Auto Speedway or Oval Entertainment

USAC/CRA POINT STANDINGS

1. Damion Gardner – Concord, CA - 931

2. Cory Kruseman – Ventura, CA - 914

3. Mike Spencer – Temecula, CA - 742

4. Tony Jones – Norco, CA - 710

5. Danny Sheridan – Santa Maria, CA - 707

6. Rickie Gaunt - Torrance, CA – 605

7. Rip Williams - Yorba Linda, CA - 577

8. Mike Kirby – Torrance, CA - 541

9. Charles Davis Jr. – Buckeye, AZ - 536

10. David Cardey – Riverside, CA - 528

11. Josh Ford – Camarillo, CA - 480