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Checker Auto Parts/Budweiser Western World Championships at Manzanita Speedway November 8th, 9th and 10th |
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(October 28) The 39th running of the Checker Auto Parts/Budweiser Western World Championships at Manzanita Speedway November 8th, 9th and 10th will mark the first time that sprint cars and late model stocks have shared the half mile track in Manzy’s most prestigious race. There was a time that the late models had their own Western World Championships but that ended in 1991. The Western All Stars Dirt Super Late Models will be sanctioning the stock car part of the Western with USAC providing the usual ultra competitive sprint cars. The list of early entries for the super late models reads like a "who’s who" of stock car drivers on the West coast. Mike Johnson who races out of Lompoc, CA is the current points leader. Mike will have a notable team mate for the Western as NASCAR star JJ Yeley is ticketed to also drive for Steiner Racing. Marc Hobe will have a little advantage over the rest of the West coast drivers as he has raced on Manzy’s famed half mile track in the Early Thaw races a few years back. In addition to Yeley, who earned his way to NASCAR with an impressive resume in sprint cars, midgets and silver crown cars, Cory Kruesman and Mike Kirby, both former sprint car champions will also be in the field. Kruseman will be a team mate with Jeffrey Priddy who is ranked 13th in points. Kirby is ticketed to drive the Guerin’s Mobile Home car. Dean Moore of Colorado also has experience at Manzanita Bill Bartels. Home state drivers who are among the early entries include former Arizona State Champion Lonnie Parker, Jr., Tommy Hussack, Brad Williams, Joey Moriarity and Mark Fowler. A total of 36 drivers have pre entered and a number of drivers ranked in the top ten have yet to enter leading Manzanita officials to predict a field of 45-50 cars. The late models will run their qualifying races, including a main event Thursday night and the dirt modifieds will run a complete show on the one third mile oval. The list of early entrants for the USAC sprints already has some big names. Levi Jones, the 2005 National champion is leading the 2007 points, Dave Darland the 2005 Western World Champion, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. who shocked the field when he won both the USAC Sprint and Silver Crown races in the Copper on Dirt last February at Manzanita, National USAC midget champion Jerry Coons, Jr. are just a few of the drivers who will be seeking the $12,000 payday in the Saturday. In addition to Jones, Darland (3rd) Stenhouse (5th) and Coons (10th), other top ten drivers already entered include Brady Bacon (4th), Kevin Swindell (6th) Jesse Hockett (7th), Brady Short (8th) and Damion Gardner (9th). Top USAC/CRA drivers will also be in the running since the race carries both CRA and USAC national points. Tony Jones, Mike Spencer and Danny Sheridan hold down the top three spots in the USAC/CRA points and have already inked an entry form and all of the top ten are expected to be in the field. Local sprint car hopefuls include Charles Davis, Jr. a two time winner with CRA this year, Jeremy Sherman and R.J. Johnson who have also scored a win. Davis got both his wins on Manzy’s half mile track as did Sherman. Johnson scored his win at Perris. The sprint car qualifying races will be run Friday night and then they join the late models in the championship races Saturday night. |
