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Domination was one of few words that could describe the 10th anniversary season of the USAC Western Sprint Car Series.
Tony Hunt came in and won his third career series championship and fifth USAC title overall after winning seven of the 14 features, which came at seven tracks spread across three states.
Six drivers won features, but none before Hunt started his torrid battle. He won the season opener at Stockton 99 Speedway in central California and, after a three other Top 4s, won five of the next six races. Included was the series’ final race ever at Stockton, a 65-lapper at Meridian Speedway in Boise, Idaho and two races at Altamont Raceway Park in Tracy, Calif.
But Hunt’s championship was not secure until the end, as series runner-up Mike Murgoitio kept close. The lead driver in the Western Speed stable captured Top 10s in 13 of the 14 races, and never finished worse than sixth in the first nine races. Of those nine, he set fast time three times – Hunt four of the other six – but could not crack the win column until later in the season, which came at Anderson (Calif.) Speedway.
Hunt, who gave Alan Kaiser his first series championship as a car owner, wrapped the title up after his start at Madera, the third to last race of the season, then, without the pressure of scoring points, simply went out to race. He finished second to Murgoitio in the penultimate race at Anderson, then led all 30 laps of the season finale “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. Hunt also won at Irwindale during the summer months.
Kody Swanson, in defense of his 2005 Western Sprint Car championship, won twice – both at Madera (Calif.) Speedway – and managed third in the point standings.
Rookie Bradley Galedrige, who teamed with former Western Sprint driver and Indy Racing League and Indianapolis 500 veteran Davey Hamilton, scored fourth in the standings, and along with a pair of victories (Tracy and Madera), earned “Rookie of the Year” honors.
The series’ first female feature winner, Shauna Hogg, rounded out the Top 5 in the point standings after competing in all 14 features, with a best finish of second at Stockton.
Nick Green, the series “Most Improved Driver,” won his first career race at Tracy in the final third of the season, while two-time Rocky Mountain Sprint Car Series champion Jimmy Wysong tamed his hometown track at Rocky Mountain Raceways in Salt Lake City, Utah in a combined Western/Rocky Mountain Sprint show.
As usual, the “Turkey Night Grand Prix” provided some surprises. Among them was former USAC champion and current NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Casey Mears, who drove a second car owned by Ted Finkenbinder to 16th in the feature. In addition, World of Outlaws veteran Jason Meyers tested the waters and finished 10th in the race.
The USAC Western Sprint Car Series teamed up with the California Asphalt Sprint Association on several occasions too, which assisted in increasing car counts. Hunt was the winner of the CASA championship as well.
2006 Season Summary – Western Sprint Car Series
No. of Feature Races (Pavement/Dirt): 14 (14/0)
Most Feature Starts: Bradley Galedrige, Shauna Hogg, Tony Hunt, Mike Murgoitio, Kody Swanson (14)
Most Feature Victories: Tony Hunt (7)
Most Laps Led: Tony Hunt (171 of 675; 25 percent)
Most Laps Completed: N/A
Most Fast Qualifying Times: Tony Hunt, Mike Murgoitio, Kody Swanson (4)
Most Poles: N/A
Most Heat Wins: Nick Rescino Jr., Mike Murgoitio, Bradley Galedrige (3)
Most Top Fives: Tony Hunt (13)
Most Top Tens: Tony Hunt, Mike Murgoitio (13)
Most Pavement Feature Starts: Bradley Galedrige, Shauna Hogg, Tony Hunt, Mike Murgoitio, Kody Swanson (14)
Most Dirt Feature Starts: N/A
Champion: Tony Hunt (by 105 points)
No. of Drivers Who Started a Feature: 58
No. of Drivers to Lead a Lap: 13
Best Average Finish: Tony Hunt (2.79)
No. of Drivers to Win a Feature: 6 (Tony Hunt, Nick Green, Bradley Galedrige, Mike Murgoitio, Kody Swanson, Jimmy Wysong)
No. of Tracks Hosting a Feature: 7 (Stockton 99 Speedway, Madera Speedway, Altamont Motorsports Park, Rocky Mountain Raceways, Meridian Speedway, Irwindale Speedway, Anderson (Calif.) Speedway)
Most Active Track (No. of Races Held): Altamont Motorsports Park (4)
Most Races Led: Tony Hunt (8)
- By Michael Harker
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