8/24/2010
Sprint Source
USAC WESTERN SPRINTS AT ROSEVILLE WON BY HUNT
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA (August 23, 2010) – The final Norcal stop on the 2010 USAC Amsoil Western Sprint Car Series was held on Saturday night at Roseville’s All American Speedway, with five-time USAC champion Tony Hunt of Lincoln, Calif winning his 30th career Western Sprint feature.
Saturday night’s activities on the one-third mile asphalt oval marked the ninth round of the 13 race campaign, with races left to be held in Idaho, Las Vegas, and Irwindale. The action was a crucial part of the 2010 series championship battle between Hunt and 17 year-old rookie Luis Ramos III of Clovis, Calif.
Davey Hamilton drove the #50 Metal Works entry to the pole to open up the day, covering the track in 12.584 seconds. Hunt timed in third with Ramos fourth.
Hunt flew through the pack in heat race one to win the event over Hamilton and Gordon Rogers. Ramos claimed heat race two over Alamo’s Scott Pierovich and Fair Oak’s Shauna Hogg. Ramos followed up the heat race with by claiming the dash.
15 USAC Western Sprint Cars hit the track for the 50 lap feature. Hogg led the field to green and held off a strong lead pack of cars through a wild opening eight laps.
Hunt took over the point on lap eight bringing Pierovich with him. Pierovich, driving the #14 Ken Pierson-owned mount, maintained a strong run behind Hunt until the caution came out on lap 17 for Hogg stalling on the ramp in turn two.
On the restart, Hunt gave himself a nice cushion over Pierovich, while Ramos and Hamilton fought it out for third.
Lapped traffic became very thick during the mid-point in the race with Hunt keeping a 10 car length advantage over Pierovich. Coming to 10 laps to go, Hunt’s lead over Pierovich closed to just two car lengths, while Ramos continued to pace Hamilton about half a track back from the top-two. Rogers had a solid outing by running fifth throughout the contest.
Hamilton passed Ramos for third on lap 47 but didn’t have enough time to reel in the top-two.
At the finish it was Hunt winning again in the Schwanke spec engined #56, followed by Pierovich, Hamilton, and Ramos the lead lap cars. Rogers drove his #94 car to a fifth place effort with Folsom’s Jerry Kobza finishing sixth also with Schawnke spec engine power.
With the win, Hunt extended his points lead to 59 points over Ramos. Pierovich passed Rohnert Park’s JoJo Helberg, who was racing with the National Sprints in Indiana, for third in the standings as well.
The USAC Amsoil Western Sprint Car Series will travel to Boise, ID’s Meridian Speedway on September 17-18 for its first race in Idaho in four years.
The United States Auto Club is online at www.usacracing.com USAC Western Sprint Car Series can be followed on Facebook as well.
Submitted By: Steven Blakesley
