One thing the big dogs in the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series do not need is another competitor to challenge their supremacy. In the case of third generation driver Logan Williams, that is just what he is doing. After an impressive fourth place finish in the Salute to Indy at Perris two weeks ago, the Yorba Linda, California driver will make his inaugural appearance at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in the Golden Empire Clash this Saturday night.
3A7AFCDB-5939-402A-9625-AA71911BBCD9_1_201_a.jpgLogan Williams photo courtesy of AJ Johnson/P1 Racing Images
Through the first four races of the 2024 campaign, Williams finished in the top 10 each time. That kept him in the top 5 in series points until the April 27th race when drive train issues sent him to the pit area early with the 22nd place finish. Pushing that setback aside, the youngest of the three racing Williams brothers went on a tear at the Salute to Indy. The race turned out to be what was arguably the best of his young career. In the latest edition of the prestigious race, a race his Hall of Fame father, Rip Williams, earned his first ever sprint car win at in 1983, and that his older brothers have subsequently won, Williams led most of the way in the event at Perris Auto Speedway on May 25th before eventually finishing fourth.
After qualifying fifth fastest on the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval, Williams placed third in his 10-lap heat race. For the main, he started on the outside of the front row. He rocketed into the lead on the fourth circuit and set the pace for the next 17 laps. That may sound simple, but it was nothing like that. He was challenged hard and fought tooth and nail with some of the best traditional sprint car drivers California and Arizona have to offer. In the end, he slipped back to fourth and stated that the finish was “hard to swallow.”
Williams’ time of 18.387 was the fastest lap of any driver in the 30-lapper.
The finish was Williams’ best of the 2024 campaign and goes along with a fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth and 22nd. It also pushed him into a tie for fifth with his brother Austin in the USAC/CRA championship standings. In an interesting scenario, while they are tied for fifth, their older sibling, Cody, is one position behind.
Williams will be flying solo for the Flowdynamics team on Saturday at Kern. Riverside, California’s Matt McCarthy will rejoin teammate Williams when the series returns to Perris on June 22nd. McCarthy gave the Flowdynamics team a tough, one-two punch on the night at the Salute to Indy. In his best qualifying effort of the season, the father of two sizzled the track with a lap of 16.492. That was the second fastest time of the night.
In the heat race, which pitted McCarthy and Williams against each other, McCarthy came from sixth to finish second, one spot ahead of his Flowdynamics partner. In a rarity, the two teammates had the fastest laps in the race, turning in identical 17.388 times. McCarthy did it on lap 10, and Williams did it four laps earlier on the sixth go-around.
McCarthy’s prowess in both qualifying and the heat placed him in the fifth starting spot for the main. The friendly driver was fast over the first two laps, but a tangle with another car in turn one on lap three brought out the race’s first yellow flag. A quick trip to the work area and the pretty #28M was back on the track for the restart.
Unfortunately, McCarthy’s time on the track did not last long. He slowed and pulled to a stop on lap 15 and retired for the night. Officially, he ended up 12th.
Even though he is not racing for points in 2024 and has only contested the four races at Perris thus far, McCarthy is tied for 18th in the USAC/CRA standings.
Adult tickets for Saturday’s Kern race are $25.00. Juniors 6-12 get in for $10.00. Children 5 and under are free. The track is located at 13500 Raceway Boulevard, Interstate 5, and S Enos Lane in Bakersfield. The website is https://www.kernraceway.com/ and the office phone is (661) 835-1264.
Whenever you get the chance to meet the Flowdynamics drivers in person, be sure to visit them in the pits. They will be glad to sign your autographs, and each of them will have their fine-looking team shirts available.
If you or your company would like to be a part of one of the West Coast’s most prominent sprint car teams in the 2024 season, please contact John McCarthy at 909 930-5522 or mailto:[email protected].
McCarthy and Williams would like to thank the following sponsors for making the 2023 season possible. Flowdynamics Inc., PurgePlugs.com, Cal Therm Mechanical Insulators, JFK Design Build, So Cal Racing Fuel, and Full Throttle Lift.
Flowdynamics PR
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