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News
C.J. Captures First Victory at Altamont
July
19, 2008-Tracy, CA; C.J. Sarna of Palm Desert wins Saturdays caution-filled 20 lap Midget feature at Altamont Raceway. The
flag to flag win is the first USAC feature win for the 2007 USAC Western Midget Rookie of the Year.
Holding off charges from Shane Golobic, who won the last feature on the Altamont circuit just 3 weeks ago, Michael Faccinto
in the Gary Scelzi entry and last weeks Santa Maria winner, Nic Faas, C.J. took the checkered flag, with Faas second, Golobic
third, Faccinto fourth, and Scott Pierovich rounding out the top five.
The win moved C.J. to third in the USAC Western Midget points standings, just five points out of second.
The current USAC Western Midget points standings are 1-Faas-520; 2-Josett-424;
3-Sarna-419; 4-Pierovich-415; 5-Ernie Bartley III-284; 6-Josh Ford-280; 7-Shannon McQueen-266; 8-Zimmerly-260; 9-Bedford-224;
10-Grant-223.
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2008 Preview
Like all of the USAC Midget Racing Series', the Western Series is
contested at both dirt and pavement tracks. In 2007 the team concentrated solely on the dirt track portion of the schedule.
In 2008 however the team will campaign both a dirt and pavement car, and plans are to run the entire 2008 campaign, and challenge
for the USAC Western Midget Series Championship. CJ will compete in his newly updated 2007 Spike built Midget on the dirt
and the teams' newly acquired Beast built Midget on the Pavement.
CJ will kick-off his 2008 campaign
on January 8-12 at the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, then return home to prepare for the USAC opener at Manzanita
Speedway on February 15-16.
The 2008 schedule, yet to be announced, is expected to be similar to last seasons,
with the majority of the events regionalized in the Southwestern states of California, Arizona and Nevada. The schedule is
also expected to include the combined Western and National series events in McCool Junction, Nebraska and Belleville, Kansas.
Tentatively, the series will include stops in Bakersfield, Ventura, Madera, Hanford, Quincy, Tracy and Santa Maria, CA; Phoenix,
AZ; Las Vegas, NV, and will conclude with the 68th Annual Turkey Night Grand Prix on Thanksgiving day at Irwindale Speedway
in Irwindale, California.
Although John and CJ perform most of the between race maintenance and prep work on the
teams two Midgets, in 2008 they will be joined at the track by Crew Chief Kelly Young. The long time Sarna Crew Chief returns
to the team after a brief retirement. Don Herndon has also joined the team, and will serve as the teams Sponsor and Media
Relations Manager. In addition to producing the teams official newsletter, Twenty, Don will oversee and manage all of the
teams marketing partnerships, promotional programs and website.
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The Chili Bowl
Initially sponsored by the Chili Bowl food company of Bob Berryhill, these Nationals are known simply as The Chili Bowl: racing's
winter answer to football's Super Bowl.
It accommodates over one hundred race rigs, bleachers for thousands
of people, and an ever-growing trade show. To stroll the aisles of the Tulsa Expo Center, the home of the Golden Driller,
is to rub shoulders with champions from across America. The presence of Sprint talent such as four-time Chili Bowl winner
Sammy Swindell is what elevates Midget competition to a level unmatched.
The Chili Bowl's key ingredient is
the clay which once covered the adjacent fairgrounds. Without sun or wind to harm it, the indoor quarter-mile oval is
heavily saturated so that the boldest dirt track artists of our time can truly shine. The benchmark of the Chili Bowl Nationals
came in 1994 when the Jones brothers, P.J. and Page, went three-abreast for the lead with eventual winner Andy Hillenburg,
a hometown hero from Broken Arrow who commands the loudest fan reaction.
It is this action which fills every
corner for 50 laps that keeps people coming back. When more than 10,000 spectators walk out the door on the fourth and final
night, they are so amazed at what they have seen that they cannot wait to return.
Lucas Oil will present the Chili
Bowl Nationals live on HBO Pay-Per-Viewfor the first time ever on Saturday night, January 12. The live broadcast begins at
8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT), with an immediate pay-per-view replay and additional replays Sunday.
Other notable
entries include two-time and defending Chili Bowl Champion, Tony Stewart, two-time winner Cory Kruseman, Nascar stars Kasey
Kahne and J.J. Yeley, as well as our own CJ Sarna.
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2007 Review
The son of former Midget racing stand-out and 1994 USAC
Western States Midget Rookie of the Year, John Sarna, CJ is coming off a great rookie season in the USAC Western Midget Series.
At just 17, CJ already has a decade of experience behind the wheel. After a very successful career in the Quarter
Midget ranks, CJ stepped up to the Midgets in 2006, where he and his father competed side-by-side in the Arizona Midget Racing
Association Series. After a successful 2006 campaign that saw the father and son team finish 2nd and 5th respectfully, and
CJ claim the AMRA Series Rookie of the Year honors, John announced his retirement from driving and devoted all of his resources
to his sons racing program. For his efforts, the proud father was rewarded handsomely when CJ duplicated his fathers 1994
feat, claiming the 2007 USAC Western Midget Series Rookie of the Year honors.
The year brought a lot of firsts
to the Palm Desert High School Junior. CJ recorded his first top ten finish, a ninth, in his first ever USAC appearance at
Bakersfield Speedway in March. It would be his first of four top tens. His best finish, a fourth, coming on June 2nd at Quincy,
California's, American Valley Speedway.
Additionally, CJ captured four heat race wins during the season, and
qualified for the feature in each of his first two National appearances at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Nebraska,
and at the Belleville Midget Nationals in Belleville, Kansas.
CJ completed the season 7th overall in the year long
points standings, and of course capped it all with the 2007 Rookie of the Year.
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