Jason Statler

DRIVERS

Jason Statler

2003 - All HammerDown! Team Member

The 100 winningest drivers MY EYES have seen - By Bobby Gerould - Last updated October 23, 2005. Rocklin, CA. …Here is a fun project that anyone can do. Try to re-trace all the races that you have been to in your lifetime, and list the winners of each feature your eyes have seen. It takes time; I've been working on my list literally for about six years. About once a month I take a few hours and dig through old programs, do Google searches, read journals, and use Kevin Eckert's website to try to find the race winners I saw. For the sake of clarity - I am including any race where I was on the grounds - even the ones I may have slept through as a three year old. My Dad was an announcer of super-modified, and sprint car events on the West Coast. From birth I went to West Capital Raceway (W. Sacramento, CA.) on Saturdays. Later, as Dad did more writing, and announcing we included Friday nights at Chico CA. and special events at Dixon CA. into the mix. As a teenager and college student I worked for NARC and hit all the major Northern California dirt tracks. Adult work for USAC, the World of Outlaws, and others has blessed us with the opportunity to see many tracks across the USA, and into Canada. The results of all this logging and work will be a historical log that I can always go back to for reflection. Over the course of the next 100 weeks, HammerDownUSA.com will list a driver in a countdown of the driver who MY EYES have seen win the most feature races. My list will obviously reflect my environment. It will not be a list of who I consider to be the greatest drivers ever. That would be subjective, and impossible. But I can scientifically list the best drivers I have seen. This list is a fun project for me and I hope you will enjoy the journey to naming number one. ...#100 Perry James Jr. - Elverta, CA. - 2 wins. #99 - Peter Murphy - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia / Oakhurst, CA. 2 wins. #97 Johnny Tiner - Rio Linda, California. 2 wins. # 97 Ed Organ, Napa CA. - 2 wins. #96 Lee Brewer Jr. - Memphis, TN. - 2 wins. #95 Johnny Pearson, Stockton, CA. two wins. #94 Dave Bradway SR - Fair Oaks, CA. - Two wins. #93 Mike Kirby. Torrance, CA. - two wins. #92 Joe Hill - Sacramento, CA. - Two wins. #91 Blake Robertson - Visalia, CA. - two wins. #90 Andy Forsberg - Auburn, CA. - two wins. #89 Brian Crockett - Sacramento, CA. - two wins. #88 Rick Horton - Concord, CA. Two wins. #78 Mitch Sue - Live Oak, CA. - 3 wins.

#87 Jason Statler. Los Gatos, CA. two wins. ...Jason Statler, the 2004 Golden State Challenge "King of California", is a driver I admire for his tenacity, and toughness. The large pro-football size man from Los Gatos, CA. is prime example of what a racer can become if he sticks with it. I've seen Jason upside down and on-fire. I've seen his knees bend cockpits. But I've never seen Jason Statler quit. His desire to achieve success in his racing endeavors propelled him to improve steadily over a period of years. He also happens to be a cool guy that is friendly with fans. Today, the 2003 All-HammerDown! Team Member is a threat to win at any bullring. I did not witness Statler's World of Outlaws win at Santa Maria. I did view two wins by Statler in 2003 during GSC action at Antioch, and Santa Maria respectively. …Statler and I have had many conversations about our love for Calistoga Speedway. Jason listed Gary Patterson as his racing hero in an old NARC HammerDown! program. Jason is married to the former Stephanie Harvey - whose father is a racer.

Jason Statler with the HammerDown!

Mini Gold Cup night one to Statler - HD Staff - 03/11/05 - Chico, CA. - Jason Statler opened the 2005 Golden State Challenge winged sprint car season by winning the A-Main Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. The opening night of the Mini Gold Cup saw the reigning King of California beat a top five of Brent Kaeding, Stephen Allard, Johnny Gray, and Dennis Moore Jr. Finishing sixth through tenth on the quarter-mile dirt track were Andy Forsberg, Kyle Hirst, Roger Crockett, Kevin Pylant, and Bud Kaeding.

Jason Statler feature by Chris Lovett

Spring 2004: ...Jason Statler has three wins already this season. The All-HammerDown! Team driver from Los Gatos, CA. is leading the Golden State points.

Jason Statler Wins Second Straight Main at Chico By: Troy Hennig (Chico, CA 4-9-04)…Chalk up another win for San Jose driver Jason Statler Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. Statler led all 25 laps to win his second main event of the year at Chico and so far he is the only winner during the second point’s race of the Colusa Casino Friday night championship series. Statler, driving the DF Rios Construction #00, also extended his points lead over the rest of the field. (more)

Statler leads every lap to score Placerville Golden State victory By Bill Sullivan PLACERVILLE, CA 3-27-04 - The fire breathing sprint cars of the Recycle Used Oil Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series officially opened the 2004 racing season at Placerville Speedway Saturday night before a crowd that became standing room only far before the evenings program even started. For many years victory lane has eluded Jason Statler of Los Gatos at this track in which he has always had a great fan following. Saturday night, however, Statler managed to shake the Placerville monkey off his back after leading every every lap of the 30-lap feature event on a night that began in historical fashion. (more)

Statler Two Straight in Golden State - By Bobby Gerould, 07/12/03, Santa Maria, CA. … "Big" Jason Statler loves Santa Maria Speedway. Saturday night, before a standing room only crowd at the fast 1/3 mile oval, Statler took advantage of Brian Coelho's misfortune to claim his second consecutive Golden State Challenge feature. Driving his Statler Racing #00 from the outside second row starting spot, Jason backed up his Antioch win of one week ago. Statler took the lead on a lap 25 red flag when race long leader Brian Coelho and the about to be-lapped, Wayne Williams came together in turn two. Both cars flipped and were eliminated for the night.

Newlywed Statler Claims Initial Golden State Challenge Race - By Bobby Gerould, 07/05/03, Antioch, CA. … On a perfect, warm night for sprint car racing, Antioch Speedway race fans were treated to the first 410 winged event in six years. So excited were the delta racing enthusiasts that they produced the largest crowd in the six year Soares family ownership of the track. An estimated 2,400 fans cheered loudly in hot laps. The tight, small quarter-mile clay oval was the scene of "Big" Jason Statler's first ever Golden State Challenge feature event win Saturday night. A career best drive by Willie Croft of Sacramento was equally strong. Croft steered his 360 sprinter to a runner-up finish. Croft finished .95 seconds behind Statler at the checkered flag. (read it all)

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