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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series
- #6 Ronnie Clark. 3rd in USAC Southwest Point Standings. Photo by Lance Jennings.
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINTS INVADE CASA GRANDE SATURDAY
by Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – MARCH 18, 2013... This Saturday, March 23rd, the USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series will travel to the re-opened Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande. Located on the Pinal County Fairgrounds, the action packed showcase will also feature Mini Sprints, Pure Stocks, and AMA Modlites. Racing at the fast 3/8-mile facility is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm.
After scoring last Saturday's "Championship Opener" at Canyon Speedway Park, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix sits atop the point standings. Piloting Bill Michaels' #77M Beal's Auto Body / Sherman Race Cars entry, Johnson was third in his heat race and won the Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash. To date, the second generation driver has two feature wins, two heat race victories, three top-5 finishes, and 42 feature laps led. The USAC/CRA "Copper On Dirt" winner will be looking to increase his point lead with a main event triumph at Casa Grande.
Buckeye's "Chargin'" Charles Davis Jr. gave Johnson all he could handle at Canyon before claiming second at Canyon. Racing the Massey Motorsports' #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis won the 8-lap Racers Advantage Store Heat Race #1 and placed third in the new 6-lap dash. The five-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion is second in points with two heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, four top-5 finishes, and 18 main event laps led. Davis will have his sights on a 30-lap feature win on Saturday.
Ronnie Clark of Tucson is currently third in the championship points. Driving the family owned #6 RCM / Ellis Race Cars entry, Clark ran third at Canyon after winning the Racers Advantage Store Heat Race #3. Ronnie won an ASCS Canyon show last year at Queen Creek and will be looking to add Saturday's feature at Casa Grande to his resume.
Running fourth in the standings is Goodyear's Nathan High. Piloting his #1A machine, High earned the night's "Hard Charger / Best Passing Job" honors with a fifth place run after starting seventeenth. Nathan also won the 12-lap semi-main event and will be looking to move up the points with a Central Arizona Raceway victory.
Sitting fifth in the point chase is Justin Quinn of Phoenix. Racing the family owned #93 Four Peaks Hardwood Flooring / Lasting Impressions Ellis, Quinn put on a show at Canyon by scoring fourth after starting fifteenth in the feature. The young driver could surprise the field and claim Saturday's main event at Casa Grande.
Among the other top contenders expected to be in action are Josh Pelkey, Tom Ogle, "Bullet" Bob Ream Jr., Mike Bonneau, Andy Reinbold, Shon Deskins, Bruce St. James, "The Magic Man" Mike Martin, and many more.
Central Arizona Raceway is located on the Pinal County Fairgrounds at 512 S. 11 Mile Corner Road in Casa Grande. To get to the track, take Exit 194 from Interstate 10, then head east five miles to 11 Mile Corner Road, then head south. Adult Tickets are $12, Senior and Military tickets are $10, and Kids 11 and under are FREE. For more event and ticket information information, visit www.centralazraceway.net or call (520) 574-8515.
The USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series would like to thank Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, and the Hose Advantage Store for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SouthwestSprintCars).
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USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1-R.J. Johnson-66; 2-Charles Davis Jr.-65; 3-Ronnie Clark-62; 4-Nathan High-55; 5-Justin Quinn-54; 6-Josh Pelkey-49; 7-Tom Ogle-46; 8-Bob Ream Jr.-43; 9-Mike Bonneau-39; 10-Bryan Swinehart-37; 11-Andy Reinbold-35; 12-Brian Hosford-33; 13-Shon Deskins-31; 14-James Aragon-30; 15-Tom Lee-29; 16-Mike Martin-26; 17-Stephen Harms-24; 18-Nick Auito-22; Chris Bonneau-22; 20-Bruce St. James-20;
2013 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
March 23: Central Arizona Raceway - Casa Grande, AZ
April 13: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ (Spring Fling)
April 27: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Canyon Clash)
May 11: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
May 25: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Salute To Indy)
May 26: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Salute To Indy)
June 8: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
June 22: Central Arizona Raceway - Casa Grande, AZ
June 29: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Summer Sizzle)
July 13: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
July 19: **El Paso Speedway Park - El Paso, TX
July 20: **Southern New Mexico Speedway - Las Cruces, NM
July 27: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Summer Slam)
August 21: Mid America Speedway - South Coffeyville, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 22: 81 Speedway - Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 23: Dodge City Raceway Park - Dodge City, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 24: Dodge City Raceway Park - Dodge City, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
September 7: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
September 14: Central Arizona Raceway - Casa Grande, AZ
September 28: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series)
October 12: Central Arizona Raceway - Casa Grande, AZ
October 19: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
October 31: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points)
November 14: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 15: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 16: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / $7,500-to-Win)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event With USAC West Coast Sprints.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event With NMMRA Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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