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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
#50 Charles Davis Jr. and crew in victory circle at Dodge City Raceway Park. Photo by Mike Spivey / SpiveyPhoto.com.
CHARLES DAVIS JR. WINS SHOOTOUT AT DODGE CITY
by Lance Jennings
DODGE CITY, KS – AUGUST 24, 2013... For the third consecutive night of the “Freedom Tour,” a different driver has celebrated in victory circle. This time, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye, Arizona claimed the $2,500 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car triumph at Dodge City Raceway Park. The win marked his fifth victory of the season as Josh Pelkey, Harli White, Jeff Lowery, and Koby Barksdale followed Davis to the checkered flags. Tonight, the traditional sprint cars will return to the large 3/8-mile oval for the finale of the inaugural “Freedom Tour.”
With 19 cars in attendance, dash winner “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl paced the field to the green flag. The multi-time ASCS Champion led the first nine laps before surrendering the lead to Josh Pelkey. Looking for his first “Freedom Tour” victory, Pelkey lost command to Davis on lap sixteen. From there, “Chargin” Charles led the rest of the way to score the popular main event win.
Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Charles Davis Jr. added Dodge City Raceway Park to his win list after starting fifth. The five-time Arizona Champion ran second in his heat race and claimed fifth in the dash before winning the feature. Heading to Saturday’s action, Davis is second in points with seven heat race victories, three Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash wins, two semi-main wins, three hard charger awards, nineteen top-10 finishes, and 99 feature laps led.
After scoring third the previous night at 81 Speedway, Peoria, Arizona’s Josh Pelkey led six laps before claiming second in Dodge City. Racing the Ted Williams owned #74 Bandit Racing / Marks Bolts Ellis, the former ASCA Champion won the program’s first 10-lap Racers Advantage Store Heat Race and ran third in the dash. To date, Josh has one feature win, three heat race victories, one Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash win, one semi-main win, fourteen top-10 finishes, and 41 feature laps led in 2013.
Harli White of Lindsay, Oklahoma raced to third at Dodge City Raceway Park after starting tenth. Driving Mike Martin’s #16W Ultimate Offroad / Naquin Precision Earth Moving Maxim, the OCRS feature winner claimed fourth in her heat race and was not eligible for the dash. White will have her sights on claiming tonight’s USAC SouthWest Sprint Car feature win.
Eagle, Nebraska’s Jeff Lowery had his best run of the “Freedom Tour” with a fourth place finish after starting ninth. Piloting his #45 machine, the veteran ASCS driver claimed fourth in his heat race and was not eligible for the dash. Lowery is adjusting to wingless racing and will be looking for tonight’s main event win at Dodge City Raceway Park.
Koby Barksdale of Norman, Oklahoma earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fifth place run after starting seventeenth. Racing the family owned #22 entry, the ASCS Lonestar Sprint feature winner was sixth in his heat race and missed the dash. After scoring his best “Freedom Tour” finish, Barksdale will be back in action with the USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin of Yuma, Arizona won his sixth Racers Advantage Store Heat Race of the campaign. Driving his #16 Ultimate Offroad / Naquin Precision Earth Moving Maxim, the Canyon “Hall of Fame Classic” winner scored fourth in the dash and fifteenth in the feature after an early flip. As this writing goes to press, “The Magic Man” is third in the points with one feature win, one fast time award, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 24 feature laps led on the season.
Las Cruces, New Mexico’s “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl led nine laps before mechanical problems sidelined his quest for a second straight victory. Piloting the Gary Williams owned #41W Diamond Mechanical / Valley Industrial Painting & Powder Coating Maxim, the Wichita winner claimed victory in the night’s third Racers Advantage Store Heat Race and the 6-lap Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash. In limited starts with the USAC SouthWest Sprints, Ziehl is twenty-fifth in points with five heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 42 feature laps led to his credit.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car “Freedom Tour” will end tonight (August 24th) at Dodge City Raceway Park in Southwest Kansas. Promoted by former racer Tommie Estes Jr., the large 3/8-mile facility will also showcase IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds. Racing will begin at 7:30pm and Adult Tickets are $15. Children 11 & under are FREE when accompanied by an adult. For more details on the Dodge City, Kansas race, check out www.dodgecityraceway.com or call (620) 225-3277.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series would like to thank Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, Hose Advantage Store, and the Racers 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 SPECIAL EVENT RACE RESULTS:
August 23, 2013 – Dodge City, Kansas – Dodge City Raceway Park – “Freedom Tour”
RACERS ADVANTAGE STORE HEAT RACE #1: (10 laps)
1. Josh Pelkey (#74 Williams), 2. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 3. Michelle Decker (#7 Decker), 4. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 5. Tom Lee (#53 Lee), 6. Koby Barksdale (#22 Barksdale), 7. Raymond Seeman (#72 Seeman). NT
RACERS ADVANTAGE STORE HEAT RACE #2: (10 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. Don Droud Jr. (#1X Droud), 4. Harli White (#16W Martin), 5. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 6. Zach Blurton (#2J Blurton). NT
RACERS ADVANTAGE STORE HEAT RACE #3: (10 laps)
1. Rick Ziehl (#41W Williams), 2. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 3. Jordan Weaver (#92 Weaver), 4. Jeff Lowery (#45 Lowery), 5. Tony Everhart (#55 Everhart), 6. Kevin Barksdale (#22K Barksdale). NT
SUNOCO RACE FUELS PASSING MASTERS DASH: (6 laps)
1. Rick Ziehl, 2. Chris Bonneau, 3. Josh Pelkey, 4. Mike Martin, 5. Charles Davis Jr., 6. Michelle Decker, 7. Shon Deskins, 8. Jordan Weaver. NT
HOSE ADVANTAGE STORE FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (5th), 2. Josh Pelkey (3rd), 3. Harli White (10th), 4. Jeff Lowery (9th), 5. Koby Barksdale (17th), 6. Michelle Decker (6th), 7. Zach Blurton (16th), 8. Tye Mihocko (13th), 9. Chris Bonneau (2nd), 10. Tom Lee (12th), 11. Tony Everhart (15th), 12. Don Droud Jr. (11th), 13. Rick Ziehl (1st), 14. Shon Deskins (7th), 15. Mike Martin (4th), 16. Michael Curtis (14th), 17. Jordan Weaver (8th), 18. Kevin Barksdale (19th), 19. Raymond Seeman (18th). NT
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**Jordan Weaver, Mike Martin, and Shon Deskins flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-9 Rick Ziehl, Laps 10-15 Josh Pelkey, Laps 16-30 Charles Davis Jr.
HARD CHARGER: Koby Barksdale (17th to 5th)
2013 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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.
This schedule is subject to change.
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