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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
#77M R.J. Johnson & crew in Casa Grande victory circle. Photo by Terry Shaw / TKA Photography.
R.J. JOHNSON SOARS TO CASA GRANDE VICTORY
by Lance Jennings
CASA GRANDE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 15, 2013... USAC SouthWest Sprint point leader, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix continued his winning ways last Saturday night. This time, the former state Midget Champion raced from fourteenth to claim the $1,500 victory at Casa Grande’s Central Arizona Raceway. For Johnson, the 30-lap feature win was his ninth triumph of the campaign over “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Shon Deskins, Aaron Reutzel, and “The Magic Man” Mike Martin.
Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash Winner Josh Pelkey dominated the Casa Grande feature from the pole position. Leading from the green flag, Pelkey’s quest for his second win of the season ended on lap 25 after contact with slower traffic. Five-time Arizona Champion Charles Davis Jr. led the next circuit, but Johnson took over on lap twenty-seven and sailed to the checkered flags.
Driving the Bill Michaels’ owned #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson scored his first victory since July 19th at El Paso. In Casa Grande action, Johnson rebounded from a fifth place finish in his heat race that left him ineligible for the dash. Starting fourteenth in the main event, R.J. earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with an impressive run. The point leader left Central Arizona Raceway with a 79 point advantage along with eight heat race victories, five Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash wins, two hard charger awards, eighteen top-10 finishes, and 266 feature laps led to his credit.
After leading lap 26, Buckeye’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. had to settle for second in the Casa Grande main event. Racing the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis won his series leading ninth Racer Advantage Store Heat Race and scored third in the dash. “Chargin” Charles is currently second in the point chase with six Hose Advantage Store feature wins, three Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash wins, two semi-main wins, three hard charger awards, twenty-two top-10 finishes, and 107 feature laps led in 2013.
Phoenix’s Shon Deskins had one of his strongest drives of the campaign with a third place run from twelfth at Central Arizona Raceway. Piloting his #20 Performance Plus / Ellis Race Cars machine, Deskins placed fourth in his heat race and missed the dash. To date, the veteran driver sits fourth in the championship points with eight heat race victories, one hard charger award, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 8 feature laps led on the year.
Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas scored fourth in his USAC SouthWest debut at Casa Grande after starting eighth. Driving the #21 Car Parts Machine J&J, the ASCS driver claimed second in his heat race and finished eighth in the dash. Reutzel left Central Arizona Raceway tied for 34th in the point standings.
Yuma’s “The Magic Man” Mike Martin of Yuma placed fifth in the Casa Grande main event. Racing his #16 PPG Pittsburg Paints / Ultimate Offroad Maxim, Martin won his seventh Racer Advantage Store Heat Race and scored fifth in the dash. Currently running third in points, “The Magic Man” has one feature win, one fast time award, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 24 feature laps led on the season.
Mike Bonneau of Phoenix won the night’s first 8-lap Racer Advantage Store Heat Race. Piloting his #29 Priced Right Auto Sales XXX, Bonneau finished seventh in the dash and claimed seventh in the 30-lap feature. To date, Mike is eleventh in points with three heat race victories, one Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash win, one hard charger award, five top-10 finishes, and 12 feature laps led in the campaign.
Peoria’s Josh Pelkey won his second Sunoco Fuels Passing Masters Dash at Central Arizona Raceway. Driving Robbie & Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts DRC, Pelkey ran third in his heat race and controlled the feature until the lap 25 contact. Scoring fifteenth in the main event, the former ASCA Champion is seventh in points with one feature win, three heat race victories, one semi-main win, 15 top-10 finishes, and 77 feature laps led.
On Saturday, September 28th, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will return to action at Kevin Montgomery's Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Arizona. The $2,500-to-win "Brawl For It All" is the second round of the "Grudge Series" with the USAC West Coast Sprints and will also feature the LoanMart Challenge Cup Sprint Cars, Modlites, and Mini Sprints. Located at 9777 West Carefree Highway, more event information can be found at www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or calling 602.258.RACE (7223).
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 RACE RESULTS:
September 14, 2013 – Casa Grande, Arizona – Central Arizona Raceway
RACERS ADVANTAGE STORE HEAT RACE #1: (8 laps)
1. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau), 2. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 3. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 4. James Aragon (#57X Stone), 5. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 6. Steven Harms (#60 Harms), 7. Jody Wirth (#5X Wirth). NT
RACERS ADVANTAGE STORE HEAT RACE #2: (8 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 3. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 4. Ronnie Clark (#6 Clark), 5. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 6. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 7. Tom Lee (#53 Lee). NT
RACERS ADVANTAGE STORE HEAT RACE #3: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr., (#50 Massey), 2. Aaron Reutzel (#21 Reutzel), 3. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy), 6. Jordan Stetson (#8AZ Stetson), 7. Kyle Danielson (#1K Danielson). NT
SUNOCO RACE FUELS PASSING MASTERS DASH: (6 laps)
1. Josh Pelkey, 2. Chris Bonneau, 3. Charles Davis Jr., 4. Brian Hosford, 5. Mike Martin, 6. Bruce St. James, 7. Mike Bonneau, 8. Aaron Reutzel. NT
HOSE ADVANTAGE STORE FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (14th), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (3rd), 3. Shon Deskins (12th), 4. Aaron Reutzel (8th), 5. Mike Martin (5th), 6. Mike Bonneau (7th), 7. Matt Lundy (10th), 8. Andy Reinbold (9th), 9. Ronnie Clark (13th), 10. Michael Curtis (16th), 11. Jordan Stetson (18th), 12. Bruce St. James (6th), 13. Tom Lee (21st), 14. Steven Harms (17th), 15. Josh Pelkey (1st), 16. Tye Mihocko (15th), 17. Chris Bonneau (2nd), 18. Kyle Danielson (20th), 19. James Aragon (11th), 20. Brian Hosford (4th), 21. Jody Wirth (19th).
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-25 Josh Pelkey, Lap 26 Charles Davis Jr., Laps 27-30 R.J. Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: R.J. Johnson (14th to 1st)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1-R.J. Johnson-1007, 2-Charles Davis Jr.-928, 3-Mike Martin-825, 4-Shon Deskins-728, 5-Ronnie Clark-727, 6-Andy Reinbold-649, 7-Josh Pelkey-610, 8-Chris Bonneau-601, 9-Brian Hosford-518, 10-Bruce St. James-496, 11- Mike Bonneau-481, 12-Steven Harms-379, 13-Bryan Swinehart-373, 14-Stevie Sussex-331, 15-James Aragon-329, 16-Tom Ogle-325, 17-Justin Quinn-320, 18-Michael Curtis-287, 19-Jody Wirth-283, 20-Bob Ream Jr.-257.
2013 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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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