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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
R.J. JOHNSON SWEEPS THE “SALUTE TO INDY” FINALE AT CANYON
By Lance Jennings
JUNE 2, 2016... After winning Saturday’s preliminary of the “Salute to Indy,” R.J. Johnson (Tempe, Arizona) returned to victory circle at Canyon Speedway. Taking the lead from Josh Pelkey on the ninth lap, Johnson sailed to his third USAC SouthWest Sprint Car win of the season. “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James, Matt Rossi, Brian Hosford, and Dustin Burkhart rounded out the top-five drivers.
Driving Bill Michael’s #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson was the night’s top qualifier after winning the third heat race and started sixth in the main event. With his thirty-fifth career SouthWest victory, Johnson has taken over the point lead on the strength of four top-qualifier awards, five heat race victories, twelve top-10 finishes, and 91 feature laps led.
“The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James (Phoenix, Arizona) raced from fifth to score second in the “Salute to Indy.” Piloting his #7K Woodland Auto Display / Weld Racing Maxim, St. James ran second to Michael Curtis in his heat race and ranked second in passing points. Heading to El Paso on June 3rd, the veteran racer is thirteenth in points with three top-10 finishes and 2 feature laps led to his credit.
Matt Rossi (Glendale, Arizona) charged from tenth to third in the Sunday night main event. Racing the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi was tenth in passing points after finishing third in his heat race. The former Western World 360 Champion sits fifth in the standings with one heat race victory, four top-10 finishes and 1 feature lap led on the year.
For the second consecutive night, Brian Hosford (Gilbert, Arizona) claimed fourth at Canyon Speedway. Driving Bernie Weber’s #32B Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers / Invision Auto Body Spike, Hosford was fourth in his heat race, ranked twelfth in passing points, and started twelfth in the feature. Brian left Canyon ranked eighth in the point chase with one heat race victory, eight top-10 finishes, and 10 feature laps led.
Dustin Burkhart (Surprise, Arizona) had one of his best nights at the “Salute to Indy” with a fifth place run after starting ninth. Piloting the Mike Burkhart & Mike White owned #14S Beaver Stripes RSS, Burkhart was ninth in passing points after claiming third in his heat race. To date, Dustin is twelfth in the point standings with one top-10 finish in the campaign.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin (Yuma, Arizona) earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixth place run from twenty-second. Racing his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Ultimate Offroad Maxim, Martin scored eighth in his heat race and placed twenty-second in passing points. The former Hall of Fame Classic winner is fourth in the point chase with three heat race victories, two hard charger awards, ten top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led.
Tanner Grau (Phoenix, Arizona) earned his first heat race win of the year at Canyon’s “Salute to Indy.” Driving the #34 KSE Custom Drywall / Westin Diversified entry, Grau was fourth in passing points and scored twelfth in the main event. In limited appearances, Tanner is twentieth in the championship points.
Michael Curtis (Cottonwood, Arizona) won the night’s second 8-lap heat race. Piloting the Kevin Turner & Greg Wheeler owned #11C DAR Racing / JT Engineering Maxim, Curtis ranked fifth in passing points and claimed fourteenth in the “Salute to Indy.” To date, the young driver has one top-qualifier award, two heat race victories, and three top-10 finishes on the season.
For more information on the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook.
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USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
May 29, 2016 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway – “Salute to Indy”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Tanner Grau (#34 Grau), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. Dustin Burkhart (#14AZ Burkhart/White), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 6. Adam Millsap (#9G Millsap), 7. Brent Yarnel (#29B Yarnel), 8. Mike Martin (#16 Martin). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 2. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 3. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 4. Jonas Reynolds (#0 Reynolds), 5. Spencer Hill (#56 Hill), 6. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 7. Larry Kesterson (#F2 Kesterson), 8. Kyle Shipley (#0G Shipley). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michael), 2. Stevie Sussex (#21AZ Burkhart), 3. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 4. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 5. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 6. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 7. Landon Cling (#54 Cling). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (6th), 2. Bruce St. James (5th), 3. Matt Rossi (10th), 4. Brian Hosford (12th), 5. Dustin Burkhart (9th), 6. Mike Martin (22nd), 7. Tye Mihocko (20th), 8. Tom Ogle (16th), 9. Nick Aiuto (14th), 10. Spencer Hill (15th), 11. Landon Cling (21st), 12. Tanner Grau (3rd), 13. Kyle Shipley (23rd), 14. Michael Curtis (2nd), 15. Andy Reinbold (13th), 16. Adam Millsap (19th), 17. Josh Pelkey (1st), 18. Charles Davis Jr. (4th), 19. Shon Deskins (7th), 20. Stevie Sussex (8th), 21. Jonas Reynolds (11th), 22. Larry Kesterson (18th), 23. Brent Yarnel (17th). NT
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*Davis flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 Pelkey, Laps 9-30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Mike Martin (22nd to 6th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-519, 2. Stevie Sussex-479, 3. Charles Davis Jr.-424, 4. Mike Martin-404, 5. Matt Rossi-398, 6. Nick Aiuto-373, 7. Josh Pelkey-364, 8. Brian Hosford-320, 9. Tye Mihocko-312, 10. Andy Reinbold-264, 11. Chris Bonneau-255, 12. Dustin Burkhart-250, 13. Bruce St. James-249, 14. Tom Ogle-241, 15. Dennis Gile-238, 16. Landon Cling-227, 17. Shon Deskins-193, 18. Asa Kesterson-109, ... Kyle Shipley-109, 20. Tanner Grau-108.
2016 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
June 3: #Western Tech Speedway Park - El Paso, TX (Border Tour)
June 4: #Southern New Mexico Speedway - Las Cruces, NM (Border Tour)
June 11: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
July 2: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
July 30: Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ (Allscapes Back to School Special)
August 17: Lawton Speedway - Lawton, OK (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
August 18: Creek County Speedway - Sapulpa, OK (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
August 19: 81 Speedway - Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
August 20: Dodge City Raceway Park - Dodge City, KS (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
September 2: #Western Tech Speedway Park - El Paso, TX (Border Tour / $2,000-to-Win)
September 3: #Southern New Mexico Speedway - Las Cruces, NM (Border Tour / $2,000-to-Win)
September 17: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
October 15: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
October 22: Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ (Hank Arnold Memorial)
October 29: Central Arizona Speedway - Casa Grande, AZ
November 4: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ (Western World Championships / $2,000-to-Win)
November 5: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ (Western World Championships / $5,000-to-Win)
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# = Co-Sanctioned Event with NMMRA Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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