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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
R.J. JOHNSON WINS QUEEN CREEK BATTLE WITH LAST LAP PASS
By Lance Jennings
JULY 6, 2016... Racing from seventh, R.J. Johnson (Tempe, Arizona) powered past Dennis Gile on the last lap to claim Saturday’s win at Queen Creek’s Arizona Speedway. For Johnson, the 30-lap USAC SouthWest Sprint Car triumph was his fifth victory of the campaign. Gile, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Matt Rossi, and hard charger “The Bull” Tye Mihocko rounded out the top-five drivers.
Driving Bill Michael’s #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body entry, R.J. Johnson earned his series leading thirty-seventh main event win. The three-time champion and point leader placed third in his heat race and ranked seventh in the night’s passing points. Johnson heads to Canyon Speedway’s July 30th event with a 107 point advantage with five heat race victories, five top-qualifier awards, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 110 feature laps led on the year.
Dennis Gile (Phoenix, Arizona) dominated the feature but had to settle for second at Queen Creek. Racing the family owned #13 Quarterback Academy / Bobby Q Ellis, Gile led the first twenty-three laps and regained the top spot from Davis on lap 29. Earlier in the program, last season’s Rookie of the Year won the night’s third heat race and placed sixth in passing points. To date, Gile sits eighth in the standings with four heat race victories, two top-qualifier awards, and ten top-10 finishes in the campaign.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) grabbed the lead from Gile on the twenty-fourth circuit before taking third at the checkered flags. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis ran second to Matt Rossi in his heat race and placed fifth in passing points. The five-time Arizona champion left Arizona ranked second in points with eight heat race victories, two top-qualifier awards, one hard charger awards, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 39 feature laps led on the season.
Matt Rossi (Glendale, Arizona) scored fourth in Queen Creek’s 30-lap main event. Driving the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi claimed victory in the night’s first 8-lap heat race and was fourth in the night’s passing points. The former Western World 360 Champion heads to Canyon ranked fourth in the point standings with two heat race victories, one semi-main win, eight top-10 finishes, and 13 feature laps led to his credit.
“The Bull” Tye Mihocko (Peoria, Arizona) earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fifth place run from thirteenth. Racing the family owned #5 Property Solutions / Michael Most Trucking RSS, Mihocko ran fifth in his heat race and ranked thirteenth in passing points. At press time, the young driver is seventh in the point standings with ten top-10 finishes.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin (Yuma, Arizona) earned his first top-qualifier award of the year after running second to Dennis Gile in his heat race. Piloting his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Boulevard Truck Maxim, Martin scored ninth in the Queen Creek main event. The former Hall of Fame Classic left Arizona Speedway ranked third in the point standings with five top-heat race victories, two hard charger awards, fourteen top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led.
Brian Hosford (Gilbert, Arizona) won the night’s second 8-lap heat race. Driving Bernie Weber’s #32B Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers / Invision Auto Body Spike, Hosford was third in passing points and ran seventh in the main event. The veteran driver sits eleventh in points with two heat race victories, ten top-10 finishes, and 10 feature laps led in the campaign.
On Saturday, July 30th, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will return to Canyon Speedway in Peoria, Arizona for the “Allscapes Back to School Special.” Located at 9777 West Carefree Highway, more event information can be found at www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or calling 602.258.RACE (7223).
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:
July 2, 2016 – Queen Creek, Arizona – Arizona Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michael), 4. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 5. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 6. Jordan Stetson (#8AZ Stetson), 7. Brett Yarnell (#29B Yarnell). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 2. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 3. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 4. Ronnie Clark (#6 Clark), 5. Joe Schoepner (#17 Schoepner), 6. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 2. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 3. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy), 4. Landon Cling (#54 Cling), 5. Vickie Faber (#50V Faber), 6. Jonas Reynolds (#0 Harland). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positons)
1. R.J. Johnson (7th), 2. Dennis Gile (1st), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (2nd), 4. Matt Rossi (3rd), 5. Tye Mihocko (13th), 6. Nick Aiuto (5th), 7. Brian Hosford (4th), 8. Michael Curtis (11th), 9. Mike Martin (6th), 10. Matt Lundy (10th), 11. Andy Reinbold (9th), 12. Chris Bonneau (18th), 13. Ronnie Clark (12th), 14. Landon Cling (8th), 15. Jonas Reynolds (16th), 16. Joe Schoepner (15th), 17. Jordan Stetson (14th), 18. Vickie Faber (19th), 19. Brett Yarnell (17th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-23 Gile, Laps 24-28 Davis, Lap 29 Gile, Lap 30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Tye Mihocko (13th to 5th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-825, 2. Charles Davis Jr.-718, 3. Mike Martin-670, 4. Matt Rossi-664, 5. Stevie Sussex-640, 6. Nick Aiuto-584, 7. Tye Mihocko-554, 8. Dennis Gile-496, 9. Andy Reinbold-464, 10. Josh Pelkey-444, 11. Brian Hosford-441, 12. Chris Bonneau-400, 13. Landon Cling-364, 14. Shon Deskins-320, 15. Bruce St. James-304, 16. Dustin Burkhart-295, 17. Michael Curtis-294, 18. Tom Ogle-241, 19. Jonas Reynolds-155, 20. Matt Lundy-152.
2016 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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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