This message was edited on
January 31, 2014 at
12:47:21 PM by ljennings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series
- #74 Colby Copeland – Thursday Night Winner. Photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed-In Photography.
COLBY COPELAND SCORES $2,000 VICTORY AT CANYON SPEEDWAY
By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – JANUARY 31, 2014... Starting on the pole position, Colby Copeland of Roseville, California led all 30-laps at Canyon Speedway to claim the fourth round of the “Winter Challenge.” Claiming his first career USAC SouthWest and West Coast Sprint Car triumph, Copeland earned $2,000 for his winning drive as racing returns Friday. “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Richard Vander Weerd, Shon Deskins, and Casey Shuman rounded out the top-five drivers.
Driving the Ted Williams owned #74 Bandit Racing / Marks Bolts #74 Maxim, Colby Copeland had a night to remember at Canyon. Sweeping both the main event and his 8-lap heat race, Copeland has climbed to eleventh in the six-race mini-series. To date, the former “Salute to Indy” winner has two heat race victories, one top-10 finish, and 30 feature laps led in the “Winter Challenge.”
Buckeye’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. raced to second in the Thursday night feature after starting sixth. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis won the second 8-lap heat race and was the high point driver entering the main event. The five-time Arizona Champion has taken over the mini-series point lead with two heat race victories and four top-10 finishes to his credit.
Making his first start of the “Winter Challenge,” Richard Vander Weerd of Visalia, California placed third in the main event. Racing the family owned #10 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Richard took second in his heat race and is twenty-second in points. Tonight, the former USAC West Coast Champion will be looking for his first victory in Arizona.
Phoenix’s Shon Deskins had his best run of the mini-series by claiming fourth at the checkered flags after starting eighth. Driving his #20 MPe / Spike Chassis machine, Deskins placed fourth in his heat race and has moved to tenth in the standings. The veteran driver has recorded two top-10 finishes and will have his sights on a Friday night win at Canyon Speedway.
Casey Shuman of Rattlesnake Bend claimed fifth in the 30-lap main event. Piloting the Rick Pollock owned #21X Greenwell Auto Body / Bates Commodities Inc. Maxim, the second generation driver finished second in his heat race. Currently third in the “Winter Challenge” point standings, Shuman has one heat race victory and three top-10 finishes on the season.
Peoria’s Josh Pelkey raced to the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a ninth place finish after starting nineteenth. Driving Robbie & Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey was eighth in his heat race, ran third in the semi-main, and has slipped to second in the standings. The former ASCA Champion has four top-10 finishes and 13 feature laps led in the mini-series.
Jace Vander Weerd of Visalia, California won the program’s third 8-lap heat race in his first start of 2014. Racing the family owned #88 Vander Weerd Construction / Battery Worx Maxim, Jace claimed sixth in the 30-lap main event. Currently twenty-third in the standings, the former USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year will be back in action tonight at CSP.
Yuma’s “The Magic Man” Mike Martin drove to victory in the 10-lap semi-main event. Piloting his #16 PPG Industrial Coatings / Desert Building Materials Maxim, Martin ran sixth in his heat race and claimed fourteenth in the main event from seventeenth. The former “Hall of Fame Classic” winner is fourteenth in the standings with one top-10 finish in the “Winter Challenge.”
The USAC Southwest and West Coast Sprint Cars will return to action on Friday, January 31st, at Canyon Speedway in Peoria. Round #5 of the “Winter Challenge” will also showcase IMCA Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Mini Sprints, and Renegades. 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).
For more information on the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, visit www.westcoastsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/#!/pages/USAC-West-Coast-Sprint-Car-Series/369549755817), or Twitter (www.twitter.com/#!/USACwc360).
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USAC SOUTHWEST & WEST COAST “SPECIAL EVENT” SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
January 30, 2014 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway – "2014 Winter Challenge"
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Colby Copeland (#74 Williams), 2. Casey Shuman (#21X Pollock), 3. Aaron Reutzel (#21A Miller), 4. Brady Bacon (#99 Bacon), 5. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 6. Dave Darland (#1X Minks), 7. Tony Everhart (#55 Everhart), 8. David Dykes (#55NM Dykes), 9. Ryan Bernal (#111 Minks). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr., (#50 Massey), 2. Richard Vander Weerd (#10 Vander Weerd), 3. Mitch Mack (#92 Mack), 4. Mike Colegrove (#17M Colegrove), 5. Michael Woodruff (#83 Woodruff), 6. Jason Grady (#45 Grady), 7. Taylor Walton (#77X Walton), 8. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 9. Will Perkins (#0 Perkins). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Jace Vander Weerd (#88 Vander Weerd), 2. Nic Faas (#73 Ford), 3. Stevie Sussex (#4 Price), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 6. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 7. Jimmy Crawford (#51X Crawford), 8. Kenny Perkins (#0K Perkins), 9. Josh Grady (#12J Grady). NT
SEMI: (10 laps)
1. Mike Martin, 2. Jimmy Crawford, 3. Josh Pelkey, 4. Taylor Walton, 5. Michael Woodruff, 6. Kenny Perkins, 7. Josh Grady, 8. Tony Everhart, 9. David Dykes, 10. Will Perkins, 11. Ryan Bernal. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Colby Copeland (1st), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (6th), 3. Richard Vander Weerd (2nd), 4. Shon Deskins (8th), 5. Casey Shuman (5th), 6. Jace Vander Weerd (3rd), 7. Brady Bacon (14th), 8. Dave Darland (13th), 9. Josh Pelkey (19th), 10. Mike Colegrove (11th), 11. Nic Faas (7th), 12. Stevie Sussex (10th), 13. Tye Mihocko (16th), 14. Mike Martin (17th), 15. Michael Curtis (9th), 16. Kenny Perkins (22nd), 17. Taylor Walton (20th), 18. Michael Woodruff (21st), 19. Aaron Reutzel (4th), 20. Jimmy Crawford (18th), 21. Jason Grady (15th), 22. Mitch Mack (12th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Colby Copeland.
HARD CHARGER: Josh Pelkey (19th to 9th)
NEW WINTER CHALLENGE POINT STANDINGS:
1-Charles Davis Jr.-235, 2-Josh Pelkey-231, 3-Casey Shuman-226, 4-Dave Darland-221, 5-Brady Bacon-198, 6-R.J. Johnson-177, 7-Ryan Bernal-176, 8-Aaron Reutzel-164, 9-Nic Faas-155, 10-Shon Deskins-154, 11-Colby Copeland-144, 12-Stevie Sussex-141, ---Tye Mihocko-141, 14-Mike Martin-137, 15-Josh Hodges-129, 16-Michael Curtis-92, 17-Jimmy Crawford-91, 18-Dalten Gabbard-84, ---Mitch Mack-84, 20-Jason Grady-78.
2014 WINTER CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
January 31: Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ ($2,000-to-Win)
February 1: Canyon Speedway - Peoria, AZ ($5,000-to-Win)
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This schedule is subject to change.
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