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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
- #12 Josh Pelkey. Saturday night winner at Canyon Speedway Park. Photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed-In Photography.
JOSH PELKEY WINS SATURDAY “SALUTE TO INDY” OPENER CANYON
By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – MAY 26, 2014... Taking command from “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. on lap twenty-three, Josh Pelkey of Peoria claimed Saturday’s opening night of the “3rd Annual Salute To Indy.” The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car triumph at Canyon Speedway Park was Pelkey’s second win of the season as he was followed by Stevie Sussex, R.J. Johnson, Colby Copeland, and Davis.
Starting sixth, Josh Pelkey was the night’s high point driver entering the 30-lap main event. Driving Robbie and Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey took second in his heat race before winning his third career USAC SouthWest main event. The former ASCA Champion left Canyon with one heat race victory, two hard charger awards, twelve top-10 finishes, and 53 feature laps led to his credit.
Stevie Sussex of Tempe ran second in the seventh point race of the campaign. Starting on the pole position, the pilot of the #1DM D&M Motorsports / The Surprise Shop entry claimed second in his heat race and ranked sixth in passing points. Entering the “Salute To Indy” finale, Sussex has one hard charger award and five top-10 finishes on the year.
Phoenix’s R.J. Johnson scored third in Canyon Speedway Park’s 30-lap main event. Racing Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, Johnson won his third 8-lap heat race and was third in passing points. Heading to Sunday’s race, the defending SouthWest champion has one feature win, ten top-10 finishes, and 44 feature laps led in 2014.
Colby Copeland of Roseville, California returned to SouthWest action and placed fourth at Canyon. Driving Ted Williams’ #74 Marks Bolts / M&J Trophies Maxim, Copeland was third in his heat race and ranked second in passing points. In limited starts, the versatile driver has one feature win, three heat race victories, two top-10 finishes, and 30 feature laps led on the season.
After leading the first twenty-two laps, Buckeye’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. took fifth in the Saturday night main event. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis won his seventh heat race and was fifth in the night’s passing points. The five-time state champion left CSP with two feature wins, ten top-10 finishes, and 38 feature laps led.
Josh Hodges of Tijeras, New Mexico earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a seventh place run after starting seventeenth. Racing the family owned #74X Parts Plus / Mesilla Valley Transportation Maxim, Hodges took sixth in his heat race and ranked sixteenth in passing points. In limited SouthWest action, the young driver has six top-10 finishes and 7 feature laps led in 2014.
Yuma’s “The Magic Man” Mike Martin won the program’s first 8-lap heat race. Driving his #16 PPG Professional Paints / Desert Building Materials Maxim, Martin ranked fourth in passing points before scoring sixteenth in the main event. The former “Hall of Fame Classic” winner has two heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, five top-10 finishes, and one feature lap led on the year.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series thanks Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, Racers Advantage Store, and the Hose Advantage Store for their support. For more information on the group, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SouthwestSprintCars).
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USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS:
May 24, 2014 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park – “Salute To Indy”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 3. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 4. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 5. Mike Colegrove (#17M Colegrove), 6. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 7. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 2. Steve Sussex (#1DM Sussex), 3. Dennis Giles (#13 Giles), 4. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 5. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 6. Josh Hodges (#74X Hodges), 7. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 8. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Colby Copeland (#74 Williams), 3. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 4. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 5. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 6. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 7. Matt Lundy (#99 Lundy). NT
ALSO AT TRACK: Mark Morin (#28 Morin).
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Josh Pelkey (6th), 2. Stevie Sussex (1st), 3. R.J. Johnson (4th), 4. Colby Copeland (5th), 5. Charles Davis Jr. (2nd), 6. Tye Mihocko (8th), 7. Josh Hodges (16th), 8. Bruce St. James (10th), 9. Michael Curtis (17th), 10. Matt Rossi (15th), 11. Andy Reinbold (14th), 12. Matt Lundy (19th), 13. Nick Aiuto (11th), 14. Chris Bonneau (13th), 15. Mark Morin (23rd), 16. Mike Martin (3rd), 17. Shon Deskins (9th), 18. Mike Colegrove (12th), 19. Mike Bonneau (22nd), 20. Brian Hosford (20th), 22. Dennis Giles (7th), 22. Tom Ogle (18th), 23. Josh Shipley (21st). NT
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**Shipley flipped during first heat.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-22 Charles Davis Jr., Laps 23-30 Josh Pelkey.
HARD CHARGER: Josh Hodges (16th to 7th)
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