|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
- #2 Josh Shipley – 13th in USAC SouthWest Point Standings. Photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed-In Photography
CANYON SPEEDWAY PARK HOSTS “3RD ANNUAL SUMMER SLAM”
By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – JULY 21, 2014... This Saturday, July 26th, the traditional USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will return to Peoria’s Canyon Speedway Park for the “3rd Annual Summer Slam.” Promoted by Kevin Montgomery, the action packed card will also showcase IMCA Modifieds, Mini Sprints, Pure Stocks, and Dwarf Cars. The Front Gates will open at 5:00pm with Racing scheduled to begin at 7:00pm.
Saturday’s event will be the twelfth of seventeen “home track” races at the fast 1/3-mile facility. While “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. has won the two previous “Summer Slams,” R.J. Johnson leads all USAC SouthWest drivers with 15 career wins and 8 victories at Canyon Speedway Park.
Entering the “Summer Slam,” R.J. Johnson of Phoenix holds a nineteen point advantage over the competition. Racing Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, Johnson claimed fifth at Queen Creek’s Arizona Speedway on July 12th. To date, the defending champion has four main event wins, six heat race victories, one hard charger award, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 89 feature laps led on the season. R.J. will be looking to extend his point lead by adding the “Summer Slam” to his win list.
Buckeye’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. is second in the championship points. Driving the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis led twenty-three laps at Queen Creek before taking third at the checkered flags. Currently, the five-time state champion has three main event wins, ten heat race victories, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 102 feature laps led to his credit. “Chargin” Charles will have his sights on his tenth series triumph and gaining valuable points on Johnson.
Josh Pelkey of Peoria ranks third in the USAC SouthWest point standings. Piloting Robbie and Gaye Allen’s 12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey won the 30-lap main event at Arizona Speedway. To date, the 1997 ASCA Champion has three feature wins, three heat race victories, two hard charger awards, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 54 feature laps led on the year. Josh will be looking for his fourth series victory and the $1,500 payday at Canyon Speedway Park.
Phoenix’s Shon Deskins sits fourth in the SouthWest point chase. Racing his #20 MP Environmental / Performance Plus Spike, Deskins rebounded from a tangle to score twelfth at Queen Creek. Heading to Canyon, the veteran racer has one feature win, four heat race victories, eleven top-10 finishes, and 30 feature laps led on the season. Shon will have his sights on claiming his second SouthWest win and moving up the point standings.
After running seventh at Arizona Speedway, Matt Rossi of Phoenix has climbed to fifth in the point standings. Driving the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / Advanced Engine Components Spike, Rossi has two heat race victories, two hard charger awards, and nine top-10 finishes in 2014. Matt will be looking to score the $1,500 victory and add the winning trophy to his collection.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, “The Kid” Tye Mihocko, Mike Colegrove, Andy Reinbold, Nick Aiuto, “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James, Michael Curtis, Josh Shipley, Brian Hosford, Tom Ogle, Stevie Sussex, Mike Bonneau, Chris Bonneau, Mark Morin, Dennis Gile, and more.
Canyon Speedway Park is located at 9777 West Carefree Highway in Peoria, Arizona. To get to the track, take Lake Pleasant Parkway, then 1.3 miles west on Carefree Highway. Adult Tickets are $15 with $2 discounts available for Seniors, Military, and Students. Kids Tickets (7-12) are $6 and Children (6 and under) are FREE. VIP passes are available for $20 and advance tickets are on sale now. For more event information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or call 602.258.7223 (RACE).
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).
-----------------------------------------------
SUMMER SLAM WINNERS:
2012-Charles Davis Jr., 2013-Charles Davis Jr.
CANYON USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT WINS:
8-R.J. Johnson, 5-Bryan Clauson, 3-Dave Darland, 3-Charles Davis Jr., 2-Josh Pelkey, 1-Brady Bacon, 1-Colby Copeland, 1-Mike Spencer, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-668, 2. Charles Davis Jr.-649, 3. Josh Pelkey-635, 4. Shon Deskins-547, 5. Matt Rossi-510, 6. Mike Martin-505, 6. Tye Mihocko-492, 8. Mike Colegrove-442, 9. Andy Reinbold-429, 10. Nick Aiuto-378, 11. Bruce St. James-376, 12. Michael Curtis-375, 13. Josh Shipley-331, 14. Brian Hosford-315, 15. Tom Ogle-294, 16. Stevie Sussex-271, 17. Mike Bonneau-242, 18. Chris Bonneau-225, 19. Mark Morin-209, 20. Dennis Gile-187.
2014 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
July 26: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Summer Slam)
August 1: Prescott Valley Speedway - Prescott Valley, AZ (Rick Stewart Memorial)
August 2: Prescott Valley Speedway - Prescott Valley, AZ (Rick Stewart Memorial)
August 13: Lawton Speedway - Lawton, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 14: Creek County Speedway - Sapulpa, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 15: 81 Speedway - Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 16: Dodge City Raceway Park - Dodge City, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 29: **El Paso Speedway Park - El Paso, TX (Border Tour)
August 30: **Southern New Mexico Speedway - Las Cruces, NM (Border Tour)
August 31: **Tularosa Speedway - Tularosa, NM (Border Tour)
September 6: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
September 20: Central Arizona Raceway - Casa Grande, AZ
September 27: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series)
October 11: Prescott Valley Speedway - Prescott Valley, AZ
October 18: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Southwest Championships)
November 1: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
November 6: *Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series / Non-Points)
November 20: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 21: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 22: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Western World Championships / $7,500-to-Win)
-----------------------------------------------
* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC West Coast Sprints.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event with NMMRA Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
|
