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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
- #77M R.J. Johnson wins “Summer Slam” at Canyon Speedway Park. Photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed-In Photography.
R.J. JOHNSON ADDS CANYON’S “SUMMER SLAM” TO WIN LIST
By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – JULY 28, 2014... Taking the lead from Matt Rossi on lap 29, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix added Canyon Speedway Park’s “3rd Annual Summer Slam” to his resume. Johnson’s $1,500 victory was his fifth USAC SouthWest Sprint Car triumph and third consecutive “home track” win of the season. Rossi, Shon Deskins, Josh Shipley, and “The Magic Man” Mike Martin followed Johnson to the checkered flags.
Piloting the Bill Michaels owned #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson claimed his series leading sixteenth main event win after starting third. Johnson won the program’s first 10-lap heat race and placed fourth in passing points. The defending champion left Canyon with a 44-point advantage with seven heat race victories, one hard charger award, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 91 feature laps led to his credit.
Leading twenty-eight laps, Phoenix’s Matt Rossi had to settle for second at Canyon Speedway Park. Racing the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / Advanced Engine Components Spike, Rossi took third in his heat race and was seated fifth in passing points. The veteran driver will head to Prescott Valley’s “Rick Stewart Memorial” ranked fifth in the standings with two heat race victories, two hard charger awards, and ten top-10 finishes on the season.
After starting on the pole position, Shon Deskins of Phoenix claimed third in the “Summer Slam.” Driving his #20 MP Environmental / Spike Chassis machine, Deskins ran fourth in his heat race and placed sixth in passing points. The veteran driver left his “home track” seated fourth in the point chase with one feature win, four heat race victories, twelve top-10 finishes, and 30 feature laps led on the year.
Peoria’s Josh Shipley earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fourth place run from seventh. Piloting Bob Bishop’s #2 RSS Industries / AME Electrical RSS, Shipley took sixth in his heat race and was seated eighth in passing points. Last season’s Challenge Cup Sprint Champion is thirteenth in the standings with two hard charger awards, six top-10 finishes, and six feature laps led in the campaign.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin of Yuma scored fifth in the 30-lap feature. Racing his #16 PPG Professional Paints / Desert Building Materials Maxim, Martin ran second to Bruce St. James in his heat race and was placed third in the nightly passing points. The former Hall of Fame Classic winner is currently sixth in points with five heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, eleven top-10 finishes, and one feature lap led.
Phoenix’s “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James raced to victory in the night’s second 10-lap heat race. Driving his #7K Woodland Auto Display / Weld Racing Maxim, St. James was second in passing points and claimed sixth in the “Summer Slam.” At press time, the veteran driver left Canyon ranked tenth in the point standings with two heat race victories, one hard charger award, and three top-10 finishes on the season.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will be back for two nights of action starting this Friday, August 1st at Prescott Valley Speedway. Located at the Yavapai County Fairgrounds in Prescott Valley, the “Rick Stewart Memorial” will also feature Mini Sprints, Challenge Cup Sprint Cars, and Vintage Cars. Advance tickets are on sale and for more information, visit www.pvraceway.com or call 928.925.9858.
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:
July 26, 2014 - Peoria, Arizona - Canyon Speedway Park - "Summer Slam"
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 6. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 7. Dustin Burkhart (#22 Burkhart), 8. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler). NT
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 2. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 3. Mark Morin (#28 Morin), 4. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 5. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 6. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 7. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 8. Brian Hosford (#22B Weber). NT
ALSO AT TRACK: Dennis Gile (#13 Gile)
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (3rd), 2. Matt Rossi (2nd), 3. Shon Deskins (1st), 4. Josh Shipley (7th), 5. Mike Martin (4th), 6. Bruce St. James (5th), 7. Josh Pelkey (10th), 8. Tom Ogle (8th), 9. Nick Aiuto (9th), 10. Charles Davis Jr. (6th), 11. Mark Morin (13th), 12. Dustin Burkhart (11th), 13. Michael Curtis (12th), 14. Andy Reinbold (14th), 15. Tye Mihocko (15th), 16. Brian Hosford (16th). NT
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**Charles Davis Jr. flipped on lap 17 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-28 Matt Rossi, Laps 29-30 R.J. Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Josh Shipley (7th to 4th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-739, 2. Charles Davis Jr.-695, 3. Josh Pelkey-680, 4. Shon Deskins-607, 5. Matt Rossi-575, 6. Mike Martin-564, 7. Tye Mihocko-517, 8. Andy Reinbold-459, 9. Mike Colegrove-442, 10. Bruce St. James-434, 11. Nick Aiuto-418, 12. Michael Curtis-403, 13. Josh Shipley-385, 14. Brian Hosford-337, --. Tom Ogle-337, 16. Stevie Sussex-271, 17. Mark Morin-245, 18. Mike Bonneau-242, 19. Chris Bonneau-225, 20. Dennis Gile-187.
2014 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
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)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC West Coast Sprints.
** = Co-Sanctioned Event with NMMRA Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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