|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
- #29 Mike Bonneau & Family in Dodge City Victory Lane. Photo by TWC Photos.
MIKE BONNEAU WINS SHOOTOUT AT DODGE CITY
By Lance Jennings
DODGE CITY, KS – AUGUST 17, 2014... Powering past “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl on lap twenty four, Mike Bonneau of Phoenix, Arizona won the “Freedom Tour” finale at Dodge City Raceway Park. For Bonneau, the $2,500 feature triumph was his first USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series win. “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Harli White, Ziehl, and Wyatt Burks chased Bonneau to the checkered flags.
Looking to repeat as a Dodge City winner, Rick Ziehl grabbed the lead from the outside front row starting spot. Stretching out to a huge lead, the veteran driver was cruising until almost tangling with a backmarker. Avoiding disaster, “The Real Deal” saved his mount, but fell back to fourth. Pole starter Bonneau took command and roared to his first series win, unaware of victory until stopping in victory circle.
With the 30-lap “Freedom Tour” main event win, Mike Bonneau became the sixteenth different driver to claim a USAC SouthWest victory. Piloting his #29 Priced Right Auto Sales / Triple X Components entry, Bonneau ran second to Shon Deskins in his heat race and placed sixth in the nightly passing points. The veteran driver headed back home with three top-ten finishes and 9 feature laps led on the season.
Buckeye, Arizona’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. took second at Dodge City Raceway Park after starting fourth. Driving the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis won his twelfth heat race of the campaign and placed third in passing points. The five-time Arizona champion left Dodge City with three feature wins, one semi-main win, eighteen top-10 finishes, and 102 feature laps led to his credit.
Harli White of Lindsay, Oklahoma scored third in the “Freedom Tour” finale after starting sixth. Racing the family owned #17W Lucas Oil / Mesilla Valley Transportation entry, White won the program’s second 8-lap heat race and was the night’s high point driver. Harli ended the mini-series with one hard charger award and three top-10 finishes.
Las Cruces, New Mexico’s “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl had the feature well in hand before scoring fourth at Dodge City. Piloting Gary Williams’ #41W EKR Heating & Cooling / Bandit Racing Maxim, the multi-time ASCS champion ran second to Charles Davis Jr. in his heat race and was seated fifth in passing points. To date, Ziehl has one heat race victory, four top-10 finishes, and 23 feature laps led on the year.
Wyatt Burks of Topeka, Kansas ran fifth in the 30-lap feature from seventh. Driving the family owned #11W Industrial Maintenance Inc. / Bindery Express entry, Burks ran second to Harli White in his heat race and ranked seventh in passing points. Wyatt wrapped up the “Freedom Tour” with one heat race victory and two top-10 finishes.
Making his first start of the “Freedom Tour,” Peoria, Arizona’s Josh Shipley earned his third “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fourteenth place run from nineteenth. Racing the Mihocko Family’s #5X RSS Industries / Old World Brewery RSS, Shipley placed seventh in his heat race and was seated nineteenth in the nightly passing points. The Challenge Cup Champion left Dodge City with six top-10 finishes and six feature laps led.
Shon Deskins of Phoenix, Arizona won his sixth heat race of the season. Piloting his #20 MP Environmental / Spike Chassis machine, Deskins ranked fourth in passing points and claimed sixth in the main event. Currently, the May 3rd Prescott Valley winner has fifteen top-10 finishes and 30 feature laps led in the campaign.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will take a break before returning to action on August 29th at El Paso Speedway Park. Opening the first of three night “Border Tour” with the New Mexico Motor Racing Association, the event will also feature Topless Modifieds, USRA Street Stocks, Hornets, and the Casa Nissan Legend Cars. Advance tickets are on sale and for more information, visit www.epspeedwaypark.com or call 915.791.8749.
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).
--------------------------------------------------------------
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR (Special Event) RACE RESULTS:
August 16, 2014 – Dodge City, Kansas – Dodge City Raceway Park – "Freedom Tour"
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 2. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau), 3. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 4. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 5. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 6. Don Droud Jr., (#1X Droud), 7. Kevin Risley (#24 Risley). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Harli White (#17W White), 2. Wyatt Burks (#11X Burks), 3. Josh Hodges (#74X Hodges), 4. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 5. Tim Kent (#94T Kent), 6. Brad Graham (#04 Graham), 7. Ray Seemann (#72 Seemann). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Rick Ziehl (#41W Williams), 3. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 4. Shannon McQueen (#7 Decker), 5. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 6. Tyler Knight (#11K Knight), 7. Josh Shipley (#5X Mihocko). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Mike Bonneau (1st), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (4th), 3. Harli White (6th), 4. Rick Ziehl (2nd), 5. Wyatt Burks (7th), 6. Shon Deskins (3rd), 7. Josh Hodges (5th), 8. R.J. Johnson (10th), 9. Josh Pelkey (9th), 10. Mike Martin (11th), 11. Michael Curtis (13th), 12. Don Droud Jr. (16th), 13. Tye Mihocko (15th), 14. Josh Shipley (19th), 15. Tim Kent (14th), 16. Chris Bonneau (8th), 17. Tyler Knight (17th), 18. Shannon McQueen (12th), 19. Kevin Risley (18th). NT
---------------------------
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-23 Rick Ziehl, Laps 24-30 Mike Bonneau
HARD CHARGER: Josh Shipley (19th to 14th)
2014 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
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.
|
