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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
- #77M R.J. Johnson Wins at Tularosa Speedway. File Photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed-In Photography.
R.J. JOHNSON SWEEPS BORDER TOUR WITH TULAROSA VICTORY
By Lance Jennings
TULAROSA, NM – SEPTEMBER 1, 2014... For the third consecutive night, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix, Arizona has celebrated a victory during the USAC SouthWest-NMMRA Sprint Car “Border Tour.” Sunday’s $1,500 triumph at Tularosa Speedway was Johnson’s ninth win of the season as the defending champion extends his point lead. “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., Josh Pelkey, Matt Rossi, and “The Kid” Tye Mihocko chased R.J. to the checkered flags.
Starting fourth in the main event, R.J. Johnson led all 30-laps behind the wheel of Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman. Before claiming his series leading twentieth career SouthWest main event, Johnson won the night’s first 8-lap heat race and ranked third in passing points. Johnson left Tularosa Speedway with eleven heat race victories, one hard charger award, twenty-three top-10 finishes, and 164 feature laps led on the season.
Buckeye, Arizona’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. ended the “Border Tour” with a second place run at Tularosa. Piloting the Massey Motorsports #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis took third in his heat race and placed sixth in passing points. Heading to Queen Creek, the five-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion is third in the point chase with three feature wins, twelve heat race victories, one semi-main win, twenty top-10 finishes, and 102 feature laps led on the year.
Josh Pelkey of Peoria, Arizona took third at the checkered flags after starting fifth. Driving Robbie and Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey was third in his heat race and ranked second in the nightly passing points. The 1997 ASCA Champion left Tularosa placed second in points with three feature wins, four heat race victories, two hard charger awards, twenty-four top-10 finishes, and 54 feature laps led to his credit.
Phoenix, Arizona Matt Rossi charged to fourth in the Tularosa feature after starting twelfth. Racing the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / Advanced Engine Components Spike, Rossi was third in his heat race and placed twelfth in passing points. Currently fifth in the standings, the veteran driver has three heat race victories, two hard charger awards, twelve top-10 finishes, and 28 feature laps led.
“The Kid” Tye Mihocko of Peoria, Arizona continues to improve with a fifth place finish after starting ninth. Racing the family owned #5 RSS Industries / Old World Brewery RSS, Mihocko ran second to Shon Deskins in his heat race and ranked ninth in passing points. Heading to Arizona Speedway, Mihocko is seventh in points with two heat race victories, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, and thirteen top-10 finishes.
El Paso, Texas veteran Don Grable earned his first “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a ninth place run from nineteenth. Driving his #148NM machine, Grable was fifth in his heat race and took second in the first 10-lap semi-main.
Phoenix, Arizona’s Shon Deskins claimed his seventh heat race win of the season at Tularosa Speedway. Piloting his #20 MP Environmental / Spike Chassis entry, Deskins ranked seventh in passing points and scored eighth in the 30-lap feature. To date, the May 3rd Prescott Valley winner sits fourth in the standings with one hard charger award, eighteen top-10 finishes, and 59 feature laps led on the season.
Nick Aiuto of Camp Verde, Arizona raced to his first heat race victory of the campaign in the third 8-lap event. Driving his #27 Ellis Race Cars / Bob Boundurant School of High Performance Driving Ells, Aiuto was eighth in passing points and took sixth at the finish line. Currently, Nick is eighth in the point chase with one hard charger award and five top-10 finishes in 2014.
Yuma, Arizona’s “The Magic Man” Mike Martin scored his fourth heat race win of the year at Tularosa. Racing his #16 PPG Professional Paints / Desert Building Materials Maxim, Martin was fifth in passing points and scored twelfth in the main event. Heading to Queen Creek, the former Hall of Fame Classic winner is sixth in points with one feature win, two semi-main wins, one hard charger award, fifteen top-10 finishes, and 31 feature laps led.
Michael Curtis of Cottonwood, Arizona won the night’s first 10-lap semi-main. Piloting the Turner/Wheeler owned #11C DAR Racing / JT Engineering Maxim, Curtis was sixth in his heat race and placed thirteenth in the feature after starting seventeenth. To date, Michael has climbed to tenth in the standings with has one heat race victory, one hard charger award, and four top-10 finishes on the year.
Rio Rancho, New Mexico’s James Hatch claimed victory in the program’s second 10-lap semi-main. Driving the #41NM Hal Burns Trucking / Kuckmen Pump & Power entry, Hatch was fourth in his heat race and placed twentieth in the main event.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars will be back in action this Saturday, September 6th at Queen Creek's Arizona Speedway. The action packed showcase will also feature Pure Stocks, Mod Lites, and Bombers. For more event and ticket information, visit www.arizonaspeedway.net or call 480.926.6688.
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 (co-sanctioned by NMMRA):
August 31, 2014 – Tularosa, New Mexico – Tularosa Speedway – “Border Tour"
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 2. Kyle McCutcheon (#7L McCutcheon), 3. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 4. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 5. Don Grable (#148N Grable), 6. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 7. David Dykes (#55NM Dykes), 8. Bo Baker (#22NM Baker). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 2. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 4. Matthew Cardienas (#7M Cardienas), 5. Dillon Tanner (#11W West), 6. Stephen Spiak (#17X Spiak), 7. Stephen Nix (#52NM Nix), 8. Jesse Baker (#22 Baker). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 2. Josh Hodges (#74X Hodges), 3. Robert Herrera (#9 Herrera), 4. Matt Ziehl (#36DD), 5. Michael Fanelli (#38 Fanelli), 6. Randy Smith (#26 Smith), 7. Chuck Jackson (#99 Jackson), 8. Katherine Aragon (#42 Aragon). NT
FOURTH HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 3. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 4. James Hatch (#41NM Hatch), 5. Ronnie Smith (#19R Smith), 6. Danny Lee (#7X), 7. Asa Kesterson (#18 Kesterson), 8. Kristy Smith (#4L Smith). NT
FIRST SEMI: (10 laps)
1. Curtis, 2. Grable, 3. J.Baker, 4. Fanelli, 5. Dykes, 6. K.Smith, 7. Spiak, 8. Ra.Smith. NT
SECOND SEMI: (10 laps)
1. Hatch, 2. Nix, 3. B.Baker, 4. Ro.Smith, 5. Lee, 6. Kesterson, 7. Aragon, 8. Jackson. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (4th), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (1st), 3. Josh Pelkey (5th), 4. Matt Rossi (12th), 5. Tye Mihocko (9th), 6. Nick Aiuto (8th), 7. Josh Hodges (6th), 8. Shon Deskins (7th), 9. Don Grable (19th), 10. Kyle McCutcheon (10th), 11. Brian Hosford (3rd), 12. Mike Martin (2nd), 13. Michael Curtis (17th), 14. Jesse Baker (21st), 15. Andy Reinbold (16th), 16. Stephen Nix (20th), 17. Matt Ziehl (14th), 18. Matthew Cardienas (13th), 19. Robert Herrera (11th), 20. James Hatch (18th), 21. Dillon Tanner (15th), 22. Bo Baker (22nd). NT
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**Randy Smith & Spiak flipped during the first semi.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Don Grable (19th to 9th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-955, 2. Josh Pelkey-836, 3. Charles Davis Jr.-834, 4. Shon Deskins-768, 5. Matt Rossi-731, 6. Mike Martin-697, 7. Tye Mihocko-696, 8. Nick Aiuto-533, 9. Andy Reinbold-513, 10. Michael Curtis-497, 11. Brian Hosford-451, 12. Mike Colegrove-442, 13. Bruce St. James-434, 14. Josh Shipley-385, 15. Tom Ogle-337, 16. Josh Hodges-279, 17. Stevie Sussex-271, 18. Mark Morin-245, 19. Mike Bonneau-242, 20. Chris Bonneau-225.
2014 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
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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