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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
#77M R.J. Johnson Wins at Queen Creek’s Arizona Speedway. File photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed-In Photography.
R.J. JOHNSON EARNS $2,000 PAYDAY AT ARIZONA SPEEDWAY
By Lance Jennings
QUEEN CREEK, AZ – NOVEMBER 3, 2014... Taking the lead on lap 13, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix sailed to victory at Queen Creek’s Arizona Speedway. Saturday’s $2,000 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car triumph was Johnson’s eleventh win of the campaign and ties his series record. Inching closer to his second title, R.J. was followed to the checkered flags by Aaron Reutzel, Josh Pelkey, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, and Matt Rossi.
Racing Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson earned his third “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors by racing to the win from eighth. The defending champion placed third in his heat race and ranked eighth in the night’s passing points. After claiming his series leading twenty-second feature win, Johnson has thirteen heat race victories, twenty-eight top-10 finishes, and 220 feature laps led.
Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas returned to action and took third in the Queen Creek main event. Piloting his #87 BC Fundz / Wren Motorsports XXX, Reutzel won the night’s third 10-lap heat race and seated fourth in passing points. In limited starts, the young driver is thirty-fifth in the standings with one semi-main win, one hard charger award, and five top-10 finishes.
Peoria’s Josh Pelkey claimed third at Arizona Speedway after starting sixth. Driving Robbie & Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey ran third in his heat race and was the night’s high point driver. Ranked second in points, the 1997 ASCA Champion has four main event wins, five heat race victories, two hard charger awards, twenty-nine top-10 finishes, and 71 feature laps led to his credit.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin of Yuma scored fourth in the 30-lap feature. Racing his #16 PPG Professional Paints / Desert Building Materials Maxim, Martin won the program’s second 10-lap heat race and ranked third overall in passing points. The former “Hall of Fame Classic” winner has climbed to fifth in the point standings with one feature win, five heat race victories, two semi-main wins, one hard charger award, twenty top-10 finishes, and 31 feature laps led.
Phoenix’s Matt Rossi has another solid night and placed fifth at Arizona Speedway. Piloting the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / Advanced Engine Components Spike, Rossi won the night’s first heat race and was second in the event’s passing points. To date, Matt ranks fourth in the championship points with five heat race victories, two hard charger awards, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 28 feature laps led on the year.
On Thursday, November 6th, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will return to Don Kazarian’s Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, California. The non-point $2,500-to-win "2nd Annual 360 Oval Nationals" is the final round of the "Grudge Series" with the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars. Located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds, more event information can be found at www.perrisautospeedway.com or calling (951) 940-0134.
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:
November 1, 2014 – Queen Creek, Arizona – Arizona Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 2. Bob Ream Jr. (#22B Weber), 3. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 4. Ronnie Clark (#6 Clark), 5. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 6. Jesse Turner (#11AZ Turner), 7. Lonnie Oliver (#11T Oliver), 8. Stevie Sussex (#21AZ Sussex). NT
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 4. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 5. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 6. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 7. James Aragon (#57X Stone). NT
THIRD HEAT: (10 laps)
1. Aaron Reutzel (#87 Reutzel), 2. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 3. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 4. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 5. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 6. Dennis Rodriguez (#29X Colquette), 7. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (8th), 2. Aaron Reutzel (3rd), 3. Josh Pelkey (6th), 4. Mike Martin (4th), 5. Matt Rossi (5th), 6. Tye Mihocko (13th), 7. Nick Aiuto (1st), 8. Bob Ream Jr. (7th), 9. Charles Davis Jr. (2nd), 10. Shon Deskins (14th), 11. Michael Curtis (9th), 12. Bruce St. James (18th), 13. Brian Hosford (16th), 14. James Aragon (19th), 15. Dennis Rodriguez (15th), 16. Jesse Turner (17th), 17. Lonnie Oliver (20th), 18. Josh Shipley (12th), 19. Andy Reinbold (22nd), 20. Tom Ogle (10th), 21. Ronnie Clark (11th), 22. Stevie Sussex (21st). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Aiuto, Laps 3-12 Davis, Laps 13-30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: R.J. Johnson (8th to 1st)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-1259, 2. Josh Pelkey-1149, 3. Charles Davis Jr.-1117, 4. Matt Rossi-1040, 5. Mike Martin-993, 6. Shon Deskins-977, 7. Tye Mihocko-893, 8. Michael Curtis-685, 9. Nick Aiuto-663, 10. Andy Reinbold-656, 11. Brian Hosford-636, 12. Bruce St. James-628, 13. Mike Colegrove-530, 14. Stevie Sussex-457, 15. Tom Ogle-439, 16. Josh Shipley-438, 17. Chris Bonneau-327, 18. Mike Bonneau-318, 19. Mark Morin-293, 20-Josh Hodges-279.
2014 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
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.
This schedule is subject to change.
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