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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
R.J. JOHNSON ADDS HANK ARNOLD MEMORIAL TO WIN LIST
By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – MARCH 29, 2015... Racing a hard fought main event, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix won Saturday’s Hank Arnold Memorial at Canyon Speedway Park. Officially taking the lead from Stevie Sussex on the last lap, the two-time USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Champion earned his first $1,500 victory of the campaign. Sussex, Josh Pelkey, Matt Rossi, and Mike Colegrove followed Johnson to the finish line.
Driving Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson started his evening by winning the night’s second 8-lap heat race. Placing second out of twenty-two racers in passing points, Johnson started fifth in the main event before claiming his series leading twenty-third main event. After adding his name to the prestigious winner’s list, the second generation driver left his “home track” ranked second in championship points.
Looking for his third straight Arnold Memorial triumph, Tempe’s Stevie Sussex had to settle for second at Canyon Speedway Park. Racing Mike Burkhart’s #21AZ Stratis Construction / KSE Custom Drywall RSS, Sussex also ran second to Johnson in his heat race and placed fourth in passing points. The USAC SouthWest point leader heads to Yuma’s Cocopah Speedway with a 27-point advantage.
Josh Pelkey of Peoria scored third in the Hank Arnold Memorial. Piloting Robbie and Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey ran second to Charles Davis Jr. and placed sixth in passing points. The former ASCA Champion is currently fifth in the point chase heading to the third point race of the season.
South Central’s Matt Rossi earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a fourth place run from twelfth. Racing the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi claimed fourth in his heat race and was seated twelfth in passing points. The Western World Champion left the Peoria clay oval ranked fourth in the point standings.
Mike Colegrove of Peoria raced from tenth to claim fifth at the checkered flags. Driving his #17 Precision Tile / Ellis Race Cars entry, Colegrove took third in his heat race and placed tenth in the nightly passing points. After making his first start of the season, Mike sits eleventh in the USAC SouthWest point chase.
After winning the night’s first 8-lap heat race, Buckeye’s Charles Davis Jr. was the night’s high point driver. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis scored tenth in the 30-lap Hank Arnold Memorial. The five-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion left Canyon seated third in the SouthWest points.
Josh Shipley of Peoria won the third 8-lap heat race at Canyon Speedway Park. Racing Bob Bishop’s #2 RSS Industries / AME Electrical RSS, Shipley placed third in passing points and took eleventh in the Arnold Memorial feature. To date, the former Challenge Cup Sprint Car Champion is tied with Brian Hosford for seventeenth in the standings.
On April 11th, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars will travel to Yuma’s Cocopah Speedway. The action packed card will also feature the IMCA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, and IMCA Modifieds. Located at the intersection of US Highway 95 and County 15th Street, more event information can be found at www.cocopahspeedway.com or calling (928) 344.1563.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series would like to thank Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, Hose Advantage Store, and the Racers Advantage Store for their support. For more information on the series, 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:
March 28, 2015 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park – “Hank Arnold Memorial”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 3. Mike Colegrove (#17 Colegrove), 4. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 5. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 6. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 7. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 8. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 2. Stevie Sussex (#21AZ Burkhart), 3. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 4. Brian Hosford (#22B Weber), 5. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 6. Vince Perez (#40 Perez), 7. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 2. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 3. Dalten Gabbard (#77 Gabbard), 4. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 5. Larry Gibson (#2X Gibson), 6. Jonas Reynolds (#4 Reynolds), 7. Koty McGullam (#44K McGullam). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (5th), 2. Stevie Sussex (3rd), 3. Josh Pelkey (1st), 4. Matt Rossi (12th), 5. Mike Colegrove (10th), 6. Shon Deskins (7th), 7. Mike Martin (8th), 8. Andy Reinbold (11th), 9. Brian Hosford (9th), 10. Charles Davis Jr. (6th), 11. Josh Shipley (4th), 12. Tye Mihocko (13th), 13. Bruce St. James (14th), 14. Dennis Gile (16th), 15. Larry Gibson (17th), 16. Michael Curtis (19th), 17. Vince Perez (15th), 18. Koty McGullam (20th), 19. Dalten Gabbard (2nd), 20. Mike Bonneau (21st), 21. Jonas Reynolds (18th), 22. Tom Ogle (22nd). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-16 Gabbard, Laps 17-29 Sussex, Lap 30 Johnson
HARD CHARGER: Matt Rossi (12th to 4th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Stevie Sussex-139, 2. R.J. Johnson-112, 3. Charles Davis Jr.-110, 4. Matt Rossi-83, 5. Josh Pelkey-80, 6. Mike Martin-72, 7. Ryan Bernal-71, 8. Shon Deskins-68, 9. Matt Mitchell-62, 10. Hunter Schuerenberg-57, 11. Mike Colegrove-54, 12. Bruce St. James-49, 13. Colby Copeland-48, --. Chris Windom-48, 15. Andy Reinbold-46, 16. Richard Vander Weerd-45, 17. Brian Hosford-42, --. Josh Shipley-42, 19. Max Adams-40, 20. Jace Vander Weerd-38.
2015 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
April 11: Cocopah Speedway - Yuma, AZ
April 18: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
May 2: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Canyon Clash)
May 16: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
May 23: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Salute To Indy)
May 24: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Salute To Indy)
June 13: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
June 20: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Father’s Day Classic)
June 27: USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Hot Summer Nights)
July 10: #El Paso Speedway Park - El Paso, TX (Border Tour / $2,000-to-Win)
July 11: #Southern New Mexico Speedway - Las Cruces, NM (Border Tour / $2,000-to-Win)
July 18: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
August 1: Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Allscapes Back To School Special)
August 19: Lawton Speedway - Lawton, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 20: Creek County Speedway - Sapulpa, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 21: 81 Speedway - Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 22: Dodge City Raceway Park - Dodge City, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 28: Prescott Valley Raceway - Prescott Valley, AZ (Rick Stewart Memorial)
August 29: Prescott Valley Raceway - Prescott Valley, AZ (Rick Stewart Memorial)
September 19: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
September 26: *Canyon Speedway Park - Peoria, AZ (Brawl For It All / $2,500-to-Win / Grudge Series)
October 3: Arizona Speedway - Queen Creek, AZ
October 17: Central Arizona Speedway - Casa Grande, AZ
November 19: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series)
November 20: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series)
November 21: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series)
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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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