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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
R.J. JOHNSON CONTINUES WINNING WAYS AT YUMA
By Lance Jennings
YUMA, AZ – APRIL 14, 2015... Taking the lead from polesitter Shon Deskins on the fifth lap, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix claimed Saturday’s main event at Yuma’s Cocopah Speedway. For Johnson, the $1,500 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car victory was his second consecutive triumph as the series heads to Queen Creek on April 18th. Matt Rossi, Deskins, Mike Colegrove, and Josh Pelkey followed the two-time champion to the checkered flags.
Piloting Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson claimed third in his heat race and ranked fourth out of eighteen racers in passing points. Starting fourth in the feature, Johnson earned his series leading twenty-fourth victory. The Hank Arnold Memorial winner added Cocopah Speedway to his win list and has taken over the points lead. To date, the second generation driver has three heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 26 feature laps led to his credit.
South Central’s Matt Rossi charged from eighth to claim second at Cocopah Speedway. Racing the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi scored fifth in his heat race and was seated eighth in passing points. The Western World Champion heads to Arizona Speedway sitting fourth in championship points with one hard charger award and two top-10 finishes.
After leading the first four circuits, Shon Deskins of Phoenix claimed third in Saturday’s main event. Driving his #20 MP Environmental / Spike Chassis entry, Deskins ran fifth in his heat race and placed sixth in the nightly passing points. The veteran driver left Yuma ranked sixth in series points with two top-10 finishes on the season.
Peoria’s Mike Colegrove had a strong night at Yuma with a fourth place run in the feature. Piloting his #17M Precision Tile / Ellis Race Cars machine, Colegrove ran second to Mike Martin in his heat race and ranked fifth in passing points. Mike is currently eighth in the SouthWest standings with two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Josh Pelkey of Peoria charged from twelfth to score fifth in the series debut at Yuma. Racing Robbie and Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey finished sixth in his heat race and ranked twelfth in the nightly passing points. The former ASCA Champion heads to Queen Creek seated fifth in the point chase with two top-10 finishes.
Camp Verde’s Nick Aiuto earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a seventh place run from eighteenth. Driving his #27 David Dick Attorney at Law / Ellis Race Cars entry, Aiuto finished eighth in his heat race and ranked eighteenth in the nightly passing points. The veteran driver left Cocopah Speedway placed nineteenth in points with one top-10 finish on the year.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye earned the night’s high point driver award. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis won the second 8-lap heat race from fourth and ran eighth in the main event. The five-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion is currently third in points with two high point driver awards, three heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 4 feature laps led in the campaign.
Yuma’s “The Magic Man” Mike Martin won the program’s first 8-lap heat race at his hometown track. Racing his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Ultimate Offroad Maxim, Martin was seated third in passing points and claimed ninth in the feature. The former Hall of Fame Classic Champion is seventh in championship points with one high point driver award, two heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 4 feature laps led to his credit.
This Saturday, April 18th, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars will head to Queen Creek’s Arizona Speedway. The “3rd Annual Spring Fling” will also feature the X-Mods, ModLites, and Bombers. For more event and ticket information, visit www.arizonaspeedway.net or calling 480.926.6688.
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:
April 11, 2015 – Yuma, Arizona – Cocopah Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Mike Colegrove (#17M Colegrove), 3. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 4. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 5. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 6. Dustin Burkhart (#22AZ Burkhart), 7. Katherine Aragon (#42 Aragon), 8. Tom Lee (#53 Lee). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Stevie Sussex (#21AZ Burkhart), 3. Brian Hosford (#22B Weber), 4. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 5. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 6. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 7. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 8. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 9. George Morris (#3K Kruseman). NT
ALSO AT TRACK: Tony Everhart (#55 Everhart).
FEATURE: (30 laps –With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (3rd), 2. Matt Rossi (8th), 3. Shon Deskins (1st), 4. Mike Colegrove (2nd), 5. Josh Pelkey (12th), 6. Brian Hosford (7th), 7. Nick Aiuto (15th), 8. Charles Davis Jr. (6th), 9. Mike Martin (4th), 10. Andy Reinbold (11th), 11. Bruce St. James (14th), 12. Dennis Gile (10th), 13. Dustin Burkhart (9th), 14. George Morris (17th), 15. Katherine Aragon (13th), 16. Stevie Sussex (5th), 17. Tom Lee (16th). NT
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**Sussex flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-4 Deskins, Laps 5-30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Nick Aiuto (15th to 7th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson 181, 2. Stevie Sussex 172, 3. Charles Davis Jr. 163, 4. Matt Rossi 144, 5. Josh Pelkey 131, 6. Shon Deskins 127, 7. Mike Martin 120, 8. Mike Colegrove 114, 9. Brian Hosford 93, 10. Andy Reinbold 84, 11. Bruce St. James 82, 12. Ryan Bernal 71, 13. Dennis Gile 64, Matt Mitchell 62, 15. Hunter Schuerenberg 57, 16. Chris Windom 48, 17. Colby Copeland 48, 18. Richard Vander Weerd 45
19. Nick Aiuto 43, 20. Josh Shipley 43.
2015 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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.
ATTACHED PHOTOS/IMAGES:
#77M R.J. Johnson – Hank Arnold Memorial Winner. File Photo by Patrick Shaw / Backed In Photography.
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