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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
CHARLES DAVIS JR. IS BACK ON TOP AT ARIZONA SPEEDWAY
By Lance Jennings
QUEEN CREEK, AZ – MAY 18, 2015... Leading all 30 laps, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye, Arizona earned his first USAC SouthWest Sprint Car win of the year. For Davis, the $1,500 victory at Queen Creek’s Arizona Speedway was his eleventh career series triumph. Matt Rossi, Josh Pelkey, high point driver R.J. Johnson, and Chris Bonneau rounded out the top-five drivers.
Starting third, Charles Davis Jr. took command on the opening lap and dominated the main event. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis ran second to Bruce St. James in his heat race and ranked fourth in the night’s passing points. After breaking R.J. Johnson’s four-race win streak, “Chargin” Charles is 53 points behind Johnson in the chase for the championship. To date, the five-time Arizona Champion has two high point driver awards, three heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 34 feature laps led on the season.
South Central, Arizona’s Matt Rossi came home second in the Queen Creek feature. Racing the family owned #02 the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi took third in his heat race and placed fifth in passing points. The Western World Champion heads to Canyon’s “Salute to Indy” ranked fourth in points with one hard charger award, four top-10 finishes, and 22 feature laps led to his credit.
After starting on the pole position, Josh Pelkey of Peoria, Arizona scored third at Arizona Speedway. Driving Robbie & Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / Napa Auto Parts Maxim, Pelkey was second to R.J. Johnson in his heat race and was sixth in passing points. The 1997 ASCA Champion left Queen Creek sitting third in the point chase with one high point driver award, one heat race victory, and five top-10 finishes.
Phoenix, Arizona’s R.J. Johnson claimed fourth in the feature after starting sixth. Piloting Bill Michaels’ #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, Johnson won the night’s first heat race and earned his first high point driver award of the year. The point leader heads to the two-night “Salute to Indy” with four main event wins, four heat race victories, eight top-10 finishes, and 54 feature laps led on the year.
Chris Bonneau of Phoenix, Arizona charged from thirteenth to claim fifth in the Queen Creek main event. Racing his #78 Priced Right Auto Sales / XXX machine, Bonneau claimed fourth in his heat race and ranked thirteenth in passing points. In limited starts, the veteran driver is sixteenth in the point chase with two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Tempe, Arizona’s Stevie Sussex earned his third “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a sixth place run from nineteenth. Driving Dennis Gile’s #13S Quarterback Academy Ellis, Sussex ran sixth in his heat race and placed nineteenth in passing points. To date, the hard charging driver is fifth in the standings with one feature win, six top-10 finishes, and 43 feature laps led on the season.
Brian Hosford of Gilbert, Arizona raced to victory in the night’s second 8-lap heat race. Piloting Bernie Weber’s #22B Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers / Invision Auto Body Spike, Hosford placed second in passing points and finished twelfth in the main event. The veteran racer left Queen Creek sitting ninth in series points with two heat race victories and three top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Phoenix, Arizona’s “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James won the night’s third 8-lap heat race at Arizona Speedway. Piloting his #7K Woodland Auto Display / Weld Racing Maxim, St. James was third in passing points and scored sixteenth in the main event. Heading to Canyon, “The Radio Flyer” is tenth in the standings with two heat race victories and two top-10 finishes on the year.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will be back for two days of action starting May 23rd at Canyon Speedway Park’s “4th Annual Salute to Indy.” The showcase will also feature Mini Sprints, AZ Differential Pure Stocks, AMA Modlites, and Renegades. In addition, there will be an open practice session for all divisions on Friday from 6pm to 9pm. Advance tickets are on sale and for more information, visit www.canyonspeedwaypark.com or call 602.258.7223.
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:
May 16, 2015 – Queen Creek, Arizona – Arizona Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michaels), 2. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 3. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 4. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau), 5. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 6. Stevie Sussex (#13S Gile), 7. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 8. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Brian Hosford (#22B Weber), 2. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 3. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Koty McGullam (#44K McGullam), 6. Katherine Aragon (#42 Aragon), 7. Jonas Reynolds (#4 Harland). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. Mike Colegrove (#17 Colegrove), 4. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 5. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 6. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 7. Rick Shuman (#25AZ Shuman), NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (3rd), 2. Matt Rossi (2nd), 3. Josh Pelkey (1st), 4. R.J. Johnson (6th), 5. Chris Bonneau (13th), 6. Stevie Sussex (19th), 7. Josh Shipley (7th), 8. Tye Mihocko (9th), 9. Mike Colegrove (10th), 10. Mike Bonneau (8th), 11. Shon Deskins (12th), 12. Brian Hosford (5th), 13. Mike Martin (17th), 14. Michael Curtis (18th), 15. Dennis Gile (11th), 16. Bruce St. James (4th), 17. Rick Shuman (20th), 18. Koty McGullam (14th), 19. Tom Ogle (15th), 20. Andy Reinbold (22nd), 21. Katherine Aragon (16th). NT
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**Reinbold flipped during the feature.
**Jonas Reynolds was slated to start 21st, but did not start
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Davis
HARD CHARGER: Stevie Sussex 19th to 6th.
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-384, 2. Charles Davis Jr.-331, 3. Josh Pelkey-314, 4. Matt Rossi-298, 5. Stevie Sussex-275, 6. Mike Colegrove-260, 7. Shon Deskins-256, 8. Mike Martin-243, 9. Brian Hosford-236, 10. Brice St. James-201, 11. Andy Reinbold-178, 12. Dennis Gile-160, 13. Tye Mihocko-152, 14. Josh Shipley-148, 15. Nick Aiuto-117, 16. Chris Bonneau-110, 17. Michael Curtis-103, 18. Mike Bonneau-101, 19. Koty McGullam-83, 20. Dalten Gabbard-82.
2015 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK - LOCATION
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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