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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
R.J. JOHNSON SPRINTS TO 31ST USAC SOUTHWEST WIN AT QUEEN CREEK
By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 6, 2015... Taking the lead from Stevie Sussex on lap eleven, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona continued his assault on the USAC SouthWest Sprint record books. By claiming Saturday’s $1750 victory at Arizona Speedway, the two-time champion earned his series leading thirty-first career win. “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Top Qualifier Tom Ogle, and Matt Rossi followed Johnson to the checkered flags.
Piloting Bill Michael’s #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson won the night’s third 8-lap heat race and ranked fifth in passing points. Starting on the outside of the front row, Johnson sailed to his ninth victory of the campaign. Inching closer to his third straight title, R.J. has a 64-point lead on the strength of seven heat race victories, one top-qualifier award, two hard charger awards, twenty top-10 finishes, and 160 feature laps led.
Buckeye, Arizona’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. raced from fifth to second in the Queen Creek feature. Driving the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis won his eighth heat race of the year and placed second in passing points. To date, the five-time state champion is second in the point standings with three feature wins, two top qualifier awards, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, twenty top-10 finishes, and 104 feature laps led to his credit.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin of Yuma, Arizona had a solid night at Arizona Speedway with a third place finish. Racing his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Ultimate Offroad Maxim, Martin won his tenth heat race of the campaign and was third in passing points. Ranked sixth in points, “The Magic Man” has three feature wins, one fast time award, two top qualifier awards, sixteen top-10 finishes, and 87 feature laps led on the year.
Surprise, Arizona’s Tom Ogle scored fourth in the 30-lap main event. Piloting the family owned #48 RSS Industries / JT Engineering RSS, Ogle was third in his heat race and earned his second top qualifier award. In limited starts, the veteran driver left Queen Creek placed seventeenth in the point chase with four top-10 finishes.
Matt Rossi of South Central, Arizona scored fifth in the “Neils Garage Cabinets Night at the Races.” Driving the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi took third in his heat race and ranked eighth in passing points. The Western World Champion is currently fourth in points with one feature win, two heat race victories, three top-qualifier awards, three hard charger awards, twelve top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led.
Peoria, Arizona’s “The Bull” Tye Mihocko earned his second “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a ninth place run from twenty-first. Racing the family owned #5 Property Solutions / Michael Most Trucking RSS, Mihocko scored eighth in his heat race and was twenty-first in passing points. The young driver sits eleventh in points with one semi-main win and six top-10 finishes on the year.
On Saturday, October 17th, the USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will make their only appearance at Casa Grande’s Central Arizona Speedway. Located on the Pinal County Fairgrounds, the “Central Arizona College Student Night” will also feature Dwarf Cars, X-Mods, Super Stocks, and Bomber Stocks. For more event and ticket information, visit www.centralarizonaspeedway.com or call 480.266.1378.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series thanks Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, the 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:
October 3, 2015 – Queen Creek, Arizona – Arizona Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 3. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 6. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 7. Joe Schoepner (#17X Schoepner), 8. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 2. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 3. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 4. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 5. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 6. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau), 7. Jody Wirth (#5X Wirth). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps)
1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michael), 2. Stevie Sussex (#21AZ Burkhart), 3. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 4. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 5. Matt Lundy (#1 Lundy), 6. Koty McGullam (#44K McGullam), 7. Leland Fuller (#3 Fuller). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (2nd), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (5th), 3. Mike Martin (4th), 4. Tom Ogle (6th), 5. Matt Rossi (8th), 6. Nick Aiuto (11th), 7. Stevie Sussex (1st), 8. Josh Pelkey (12th), 9. Tye Mihocko (21st), 10. Michael Curtis (15th), 11. Dennis Gile (16th), 12. Andy Reinbold (10th), 13. Matt Lundy (14th), 14. Shon Deskins (13th), 15. Joe Schoepner (20th), 16. Koty McGullam (17th), 17. Jody Wirth (19th), 18. Josh Shipley (9th), 19. Brian Hosford (7th), 20. Leland Fuller (22nd), 21. Mike Bonneau (18th), 22. Chris Bonneau (3rd). NT
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**C.Bonneau flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-10 Sussex, Laps 11-30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Tye Mihocko (21st to 9th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-980, 2. Charles Davis, Jr.-919, 3. Stevie Sussex-846, 4. Matt Rossi-837, 5. Josh Pelkey-803, 6. Mike Martin-799, 7. Brian Hosford-639, 8. Andy Reinbold-559, 9. Nick Aiuto-539, 10. Bruce St. James-523, 11. Tye Mihocko-489, 12. Dennis Gile-469, 13. Josh Shipley-442, 14. Mike Colegrove-432, 15. Chris Bonneau-410, 16. Shon Deskins-393, 17. Tom Ogle-366, 18. Michael Curtis-316, 19. Mike Bonneau-287, 20. Koty McGullam-200.
2015 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK – LOCATION
October 17: Central Arizona Speedway - Casa Grande, AZ
November 19: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series / $1,500-to-Win)
November 20: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series / $1,500-to-Win)
November 21: *USA Raceway - Tucson, AZ (Western World Championships / Grudge Series / $3,000-to-Win)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC West Coast Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.
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