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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series
R.J. JOHNSON CONTINUES TO ROLL AT CASA GRANDE
By Lance Jennings
OCTOBER 18, 2015... Streaking past “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. on the second lap, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona earned Saturday’s $1,500 victory at Central Arizona Speedway. For Johnson, the Casa Grande triumph was his tenth USAC SouthWest Sprint Car win over Davis, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Matt Rossi, and Nick Aiuto.
Racing Bill Michael’s #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, R.J. Johnson ran second to Brian Hosford in his heat race and ranked third in passing points out of eighteen racers. Starting fourth in the main event, Johnson made some early moves to take the lead and sail to his series leading 32nd victory. Getting closer to his third consecutive championship, R.J. has a 68-point lead with seven heat race victories, one top-qualifier award, two hard charger awards, twenty-one top-10 finishes, and 189 feature laps led.
After leading the opening lap, Buckeye, Arizona’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. had to settle for a runner-up finish. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis finished third in his heat race and placed sixth in passing points. Heading to Tucson’s Western World, the five-time state champion is second in the point chase with three feature wins, two top qualifier awards, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, twenty-one top-10 finishes, and 105 feature laps led to his credit.
For the second race in a row, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin of Yuma, Arizona had a solid third place finish. Driving his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Ultimate Offroad Maxim, Martin took third in his heat race and ranked fourth in passing points. Sitting fifth in the standings, “The Magic Man” has three feature wins, one fast time award, ten heat race victories, two top qualifier awards, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 87 feature laps led on the season.
South Central, Arizona’s Matt Rossi scored fourth in the Central Arizona Speedway feature. Racing the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Spike, Rossi won his third heat race of the year and placed second in passing points. The Western World Champion left Casa Grande ranked third in points on the strength of one feature win, three top-qualifier awards, three hard charger awards, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 27 feature laps led.
Nick Aiuto of Camp Verde, Arizona ran fifth in Casa Grande’s 30-lap main event. Piloting his #27 David Dick Attorney at Law / Ellis Race Cars machine, Aiuto ran fourth in his heat race and ranked seventh in passing points. To date, the veteran driver is ninth in the standings with two heat race victories, one hard charger award, nine top-10 finishes, and 4 feature laps led in the campaign.
Peoria, Arizona’s Josh Shipley earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a ninth place run from fifteenth. Driving Bob Bishop’s #2 RSS Industries / AME Electrical RSS, Shipley ran eighth in his heat race and sat ninth in passing points. Heading to Tucson, the former Challenge Cup Champion is thirteenth in the standings with one heat race victory and six top-10 finishes.
Brian Hosford of Gilbert, Arizona claimed his second top qualifier award of 2015. Racing Bernie Weber’s #32B Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers / Invision Auto Body Spike, Hosford won the night’s first 8-lap heat race and took sixth in the main event. Currently, the veteran driver is seventh in the point standings with three heat race victories and ten top-10 finishes.
On November 19th, the USAC SouthWest Coast Sprint Car Series will head USA Raceway in Tucson, Arizona for the “Western World Championships.” Co-sanctioned with the USAC West Coast Sprints, the 3-day event will also feature the Amsoil USAC National and USAC/CRA Sprint Cars. For more information, visit www.raceusaraceway.com or call 520.664.2074.
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 17, 2015 – Casa Grande, Arizona – Central Arizona Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 2. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michael), 3. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 4. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 5. Leland Fuller (#3 Fuller), 6. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 7. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 8. Josh Shipley (#2 Bishop), 9. Matt Lundy (#1 Lundy). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 2. Stevie Sussex (#21AZ Burkhart), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 4. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 5. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 6. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 7. Jody Wirth (#5X Wirth), 8. Koty McGullam (#44K McGullam), 9. Mike Bonneau (#29 Bonneau). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions)
1. R.J. Johnson (4th), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (1st), 3. Mike Martin (3rd), 4. Matt Rossi (5th), 5. Nick Aiuto (7th), 6. Brian Hosford (6th), 7. Andy Reinbold (10th), 8. Josh Pelkey (12th), 9. Josh Shipley (15th), 10. Dennis Gile (9th), 11. Tye Mihocko (14th), 12. Chris Bonneau (8th), 13. Jody Wirth (13th), 14. Matt Lundy (16th), 15. Stevie Sussex (2nd), 16. Koty McGullam (17th), 17. Leland Fuller (11th), 18. Mike Bonneau (18th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Davis, Laps 2-30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Josh Shipley (15th to 9th)
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-1051, 2. Charles Davis, Jr.-983, 3. Matt Rossi-901, 4. Stevie Sussex-878, 5. Mike Martin-862, 6. Josh Pelkey-844, 7. Brian Hosford-698, 8. Andy Reinbold-604, 9. Nick Aiuto-592, 10. Bruce St. James-523, --. Tye Mihocko-523, 12. Dennis Gile-506, 13. Josh Shipley-479, 14. Chris Bonneau-444, 15. Mike Colegrove-432, 16. Shon Deskins-393, 17. Tom Ogle-366, 18. Michael Curtis-316, 19. Mike Bonneau-304, 20. Koty McGullam-222.
2015 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
DATE - TRACK – LOCATION
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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