MATT ROSSI GOES WIRE-TO-WIRE AT CANYON SPEEDWAY PARK
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 3, 2017... Starting third, “The Real American” Matt Rossi (Phoenix, Arizona) led all 30-laps to claim last Saturday’s “Showdown at Canyon” at Peoria’s Canyon Speedway Park. For Rossi, the Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car victory was the fourth series win of his career. “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., R.J. Johnson, and Nick Aiuto rounded out the top-five drivers.
Piloting the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Maxim, Matt Rossi won the night’s second 8-lap heat race and placed fourth out of twenty-five drivers in passing points. The former Western World Champion left Canyon ranked sixteenth in the point chase with one top-10 finish on the season.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin (Yuma, Arizona) ran second in the “Showdown at Canyon.” Racing his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Ultimate Offroad Maxim, Martin ran fourth in his heat race and was fifth in passing points. The former Hall of Fame Classic winner is sixth in the point chase on the strength of three top-10 finishes on the year.
“Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) stormed form eleventh to claim third at Canyon Speedway Park. Driving the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Davis took third in his heat race and placed eleventh in passing points. The five-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion is second in championship points with three heat race victories, four top-10 finishes, and 24 feature laps led to his credit.
R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) charged from thirteenth to score fourth in the “Showdown at Canyon.” Piloting Bobby Martin’s #51 Martin Family Auto Museum / Pecon Builders Sherman, Johnson placed fifth in his heat race and sat thirteenth in passing points. The four-time champion has taken over the point lead with one heat race victory, one semi-main win, one hard charger award, and four top-10 finishes.
Nick Aiuto (Maricopa, Arizona) had a solid night at Canyon with a fifth place run after starting eighth. Racing his #27 Hughey & Phillips / Bob Bondurant School Of High Performance Driving Eagle, Aiuto took fourth in his heat race and placed eighth in passing points. The veteran driver heads to Casa Grande sitting seventh in points with one Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award and two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Matt Lundy (Phoenix, Arizona) earned the night’s hard charger award / “best passing job” by scoring thirteenth after starting twenty-fourth. Driving his #98 Desert State Electric / Race Shack XXX, Lundy scored ninth in his heat race and ranked twenty-fourth in passing points. Matt left Canyon Speedway Park ranked fourteenth in the point standings.
Chris Bonneau (Phoenix, Arizona) earned the night’s Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award. Piloting his #79 Priced Right Auto Sales XXX, Bonneau won the night’s third heat race and finished sixth in the main event. At press time, the veteran race is eighth in the point chase with two top-10 finishes on the year.
“Bullet” Bob Ream Jr. (Glendale, Arizona) returned to USAC SouthWest action and won the night’s first 8-lap heat race. Driving the #8 BRAT Racing owned OSR Physical Therapy / Service Launch entry, Ream was third in passing points and finished twentieth in the main event. After one start, the 1998 ASCA Champion is forty-third in the point standings.
The Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars will return to action on Saturday, April 15th, at Central Arizona Speedway in Casa Grande, Arizona. The event will also feature Dwarf Cars, Pure Stocks, and Bomber Stocks. For more event information, visit the track’s website at www.centralarizonaspeedway.com or call 480.266.1378.
The Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, and Beaver Stripes, for their support.
For more information on the Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook.
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SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 1, 2017 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park – “Showdown at Canyon”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Bob Ream Jr. (#8 BRAT), 2. Andy Reinbold (#19 Reinbold/Underwood), 3. Landon Cling (#54 Cling), 4. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 5. R.J. Johnson (#51 Martin), 6. Bobby Marcum (#80 Marcum), 7. Dalton Gabbard (#77 Gabbard), 8. Mason Keefer (#7 Keefer), 9. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 2. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 3. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 4. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 5. Jeff Lowery (#45 Lowery), 6. Tanner Grau (#34 Team AZ), 7. Cody Batten (#71B Holloway). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 2. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Brent Yarnal (#29 Yarnal), 6. Dustin Cormany (#4 Price), 7. Jonas Reynolds (#0 Harland), 8. Cody Sickles (#14 Sickles). NT
ALSO AT TRACK: Ronnie Clark (#6 Clark)
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Matt Rossi (3rd), 2. Mike Martin (2nd), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (11th), 4. R.J. Johnson (13th), 5. Nick Aiuto (8th), 6. Chris Bonneau (6th), 7. Bruce St. James (10th), 8. Shon Deskins (12th), 9. Dalten Gabbard (17th), 10. Dustin Cormany (16th), 11. Brent Yarnal (18th), 12. Tanner Grau (19th), 13. Matt Lundy (24th), 14. Jeff Lowery (14th), 15. Cody Batten (21st), 16. Mason Keefer (22nd), 17. Cody Sickles (23rd), 18. Jonas Reynolds (20th), 19. Bobby Marcum (15th), 20. Bob Ream Jr. (4th), 21. Tye Mihocko (5th), 22. Michael Curtis (7th), 23. Landon Cling (9th), 24. Andy Reinbold (1st). NT
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**Lundy flipped during the first heat. Cling, Mihocko, and Reynolds flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Rossi.
HARD CHARGER: Matt Lundy (24th to 13th)
BEAVER STRIPES PASSING MASTER: Chris Bonneau
SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. R.J. Johnson-314, 2. Charles Davis Jr.-307, 3. Stevie Sussex-278, .. Shon Deskins-278, 5. Landon Cling-219, 6. Mike Martin-216, 7. Nick Aiuto-197, 8. Chris Bonneau-174, 9. Dave Darland-169, 10. Andy Reinbold-162, 11. Ryan Bernal-160, 12. Tye Mihocko-159, 13. Jeff Lowery-157, 14. Matt Lundy-155, 15. Brady Bacon-148, 16. Matt Rossi-130, 17. Brody Roa-123, 18. Brent Yarnal-120, 19. Jake Swanson-118, 20. Michael Curtis-116.
2017 SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
April 15: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ
April 29: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
May 20: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
May 27: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Salute to Indy)
May 28: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Salute to Indy)
June 10: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
August 16: Creek County Speedway – Sapulpa, OK (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
August 17: 81 Speedway – Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
August 18: 81 Speedway – Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
August 19: Caney Valley Speedway – Caney, KS (Freedom Tour / Non-Points)
September 2: #Southern New Mexico Speedway – Las Cruces, NM (Border Tour / $2,000-to-Win)
September 3: #Southern New Mexico Speedway – Las Cruces, NM (Border Tour / $2,000-to-Win)
September 9: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
September 29: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Sands Chevrolet Hall of Fame Classic)
September 30: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Sands Chevrolet Hall of Fame Classic)
October 21: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Race For The Cure)
October 28: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ
November 3: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 4: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
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* = Co-Sanctioned Event with USAC West Coast Sprints.
# = Co-Sanctioned Event with NMMRA Sprints.
This schedule is subject to change.