SOUTHWEST SPRINTS EYE JUNE 11 AT QUEEN CREEK; JOHNSON “SWEEPS” CANYON’S “SALUTE TO INDY”
R.J. Johnson of Phoenix, Ariz. is back atop the standings in the USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series where he has claimed championships the past three years.
Johnson has a 40-point lead over Stevie Sussex entering a June 11 outing at Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek after sweeping last weekend’s 5th Annual “Salute to Indy” races at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz. Johnson and Sussex have won the two races contested so far this year at Queen Creek.
Johnson led all 30 laps to win Saturday night’s Canyon race in his Kodiak Products/Beal’s Auto Body Sherman/Ford. Nick Aiuto took second ahead of Josh Pelkey, Brian Hosford and Landon Cling.
On Sunday night, Johnson passed Pelkey on lap nine and led the rest of the way to beat Bruce St. James, Matt Rossi, Hosford and Dustin Burkhart.
Sunday’s victory was Johnson’s 30th in USAC competition in the Grand Canyon State, an all-time record.
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NEXT USAC WESTERN SPRINT CAR EVENT:
DATE: Saturday, June 11, 2016
SERIES: USAC Southwest Sprint Car Championship
TRACK: Arizona Speedway (Queen Creek, Arizona) – 1/3-mile, dirt oval
EVENT: USAC Southwest Sprint Car Championship, Sport Mods, Modlites and Bombers
STARTING TIMES: Racing at 7:30pm
TICKETS: General Admission: Adults $15.00, Seniors $12.00, Kids (7-12) $5.00, Kids 6 and under FREE!
Pit Passes: Adults $30.00, Kids (7-12) $15.00, Kids (6 & Under) FREE!
TRACK ADDRESS: 47346 N Ironwood Rd, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140
TRACK PHONE: (480) 926-6688
TRACK WEBSITE: http://arizonaspeedway.net/
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2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (404) D.J. Johnson (Stockton, CA)
2. (396) Brody Roa (Garden Grove, CA)
3. (359) Trey Marcham (Oklahoma City, OK)
4. (356) Jace Vander Weerd (Visalia, CA)
5. (344) Richard Vander Weerd (Visalia, CA)
6. (314) Austin Liggett (Tracy, CA)
7. (286) Max Adams (Loomis, CA)
8. (278) Tristan Guardino (Fremont, CA)
9. (249) Ryan Timmons (Pleasant Hill, CA)
10. (237) Jeff Sibley (Oakdale, CA)
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2016 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (519) R.J. Johnson (Tempe, AZ)
2. (479) Stevie Sussex (Phoenix, AZ)
3. (424) Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ)
4. (404) Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ)
5. (398) Matt Rossi (Peoria, AZ)
6. (373) Nick Aiuto (Gilbert, AZ)
7. (364) Josh Pelkey (Peoria, AZ)
8. (320) Brian Hosford (Gilbert, AZ)
9. (312) Tye Mihocko (Peoria, AZ)
10. (264) Andy Reinbold (Chandler, AZ)
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2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & RESULTS:
Jan. 22: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 23: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 24: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Josh Hodges
Jan. 29: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 30: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Josh Hodges
Mar. 4: Las Vegas, NV - *** The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Mar. 11: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
WINNER: Rained Out
Mar. 12: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
WINNER: D.J. Johnson
Mar. 19: Bakersfield, CA - Bakersfield Speedway
WINNER: Troy Rutherford
Apr. 2: Hanford, CA - Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
WINNER: Richard Vander Weerd
Apr. 9: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
WINNER: Rained Out
Apr. 23: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
WINNER: D.J. Johnson
May 14: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
WINNER: Austin Liggett
Jun. 18: Santa Maria, CA - Santa Maria Raceway
Jun. 25: Hanford, CA - Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Jul. 22: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
Jul. 23: Tulare, CA - Thunderbowl Raceway
Aug. 6: Santa Maria, CA - Santa Maria Raceway
Aug. 12: Watsonville, CA - Ocean Speedway
Aug. 13: Hanford, CA - Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds
Nov. 24: Ventura, CA - (SE) Ventura Raceway
**Races noted with (SE) represent a non-points "special event."
**Races noted with *** represent a race with the USAC Southwest Sprints.
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2016 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & RESULTS:
Jan. 22: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 23: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 24: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Josh Hodges
Jan. 29: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Jan. 30: Peoria, AZ - *** (SE) Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Josh Hodges
Mar 4: Las Vegas, NV - *** The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
WINNER: Bryan Clauson
Mar 26: Peoria, AZ - Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Stevie Sussex
Apr 9: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
WINNER: R.J. Johnson
Apr 23: Yuma, AZ - Cocopah Speedway
WINNER: Stevie Sussex
Apr 30: Peoria, AZ - Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: Rained Out
May 7: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
WINNER: Stevie Sussex
May 28: Peoria, AZ - Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: R.J. Johnson
May 29: Peoria, AZ - Canyon Speedway Park
WINNER: R.J. Johnson
Jun 11: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
Jul 2: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
Jul 30: Peoria, AZ - Canyon Speedway Park
Aug 17: Lawton, OK - (SE) Lawton Speedway
Aug 18: Sapulpa, OK - (SE) Creek County Speedway
Aug 19: Wichita, KS - (SE) 81 Speedway
Aug 20: Dodge City, KS - (SE) Dodge City Raceway Park
Sep 2: El Paso, TX - ### El Paso Speedway Park
Sep 3: Las Cruces, NM - ### Southern New Mexico Speedway
Sep 17: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
Oct 15: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
Oct 22: Peoria, AZ - Canyon Speedway Park
Oct 29: Casa Grande, AZ - Central Arizona Speedway
Nov 4: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
Nov 5: Queen Creek, AZ - Arizona Speedway
**Races noted with (SE) represent a non-points "special event."
**Races noted with *** represent a race with the USAC West Coast Sprints.
**Races noted with ### represent a "Border Tour" event co-sanctioned with the New Mexico Motor Racing Association Sprints.
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2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR STATISTICS FEATURE WINS:
1. (2) D.J. Johnson (Thunderbowl Raceway on Mar. 12 & Thunderbowl Raceway on Apr. 23)
2. (1) Bryan Clauson (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Mar. 4)
(1) Austin Liggett (Thunderbowl Raceway on May 14)
(1) Troy Rutherford (Bakersfield Speedway on Mar. 19)
(1) Richard Vander Weerd (Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds on Apr. 2)
2016 USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR NON-POINTS “SPECIAL EVENT” FEATURE WINS:
1. (3) Bryan Clauson (Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 22, Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 23 & Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 29)
2. (2) Josh Hodges (Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 24 & Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 30)
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2016 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR STATISTICS FEATURE WINS:
1. (3) R.J. Johnson (Arizona Speedway on Apr. 9, Canyon Speedway Park on May 28 & Canyon Speedway Park on May 29)
(3) Stevie Sussex (Canyon Speedway Park on Mar. 26, Cocopah Speedway on Apr. 23 & Arizona Speedway on May 7)
2. (1) Bryan Clauson (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Mar. 4)
2016 USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR NON-POINTS “SPECIAL EVENT” FEATURE WINS:
1. (3) Bryan Clauson (Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 22, Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 23 & Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 29)
2. (2) Josh Hodges (Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 24 & Canyon Speedway (SE) on Jan. 30)
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ALL-TIME USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR DRIVER FEATURE WINS:
1. [23 wins] Ryan Bernal
2. [12 wins] Richard Vander Weerd
3. [10 wins] Bud Kaeding
4. [8 wins] Danny Faria, Jr.
5. [5 wins] Jace Vander Weerd
6. [4 wins] T.J. Smith & Craig Stidham
8. [3 wins] Troy Rutherford
9. [2 wins] Wes Gutierrez, D.J. Johnson, Cory Kruseman, Kyle Larson, Austin Liggett, Matt Mitchell, Davey Pombo & Danny Sheridan
17. [1 win] Dean Alexander, Bryan Clauson, Nic Faas, Justin Grant, Tristan Guardino, Justyne Hamblin, Josh Hodges, Dennis Howell, Ricky Kirkbride, C.J. Leary, Peter Murphy, Brody Roa, Stevie Sussex & Jake Swanson
ALL-TIME USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR “SPECIAL EVENT” FEATURE WINS:
1. [9 Special Event Wins] Bryan Clauson
2. [5 Special Event Wins] Ryan Bernal
3. [2 Special Event Wins] Brady Bacon, Dave Darland, Josh Hodges, R.J. Johnson, Mike Spencer & Richard Vander Weerd
9. [1 Special Event Win] Colby Copeland, Charles Davis, Jr., Bud Kaeding, Mike Martin, Peter Murphy, Matt Rossi & Terry Schank, Jr.
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ALL-TIME USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR DRIVER FEATURE WINS:
1. [32 wins] R.J. Johnson
2. [12 wins] Charles Davis, Jr.
3. [7 wins] Stevie Sussex
4. [6 wins] Rick Ziehl
5. [5 wins] Josh Pelkey
6. [4 wins] Mike Martin
7. [3 wins] Matt Rossi
8. [2 wins] Ryan Bernal, Bryan Clauson & Kent Rosevear
11. [1 win] Beau Binder, Shon Deskins, Justin Grant, Josh Hodges, Brandon Lane, Garry Lee Maier, Brody Roa, Mike Spencer & Rick Williams
ALL-TIME USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR “SPECIAL EVENT” FEATURE WINS:
1. [8 Special Event Wins] Bryan Clauson
2. [3 Special Event Wins] Brady Bacon, Bryan Clauson, Dave Darland & R.J. Johnson
6. [2 Special Event Wins] Ryan Bernal, Charles Davis, Jr., Josh Hodges, Mike Martin & Rick Ziehl
11. [1 Special Event Win] Beau Binder, Mike Bonneau, Ronnie Clark, Colby Copeland, Dean Freitas, Blake Hahn, Dennis Krob, C.J. Leary, Austin Liggett, Josh Pelkey, Danny Smith, Mike Spencer & Richard Vander Weerd
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USAC WEST COAST SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS:
2010: Craig Stidham; 2011: Richard Vander Weerd; 2012: Bud Kaeding; 2013: Danny Faria, Jr.; 2014: Matt Mitchell; 2015: Danny Faria, Jr.
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USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS:
2003: Rick Ziehl; 2004: Beau Binder; 2013: R.J. Johnson; 2014: R.J. Johnson; 2015: R.J. Johnson