SOUTHWEST SPRINTS AT QUEEN CREEK SATURDAY;

VANDER WEERD TOPS AT SANTA MARIA; JOHNSON GETS #20 AT YUMA

R.J. Johnson leads the USAC Southwest Sprint Cars to the 3rd Annual "Spring Fling" at Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, Ariz. Saturday night. He has a nine-point lead over Stevie Sussex after winning last Saturday night’s 30-lap race at Yuma, Ariz.

Johnson, of Phoenix, Ariz., recorded a record 20th USAC feature victory in Arizona with Saturday night’s 30-lap USAC Southwest Sprint Car victory at Cocopah Speedway in Yuma. Wheeling the Michaels entry, he passed Shon Deskins on lap five and led the rest of the way to beat Matt Rossi, Deskins, Mike Colegrove and Josh Pelkey.

Richard Vander Weerd of Visalia, Calif. won Saturday night’s 30-lap USAC West Coast Sprint race at Santa Maria (Calif.) Raceway. Vander Weerd led the final 12 laps in his Vander Weerd Construction/Battery Worx Maxim/Shark after passing D.J. Johnson on lap 19. Johnson led the first 18 laps and finished second ahead of Danny Faria Jr., Landon Hurst and Trey Marcham. Faria emerged as the new series point leader entering a May 16 race at Tulare, Calif.

The USAC West Coast Sprint cars resume May 16 at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.