CHARLES DAVIS JR. SPRINTS TO HANK ARNOLD MEMORIAL WIN
Racing past Brian Hosford on lap twenty-three, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) earned last Saturday’s “Hank Arnold Memorial” win at Canyon Speedway Park. The $1,500 USAC SouthWest Sprint Car victory marked Davis’ first triumph of the season and the fourteenth series win of his career. Hard Charger “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Stevie Sussex, Hosford, and “The Bull” Tye Mihocko followed Davis to the checkered flags.
Instead of the usual passing point format, the “Hank Arnold Memorial” featured a traditional time trials program and Charles Davis Jr. qualified second out of fifteen racers. Unfortunately, a power outage caused a long delay and cancelled the night’s heat races. Piloting the Massey Motorsports’ #50 RSS Industries / Rod End Supply RSS, Charles Davis Jr. won his second “Arnold Memorial” from fifth with his first triumph coming at Manzanita in 2003. Heading to Casa Grande, “Chargin” Charles is second in points with twelve heat race victories, four top-qualifier awards, one hard charger award, twenty-four top-10 finishes, and 47 feature laps led on the year.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin (Yuma, Arizona) earned the night’s “Hard Charger / Best Passing Job” honors with a second place run from seventh. Driving his #16 Sherwin-Williams / Boulevard Truck Maxim, Martin was seventh quick in time trials. At press time, the former Hall of Fame Classic winner is third in points with six heat race victories, one top-qualifier award, three hard charger awards, seventeen top-10 finishes, and 39 feature laps led to his credit.
Stevie Sussex (Tempe, Arizona) had a solid night with a third place finish at the “Hank Arnold Memorial.” Racing Mike Burkhart’s #21AZ Stratis Construction / Westin Diversified RSS, Sussex qualified fourth overall. To date, the two-time “Hank Arnold Memorial” winner is seventh in the standings with six feature wins, six heat race victories, two top-qualifier awards, one hard charger award, eleven top-10 finishes, and 119 feature laps led in 2016.
After leading the first twenty-two laps, Brian Hosford (Gilbert, Arizona) scored fourth at the checkered flags. Driving Bernie Weber’s #22B Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers / Invision Auto Body Spike, Hosford was sixth fast in time trials. At press time, the veteran driver is currently ninth in the point chase with two heat race victories, thirteen top-10 finishes, and 32 feature laps led on the season.
“The Bull” Tye Mihocko (Peoria, Arizona) claimed fifth in the Canyon Speedway Park main event. Piloting the family owned #5 Property Solutions / Michael Most Trucking Spike, Mihocko qualified fifth overall at the “Hank Arnold Memorial.” The young driver sits fifth in the point standings with one top-qualifier award, one hard charger award, and fifteen top-10 finishes in the campaign.
R.J. Johnson (Tempe, Arizona) set a brand new track record and out-qualified the fifteen car field. Racing Bill Michael’s #77M Kodiak Products / Beal’s Auto Body Sherman, Johnson scored seventh at the “Hank Arnold Memorial.” The three-time champion left Canyon with a 96-point lead on the strength of eleven feature wins, nine heat race victories, six top-qualifier awards, twenty-five top-10 finishes, and 260 feature laps led on the year.
**LANCE JENNINGS – USAC MEDIA
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USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: October 22, 2016 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park – “Hank Arnold Memorial”
QUALIFICATIONS: 1. R.J. Johnson, 77M, Michael-13.818 (New Track Record); 2. Charles Davis Jr., 50, Massey-14.213; 3. Chris Bonneau, 78, Bonneau-14.258; 4. Stevie Sussex, 21AZ, Burkhart-14.583; 5. Tye Mihocko, 5, Mihocko-14.640; 6. Brian Hosford, 22B, Weber-14.942; 7. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-14.983; 8. Matt Lundy, 98, Lundy-15.291; 9. Tanner Grau, 34, Team AZ-15.295; 10. Landon Cling, 54, Cling-15.655; 11. Andy Reinbold, 19, Underwood-15.658; 12. Dennis Gile, 13, Gile-15.931; 13. Matt Rossi, 02, Rossi-15.952; 14. Bruce St. James, 7K, St. James-16.205; 15. Brent Yarnel, 29B, Yarnel-18.266.
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Charles Davis Jr., 2. Mike Martin, 3. Stevie Sussex, 4. Brian Hosford, 5. Tye Mihocko, 6. Matt Lundy, 7. R.J. Johnson, 8. Andrew Reinbold, 9. Landon Cling, 10. Bruce St. James, 11. Tanner Grau, 12. Chris Bonneau, 13. Dennis Gile, 14. Brent Yarnel, 15. Matt Rossi.. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-22 Hosford, Laps 23-30 Davis.
HARD CHARGER: Mike Martin (7th to 2nd).
NEW SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Johnson-1,271, 2-Davis-1,175, 3-Martin-1,009, 4-Rossi-996, 5-Mihocko-870, 6-Gile-837, 7-Sussex-785, 8-Bonneau-691, 9-Hosford-679, 10-Cling-658.
NEXT SOUTHWEST SPRINT RACE: October 29 – Casa Grande, AZ – Central Arizona Raceway
