JOHNSON WINS NONSTOP SALUTE TO INDY AT CANYON; DAVIS TAKES SATURDAY PRELIM
By Lance Jennings
MAY 31, 2018... Surging off the last corner, R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) slipped by “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. in dramatic fashion to win last Sunday at Canyon Speedway Park. For Johnson, the $1,500 Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car victory was his sixth consecutive “Salute to Indy” triumph. Davis, “The Bull” Tye Mihocko, Chris Bonneau, and Matt Rossi rounded out the top-five drivers.
Looking for his first win of the season, “The Real American” Matt Rossi grabbed the early lead from the outside of the front row. The former Western World Champion led the first two laps before Davis powered to the front from sixth. Setting a torrid place, Davis was running away from the field and began to work through the slower traffic. Taking advantage, Johnson closed to within striking distance from seventh but “Chargin” Charles slipped away. Continuing to slice through traffic, Davis was in control as Johnson inched closer. With the checkered flags waving in a nonstop main event, Johnson made one last challenge off the last corner and took the victory.
Racing Bobby Martin’s #51 Martin Family Auto Museum / AME Electrical Sherman, R.J. Johnson ran second to Matt Rossi in his Sunday heat race and ranked seventh out of eighteen racers in passing points. At press time, the five-time champion is seventh in points with four feature wins, two heat race victories, five top-10 finishes, and 75 feature laps led to his credit.
After winning the Saturday preliminary feature and leading 27 laps on Sunday, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) had to settle for second in the “Salute to Indy.” Piloting his #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental Services RSS, Davis was second to Dennis Gile in his Sunday heat race and earned his second consecutive Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award. “Chargin” Charles leads the point chase with three feature wins, three heat race victories, ten top-10 finishes, and 125 feature laps led.
“The Bull” Tye Mihocko (Peoria, Arizona) charged from tenth to score third at Canyon Speedway Park. Driving the family owned #5 Hunt Realty by Dave Wilson / Mears Mechanical Spike, Mihocko finished fourth in his Sunday heat race and sat tenth in passing points. To date, “The Bull” is second in the point standings with one feature win, two heat race victories, two Beaver Stripes Passing Master Awards, one hard charger award, eight top-10 finishes, and 6 feature laps led.
Chris Bonneau (Phoenix, Arizona) had a solid night with a fourth place finish at the “Salute to Indy.” Racing his #15 Priced Right Auto Sales / Triple X entry, Bonneau finished third in his Sunday heat race and sat third in passing points. The veteran driver is currently ninth in the point standings with two heat race victories, one Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award, one hard charger award, four top-10 finishes, and 13 feature laps led on the year.
After leading the opening two laps, “The Real American” Matt Rossi (Glendale, Arizona) claimed fifth in the nonstop 30-lap main event. Piloting the family owned #02 Apache Scapes / IWR Maxim, Rossi won Sunday’s third 8-lap heat race and placed fifth in passing points. In limited starts, Matt is tied for twenty-first in points with two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
The Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars will return to action on Saturday, June 9th, at Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley, Arizona. The ninth point race will also showcase IMCA Modifieds, Sport Mods, and Pure Stocks. For more event and ticket information, visit www.arizonaspeedway.net or call 480.926.6688.
The Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, and Beaver Stripes for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook.
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SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: May 26, 2018 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park - “Salute to Indy”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Davis), 3. Kyle Shipley (#0G Shipley), 4. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 5. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy), 6. Zack Madrid (#34AZ Burkhart/Grau), 7. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 8. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 2. Chris Bonneau (#15 Bonneau), 3. Austin Kuehl (#11T Kuehl), 4. Randy Nelson (#9 Nelson), 5. Mason Keefer (#7 Keefer), 6. Brent Yarnal (#29 Yarnal), 7. Mike Widdle (#25 Widdle), 8. Tyler Most (#3 Most). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Charles Davis Jr. (6th), 2. Mike Martin (5th), 3. Tye Mihocko (14th), 4. Chris Bonneau (3rd), 5. Michael Curtis (4th), 6. Zack Madrid (11th), 7. Matt Rossi (16th), 8. Matt Lundy (9th), 9. Kyle Shipley (7th), 10. Austin Kuehl (8th), 11. Randy Nelson (1st), 12. Brent Yarnal (12th), 13. Mason Keefer (10th), 14. Mike Widdle (13th), 15. Josh Pelkey (2nd), 16. Tyler Most (15th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Pelkey, Laps 2-14 Bonneau, Laps 15-30 Davis.
HARD CHARGER: Tye Mihocko (14th to 3rd)
BEAVER STRIPES PASSING MASTER: Charles Davis Jr.
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SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: May 27, 2018 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway Park - “Salute to Indy”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Kyle Shipley (#0G Shipley), 2. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy), 3. Chris Bonneau (#15 Bonneau), 4. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 5. Brent Yarnal (#29 Yarnal), 6. Tyler Most (#3 Most). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Davis), 3. Zack Madrid (#34AZ Burkhart/Grau), 4. Rick Shuman (#25AZ Shuman), 5. Austin Kuehl (#11T Team AZ), 6. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 2. R.J. Johnson (#51 Martin), 3. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 4. Mason Keefer (#7 Keefer), 5. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 6. Randy Nelson (#9 Nelson). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. R.J. Johnson (7th), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (6th), 3. Tye Mihocko (10th), 4. Chris Bonneau (4th), 5. Matt Rossi (2nd), 6. Mike Martin (9th), 7. Dennis Gile (5th), 8. Michael Curtis (16th), 9. Matt Lundy (1st), 10. Kyle Shipley (3rd), 11. Mason Keefer (11th), 12. Randy Nelson (17th), 13. Austin Kuehl (15th), 14. Rick Shuman (13th), 15. Tyler Most (18th), 16. Brent Yarnal (14th), 17. Zack Madrid (8th), 18. Josh Pelkey (12th). NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-2 Rossi, Laps 3-29 Davis, Lap 30 Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: Michael Curtis (16th to 8th)
BEAVER STRIPES PASSING MASTER: Charles Davis Jr.
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SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Charles Davis Jr.-627, 2. Tye Mihocko-541, 3. Mike Martin-519, 4. Michael Curtis-463, 5. Matt Lundy-421, 6. Josh Pelkey-402, 7. R.J. Johnson-399, 8. Dennis Gile-380, 9. Chris Bonneau-316, 10. Tyler Most-238, 11. Zack Madrid-236, 12. Andy Reinbold-212, 13. Tyler Adams-200, 14. Jake Swanson-172, 15. Sterling Cling-162, --. Kyle Shipley-162, 17. Mason Keefer-156, 18. Stevie Sussex-139, 19. Austin Kuehl-128, 20. Larry Kesterson-122.
2018 SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
June 9: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
August 15: I-30 Speedway – Little Rock, AR (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 16: Creek County Speedway – Sapulpa, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 17: 81 Speedway – Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 18: 81 Speedway – Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
September 1: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ (Hank Arnold Memorial)
September 2: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ (Hank Arnold Memorial)
September 8: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Lealand McSpadden Tribute)
September 21: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Sands Chevrolet Southwest Championships)
September 22: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Sands Chevrolet Southwest Championships)
October 20: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Race For The Cure)
October 27: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ (Howl-O-Ween Bash)
November 2: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 3: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
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This schedule is subject to change.
