From Lonnie Wheatley
Peoria, AZ — (March 24, 2014) — With all pre-season racing events in the books, Canyon Speedway Park officially kicks off its 2014 campaign with Saturday night’s card featuring the USAC Southwest Sprint Cars atop the 1/3-mile clay oval.
Following an open practice on Wednesday night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday’s CSP Season Opener that also serves as the initial points events of the year for the non-wing USAC Southwest Sprint Cars will also include Micro Sprints, Pure Stocks and AMA Mod Lites. Racing action gets under way at 7:00 p.m.
In the USAC Southwest Sprint Car ranks, Phoenix shoe R.J. Johnson kicks off his series title defense atop the track that he picked off seven of his 12 overall feature wins in 2013 including last year’s Season Opening event.
Johnson’s season-opening triumph last year kicked off a run of four consecutive USAC Southwest wins atop CSP clay before Charles Davis, Jr., finally broke the stranglehold and posted the final pair of wins.
In CSP’s recent Winter Challenge events, Dave Darland took the top spot by just a five-point margin over Josh Pelkey, who currently ranks atop the Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings. Pelkey ranked sixth in last year’s final USAC Southwest rundown behind Johnson, Davis, Jr., Mike Martin, Shon Deskins and Ronnie Clark.
The Sprint Car forces aren’t the only ones kicking off point pursuits, as the Pure Stocks and Micro Sprints begin point action as well.
Ty Warner held the hot hand in Pure Stocks during Winter Challenge by taking three of five feature wins with Steve Shumaker and Matt Martinez also posting wins.
Jacob Hawkins snared the final two Micro Sprint wins of Winter Challenge competition after Kenny Hilton, Dustin Cormany and Tyler Seavey topped the initial three rounds.
In AMA Mod Lites, Brenden Priest topped two of three Winter Challenge features with Tony Martin posting the other win.
Tickets for Saturday’s CSP Season Opener are just $15, with a $2 discount for Military, Seniors and Students. Children ages 7-12 are $6, with children 6 and under admitted free. VIP passes are available for $20.
Hotel Information can be found at http://www.canyonspeedwaypark.
To keep up on all the latest news and happenings, sign up for Canyon Speedway E-News. The track update registration can be found at the top of the www.canyonspeedwaypark.com home page.
The entire 2014 Canyon Schedule can be previewed online at http://www.canyonspeedwaypark.
Discounted CSP season passes are also available by calling the track office. Season ticket packages can be viewed at http://www.canyonspeedwaypark.
Canyon Speedway Park is located in north Peoria, AZ, off Lake Pleasant Parkway, then 1.3 miles west on Carefree Highway. For more information, contact the track at 602-258-RACE (7223) or check online at www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.