By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, JULY 2, 2014) With a week off from their busy USAC Southwest schedule in Arizona, two top stars in the series, RJ Johnson and Josh Pelkey, are headed west to challenge the Amsoil USAC/CRA regulars in the “Firecracker 40” at Perris Auto Speedway on Friday night, July 4th. The PAS Senior and Young Gun Sprints and the California Lightning Sprint Cars will also be in action. At intermission, there will be a giant fireworks sky concert courtesy of the City of Perris and Budweiser. Spectator gates will open at 3:00 PM and the first race will be at 7:00.
Heading into last week’s race at Arizona’s Prescott Valley Raceway, Johnson and Pelkey had won the last four main events in the series and they were ranked first and second in the championship standings. The newly married Johnson finished sixth at Prescott Valley and maintained his points lead, while Pelkey took ninth and slipped back to third in the standings. In addition to leading the championship chase, Johnson, who will be in the familiar Bobby Martin white #51 at The PAS, also leads the series in overall wins with four. Pelkey, who steers the popular fluorescent orange ABC Body Shop #12, has two wins in 2014. .
Arizona stars RJ Johnson, on the inside, and Josh Pelkey battle at Perris Auto Speedway on July 4th, 2013. Both will be back to battle with the USAC/CRA regulars this Friday night at The PAS. Media, feel free to publish this photo and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
Over the years the talented Copper State duo have plenty of wins between them including Johnson scoring a USAC/CRA win at The PAS a few years ago. Pelkey, who turned 40 early this year and who resides in Peoria, Arizona, was the 1997 Arizona Sprint Car Association champion. Johnson, who makes his home in Tempe, was the 2013 USAC Southwest Sprint Car Champion, 2005 USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year and a three-time Arizona Midget champ.
One thing for certain after last week’s USAC.CRA competition in Northern California, Pelkey, Johnson and any other drivers who venture over from Arizona for the show are wading into an angry hornet’s nest. Hard driving, wrecked cars and thrilling finishes highlighted both of the shows in the upper portion of the state last weekend. .Mike Spencer, the five-time USAC/CRA champion from Temecula, won his first main event of the year on Friday at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, However, most of the crowd left talking about the last lap tangle between former teammates Nic Faas of Huntington Beach and Damion Gardner of Concord. Gardner, who leads the championship standings and Faas, who is second, were running second and third respectively for a last lap restart. They tangled coming off turn two and continued clashing all the way down the back straight until turn three when something broke on Gardner’s car. Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd bravely went to the inside of the conflicting duo on the back straight and finished second with New Zealand’s Michael Pickens third. Faas dropped to fifth and Gardner slid all the way back to 14th in the finishing order.
The following night at Petaluma, impressive Jake Swanson of Anaheim led the first 28-laps of the main event and it looked like a first ever USAC/CRA victory for the Cypress College marketing student. But, going into turn one on the last lap Hollister’s Ryan Bernal got into Swanson and they both slid to a stop. Instead of finishing first and second, Swanson ended up 15th and Bernal was 19th. That set up a green, white checkered finish and what ended up being one of the most exciting finishes in USAC/CRA history when Yorba Linda’s Austin William went from fourth to first on the last lap and only leading the final 20 feet of the main event for his first win of 2014.
The scrambles on the track did not change the point standings a lot heading into Friday. Defending series champ Gardner is still on the top of the championship standings and leads rival Faas by 88-points. Spencer, who missed a race when his baby daughter was born in early May, is third. 2014 PAS winners Matt Mitchell of Yorba Linda and Vander Weerd round out the top five.
There will be an on track autograph and photo session with all of the drivers for early arriving fans. There will also be contests and games for the children and THE “Hollywood Legend,” Pink’s Hot Dogs, will be on sale.
USAC/CRA Point Standings
1. Damion Gardner – Concord – 581
2. Nic Faas – Huntington Beach – 493
3, Mike Spencer – Temecula – 472
4. Matt Mitchell – Yorba Linda – 412
5. Richard Vander Weerd – Visalia – 384
6. Brody Roa – Buena Park – 354
7. Austin Williams – Yorba Linda – 352
8. Cody Williams – Corona – 336
9. Cory Kruseman – Ventura – 335
10. Jake Swanson – Anaheim – 321
There will be plenty of tickets available at the track on Friday, but if you would like to order advance tickets you can call 1 800 595-4849 or go online at http://pas.tix.com/Schedule.aspx?OrgNum=7
For more information on The PAS call: (951) 940-0134.
Camping for all events at The PAS is available for $25.00 per night. The campground will open at noon on Friday. Tailgating in the spectator parking lot will begin at 1:00 PM for all PAS events as well.
Perris Auto Speedway wants to thank its corporate sponsors for the 2014 season. 1-800LoanMart, All Coast Construction, Amsoil, Ayers Hotel and Spa, BlueLine Rental, Budweiser, California Budget Finance, CamGuard, Champion Towing, City of Perris, Daytona Boat & RV Storage, Edelbrok, Engine Pro, HD Industries, Hoosier Tires, K&N Engineering, Marjon RV, Pacific Coach Works, Pep Boys, P.I.P.E., Pepsi-Cola, Pick-A-Part Auto Salvage, Running Waters Hospice, Scott Sales, Shaver Racing Engines, Sherwin-Williams, Sprint Car Driving Experience, Square H, Swedish Speed, Town and Country Golf Carts, Trench Shoring, United States Army, US Foods and Valley Auto Salvage.
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You can also keep up with the latest news and receive special offers from The PAS Twitter site: http://twitter.com/perrisautospdwy.
Video and DVD productions of all racing events at Perris Auto Speedway are available from Loudpedal Productions. For more information on these productions you can contact them by calling (805) 844-3854, E-mailing mailto:trtruex@gmail.com or you can visit the web site http://www.loudpedalvideo.com/
Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds (home of October’s Southern California Fair), approximately one hour east of Los Angeles and one hour North of San Diego. To get to the track, take the 215 freeway, exit on the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds.
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