By Lance Jennings
PEORIA, AZ – AUGUST 12, 2014… On Wednesday, August 13th, the Arizona based USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series will open the “2nd Annual Freedom Tour” at Oklahoma’s Lawton Speedway. The event will mark the series debut at the quarter-mile oval and Limited Modifieds will join the action. The Front Gates will open at 6pm and Racing will start at 8:00pm. For more information, visit www.lawtonspeedway.com or call 580.355.6417.
Promoted by Kevin Montgomery, each night of the non-point, four-race mini-series will pay $2,500-to-win. After the Lawton debut, the tour will continue Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Oklahoma on Thursday and will then travel to 81 Speedway in Wichita, Kansas on Friday. Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, Kansas will once again host the Saturday finale of the “Freedom Tour.”
NOTICE TO RACERS: Per series rules, all 360 sprints must run the Hoosier 105/16 Medium Right Rear Tire and all four corners must be Hoosier. Cockpit adjustable shocks are NOT allowed and engine restrictor rules are 1-7/8” with open heads and 2-3/16” with ASCS Spec legal cylinder heads. The weight rule is 1,475 lbs. with driver and one-way radios are mandatory. The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Rule Book can be found online at http://www.southwestsprintcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Southwest-Sprint-Cars-2014-Rule-Book.pdf.
Last year, “The Real Deal” Rick Ziehl of New Mexico raced Gary Williams’ #41W Diamond Mechanical Maxim to victory at Wichita and the “Freedom Tour” finale at Dodge City. Veteran Danny Smith claimed the opener at Creek County behind the wheel of his #5$ Same Day Auto Repair XXX and “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. added Dodge City to his win list in the Massey Motorsports #50 RSS.
Entering the tour, R.J. Johnson of Phoenix sits atop the point standings in the Bill Michaels’ owned #77M Kodiak Products Sherman. The defending series champion leads all drivers on the circuit with five main event wins.
Buckeye’s “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. is second in points behind the wheel of the Massey Motorsports #50 RSS Industries entry. The 5-Time state champion has three victories on the year, scoring wins at Canyon, Queen Creek, and Prescott Valley,
Driving Robbie and Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop Maxim, Josh Pelkey of Peoria is third in the point chase. The 1997 ASCA Champion has scored three triumphs, with two wins at Canyon and a victory at Queen Creek.
Phoenix’s Shon Deskins is fourth in the championship points. Racing his #20 MP Environmental Spike, Deskins claimed his first series win at Prescott Valley on May 3rd.
Indiana’s Dave Darland is tied with Davis and Pelkey with three victories during the “Winter Challenge.” Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon, Colby Copeland of California, California’s Austin Liggett, and Richard Vander Weerd of California have claimed one win in 2014. Matt Rossi, “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Tye Mihocko, Andy Reinbold, Mike Colegrove, and “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James round out the top-10 drivers.
Lawton Speedway is located at 3501 South Sheridan Road in Lawton, Oklahoma. To get to the track, take I44 to exit 36, then 2.5 miles west on Lee Blvd (SR 7), then 1.4 miles south on Sheridan Road (across from airport). Adult Tickets are $15, Kids 15-12 are $10, Kids 11-6 are $2, Senior Tickets are $10, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. Pit passes are $30. For more information, visit www.lawtonspeedway.com or call 580.355.6417.
The USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series would like to thank Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire, Hose Advantage Store, and the Racers Advantage Store for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SouthwestSprintCars).
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USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR “FREEDOM TOUR” WINS:
2-Rick Ziehl, 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-Danny Smith.
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR WINS:
16-R.J. Johnson, 9-Charles Davis Jr., 6-Bryan Clauson, 4-Josh Pelkey, 3-Dave Darland, 3-Rick Ziehl, 2-Mike Spencer, 1-Brady Bacon, 1-Colby Copeland, 1-Shon Deskins, 1-Austin Liggett, 1-Mike Martin, 1-Matt Rossi, 1-Danny Smith, 1-Richard Vander Weerd.
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. R.J. Johnson-739, 2. Charles Davis Jr.-695, 3. Josh Pelkey-680, 4. Shon Deskins-607, 5. Matt Rossi-575, 6. Mike Martin-564, 7. Tye Mihocko-517, 8. Andy Reinbold-459, 9. Mike Colegrove-442, 10. Bruce St. James-434, 11. Nick Aiuto-418, 12. Michael Curtis-403, 13. Josh Shipley-385, 14. Brian Hosford-337, –. Tom Ogle-337, 16. Stevie Sussex-271, 17. Mark Morin-245, 18. Mike Bonneau-242, 19. Chris Bonneau-225, 20. Dennis Gile-187.