Lonnie Wheatley
PEORIA, Ariz. (May 28, 2016) – Reigning USAC Southwest Sprint Car champion R.J. Johnson has a habit of stepping it up on Memorial Day weekend.
He did it again on Saturday night by racing to victory lane in the opening leg of the Fifth Annual “Salute to Indy” atop the 1/3-mile Canyon Speedway Park clay oval for his fifth triumph in the last seven Memorial Day weekend events over the past four years.
While Johnson ruled the USAC Southwest Sprint Car ranks, other Saturday night winners includes Josh Shipley in NAPA Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Chuck Thornton in IMCA Hobby Stock vs. Renegade action, Dustin Cormany in Micro Sprints and Jake Boyle in Mod Lites.
On the first of two “Salute to Indy” nights of action, three-time USAC Southwest Sprint Car champ R.J. Johnson gunned into the lead at the outset and led all 30 laps aboard the Kodiak Products/Beal’s Auto Body No. 77m Sherman-chassis for his second win of the year.
Johnson was chased to the line by Nick Aiuto with Josh Pelkey, Brian Hosford and 17th-starter Landon Cling rounding out the top five.
In NAPA Non-Wing Sprint Car action, Josh Shipley rallied from six rows deep to take the checkered flag ahead of Dustin Cormany with Cody Batten, Kyle Shipley and Zack Madrid rounding out the top five.
Chuck Thornton raced from the fifth starting position to capture his second Scottsdale Muffler & Automotive IMCA Hobby Stock vs. Renegade win of the year ahead of 12th-starter Jason Crowe with Ashley Stafford, Richard Bennett and Jacob Madrid in the top five.
Dustin Cormany raced from the pole position to snare his second Power 600 Micro Sprint feature win of the season in front of Mason Keefer and Ryan Hennessey while Jake Boyle notched his first Western Mod Lite feature win of the year at CSP ahead of 10th-starter Steve Moriarty and Brenden Priest.
USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: May 28, 2016 – Peoria, Arizona – Canyon Speedway – “Salute to Indy”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. R.J. Johnson (#77M Michael), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Massey), 3. Nick Aiuto (#27 Aiuto), 4. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 5. Tanner Grau (#34 Grau), 6. Jonas Reynolds (#0 Reynolds), 7. Brent Yarnel (#29B Yarnel). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Steve Sussex (#21AZ Burkhart), 2. Tom Ogle (#48 Ogle), 3. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 4. Zack Madrid (#5M Madrid), 5. Kyle Shipley (#99 Shipley), 6. Spencer Hill (#56 Hill), 7. Asa Kesterson (#18 Kesterson). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chris Bonneau (#78 Bonneau), 2. Brian Hosford (#32B Weber), 3. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 4. Dustin Burkhart (#14AZ Burkhart/White), 5. Adam Milsap (#9G Milsap), 6. Larry Kesterson (#F2 Kesterson). NT
FOURTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 2. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 3. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 4. Andy Reinbold (#19 Underwood), 5. Bruce St. James (#7K St. James), 6. Landon Cling (#54 Cling). NT
SEMI: (12 laps) 1. Cling, 2. St. James, 3. Grau, 4. A.Kesterson, 5. Reynolds, 6. Hill, 7. Shipley, 8. Milsap, 9. Yarnel, 10. L.Kesterson. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. R.J. Johnson, 2. Nick Aiuto, 3. Josh Pelkey, 4. Brian Hosford, 5. Landon Cling, 6. Tye Mihocko, 7. Jonas Reynolds, 8. Stevie Sussex, 9. Mike Martin, 10. Charles Davis Jr., 11. Matt Rossi, 12. Dustin Burkhart, 13. Shon Deskins, 14. Spencer Hill, 15. Tom Ogle, 16. Andy Reinbold, 17. Bruce St. James, 18. Chris Bonneau, 19. Zack Madrid, 20. Michael Curtis, 21. Asa Kesterson, 22. Tanner Grau. NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 Johnson
NEW USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1.
NEXT USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR RACE: May 29 – Peoria, AZ – Canyon Speedway – “Salute to Indy”