By Lance Jennings
PERRIS, CALIFORNIA – May 23, 2026… After a hard fought battle with Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm for most of the 30-lap main event, Laveen, Arizona’s R.J. Johnson topped the historic “Salute to Indy” at Perris Auto Speedway. The two-time and defending Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car claimed his third win of the season and the fourteenth of his career over “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Cole Wakim, and “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams.
With five official lead changes, there were two distinct grooves that made for exciting battle for the top spot. The sixth starting Johnson found the low line to his liking in the Petty Performance Racing #1P Avanti Windows & Doors / Apache Transport Sherman. Malcolm charged from fifth in Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating Maxim using the top groove. By the twenty-first lap, Johnson was expanding his lead and lapping slower traffic before Malcolm’s engine expired five laps later. From there, R.J. sailed to the checkered flags at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds.
Johnson opened the “Salute to Indy” by posting his sixth Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of the campaign and twentieth of his career. R.J.’s time of 16.677 seconds bested Malcolm, Roa, Williams, Wakim, and the rest of the fourteen cars in attendance.
After making his first start of the season, Garden Grove, California’s Brody Roa raced to victory in the 8-lap Sexton Fire Protection First Heat Race. Driving the BR Performance #91R Big Chino Ranch / “Biker” Bruce Fischer DRC, the 2023 USAC/CRA Champion finished ahead of Brecken Guerrero, Johnson, Connor Speir, Wakim, Verne Sweeney, and Zate Legend.
For the third consecutive race, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams of Yorba Linda, California took the checkered flags in a heat race. Piloting the Tom & Christy Dunkel owned Inland Rigging #17W Triple X, Williams won the Roy Miller Freight Lines Second Heat over Tafoya, Malcolm, Dayton Shelton, “Kid Dynamite” Drake Cardey, Bryan Whitley, and David Perry Jr.
After setting fast time and claiming the victory from sixth, R.J. Johnson posted his first Hard Charger Award / “Best Passing Job” honors of the season during the “Salute to Indy.”
In two weeks, the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series will make their first of three appearances at Santa Maria Speedway in Santa Maria, California. The June 6th “Equipment Share Night” will also feature IMCA Modifieds and Mini Stocks. For more information on the series, visit usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: May 23, 2026 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFICATIONS: 1. R.J. Johnson, 1P, Petty-16.677; 2. Tommy Malcolm, 5X, Napier-16.817; 3. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.887; 4. Austin Williams, 17W, Dunkel-17.049; 5. Cole Wakim, 17X, Dunkel-17.108; 6. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 51T, Tafoya-17.126; 7. Connor Speir, 57, Speir-17.157; 8. Drake Cardey, 17, Dunkel-17.261; 9. Verne Sweeney, 98, Guerrero-17.262; 10. Bryan Whitley, 22, Whitley-17.533; 11. Brecken Guerrero, 98B, Guerrero-17.602; 12. Dayton Shelton, 4D, Shelton-17.788; 13. Zate Legend, Z8, Legend-18.147; 14. David Perry Jr., 27, Perry-18.411.
SEXTON FIRE PROTECTION FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, All Cars Transfer To Feature) 1. Brody Roa, 2. Brecken Guerrero, 3. R.J. Johnson, 4. Connor Speir, 5. Cole Wakim, 6. Verne Sweeney, 7. Zate Legend. 2:23.67.
ROY MILLER FREIGHT LINES SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, All Cars Transfer To Feature) 1. Austin Williams, 2. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 3. Tommy Malcolm, 4. Dayton Shelton, 5. Drake Cardey, 6. Bryan Whitley, 7. David Perry Jr., 2:26.64.
FEATURE: (30 laps, With Starting Positions) 1. R.J. Johnson (6), 2. Brody Roa (4), 3. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (1), 4. Cole Wakim (2), 5. Austin Williams (3), 6. Connor Speir (7), 7. Verne Sweeney (9), 8. Bryan Whitley (10), 9. Brecken Guerrero (11), 10. Drake Cardey (8), 11. Zate Legend (13), 12. David Perry Jr. (14), 13. Tommy Malcolm (5), 14. Dayton Shelton (12). NT.
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Eddie Tafoya Jr., Laps 4-8 Tommy Malcolm, Laps 9-11 R.J. Johnson, Laps 12-18 Tommy Malcolm, Laps 19-30 R.J. Johnson.
HARD CHARGER: R.J. Johnson (6 to 1)
NEW AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS:
NEXT AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: June 6 – Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, California