R.J. JOHNSON LEADS USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS TO MOHAVE VALLEY
By Lance Jennings
APRIL 2, 2024... In what has been one of the most competitive starts to the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car season, the chase for the championship resumes this Saturday, April 6th at Mohave Valley Raceway. Promoted by Ron Meyer, the fourth point race will be the first of two scheduled appearances at the fast 1/3-mile oval. The action packed card will also feature the Southwest EcoTech Midgets, Dwarf Cars, and the Spring Family Motorsports Mini Dwarfs. Located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona, the Pit Gates will open at 2:30pm, the Spectator Gates will open at 5:00pm, with Racing scheduled for 7:00pm. For more information, visit mohavevalleyracceway.com or call 928.346.3000.
For those that cannot make it to the races, the event will be live streamed at Dirt Race Central, (drc.tv).
NOTICE TO RACERS:
- APPROVED/LEGAL MUFFLERS: Mufflers ARE NOT REQUIRED at Mohave Valley Raceway.
- ALL RACERS MUST PURCHASE THEIR USAC LICENSE / MEMBERSHIPS ONLINE PRIOR TO THE EVENT AT USACRACING.COM OR USACLICENSE.COM. (If racers have a membership question, contact Julie Tanaka at julietanaka@aol.com.)
- ENTRY FEE: There is an entry fee due at registration / pill pick.
- TRANSPONDERS: Transponders ARE MANDATORY and will be available to rent.
- ONE WAY RADIOS / RACECEIVERS: One way radios ARE MANDATORY.
- FRONT AXLE TETHER SYSTEMS: Front axle tether systems (2-Chassis, 1-King Pin to King Pin) ARE MANDATORY.
- FULL CONTAINMENT SEATS: Full containment seats ARE MANDATORY.
- COCKPIT ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS: Cockpit adjustable shocks ARE ALLOWED.
- RULE BOOK: The series rule book is online at usacracing.com, appendix E.
- FUEL WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE RACE TRACK.
- TIRES ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE RACE TRACK.
SPECIAL NOTICE AT MOHAVE VALLEY:
- CASH ONLY: Mohave Valley Raceway is a cash only facility.
- PIT AREA PARKING: Personal vehicles or side by sides, etc. are NOT allowed in the pits. If it is not towing the race car/truck, on the trailer with the car, or in the trailer with the car, then it will NOT be allowed. NO exceptions!
Since April 23, 2022, the fast 1/3-mile clay oval has held five USAC/CRA Sprint Car events and four different drivers have claimed victory. Defending champion “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa leads all drivers with two Mohave Valley wins and “The Cadillac” Cody Williams established the 1-lap track record of 13.923 seconds on April 1, 2023. The complete Mohave Valley USAC/CRA win list is at the end of this release.
Heading to Mohave Valley’s fourth point race, there have been three feature winners and three different point leaders. After finishing third at Cocopah Speedway on March 26th, multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion R.J. Johnson (Laveen, Arizona) sits atop the standings with a seven point advantage. Returning to the Ricky and Michele Johnson #51 Avanti Windows & Doors / Martin Family Auto Museum Sherman, Johnson has three top-10 finishes in the campaign. The second generation driver and 2005 Rookie of the Year will be looking for the eighth USAC/CRA win of his career this Saturday night.
Leading rookie contender David Gasper (Goleta, California) is second in the USAC/CRA point chase. Piloting the Josh Ford Motorsports’ #73X Surecan LLC / King Racing Products Triple X, Gasper was the In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger on March 23rd by racing to an eleventh place finish after starting sixteenth. At press time, the two-time California Lightning Sprint Champion has one feature win, one semi main win, two top-10 finishes, and 13 feature laps led to his credit. Gasper will have his sights on regaining the point lead with a victory at Mohave Valley.
Pleasant Hill, Ohio’s Matt Westfall has climbed to third in the championship standings. Driving the Kevin Turner & Greg Wheeler #11C Western States Profiling / Metro Engineering & Survey DRC, Westfall placed fourth at Cocopah Speedway and has three top-10 finishes in the campaign. The veteran driver has a busy racing schedule planned in the Midwest and might skip Mohave Valley.
After running sixth at Cocopah Speedway, Logan Williams (Yorba Linda, California) has tied Matt Westfall for third in the chase for the series championship. Racing John McCarthy’s #5W Flowdynamics Incorporated / Drinkpak DRC, Williams has one In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award and three top-10 finishes on the year. This Saturday, Logan will be looking to earn his first victory with USAC/CRA.
“Thunder” Tommy Malcolm (Yucaipa, California) sits fifth in the USAC/CRA point standings. Piloting Dino Napier’s #5X Indiana Truck Salvage / B&B Powder Coating DRC, Malcolm set the Woodland Auto Display Fast Time and placed seventh in the March 23rd main event. To date, the veteran driver has also posted one heat race victory and three top-10 finishes on the season. At Mohave Valley, Tommy will have his sights on claiming the fourth USAC/CRA victory of his career.
While David Gasper leads the chase for Rookie of the Year honors, Brent Sexton (Lakeside, California), Elexa Herrera (New Cuyama, California), Braden Chiaramonte (El Cajon, California), and Blake Hendricks (Simi Valley, California) are also in contention.
Among the other drivers expected to be in action are Ricky Lewis, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr., “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams, A.J. Bender, Logan Calderwood, “The Gunslinger” Austin Grabowski, Matt Mitchell, Verne Sweeney, Eddie Tafoya Jr., Grant Sexton, “The Cadillac” Cody Williams, Brent Owens, Richard McCormick, “The Rattlesnake” Andrew Sweeney and more.
Mohave Valley Raceway is located at 2750 Laguna Road in Mohave Valley, Arizona. For more event information, visit the track’s website at mohavevalleyracceway.com or call 928.346.3000. Mohave Valley Raceway is a cash only facility and grandstand tickets are available on race day. General Admission tickets (including Seniors) are $25, Military tickets (with ID) are $20, Children tickets (6 to 12) are $15, and Children (5 and under) are FREE. Outside food, beverages, and ice chests are not permitted.
The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series thanks BillsJerky.net, Factory Wraps, Flowdynamics Incorporated, The Gardner Family (In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner), Sexton Fire Protection, WC Friend Company, and Woodland Auto Display, for their support.
For more information on the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series, visit the United States Auto Club (USAC) website at usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC/CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
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AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS: 2004-Rip Williams, 2005-Damion Gardner, 2006-Cory Kruseman, 2007-Tony Jones, 2008-Mike Spencer, 2009-Mike Spencer, 2010-Mike Spencer, 2011-Mike Spencer, 2012-Mike Spencer, 2013-Damion Gardner, 2014-Damion Gardner, 2015-Damion Gardner, 2016-Damion Gardner, 2017-Damion Gardner, 2018-Damion Gardner, 2019-Damion Gardner, 2020-NO AWARD, 2021-Damion Gardner, 2022-Damion Gardner, 2023-Brody Roa.
2024 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 1-Charles Davis Jr., 1-David Gasper, 1-Matt Mitchell.
MOHAVE VALLEY AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA 1-LAP QUALIFYING RECORD: Cody Williams – 13.923 (04/01/23)
MOHAVE VALLEY AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR WINS: 2-Brody Roa, 1-Damion Gardner, 1-Chase Johnson, 1-Ricky Lewis.
2024 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1-R.J. Johnson-196, 2-David Gasper-189, 3-Matt Westfall-186, --Logan Williams-186, 5-Tommy Malcolm-182, 6-Ricky Lewis-180, 7-Charles Davis Jr.-175, 8-Austin Williams-171, 9-A.J. Bender-152, 10-Logan Calderwood-143.
2024 AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC/CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE
February 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: Matt Mitchell)
March 16: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Winner: David Gasper)
March 23: Cocopah Speedway – Somerton, AZ (Winner: Charles Davis Jr.)
April 6: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
April 27: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
May 4: TBA
May 25: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute to Indy)
June 8: Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
June 22: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
July 5: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
July 6: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
July 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
August 10: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
August 17: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night)
August 31: Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
September 7: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
September 21: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
September 28: Dirt Track at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
October 12: Mohave Valley Raceway – Mohave Valley, AZ
October 19: TBA
November 1: Cocopah Speedway – Somerton, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 2: Cocopah Speedway – Somerton, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 8: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 9: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
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TBA = To Be Announced.
This schedule is subject to change.
