9/6/2017
RJ Johnson Sweeps USAC Southwest vs NMMRA Labor Day Fling
(Image Credit: Jim Rosas Photography)
26 Promotions – Las Cruces, NM – (September 6th, 2017) – Coming off of his third consecutive victory at Perris Auto Speedway with the USAC CRA Sprint Car Series, RJ Johnson switched out the 410 for the 360 and headed down to Las Cruces, New Mexico for the Labor Day Fling at Southern New Mexico Speedway.
Johnson kicked things off Saturday night running second from fifth, after falling to seventh in his heat. The result made Johnson the high passing point car for night one, starting him sixth on the grid for the thirty-lap feature.
“We ran fifth for about the first five laps when a yellow came out,” explained Johnson. “I decided to try the bottom and ended up picking them off one by one and taking the lead on lap eighteen. The track ended up going to a slow-paced, patience race around the bottom and we picked up the win.”
Saturday’s victory was Johnson’s seventh career Border Tour win and his thirteenth feature win of the year.
Johnson entered Sunday looking to pick up exactly where he left off the night before.
Johnson won his heat from the pole, accumulating enough points for second in passing points.
“We started fifth in the main and on the initial green, I jumped straight to third when Tye Mihocko spun out,” he said. “With Tye being the third-place starter, it moved me up to the second row inside. The next start I jumped straight to second where I stalked Shon Deskins for about fifteen laps, just railing the top. He finally fell off the top, giving me the lead. After that, the track started taking rubber so it turned into a tire saving game. When the checkers flew, Shon was all over me for the win, but I had saved my tires as much as I could.”
Johnson now has fourteen wins, twenty-five top five’s, and twenty-seven top ten’s on the year.
Johnson takes an eighty-one point lead over Charles Davis Jr. going into this weekend’s USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series event at Arizona Speedway.
RJ Johnson would like to thank Martin Auto Museum, AME Electric, BG Chemicals, Pecon Builders, Sherman Race Cars, Bell Helmets, Kaeding Performance, Smokewagon Express, MBI, Fatheadz Eyewear, ButlerBuilt Seats, Sunoco Race Fuels, and Rod End Supply for their continued support.
Saturday Results
Heat: 5th -> 2nd
Feature: 6th -> 1st
Sunday Results
Heat: 1st -> 1st
Feature: 5th -> 1st
Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rjjohnson15
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RJJohnson77m
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rjjohnson51
Article Credit: 26 Promotions
