R.J. Johnson will first appear as the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series champion this Saturday night, November 9th, when Perris Auto Speedway closes its 28th racing season. Joining the premier traditional sprint car series west of the Mississippi on the open-wheel side of the program will be the GAS Chassis Young Gun Sprints and the Senior Sprints. The program will also feature Jerry Dodd’s Champion’s Night for the PASSCAR Super Stocks, Street Stocks, and American Factory Stocks.
461130570_27519150054342589_5703318395981174762_n.jpgNewly crowned USAC/CRA Champion R.J. Johnson. Kenny Lonngren photo.
The USAC/CRA crown has been a dream for the friendly second-generation driver. Heading into Saturday’s 22nd and final race of the season, Johnson has 16 top five finishes and 20 top-10s. Among his impressive outings were wins at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway on June 8th and the Santa Maria Speedway on September 7th. He has also had three runner-up finishes. He has finished third and fourth four times each and has three fifth-place results. The only time the consistent driver has placed out of the top 10 this year was an 11th at Perris on June 22nd.
“It is a testament to my mom, my stepmom, my dad, my wife, my kids, everybody,” a happy Johnson told announcer Drake York after sewing up the crown. “It takes a lot to do this. When you are from Arizona, it is traveling, and you lose every weekend. We have to leave Friday; we are gone Saturday and drive home Sunday.”
“It is a good race car, good engines, and everybody behind me helping me. It takes a lot. I am at the shop all the time. My poor wife has to put up with me being gone nonstop. It is tough. Good chassis from Sherman Racecars; we got them a CRA Championship now. Jerry (Petty) from Avanti & Jugo Foods, Pro Flyer Engines, Martin Auto Museum. I want to thank everybody. This is awesome; it is a dream come true.”
Johnson, who resides in Laveen, Arizona, with his wife Megan and their children, won the USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year award in 2005. In 2013, he began an impressive five-year streak as champion in the now-defunct USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series.
Over the years in USAC/CRA he has garnered nine main event victories. Among those was a reign of terror at Perris, where he won three main events in a row from June 24th through August 26th in 2017. He nearly stretched that victory streak to four straight wins that September before running out of laps when he was clearly the fastest car on the track.
In eight starts at Perris this season, Johnson has two runner-up outings, finished fourth and fifth two times each, one eighth, and the aforementioned 11th.
Johnson led the points chase three separate times in the season. He initially led after the third race of the year but lost the top spot one race later. He returned to the lead in race six before relinquishing the lofty position at the eighth contest of the campaign. He diligently fought and clawed his way back to the leader’s spot on September 21st, when he placed second at Perris. From that night on, he led the rest of the way.
From September through last Saturday’s event at Mohave, Johnson was by far the best driver in the Series. His consistency since then has been one of his keys to the victory. Since his win at Santa Maria on September 1st, he finished second twice, third three times, and fourth twice.
“Congratulations to R.J. and his team on a great season and a well-deserved championship,” Perris promoter Don Kazarian said. “He is always a contender, and his consistency this season has been incredible. If you ever want to see where R.J. is on the track, just look towards the front of the field. He is always up there.”
Spectator gates at Saturday’s season finale will open at 5:00 PM, and racing will begin at 7:00. Adult tickets are $30.00. For Seniors 65 and over, it is $25.00. Kids six to 12 get in for only $5.00, and children five and under are free. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking.
Advance tickets for all Perris Auto Speedway shows are available 24 hours a day online at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7 or by calling 1-800-595-4849. Plenty of tickets will be available at the ticket window every race night for fans who do not wish to purchase in advance.
The PAS is conveniently located on the freeway close Lake Perris Fairgrounds, home of the Southern California Fair, in nearby Riverside County. Take the 215 freeway. Exit at the Ramona Expressway and go three miles east to the fairgrounds. For directions online, the address to enter is 18700 Lake Perris Drive, and the zip code is 92571.
To keep up with everything happening at The PAS, please visit the track’s social media efforts on Facebook and Instagram and visit the website at perrisautospeedway.com.
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