A STRONG RUN IN THE TEXAS OUTLAW NATIONALS FINALE AT DEVIL’S BOWL GETS DEFLATED WHEN A REAR TIRE GOES DOWN RESULTING IN AN 11TH PLACE FINISH FOR JOHNSON AND JJR TEAM

MESQUITE, TEXAS (April 23, 2016) – Jason and the JJR have been getting after it this season. The results of all their hard work in the off-season have shown in the outcomes on the track. After their fifth place run on Friday night, they were prepared for some more high speed action at Devil’s Bowl aboard the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/Waco Metal #41. The grandstands were brimming with fans as it appeared all of Texas came out to see the World of Outlaw (WoO) stars and the great racing that takes place at the historic half mile oval.

On this night of racing, there were 25 cars lining the pit area with their haulers pulled in nose first on the back straightaway. Jason got his Hoosier Racing Tires rolling in qualifying as he was the fifth driver to take his qualifying laps. He laid a fast lap down at 14.269 seconds, which was second quick early behind Jason Sides’ lap of 14.143 seconds. David Gravel was the only other driver able to score a quicker lap throughout the remainder of time trials than the driver who reside in Rocky Mount, Missouri, resulting in a top three qualifying effort for Jason and the JJR team.

Starting from the pole position in the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Jonestown KOA Maxim for the heat race, Jason wasted little time seizing the lead when the green flag waved. Fellow front row starter, Logan Schuchart, had an engine expire which put Shane Stewart on the bumper of the forty one. Jason held the lead on the restart, but Stewart put on a late race slider going into turn one to make a clean pass to grab the lead. He would take the heat race win ahead of Jason, as both were followed across the finish line by Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Josh Baughman and Travis Rilat with Greg Wilson securing the sixth and final qualifying spot.

Thanks to special guest, Kenlei, the right pill for the Eunice, Louisiana born native was pulled for the Dash inversion, which put the Ragin’ Cajun on the pole for the Dash event in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Valvoline #41. Daryn Pittman was to his outside in the KKR/Great Clips #9 with Joey Saldana and Shane Stewart in row two followed by David Gravel and Jason Sides in row three. When the green flag was unfurled it was go time. Jason mashed the loud pedal and was in high speed motion at the front of the pack by the time they exited turn two. He used his KSE Racing Products to wheel his forty one Maxim in clean air throughout the event to take the Dash victory, his first of the 2016 season, over Pittman, Stewart, Saldana and Gravel with Sides coming home in the sixth position.

At last it was feature time. With $20,000 on the line you bet everyone was focused and determined to race for the win. Jason was no different as he flipped the shield down on his Bell Racing helmet and rolled out into his front row starting position for the A-Main in the Country Custom Creations (CCC)/Schoenfeld Headers Maxim. After rolling by the main grandstands in their four wide salute to the fans he raced up behind the pace vehicle to ready for the start. Outside front row starter, Daryn Pittman, jumped into the lead at the start with Jason close behind. The top two stayed that way for the first 10 laps before a determined Shane Stewart secured the runner-up spot from Jason and began focusing on catching up to the leader. Jason continue to command the third spot in the running order and was hoping to make a late race charge for the win at Devil’s Bowl in front of his many friends and family that were in attendance. His hopes were dashed when a rear tire deflated forcing him pit side so Philip, Jeff and Jakob could bolt on a new wheel and tire in the work area and get him back out there. He tagged the rear of the field in the 17th spot for the restart and charged up to earn a respectable 11th place finish in the finale of the Texas Outlaw Nationals at Devil’s Bowl with Stewart taking the win. The unfortunate events of the night derailed a very impressive nine consecutive race run where he finished in the top ten. Jason and the JJR team have shown speed and consistency and will now focus their efforts on I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas where they race on Tuesday night.