AFTER ANOTHER STRONG RUN TO THE FRONT, JOHNSON’S NIGHT COMES TO AN EARLY END RESULTING IN A 20TH PLACE FINISH TO CAP OFF A SUCCESSFUL 2017 DIRTCAR NATIONALS AT VOLUSIA

BARBERVILLE, FLORIDA (February 19, 2017 – Night Race) – After racing Saturday night’s show in the afternoon, Jason and the JJR Marshall Racing team refocused themselves after collecting a runner-up finish crossing the line behind Donny Schatz. Thirty-six cars once again were entered to compete for the win on the final night of the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.

After select the ‘25’ pill, it worked out that Jason would hit the track 14th to take his two individual time trial laps in qualifying. There were a lot of laps on the surface, but the Louisiana gasser laid down two good and consistent laps with lap one coming in at 13.135 seconds and the second lao was the quicker of the two coming in at 13.132 seconds. When the last qualifier, Kraig Kinser, completed his time trial laps, Jason’s time was seventh quick overall aboard the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim. Another strong start to the evening of racing for the JJR Marshall Racing team.

The Rocky Mount, Missouri resident would start outside of the front row beside Jason Sides in the third heat race of the evening. It was a loaded field with names like Haudenschild, Dietrich, Sweet, Kemenah, Kinser and Allen filling the field. Jason would have his work cut out for him, but he was up to the task in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Factory Kahne Shocks #41 machine he likes to drive. When the flagman waved the green flag, Jason pounded the right pedal down calling for all his Kistler Engines’ horsepower to propel him forward as he dropped in line on the high side behind race leader Jason Sides. Sheldon Haudenschild was in third but Jason had the second spot in control. As the eight laps clicked by, Sides took the heat race win as he crossed the finish line ahead of Johnson and Haudenschild with Danny Dietrich and Chad Kemenah rounding out the top five.

Earning a spot in the Craftsman Club Dash for the third consecutive night, the Ragin’ Cajun was pleased with the JJR Marshall Racing team’s effort all weekend as they busted their tails to give him a fast racecar. When an inversion pill of zero was pulled, it put the Louisiana speedster back on the inside of row four beside Rico Abreu. Brian Brown and Lucas Wolfe comprised row one with Jason Sides and Kerry Madsen in row two and Daryn Pittman and David Gravel in row three. Brown jumped into the early lead as Abreu slid in front of Jason to take over the seventh position. Abreu would get into a torrid battle for the sixth spot with Sides as Jason had the best seat in the house to watch the two dual. Brown went on to take the Dash victory ahead of Wolfe, Madsen, Gravel and Pittman with Sides getting Abreu at the line and the Ragin’ Cajun coming home with an 8th place finish.

For the 30-lap feature event, Jason and the JJR Marshall Racing team made some adjustments to their Maxim Racing entry and when the horn sounded they readied the Weld Racing/KSE Racing Products #41 Maxim and pushed towards the staging area located on the backstretch. Jason drove into position in the two-by-two starting order before getting the sign from World of Outlaws officials to move into their traditional four-wide salute to the fans. When the racers finally took the green flag, it was Lucas Wolfe driving his #5w into the top spot with Brian Brown right behind. Jason wasted little time as he got up on the wheel and drove into the seventh position when the first caution flag flew on lap two for a slowing Paul McMahan on the backstretch. On the restart, Dale Blaney, Rico Abreu and Jason Sides tangle sending Abreu and Blaney flipping with Blaney clearing the backstretch fence as he flipped into the pit area. Some fans were injured. When racing action resumed, Jason restarted in the sixth position as he wheeled his Pro Powder Coating/K&N Filters racecar around the top side of the wicked fast half-mile oval moving into the top five. He kept the hammer down and was racing with Pittman for the fourth spot before settling back into a rhythm running in fifth. He was very fast, but on lap 13 he was on the high side between turns three and four and flipped bringing his night to an early end. He was scored with a 20th place finish. While not the night Jason and the team were looking for to cap off the DIRTcar Nationals they will leave with momentum and be back on the track when the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series visits Texas in a few weeks.

Our continued thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in the unfortunate backstretch incident at Volusia Speedway Park.