A STRONG RUN ON NIGHT ONE OF THE FVP PLATINUM BATTERY SHOWDOWN AT CEDAR LAKE SPEEDWAY ENDS WHILE RUNNING FIFTH WHEN TIRE EXPLODES SENDING THE FORTY-ONE INTO THE WALL

NEW RICHMOND, WISCONSIN (July 7, 2017) – After the postponed running of the feature at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minnesota ended on Thursday night, Jason and the JJR Marshall Racing #41 team trucked 2.5 hours north to New Richmond, Wisconsin for back-to-back nights of racing at Cedar Lake Speedway in the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown. This popular event drew 33 cars on night one with each team trying to figure out how to be the best around this 3/8-mile bullring that is not only fast, but also very racy.

The night began with time trials and by the luck of the draw Jason would push off second in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/MSD Performance #41 Maxim. The driver who was born and raised in Eunice, Louisiana always likes to race hard and that is exactly what is required to get around Cedar Lake Speedway quickly. You are always right on the edge, but heavy on the hammer at all times. When the Ragin’ Cajun completed his two laps, the quicker of the two circles around the oval came in at 11.686 seconds, which was third quick overall on the night behind quick timer Kerry Madsen and Donny Schatz.

Slated to start on the pole of the third heat race, Philip and the JJR Marshall Racing crew went to work to prepare their Maxim Racing entry for battle. Jason would share the front row with Jac “the Wild Child” Haudenschild driving the Stenhouse Jr. Wood Racing #17, with Thursday night’s winner Kraig Kinser in third starting position as Brent Marks, Greg Wilson, Logan Schuchart, Craig Dollansky and David Heskin rounded out the starting grid. On the initial green flag lap, Jac used his outside front row starting spot to catapult into the lead before the yellow lights lit up for Craig Dollansky. On the restart, Jac again jumped into the lead over the Cajun Sensation as the Louisiana chauffeur gave chase around Cedar Lake. Haudenschild would beat Johnson to the line as Kinser, Wilson and Schuchart rounded out the top five, all of which earned a transfer spot to the feature event.

Advancing to his 31st Dash event of the 2017 season aboard the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/Factory Kahne Shocks #41 Maxim, Jason climbed into his Fibreworks Composites seat and buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety equipment. With an inversion pill of four being pulled, Jason would start on the inside of row four for the 6-lap dash event as he shared the row with Ian Madsen. The front row starters were Jason Sides and Jac Haudenschild with Donny Schatz and Kerry Madsen in row two as David Gravel and Brad Sweet manned row three. Haudenschild would drive to the Craftsman Club Dash win over Schatz, Kerry Madsen, Gravel, Sweet, Sides and Ian Madsen with Jason coming home in the eighth position.

Starting from the outside of row four for the 40-lap feature in the Fischer Body Shop/CCC #41, Jason flipped down the shield of his Shell Shock custom painted Bell Racing Helmet and focused forward. When the green flag waved, Jac Haudenschild took the lead as Jason moved to the high side and laid his right rear tire on the cushion as he built up speed and momentum around Cedar Lake Speedway. Haudenschild would surrender the lead to hard charging Kerry Madsen on lap two as Jason kept working inside the cockpit of his Maxim. He was on the move and before you knew it was he was in a three-way battle for the fourth spot with Jac Haudenschild and David Gravel. The Ragin’ Cajun was railing the top side of the track and got cleanly squeezed out by Haudenschild as Gravel secured the spot using the low line with Haudenschild and Johnson right behind. With the three-car tussle for fourth over it was now time to do the same for the fifth spot as Jason Sides moved onto the scene and was battling with the drivers of the #41 (the Ragin’ Cajun) and #17 (the Wild Child) for that spot. This time Jason would power into position and take over the fifth spot in the running order. He had a fast race car and was driving a determined race when just after the halfway point of the event he blew a right rear tire sending the front end into the wall ending a spirited run to the front on this night. He was scored with a 21st place finish, certainly not the finish the driver and team were looking for or indicative of the speed and strength they showed up until that point of the night. Kerry Madsen would go on to take the win over Sweet, Schatz and Greg Wilson with Gravel rounding out the top five.

Jason and the JJR Marshall Racing #41 crew will put a car together and be ready to go on Saturday for night two of the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown at Cedar Lake Speedway. Be sure to come out and cheer on your favorite driver, stop by the merchandise trailers and visit with the drivers and teams after the race.