A GOOD NIGHT OF RACING IN THE BUDWEISER BASH AT BAKERSFIELD SPEEDWAY FOR THE RAGIN’ CAJUN RESULTS IN A SIXTH PLACE RUN FOR THE MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION (MVT) FORTY ONE

BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA (April 15, 2016) – After rain washed out last weekend’s racing action at Calistoga Speedway, Jason and the JJR team were ready to get back on the track at Bakersfield Speedway’s 1/3 mile high banked dirt oval with the World of Outlaw (WoO) Craftsman Series for the Budweiser Bash. There were 22 cars ready for action on this beautiful night under the California skies.

Jason rolled out 14th for his qualifying laps in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim. He powered down on the speed pedal and turned a lap of 11.172 seconds, which put him up near the top of the timing charts. He kept his Kistler Engine up to speed and laid down another consistent lap the second time around stopping the stopwatch in 11.242 seconds. When qualifying was completed, the Louisiana racer’s fastest time was sixth quick overall earning him a front row starting spot in his heat race.

The Ragin’ Cajun would start from the outside of the front row in the third heat race aboard the Fischer Body Shop/K&N Filters #41. Logan Schuchart was on the pole, with Chase Johnson and Terry McCarl right behind. When the green flag waved, Schuchart seized the lead with Jason giving chase. A mid-race caution regrouped the field, and when racing resumed Jason took over the lead and would not look back as he took the heat race victory over Schuchart, David Gravel, Dominic Scelzi, and McCarl with Greg Wilson securing the final transfer spot to the A-Main.

Making his ninth Dash event of the season, Jason climbed into the cockpit of his Maxim Racing machine and secured the chinstrap of his Bell Racing helmet. He was ready to go as he was starting on the front row on the outside of Daryn Pittman. Six laps goes by quickly here at Bakersfield Speedway, but there is a lot of high speed action in that short period of time. When the green lights illuminated letting the drivers know it was time to go fast, Pittman showed the way as Jason was battling for position with Brad Sweet and Joey Saldana. When Pittman crossed under the checkers, it was Saldana who claimed the runner-up position just ahead of Jason, Sweet, and Shane Stewart with Schuchart coming home in the sixth position.

To bring the night to a close, 35 laps stood between the competitors and the checkered flag. Jason would roll off at the start from his third starting position and when the green flag waved he took off in the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/Pro Powder Coating (PPC) #41. He moved into the second spot and made it known that he was going to be a factor throughout the entire race. Pittman was in the lead as Jason was in tracking mode as the leaders approached lapped traffic. But Joey Saldana soon was knocking on the door and the Cajun Sensation was in a spirited dual with the Brownsburg Bullet for the second position. He would begrudgingly settle into the third spot in the running order as Saldana was dueling with Pittman for the lead. The two leaders got together in turns 3 and 4 with Pittman flipping into the outer catch fence. Jason moved back into the runner-up spot, but Brad Sweet was right behind him and clawing at his rear tail tank. The race again was halted at the midway point when the red flag was displayed as Terry McCarl and D.J. Netto got together and ended up on their wings. When racing got back up to speed, Sweet got by Jason and eventually tracked down Saldana to take the lead and the win. Saldana followed him across the stripe with David Gravel taking third, Shane Stewart in fourth, and Donny Schatz rounding out the top five. Jason dropped back late in the race to finish sixth, but showed his speed and competitiveness all night in the Budweiser Bash at Bakersfield Speedway.