CAJUN SOLDIERS THROUGH ‘THE BATTLE AT THE GROVE’ TO BRING HOME HARD FOUGHT 12TH PLACE FINISH ABOARD THE MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION (MVT) #41 MAXIM

COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON (September 9, 2015) – The West Coast swing for Jason and the JJR team continued with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series as the touring group of speed stars stopped at Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon. There were 23 cars signed into the pit area ready to attack the racy little oval in the beautiful Pacific Northwest setting.

Jason was scheduled to go out 15th for his two time trial laps in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/ISC Racers Tape #41 Maxim. His Kistler engine under the hood came to life and he powered down on the accelerator to get moving in fast forward. His first lap stopped the clock at 10.375 seconds. He maintained his speed and lines and his second lap was a very consistent one at 10.384 seconds. The quicker of his two laps was good enough for 11th quick overall.

His qualifying effort put him on the pole of the second heat race to the inside of David Gravel. The black, orange and yellow Jonestown KOA/Valvoline machine was ready to roll with the Eunice, Louisiana native behind the controls. When the green flag waved, he accelerated into the lead with Gravel in tow. The Ragin’ Cajun was making tracks and not looking back. Each lap around Cottage Grove was a consistent and fast one. Ten laps around this place certainly goes by quickly and Jason held the point position, leading wire-to-wire, as he took the win by 1.828 seconds over runner-up Gravel, followed by Joey Saldana, Logan Schuchart, and Kraig Kinser with Austen Wheatley locking down the sixth and final transfer position.

It always helps when you are one of the eight cars that earn the right to race in the Dash event. Jason did just that putting his Priority Aviation entry into the six lap shootout to set the starting lineup for the first four rows in the A-Main. The Dash inversion was a zero, which put Jason and the Pro Powder Coating (PPC)/www.racediecast.com car on the inside of row four at the start beside Brad Sweet. The front row of Daryn Pittman and Joey Saldana brought the field to the green. Pittman jumped into the lead with Saldana and Schatz giving chase. Jason and Sweet were exchanging positions in a fierce fight around the track. When Pittman took the win to earn the pole position in the A-Main, Jason controlled the seventh spot to lock in his starting position in the main event.

It was race time as the field lined up for the 35 lap event. Jason was situated in his seventh starting position aboard the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/KSE Racing Products #41 Maxim. He had worked hard so far in this evening and was focused on putting together a good run as he flipped the shield down on his Shell Shock custom painted Arai Helmet. When the green lights illuminated, the crowd came to its feet as the drivers dropped their right foot to summon all of the power their 410 engines could create as Pittman led lap one before Schatz stalked him down and took the lead. Jason was running in the eighth position when he spun. On the restart, the green was quickly replaced by the red for Jason Sides who flipped on the front stretch. When the green reappeared, Jason spun again in turn three and tagged the rear of the field. He rejoined the back of the field once again and on the restart started his forward march back through the field in his hot rod. A red for Reece Goetz and Robbie Price brought the field to a halt again. Schatz was still showing the way as Jason was trying to fight his way back through the field of competition. He was maneuvering around the tight oval and when Schatz took the checkered flag, Jason had clawed his way back to earn a 12th place finish in the Battle at the Grove event.