IN HIS FIRST NIGHT IN THE JJR SEAT, VEAL HAS A GOOD RUN IN THE FORTY ONE IN THE TEXAS OUTLAW NATIONALS AT DEVIL’S BOWL SPEEDWAY

MESQUITE, TEXAS (April 25, 2015) – Jason Johnson and the JJR team headed to Devil’s Bowl Speedway for the Texas Outlaw Nationals following the World of Outlaw’s California spring swing. Devil’s Bowl was the home of the first Outlaw race in 1978 when Ted Johnson brought the traveling crew to put on a show. After Mother Nature seized night one of the Texas Outlaw Nationals, the Outlaws and the JJR team were all very excited to hit the track on Saturday night. Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) would do so with their new driver, Jamie Veal from Warrnambool, Australia, behind the wheel of the Priority Aviation Services/Fischer Body Shop #41 Maxim.  Veal, also known as “The Real Deal”, is substituting for Jason as he continues to recover from injuries sustained at Placerville in early April. The Aussie brings his heavy right foot and momentum from Australia as he has garnered big wins, and a number of them, throughout 2014 and the 2015 season.

Devil’s Bowl has always been Jason’s favorite track, so while sidelined with injuries is difficult being back at the fast half mile oval in Mesquite added a little more pain to the experience. But he was excited to have Veal in the seat, and The Real Deal did not disappoint in time trials as he circled the track in 14.561 seconds, which was 13th quickest overall in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) speed machine.

Lining up from the inside of row three for the first heat race, Veal paced around the Devil’s Bowl surface ready to get the Kistler Engine under the hood up to speed. When the green flag waved, Joey Saldana and Jason Sides brought the packed house to their feet as they led the field into turn one. Veal got shuffled back and when Sides took the win, he was relegated to an eighth place finish.

Not deterred, Jamie and the team discussed the necessary changes and he rolled out for the Last Chance Showdown in the Waco Metal/Winters Performance Products #41. Twelve laps was the distance and he shared the front row with Sammy Swindell. When the green lights illuminated, he dropped his right foot and took off as he showed them the way around the famous Mesquite race track. The Warrnambool warrior never looked back as he took the win ahead of Sammy, Kevin Swindell, and Tony Bruce, Jr. with Texas native Travis Rilat rounding out the top five.

With a cowboy hat and $20,000 on the line, Veal was ready to get started in the feature event from his 13th starting spot beside Johnny Herrera. Winning would be a tall challenge as Donny Schatz and Shane Stewart made up the front row. After the four-wide salute to the fans, Outlaw style, the field dropped back into their two-by-two starting order. When they started to kick up the clay, Veal was up on the wheel in the Dissolvalloy Frac Ball Revolution/Momentum Racing Suspensions #41. He was flying around the racy half mile and making progress each and every lap. When the thirty laps were completed, Schatz took the win ahead of Stewart, Kraig Kinser, Jason Sides, and Logan Schuchart. Veal, in his first run in the forty one, brought home a very respectable 11th place finish.

After the race, Jason was happy to state, “An eleventh place run on our first night together is respectable.” He continued, “The guys worked well together and really communicated good.” The team will use the week to continue to work together and gel as they prepare for the upcoming three race weekend at Salina Highbanks Speedway (Friday night), Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 (Saturday night) and Tri-State Speedway (Sunday night). Come out and catch up with Jason, Jamie and the entire JJR team at these events.