INAUGURAL VISIT TO FAIRBURY AMERICAN LEGION SPEEDWAY (FALS): THE CAJUN SENSATION MANEUVERS BACK THROUGH THE CHAOS TO EARN AN 11TH PLACE FINISH IN THE FVP PLATINUM BATTERY SHOWDOWN

FAIRBURY, ILLINOIS (June 5, 2018) – After rain washed out last week’s first attempt to get the inaugural World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series show in at Fairbury American Legion Speedway, affectionately referred to as simply FALS, Jason and the JJR #41 team trucked back to Illinois to race in the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown. Fairbury is a small town centered on a historical railroad depot ground that located in Livingston County in Central Illinois. There you will find a pristine quarter mile, semi-banked dirt oval that welcomed the traveling show of sprint car stars. There were 27 WoO 410 sprint car teams entered for the Tuesday night show, along with the POWRI WAR wingless sprint cars, on a much better night for racing with temperatures in the 80s, brilliant blue skies and the sun shining bright.

Jason would be the 25th car to roll out onto the racing surface in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Schoenfeld Headers #41 Maxim for his two time trial qualifying laps at speed. He would be hammer down as he took the green flag on his first lap against the clock. He would complete that lap in 11.634 seconds. With his right foot planted, he maneuvered through the turns and when he flew by the grandstands on the frontstretch the second time he stopped the clock at 11.544 seconds. The quicker of his two laps was 18th quick overall.

It was time for the 10-lap heat races as the lineups for the three qualifying races were arranged and posted based on each driver’s best time trial lap. Jason would start sixth in the third heat race aboard the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Valvoline #41 beside Matt Vandevere in the #10V. Logan Schuchart and Tanner Thorson were in row one, as Carson Short and Brad Sweet followed close behind in row two. Schuchart would jump into the early lead in the Shark Racing #1s to lead the first lap. Jason would wheel his Maxim Racing #41 entry from his outside third row starting position to the inside a Vandevere into turn one to take over fifth. Johnson and seventh starting Sheldon Haudenschild were in a heated battling for position when Vandevere spun before a lap was completed. A complete restart put Johnson on the inside of row three with Haudenschild’s #17 to his outside. Johnson was hugging the bottom of the track and looking to make a pass for position when another yellow flag flew with three laps down and seven laps remaining. He would get his Hoosier Racing Tires rolling again from the outside of row two on the next restart. He maintained his fourth running position before another yellow on lap 4, this time for Tanner Thorson who spun as the remaining field regrouped again for a repeat attempt to try to go racing. Another restart saw Jason Sides steal the fourth spot this time from the Eunice, Louisiana native driving the forty-one, but with three laps to go Clyde Knipp got upside down after contact with Vandervere bringing out the red flag while racing for the final transfer position. On the final restart, the Cajun Sensation reclaimed the fourth position as Logan Schuchart took the win over Haudenschild and Sweet with Sides coming home fifth and Vandevere claiming the sixth and final transfer spot.

The 40-lap FVP Platinum Battery Showdown main event was the only thing left in the order of events for the inaugural visit to Fairbury American Legion Speedway for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Jason would climb into his Fibreworks Composites custom seat and secure his Crow Enterprizes safety belts as he prepared for action in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Winters Performance Products #41 Maxim. He would start the race from the 12th starting spot. He had some work to do on this racy quarter mile, but was up to the task. Outside front row starter, Hunter Schuerenberg jumped into the lead and led lap one as there was chaos amongst the cars mid-pack. Jason was shuffled back to the 15th position, but stayed up on the wheel and was looking to regain some spots in the running order. When Shane Stewart spun on lap 3 to bring out the yellow, the horsepower filled field again regrouped and restarted as the green flag waved in the air. They went back to racing as Haudenschild took over the top spot a few laps before the red was thrown for Tanner Thorson who ended upside down on his wing, as Jacob Allen and Logan Schuchart were right behind the new leader. The Ragin’ Cajun would restart from the 18th position when racing resumed. However, by the halfway point of the race, Jason had raced his way back up to the 14th spot. With 23 laps completed, the red lights came on for Greg Wilson who got upside down as Carson Short, Giovanni Scelzi and Paul Nienhiser spun and collected each other in the turn trying to avoid Wilson. Jason would restart from the 12th position in the Jonestown KOA/AutoMeter #41 with 17 laps remaining in the race. Officials made the decision to go to single file restarts for the remainder of the event. When racing went back to green flag conditions, Jason was right behind David Gravel as they chased Donny Schatz and Brad Sweet as speed racing for position. The track was taking rubber making a defined lane for all of the drivers as Haudenschild continued to lead. With three laps to go, runner-up Logan Schuchart lost a right rear bringing out the yellow setting up the final single file restart. Haudenschild would lead the field back to the green and take the win over Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson and Cory Eliason with Brent Marks rounding out the top five. Jason brought the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) #41 home with an eleventh place finish at Fairbury American Legion Speedway.

An Eleventh Place Run in the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown at Fairbury American Legion Speedway’s Inaugural Event!

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