JOHNSON AND #41 TEAM WEATHERS THE COOLER TEMPERATURES AT RANSOMVILLE SPEEDWAY IN WESTERN NEW YORK FOR THE LAST RACE IN THE NORTHEAST AND BRINGS HOME A 10TH PLACE FINISH

RANSOMVILLE, NEW YORK (October 16, 2017) – Following Sunday night’s washout at Weedsport Speedway, Jason and the #41 team trucked to the western portion of the Empire State for the final race in the northeast for the 2017 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series season. There were 32 cars in the pit area at Ransomville Speedway’s half-mile oval as the temperatures dropped into the low to mid-40’s as the sun went down. But the good news is there was no rain and they were ready to race near Niagara Falls in the Big “R” Outlaw Shootout, an event that was postponed back on July 23rd.

Jason was the 15th car out for time trials aboard their Waco Metal/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim Racing entry. He got his car up to speed as the air flowed over his Vortex wing and he took the green flag. He was scooting around the track and crossed the timing light in 13.365 seconds. He was searching for more speed and continued to pound the accelerator as he steered his way around Ransomville’s fast and technical track. His second lap was quicker at 13.262 seconds, but was only 15th quick when all was said and done in qualifying.

With four heat races on tap, Jason would start from the outside of row two in the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/Schoenfeld Headers #41 with Sheldon Haudenschild flanking him on the inside. Those two would follow David Gravel and Daryn Pittman who sat on the front row to the green flag. Before they completed a lap the yellow was out as Joe Lockhart made contact with the wall. They restarted with Pittman leading Gravel with Jason and Haudenschild following close behind. With three laps to go, Ryan Susice brought out another yellow flag to regroup the field in their restart order. Gravel would seize the lead and take the heat race win over Pittman and Haudenschild as Jason came home fourth and Jason Sides locked down the final transfer position.

For the 30-lap feature event, with the thermometer reading 41 degrees, Jason lined the forty one up from the 15th starting position with Scott Kreutter’s #49k to his outside. After their four-wide salute to the fans polesitter Brad Sweet and fellow front row starter Tim Shaffer roar under the green flag. Tim Shaffer was your early leader as Jason held down the 14th spot in the running order when the yellow came out for Dane Lorenc who spun with 8 laps in the books. On the restart, Shaffer held on to the top spot as Jason moved by Ian Madsen for 13th in the running order before the yellow was re-displayed with 20 laps to go, this time for Sheldon Haudenschild who tangled with Lucas Wolfe on the backstretch. Shaffer again brought the field to the green flag as the 410 engines came to life. Jason was up on his Max Papis Innovations (MPI) steering wheel as he moved into the 11th position looking to gain access into the top ten. He was on Parker Price-Miller’s rear nerf bar and made the pass for position with 11 to go. He now was sitting in the top ten and looking for more. He focused on catching Jac Haudenschild in the Stenhouse Wood Racing #17w as the leaders were navigating through lapped traffic. He wouldn’t catch him as Tim Shaffer took the win over Brad Sweet, Shane Stewart, Donny Schatz and David Gravel. Jason came home tenth in the Fischer Body Shop/CCC #41, his 54th top ten finish for the season – an impressive 62.07% top ten success rate.