JOHNSON INVADES “THE DITCH” IN THE #40R TO HONOR “SHORTY” FOR THE MID-SOUTH SHOWDOWN AND BRINGS HOME A HARD-CHARGING SIXTH PLACE FINISH

WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS (August 21, 2014) – Jason and the Stenhouse Jr. Racing team headed to Riverside International Speedway to compete in the Lucas Oil ASCS National Mid-South Showdown. This place is affectionately called “The Ditch”, and 29 cars were present on this night to take on the famed quarter mile, semi-banked gumbo clay oval. It was a special night for Jason and the crew as they honored Shorty “The Short Man” Chambliss by taking the #41 off their car and honoring Shorty by running the #40R. Shorty was a racer and car owner since 1952 and was the first guy to give Ricky Stenhouse Jr. a ride in a sprint car when he was only 14 years old. Shorty was very special and Jason and the Stenhouse Jr. Racing family wanted to honor him and recognize this special man on this night.

The evening kicked off ASCS style with driver introductions and the opening ceremonies taking place on the front stretch. There were four heat races scheduled with Jason and the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Kinsler Fuel Injection Maxim slated to go out in the fourth qualifying event. The Cajun Sensation, who is a native of Eunice, Louisiana, would start on the inside of row three and when the green flagged waved he went to work from the comfort of his ButlerBuilt Professional Seat System. After a few cautions, the field sorted itself out and the MVT missile came home in the fourth spot behind Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Seth Bergman, and Ernie Ainsworth.

The feature event was originally schedule to be a 30 lap event. But race promoters, TBJ Promotions, decided to honor Shorty by extending it to 40 laps to match his famed race car number – it was billed ‘40 for Shorty’. Jason would roll his Hoosier Racing Tires out onto the track and ready himself to start from the sixteenth position. Lots of work to do, but that never has been a problem for the Cajun as he is not afraid of a little throttle work inside the cockpit. When they aligned two-by-two and nose-to-tail it was time to get moving. The flagman waved the green flag and the engines roared down the front straightaway. A quick caution slowed the field. When the racing resumed, Jason maneuvered his way around traffic in the CURB Records/ISC Racers Tape machine as Jeff Swindell led the field around the tight oval. A few more yellow flags during the first half of the race disrupted the speed and momentum of the field, but Jason had worked his way into the top ten and was looking to improve his position on the track. Hafertepe, Jr. stole the lead and Jason was charging hard. When the back and white checkers flew over Hafertepe, Jr., the Cajun Sensation brought the #40R car, completely covered in mud, across the stripe with a very respectable sixth place finish. A great run and finish in honor of Shorty in the Stenhouse Jr. Racing machine!