JOHNSON RACES CLOSE TO HOME AND WAS FAST AT THE MISSOURI STATE FAIR SPEEDWAY IN THE SEDALIA “SHOW-ME STATE” SHOWDOWN AS HE BRINGS HOME A SIXTH-PLACE FINISH

SEDALIA, MISSOURI (May 5, 2017) – After the Bull Ring Outlaw Blitz at Riverside International Speedway was again postponed by Mother Nature earlier in the week, Jason and the JJR Marshall Racing team turned their attention to a race they have been looking forward to since the 2017 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series schedule was released. The race they had been eyeing was at Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Missouri for the Sedalia “Show-Me State” Showdown. The track is right up the road from where they now call home and close to a few their sponsorship partners – Fischer Body Shop (Jefferson City and Eldon, MO) and Pro Powder Coating – PPC (Russellville, MO) – and friends.

There were 32 cars ready to roll at the big and fast half mile oval and Jason would be the fifth car out for time trials. When his Kistler Engine fired, he set sail aboard the Fischer Body Shop/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim and he was moving. When he brought his Maxim Racing entry across the timing stripe the first time he was “Quiiiiiick Tiiiiiime!” with a lap of 16.154 seconds. He stayed on the loud pedal and charged through the turns and down the straightaways coming around the second time with a consistent, but slightly slower, lap at 16.167 seconds. As he awaited the remaining drivers to complete their laps, the #41 stayed atop the time charts and when the last qualifier took the checkers he was the fast timer of the night for the fourth time this season. A great start to the night for the Ragin’ Cajun and the JJR Marshall Racing team.

With the fastest time of the night behind him, Jason and the team readied the Priority Aviation Services, LLC/Valvoline #41 for heat race action. He would be slated to line up on the pole for the first and fastest heat race with Daryn Pittman to his outside and Logan Schuchart and Kraig Kinser right behind in row two. The qualifying action was delayed first while they addressed an electrical issue in turn one and then they had to spend a little extra time running the track in after they applied a little too much water. The cars in the first heat race were summoned to the track and aligned two-by-two for the 8-lap race. They paced in front of the covered fairgrounds grandstands that was packed with eager sprint car fans and the lights went off. When they got the signal to go, Jason catapulted off the inside front row and seized the lead over Pittman. The Louisiana native was wheelin’ and dealin’ inside the cockpit and doing his best to keep the attention of the fans as he built his speed and the lead each lap. He would go on to take the win by almost a straightaway over Pittman, with Schuchart and Kinser following them and Sam Hafertepe, Jr. securing the fifth and final transfer position.

When the heat races were done, the participants in the Craftsman Club Dash were determined. An invert of six was drawn, putting Jason and the Pro Powder Coating (PPC)/Schoenfeld Headers #41 back in row three in the sixth starting position. The track had started to widen a bit, but the passing lanes were still slightly narrow. Daryn Pittman jumped into the lead at the start and would lead the distance and take the win ahead of Joey Saldana, Donny Schatz and Brady Bacon with Kerry Madsen coming home fifth. Throughout the event, Jason dueled with Brian Brown for sixth position as Brown got it with Jason coming home seventh and Terry McCarl rounding out the field.

The horns sounded and the teams started to make their way to the track for the 25-lap feature event. It is always a time of excitement when the field is set and you get to see the best in the sprint car business do what they do best. Philip, Jeff and Jakob made some last-minute adjustments to the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/CCC #41 before the cars fired and soon appeared in the traditional four-wide salute to the fans. It’s a beautiful site. When the racing got started, it was Daryn Pittman to the front as Jason was maneuvering at speed from just outside the top five. He would eventually work his way up to the fifth position where he was holding his own but not without a battle from Brian Brown. Pittman surrendered the lead to Donny Schatz on the twelfth circuit as Jason still was in command of the fifth position. Schatz would go on to take the victory as he beat Pittman, Kerry Madsen and Joey Saldana to the finish line with Brown using the outside lane to get by Jason to take the last spot in the top five. Jason came home with a respectable sixth place finish on the night at the Sedalia “Show-Me State” Showdown. A good run for the forty-one!