THE RAGIN’ CAJUN COMES HOME WITH A 12TH PLACE FINISH AT COCOPAH SPEEDWAY AFTER 30 LAPS ON A VERY TRICKY RACING SURFACE THAT SAW LIMITED PASSING IN THE YUMA VALLEY SHOWDOWN

SOMERTON, ARIZONA (April 7, 2017) – The Ragin’ Cajun and the JJR Marshall Racing #41 team was excited to be back at Cocopah Speedway where they have enjoyed a lot of successes historically when the raced with the ASCS National Tour. It was a hazy and sunny day with the thermometer reading 90 degrees. There were 25 competitors registered to race in the World of Outlaw Craftsman Sprint Car Series event at the fast oval in Southwest Arizona and the fans came out to see the speed stars. It was race day at Cocopah Speedway for the Yuma Valley Showdown!

Jason would be the 17th car to push off for his two individual laps around Cocopah in the beautifully prepared Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Schoenfeld Headers #41 Maxim. The late draw introduced him to a dry and slicked off surface. He pedaled down the loud pedal and wheeled his Maxim Racing machine up to speed stopping the stopwatch at 14.479 seconds the first go ‘round. His Kistler Engines powered forty-one kept building speed and he used that momentum to make tracks as he wasn’t looking back. Boom! In a blink of an eye the Louisiana hot shoe carved .350 seconds off his first lap as his quickest time came in at 14.129 seconds. He ended the night as the eleventh quickest driver in time trials.

As the sunset over Arizona it created a picturesque background for the heat race events to be run under. Jason would be slated for the second heat race where he would start on the outside of row two in the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/MSD Performance #41 with Parker Price-Miller would start to his inside. The front row of Sheldon Haudenschild and Paul McMahan would bring the field to the green flag for the eight lap race to the checkers before a quick yellow was displayed. On the restart, the Cajun Sensation was wheeling and dealing early on as McMahan led with Haudenschild, Price-Miller and Johnson in tow. The field was setting a rapid pace and putting distance between themselves. McMahan would collect the checkers over Haudenschild and Price-Miller as Jason came home in the fourth position to earn a spot in the feature event. Greg Wilson and Kraig Kinser grabbed the final two qualifying positions.

When all of the qualifying was done and the feature starting lineup was posted, Jason would start from the inside of row six aboard the Waco Metal/ISC Racers Tape #41. He buckled into his Crow Enterprizes safety harness and prepped for the 30-lap event around Cocopah Speedway. Johnny Gibson unleashed his famous statement, “You wanted the best, you got them four abreast, often imitate never duplicated the World of Outlaws” and the fans in the stands were on their feet with excitement to see the best in the business do what they do best at high speed. Jason peered through the shield of his Bell Racing helmet and was ready to get down to business. Green flag and these talented drivers were off to the races at Cocopah! The surface was tricky for everyone around the 3/8-mile oval. Passing was at a premium and Jason was running as aggressively as possible with tire wear conservation always in the back of his mind. He relies on his Hoosier Racing Tires, but on this night it would be his job to protect as much of the tread on the tires. Early on he dropped back to spots from his starting position as polesitter Brian Brown led the field. The 30 laps around Cocopah were slowed a few times, but Brown would lead wire-to-wire as he took the win over Donny Schatz, Brad Sweet and Jason Sides with Paul McMahan rounding out the top five. Jason would finish in 12th place on the night in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) #41. Almost all of the competitors ended the evening with very little traction left on their rear tires. Jason and the JJR Marshall Racing team will head to Arizona Speedway on Saturday night looking to drive forward.