WORLD OF OUTLAWS BEAT THE RAIN AS THE CAJUN SENSATION STORMS TO A 12TH PLACE FINISH IN THE INAUGURAL BOB NEWTON CLASSIC AT PLYMOUTH SPEEDWAY

PLYMOUTH, INDIANA (May 13, 2016) – The JJR team along with their fellow World of Outlaw Craftsman Sprint Cars Series competitors were in Plymouth, Indiana to run the inaugural Bob Newton Classic. Before the racing activities got started at the track, the teams enjoyed visiting Hoosier Racing Tire, the business Newton built that has become a mainstay in racing all around the world.

The pits were filled with 30 competitive sprint cars all preparing to take on the quarter mile oval at Plymouth Speedway. Jason pushed off 19th in his Priority Aviation Services, LLC/K&N Filters #41 for time trials and turned his first lap in 12.049 seconds. Staying on the gas, he turned his second lap at a very consistent 12.045 seconds, which was 22nd quick overall.

When the heat race lineups were set, Jason found himself sitting on the outside of row four beside Cale Thomas. On the initial start, Donny Schatz spun collecting Thomas and Jason. Schatz and Johnson were able to continue and rejoined the field. When the green was displayed again, the field came up to speed and was making quick work around the racy oval. Jason was searching for speed and passing lanes aboard his Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Wilwood Maxim. He was having difficulty making progress as Logan Schuchart would go on to take the heat race victory over Jamie Veal, Bryan Clauson, Shane Stewart, Schatz and Paul McMahan. Jason crossed the line in the eighth position, which put him in the Last Chance Showdown (LCS).

Determined to put the car in the show, the Cajun Sensation paced from his sixth starting spot. There were only four transfer positions available to the A-Main, so he had some work to do in his Fischer Body Shop/Weld Racing #41. Polesitter Parker Price-Miller set the early pace as Jason maneuvered into the top five. The racing action is so close here that positions four through six were only separated by tenths of a second from each other. Depending on the lap, you could exchange positions quickly. Jason stayed up on the wheel and used his KSE Racing Products to steer his way forward and when Price-Miller took the win after 12 laps, Johnson came home fourth to advance to the feature event.

Starting in the 22nd position for the A-Main, Jason pulled on his Bell Racing helmet and buckled his Crow Enterprizes belts. Joey Saldana and Brad Sweet made up the front row and would bring the high speed daredevils up to speed. Saldana led early, but Jason had his foot through the floor, and the other one on the brake, as he was moving full speed ahead around the little bullring. He was not fooling around in the forty one as he was digging hard and moving forward quickly. There was a wide racing lane and a nice cushion to lean on, so he was taking everything anyone would give him and more. He moved into the top fifteen early and was exchanging positions with Schatz as they chased the cars in front of them. He would get up as high as twelfth before hooking the cushion and surrendering a bunch of positions just after the halfway point of the race. Racing again from the 20th position, Jason was not deterred and was making tracks and climbing back up the scoring charts. At the front of the pack, Sweet would pass Saldana for the lead and get racing with Daryn Pittman for the win. Jason wasn’t done yet as he stayed on the gas and used his Kistler Engine to power his way forward as the wet weather started to inch closer to the track. Sweet would go on to collect his sixth win of the season as Jason charged back through the field a second time to finish in 12th place. A hard fought night for Jason and the JJR team, but a solid result for the determined Louisianan and his JJR crew.