LATE CHARGE FOR MIHOCKO NETS FIRST WIN AT SAN TAN VALLEY
By Lance Jennings
MAY 1, 2018... After nearly winning at Casa Grande, “The Bull” Tye Mihocko (Peoria, Arizona) earned his first Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car victory last Saturday at Arizona Speedway. Taking the lead from “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. with two laps to go, Mihocko finished ahead of Davis, hard charger “The Magic Man” Mike Martin, Josh Pelkey, and Andy Reinbold.
Piloting the family owned #5 Dave Wilson Realty / Mears Mechanical Spike, Mihocko earned the $1,500 victory after starting seventh in the main event. Earlier in the program, the young driver placed fourth in his heat race and ranked seventh out of twenty racers in passing points. Returning to San Tan Valley on May 19th, Mihocko is second in the point chase on the strength of two heat race victories, one Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award, five top-10 finishes, and 6 feature laps led.
Starting fourth, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. (Buckeye, Arizona) took the lead from Josh Pelkey and led 21 laps before placing second at the checkered flags. Racing his #50 RSS Industries / MP Environmental RSS, Davis won the night’s second 8-lap heat race and sat third in passing points. The five-time Arizona champion has a 49-point advantage with two feature wins, two heat race victories, seven top-10 finishes, and 82 feature laps led on the year.
“The Magic Man” Mike Martin (Yuma, Arizona) earned the night’s Hard Charger / Best Passing Job honors with a third place run from twentieth. Driving his #16 Sherwin Williams / Naquin Precision Earth Moving Maxim, Martin scored seventh in his heat race and placed twentieth in passing points. The 2004 SCRA Rookie of the Year is third in the point standings with one heat race victory, one Passing Master Award, and four top-10 finishes.
Josh Pelkey (Peoria, Arizona) held the lead for six laps before finishing fourth at Arizona Speedway. Piloting Robbie and Gaye Allen’s #12 ABC Body Shop / PPG Automotive Finishes RSS, Pelkey ran second to Chris Bonneau in his heat race and sat fourth in passing points. At press time, the 1997 ASCA Champion is fifth in the point standings with four top-10 finishes and 6 feature laps led to his credit.
Andy Reinbold (Gilbert, Arizona) scored fifth in the San Tan Valley main event. Racing the Reinbold/Underwood #19S AME Electrical / Ross Equipment Rentals Spike. Reinbold ran second to Jake Swanson in his heat race and sat fifth in passing points. The 2008 Hank Arnold Memorial winner is twelfth in the point chase with two top-10 finishes in the campaign.
Chris Bonneau (Phoenix, Arizona) won the night’s first 8-lap heat race and earned the Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award. Driving his #15 Priced Right Auto Sales Triple X, Bonneau started sixth in the feature and claimed thirteenth at the checkered flags. The veteran driver left Arizona Speedway ranked tenth in the standings with two heat race victories and two top-10 finishes on the season.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, California) returned to USAC SouthWest action and won the third 8-lap heat race. Piloting the Grau/Burkhart #34AZ Western Premier Hauling / KSE Custom Drywall DRC, Swanson was second in passing points and finished eighteenth after a late race tangle. The 2017 USAC West Coast Champion is tied for fifteenth in points with two heat race victories, one Beaver Stripes Passing Master Award and three top-10 finishes.
The Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Cars will return to action on Saturday, May 19th, at Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley, Arizona. The sixth point race will also showcase Sport Mods, Modlites, and Bombers. For more event and ticket information, visit www.arizonaspeedway.net or call 480.926.6688.
The Sands Chevrolet USAC SouthWest Sprint Car Series thanks AMSOIL, Hoosier Tire, and Beaver Stripes for their support. For more information on the series, visit www.southwestsprintcars.com, www.usacracing.com, or follow the series on Facebook.
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SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 28, 2018 – San Tan Valley, Arizona – Arizona Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chris Bonneau (#15 Bonneau), 2. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 3. Matt Lundy (#98 Lundy), 4. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 5. Bruce St. James (#1AZ Trussel), 6. Austin Kuehl (#11T Kuehl), 7. Mike Martin (#16 Martin). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Charles Davis Jr. (#50 Davis), 2. Zack Madrid (#34Z Grau), 3. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 4. Dennis Gile (#13 Gile), 5. Sterling Cling (#34 Cling), 6. Daylin Perreira (#21 Perreira), 7. Joe Scheopner (#17 Scheopner). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Jake Swanson (#34AZ Grau/Burkhart), 2. Andy Reinbold (#19S Reinbold/Underwood), 3. Rick Shuman (#25AZ Shuman), 4. Tyler Most (#3 Most), 5. Tyler Adams (#9G Adams), 6. Jonas Reynolds (#0 Harland). NT
FEATURE: (30 laps – With Starting Positions) 1. Tye Mihocko (7th), 2. Charles Davis Jr. (4th), 3. Mike Martin (20th), 4. Josh Pelkey (3rd), 5. Andy Reinbold (2nd), 6. Matt Lundy (9th), 7. Sterling Cling (13th), 8. Dennis Gile (11th), 9. Michael Curtis (8th), 10. Rick Shuman (10th), 11. Joe Scheopner (18th), 12. Tyler Adams (15th), 13. Chris Bonneau (6th), 14. Austin Kuehl (19th), 15. Bruce St. James (14th), 16. Jonas Reynolds (17th), 17. Zack Madrid (1st), 18. Jake Swanson (5th), 19. Tyler Most (12th), 20. Daylin Perreira (16th). NT
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**Kuehl, Reynolds, St. James, and Bonneau flipped during the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Madrid, Laps 2-7 Pelkey, Laps 8-28 Davis, Laps 29-30 Mihocko.
HARD CHARGER: Mike Martin (20th to 3rd)
BEAVER STRIPES PASSING MASTER: Chris Bonneau
SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINT STANDINGS: 1. Charles Davis Jr.-384, 2. Tye Mihocko-335, 3. Mike Martin-302, 4. Michael Curtis-283, 5. Josh Pelkey-271, 6. Matt Lundy-270, 7. Dennis Gile-250, 8. R.J. Johnson-240, 9. Tyler Adams-188, 10. Chris Bonneau-174, 11. Sterling Cling-162, 12. Andy Reinbold-153, 13. Stevie Sussex-139, 14. Tyler Most-131, 15. Jake Swanson-118, ... Daylin Perreira-118, 17. Larry Kesterson-112, 18. Zack Madrid-100, 19. Joe Scheopner-82, 20. Jason McDougal-76.
2018 SANDS CHEVROLET USAC SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
DATE – TRACK – LOCATION
May 19: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
May 26: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Salute to Indy)
May 27: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Salute to Indy)
June 9: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ
August 15: I-30 Speedway – Little Rock, AR (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 16: Creek County Speedway – Sapulpa, OK (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 17: 81 Speedway – Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
August 18: 81 Speedway – Wichita, KS (Freedom Tour / $2,500-to-Win / Non-Points)
September 1: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ (Hank Arnold Memorial)
September 2: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ (Hank Arnold Memorial)
September 8: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Lealand McSpadden Tribute)
September 21: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Sands Chevrolet Southwest Championships)
September 22: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Sands Chevrolet Southwest Championships)
October 20: Canyon Speedway Park – Peoria, AZ (Race For The Cure)
October 27: Central Arizona Speedway – Casa Grande, AZ (Howl-O-Ween Bash)
November 2: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
November 3: Arizona Speedway – San Tan Valley, AZ (Western World Championships)
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This schedule is subject to change.
