R.J. JOHNSON TOPS USAC CRA SPRINTS FRIDAY AT CASA GRANDE

Winner R.J. Johnson (Black Flagged Productions Photo)

By: Lance Jennings

Casa Grande, Arizona (April 17, 2026)………Starting third, R.J. Johnson of Laveen, Arizona powered by “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. on lap eleven and held off several challenges from teammate “KTJ” Kevin Thomas Jr. to score the Friday night win at Central Arizona Raceway.

For Johnson, the $3,000 Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car victory was his second win of the campaign and he netted an extra $500 bonus for his efforts. The two-time and defending champion raced the Petty Performance Racing #1p Avanti Windows & Doors Sherman to the checkered flag over Thomas, Davis, Ricky Lewis, and Cale Coons.

Starting on the pole position, Davis found the inside groove to his liking and started to extend his advantage over the field. Johnson used the extra momentum from the outside line to reel in the leader. R.J. began to challenge Davis for the top sport, but the veteran driver remained strong.

With ten laps down, Johnson mounted another charge from the top groove that proved successful. Once out front, Johnson began to put some distance between himself and the field as Davis faced heavy pressure from Thomas. Thomas was successful in taking second away from Davis and soon set his sights after Johnson.

By this time in the race, R.J. was dealing with heavy traffic and his progress was slowed. Thomas was able to move within striking distance but found himself slowed by the back markers. Once cleared, he charged again after Johnson, but it was not to be as Johnson secured the thirteenth USAC CRA triumph of his career.

Cullman, Alabama’s “KTJ” Kevin Thomas Jr., opened the night by posting the ninth Woodland Auto Display Fast Time Award of his career. The pilot of the Petty Performance Racing #33p Avanti Windows & Doors Sherman turned the fastest lap with a time of 15.255 seconds over Braden Chiaramonte, Cale Coons, Johnson, “The Big Game Hunter” Austin Williams and the rest of the 23 drivers in attendance.

After earning the Fast Qualifier Award, Thomas went on to claim the night’s 8-lap Sexton Fire Protection First Heat Race win. The regular with the USAC National Series finished ahead of Lewis, Johnson, Joshua Shipley, Daylin Perreira, Verne Sweeney, Brody Wake, and Stevie Sussex.

The 8-lap Roy Miller Freight Lines Second Heat Race went to “The Radio Flyer” Bruce St. James from Apache Junction, Arizona. The owner/driver of the #1AZ Central Arizona Raceway Maxim with a 360 engine was followed by Wayne Siddle, Chiaramonte, Davis, Koen Crawford, Williams, Lonnie Hochstetler, and Rickey Kinney. Bruce later earned an extra $200 bonus from Avanti Windows & Doors for being the second best finishing 360 in the 30-lap main event.

The night’s third and final heat race, sponsored by Rescue Mission Alliance, was captured by Connor Lundy of Peoria, Arizona. Driving the Matt Lundy owned #97 Apache Transport Sherman, last season’s Rookie of the Year took the 8-lap victory over Coons, A.J. Bender, Dayton Shelton, Brecken Guerrero, Mickey Gile, and Justin Kierce.

After racing from fourteenth to fourth, Ricky Lewis scored the night’s Hard Charger Award / “Best Passing Job” honors at Central Arizona Raceway. For his efforts, Lewis took home an extra $350 courtesy of Avanti Windows & Doors, along with photographer Steve Lafond. Ricky also took home the $720 Rolls Scaffold 360 Challenge bonus and an extra $300 for being the top finishing 360 from Avanti Windows and Doors.

The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series is back at Central Arizona Raceway on Saturday, April 18th. For more information on the series, visit www.usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC CRA Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.

AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: April 17, 2026 – Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, Arizona

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFYING: 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 33p, Petty-15.265; 2. Braden Chiaramonte, 73B, OCC-15.528; 3. Cale Coons, 63, Dooling/Curb-Agajanian-15.573; 4. R.J. Johnson, 1p, Petty-15.573; 5. Austin Williams, 17w, Dunkel-15.585; 6. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-15.593; 7. Stevie Sussex, 2, Yeley-15.634; 8. Charles Davis Jr., 47, Davis-15.697; 9. Dayton Shelton, 4D, Shelton-15.827; 10. Daylin Perreira, 21p, Perreira-15.884; 11. Koen Crawford, 48, Crawford-15.885; 12. Connor Lundy, 97, Lundy-15.893; 13. Ricky Lewis, 78x, Bonneau-15.900; 14. Bruce St. James, 1AZ, St. James-16.021; 15. Brecken Guerrero, 98B, Guerrero-16.041; 16. Joshua Shipley, 2x, Shipley-16.162; 17. Wayne Siddle, 007, Siddle-16.163; 18. Mickey Gile, 23AZ, Gile-16.262; 19. Verne Sweeney, 98, Guerrero-16.304; 20. Lonnie Hochstetler, 31H, Hochstetler-16.331; 21. Justin Kierce, 43, Kierce-16.621; 22. Brody Wake, 78, Wake-16.810; 23. Rickey Kinney Jr., 81K, Kinney-16.909.

SEXTON FIRE PROTECTION FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 2. Ricky Lewis, 3. R.J. Johnson, 4. Joshua Shipley, 5. Daylin Perreira, 6. Verne Sweeney, 7. Brody Wake, 8. Stevie Sussex. NT

ROY MILLER FREIGHT LINES SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. Bruce St. James, 2. Wayne Siddle, 3. Braden Chiaramonte, 4. Charles Davis Jr., 5. Koen Crawford, 6. Austin Williams, 7. Lonnie Hochstetler, 8. Rickey Kinney Jr., NT

RESCUE MISSION ALLIANCE THIRD HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. Connor Lundy, 2. A.J. Bender, 3. Cale Coons, 4. Dayton Shelton, 5. Brecken Guerrero, 6. Mickey Gile, 7. Justin Kierce. NT

FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. R.J. Johnson (3), 2. Kevin Thomas Jr. (6), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (1), 4. Ricky Lewis (14), 5. Cale Coons (4), 6. Braden Chiaramonte (5), 7. Bruce St. James (8), 8. Daylin Perreira (12), 9. Dayton Shelton (11), 10. Brecken Guerrero (15), 11. Verne Sweeney (19), 12. Austin Williams (9), 13. A.J. Bender (2), 14. Connor Lundy (7), 15. Justin Kierce (21), 16. Mickey Gile (18), 17. Lonnie Hochstetler (20), 18. Joshua Shipley (16), 19. Stevie Sussex (10), 20. Wayne Siddle (17), 21. Rickey Kinney Jr. (22), 22. Koen Crawford (13). NT

**Rickey Kinney Jr. flipped on lap 7 of the feature. A.J. Bender, Lonnie Hochstetler & Justin Kierce flipped on lap 26 of the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-10 Charles Davis Jr., Laps 11-30 R.J. Johnson

AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS / STEVE LAFOND PHOTOS HARD CHARGER: Ricky Lewis (14th to 4th)

NEW AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-R.J. Johnson-445, 2-Ricky Lewis-384, 3-Austin Williams-366, 4-A.J. Bender-360, 5-Connor Lundy-360, 6-Charles Davis Jr.-296, 7-Verne Sweeney-291, 8-Brecken Guerrero-271, 9-Dayton Shelton-267, 10-Braden Chiaramonte-208.

NEXT AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: April 18, 2026 – Central Arizona Raceway – Casa Grande, Arizona