RJ JOHNSON TAKES USAC CRA’S PERRIS SO-CAL SHOWDOWN

Winner R.J. Johnson. (A.J. Johnson Photo)

By: Lance Jennings

Perris, California (September 14, 2025)………Starting fifth, RJ Johnson took the lead from “Chargin” Charles Davis Junior on the 15th lap and shook free from all challengers to win the “So-Cal Showdown” at Perris Auto Speedway.

The Laveen, Arizona driver took the Petty Performance Racing #33p Sherman to his first Avanti Windows & Doors United States Auto Club – Californian Racing Association (USAC – CRA) Sprintcar victory of the season over Ricky Lewis, Davis, hard charger Eddie Tafoya Juniorr and Tommy “Thunder” Malcolm.

For his efforts, the multi-time Arizona Sprintcar Champion also earned an extra $500 from the series title sponsor, Avanti Windows & Doors.

Ricky Lewis of Oxnard, California began the night by claiming his fourth career Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Award. The owner/driver of the Mesilla Valley Transportation #41 DRC posted a time of 16.819 seconds over the 21-car roster.

Making his second start in the JW Mitchell Motorsports #37 Maxim, Yorba Linda, California’s Logan Williams raced to victory in the 8-lap In Honor of Wiley Miler Senior & Wiley Miller II / Sexton Fire Protection First heat race. Defending series champion, RJ Johnson powered past Brody Roa to top the Silbermann Solar / Factory Wraps Second heat race. Verne Sweeney of Lomita, California held off Logan Calderwood to win the WC Friend Company Access Systems / In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Third Heat Race aboard the Rachel Guerrero #98 DRC.

Starting 13th, Chino Hills, California’s Eddie Tafoya Junior earned his second In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner Hard Charger Award / “Best Passing Job” honors of the campaign. The 2019 Rookie of the Year raced up to fourth at the chequered flags.

The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series will be back in action on Saturday, September 27th at Perris Auto Speedway. For more information on the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINTCAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: September 13, 2025 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California – So-Cal Showdown

WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY / WC FRIEND COMPANY ACCESS SYSTEMS QUALIFYING: 1. Ricky Lewis, 41, Lewis-16.819; 2. R.J. Johnson, 33p, Petty-16.932; 3. Tommy Malcolm, 5x, Napier-16.960; 4. Connor Lundy, 97, Lundy-17.037; 5. David Gasper, 18, Kittle/Gasper-17.150; 6. Blake Bower, 17x, Dunkel-17.213; 7. Logan Williams, 37, Mitchell-17.358; 8. Charles Davis Jr., 47, Davis-17.362; 9. Cole Wakim, 73, Ford-17.379; 10. Austin Williams, 17w, Dunkel-17.412; 11. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-17.430; 12. Logan Calderwood, 6, Calderwood-17.433; 13. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 51T, Tafoya-17.441; 14. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-17.454; 15. Verne Sweeney, 98, Guerrero-17.625; 16. Brent Sexton, 44s, Sexton-18.319; 17. Brecken Guerrero, 98B, Guerrero-18.414; 18. Lonnie Hochstetler, 31H, Hochstetler-18.525; 19. Elexa Herrera, 5E, Herrera-18.732; 20. Jeff Shelton, 72, Shelton-18.812; 21. Jon DeWees, 63D, DeWees-18.903.

IN HONOR OF WILEY MILLER SR. & WILEY MILLER II / SEXTON FIRE PROTECTION FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. Logan Williams, 2. Austin Williams, 3. Ricky Lewis, 4. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 5. Connor Lundy, 6. Elexa Herrera, 7. Brent Sexton. 2:24.01

SILBERMANN SOLAR / FACTORY WRAPS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. R.J. Johnson, 2. Brody Roa, 3. Charles Davis Jr., 4. David Gasper, 5. A.J. Bender, 6. Brecken Guerrero, 7. Jeff Shelton. 2:21.38

WC FRIEND COMPANY ACCESS SYSTEMS / IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER THIRD HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature) 1. Verne Sweeney, 2. Logan Calderwood, 3. Tommy Malcolm, 4. Cole Wakim, 5. Blake Bower, 6. Jon DeWees, 7. Lonnie Hochstetler. 2:22.67

FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. R.J. Johnson (5), 2. Ricky Lewis (6), 3. Charles Davis Jr. (1), 4. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (13), 5. Tommy Malcolm (4), 6. Logan Calderwood (12), 7. Austin Williams (10), 8. Brody Roa (14), 9. Connor Lundy (7), 10. David Gasper (3), 11. Cole Wakim (9), 12. Logan Williams (2), 13. A.J. Bender (11), 14. Jon DeWees (21), 15. Elexa Herrera (19), 16. Brecken Guerrero (17), 17. Lonnie Hochstetler (18), 18. Jeff Shelton (20), 19. Verne Sweeney (15), 20. Blake Bower (8), 21. Brent Sexton (16). NT

**Blake Bower flipped on lap 1 of the feature.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-14 Charles Davis Jr., Laps 15-30 R.J. Johnson.

IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER HARD CHARGER: Eddie Tafoya Jr. (13th to 4th)

AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-R.J. Johnson-1085, 2-Ricky Lewis-1070, 3-Austin Williams-912, 4-A.J. Bender-871, 5-Tommy Malcolm-864, 6-David Gasper-766, 7-Blake Bower-742, 8-Charles Davis Jr.-730, 9-Connor Lundy-650, 10-Eddie Tafoya Jr.-583.

NEXT AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: September 27 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California