R.J. Johnson Tops Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Power Rankings for Fifth Time in a Row

The Wheatley Chronicles – Volume V, No. 41

Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (December 19, 2017) – Arizona’s R.J. Johnson put together yet another championship campaign in 2017 to top the Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings for a fifth consecutive year.

Johnson posted 13 overall wins in Non-Wing 360 action, including seven USAC Southwest scores en route to a fifth series title as he topped the Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Power Rankings by a 97-point margin.  It was Johnson’s fifth consecutive year of double-digit feature wins.

Johnson took the top spot ahead of fellow Arizona racer Shon Deskins, who scored eight wins to capture New Mexico’s NMMRA championship and landed a Beaver Stripes Power Rankings best of second after a previous best of sixth in 2014.

Charles Davis, Jr., accumulated seven wins to rank third, marking his fifth year in a row among the top three in Beaver Stripes Power Rankings.

California’s Austin Liggett racked up ten wins to rank fourth with USAC West Coast Sprint Car champ Jake Swanson rounding out the top five.  The balance of the top ten in Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Power Rankings includes Stevie Sussex, Ryan Bernal, Brady Bacon, Mike Martin and Danny Faria, Jr.

Johnson, Davis, Jr., and Martin have ranked among the top ten in Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings over each of the past five years while Liggett and Swanson both cracked the top ten for the first time this year.

Title sponsor of the Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings, Beaver Stripes Custom Graphics and Molding Supply is an Arizona supplier of automotive graphics, moldings and custom accessories.  In business for more than 30 years, Beaver Stripes is actively involved in keeping the local racing action alive in the Phoenix and Arizona area with a strong interest in local car clubs, car shows and other vehicle related activity involving the community.

A sponsor of Canyon Speedway Park and Arizona Speedway, Beaver Stripes is located at 2389 W. McDowell Road in Phoenix for all your graphics needs and may be contacted at 602-289-8000 or 800-257-7835.  More information is available at www.beaverstripes.com.

The Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings are a part of the Open Wheel Power Rankings that also includes STIDA Winged 410s, Momentum Racing Suspensions Non-Wing 410s, Rod End Supply Winged 360s, www.midgetmadness.com Midgets and 305s presented by Dodge City Raceway Park.

(Patrick Shaw photo)

A look at this year’s Top 50 in Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings is as follows:

RankNameHometownWinsPoints2016 Rank2015 Rank2014 Rank2013 Rank
1R.J. JohnsonPhoenix, AZ134061111
2Shon DeskinsWaddell, AZ8309112069
3Charles Davis, Jr.Buckeye, AZ73022232
4Austin LiggettTracy, CA1025635292923
5Jake SwansonAnaheim, CA2195552427NR
6Stevie SussexTempe, AZ3175361327
7Ryan BernalHollister, CA617329345
8Brady BaconBroken Arrow, OK2140307832
9Mike MartinYuma, AZ01378577
10Danny Faria, Jr.Tipton, CA1132254216
11Tye MihockoPeoria, AZ013113541266
12Geoff EnsignSebastopol, CA112734794254
13Max AdamsLoomis, CA112644867176
14Tristan GuardinoFremont, CA21252319NRNR
15Klint SimpsonMelbourne, AUS71191825NRNR
16Chris BonneauPhoenix, AZ09554287230
17Nick AiutoCamp Verde, AZ09031215479
18Rob LindseySherwood, OR38616129NR24
19Jace Vander WeerdVisalia, CA08410152019
20Caleb SaizAlbuquerque, NM383112NRNRNR
21Jason GradyFlora Vista, NM2711515710887
22Micheal FanelliRio Rancho, NM07136NRNRNR
23Richard Vander WeerdVisalia, CA071191393
24Michael CurtisCottonwood, AZ0707915268100
25Matt RossiPeoria, AZ16958585
26Cody MajorsSimi Valley, CA068506455NR
27Doug SchenckCotttage Grove, WI767129NRNRNR
28Landon ClingTempe, AZ06762NRNRNR
29Lindsay BarneyEagle Creek, OR26449144NRNR
30Kyle SmithMoorpark, CA36322161844
31Tim CoxPark City, IL462NRNRNRNR
32J.R. BonesteelAlbuquerque, NM06299NRNRNR
33Terry Schank, Jr.Santa Rosa, CA655171487NR
34Dave DarlandLincoln, IN153126501643
35Kevin Thomas, Jr.Cullman, AL149NR453448
36Tyler CourtneyIndianapolis, IN149NRNRNRNR
37Brandon WileySanta Maria, CA049204NRNRNR
38Jimmy KoubaByron, MN3483833NRNR
39Matt LundyPeoria, AZ14771NRNR80
40Cory ElliottBakersfield, CA046NRNRNRNR
41Tim AlberdingSalem, OR0453932NR110
42Jeremy KerzmanGray Eagle, MN54443184NRNR
43Mike MuellerStacy, MN4446657NRNR
44Jake KoubaMinneapolis, MN2434548NRNR
45Jordan MattsonMilwaukee, WI243NRNRNRNR
46Ryan TimmonsPleasant Hill, CA14165161NRNR
47Brody RoaBuena Park, CA0404104751
48Kalib HenrySacramento, CA539NRNRNRNR
49Dennis GilePhoenix, AZ0396104NRNR
50Lance HallmarkMcMinnville, OR23847NRNRNR

Features Completed: 187

Number of Different Winners: 77

Number of Drivers to Earn Points: 259

Past Top Tens in Beaver Stripes Non-Wing 360 Sprint Car Power Rankings:

2016 – 1. R.J. Johnson (12) 453, 2. Charles Davis, Jr. (1) 298, 3. Stevie Sussex (6) 207, 4. Brody Roa (3) 172, 5. Matt Rossi 168, 6. Dennis Gile 145, 7. Josh Hodges (3) 144, 8. Mike Martin 144, 9. D.J. Johnson (3) 134, 10. Jace Vander Weerd (2) 129.

2015 – 1. R.J. Johnson (10) 377, 2. Charles Davis, Jr. (3) 317, 3. Ryan Bernal (7) 231, 4. Danny Faria, Jr. (3) 199, 5. Mike Martin (3) 198, 6. Stevie Sussex (3) 196, 7. Brady Bacon (1) 178, 8. Matt Rossi (1) 170, 9. Josh Pelkey 145, 10. Brody Roa (3) 142.

2014 – 1. R.J. Johnson (11) 480, 2. Josh Pelkey (4) 366, 3. Charles Davis, Jr. (4) 361, 4. Ryan Bernal (12) 329, 5. Matt Rossi (1) 251, 6. Shon Deskins (1) 226, 7. Mike Martin (1) 212, 8. Brady Bacon (2) 160, 9. Richard Vander Weerd (1) 158, 10. Matt Mitchell (1) 150.

2013 – 1. R.J. Johnson (11) 387, 2. Charles Davis, Jr. (6) 260, 3. Richard Vander Weerd (7) 280, 4. Josh Pelkey (3) 236, 5. Ryan Bernal (5) 191, 6. Danny Faria, Jr. (4) 184, 7. Mike Martin (1) 184, 8. Bud Kaeding 166, 9. Shon Deskins 143, 10. Bryan Clauson (6) 138.

A part of the recurring “The Wheatley Chronicles” series of articles on www.sprintcarmania.com, the Open Wheel Power Rankings are determined by cumulative points based on a sliding scale dependent upon car count at Sprint Car and Midget events across all sanctions and non-sanctions throughout North America.

The Wheatley Chronicles brings insight and highlights from all variety of racing series throughout the nation in 2017 and beyond along with the Open Wheel Power Rankings.  Please send any comments, questions or advertising inquiries regarding The Wheatley Chronicles at www.sprintcarmania.com to Lonnie Wheatley at lonniewheatley@gmail.com.