Connor Lundy Edges R.J. Johnson at Perris for Second Straight Win
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 17, 2026
Lundy wins Perris feature
Connor Lundy won the 30-lap Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series feature at Perris Auto Speedway by 0.01 seconds, then added a finish that fit the margin. Lundy drove off the final corner and got past R.J. Johnson to secure the victory in one of the closest finishes the event produced. The Peoria, Arizona, driver delivered his second consecutive win and did it in the Matt Lundy-owned No. 97 Apache Transport / JUGO Superfoods Sherman. The result gave Lundy another sharp run in the series and put him at the center of a race that stayed tight deep into the final lap. Johnson controlled the stretch from the middle stages, but Lundy found the move he needed at the end and turned it into the winning pass. The finish left Lundy on top after 30 laps of sprint car racing at Perris and kept his recent momentum rolling.
Johnson charges from sixth
R.J. Johnson set the pace in qualifying before working his way forward from sixth starting position. He then moved to the front and led laps 16 through 29, taking command for the bulk of the closing portion of the feature. Johnson had enough speed to stay out in front as the race built toward its finish, and he carried that position until Lundy made the decisive move off the final corner. Even after losing the lead late, Johnson still left Perris with a strong night. He finished second, earned Hard Charger honors and backed up the speed he showed as fast qualifier. The run from sixth to second gave Johnson one of the most complete performances in the field, with pace in time trials, track position in the race and sustained pressure over the final laps. His late-race surge set up the duel that decided the outcome and kept the finish in doubt until the final straightaway.
Perris top five
Brody Roa finished third in the 30-lap feature and held his spot near the front as the race unfolded around him. Austin Williams placed fourth after leading the opening 15 laps, giving the front of the field a different look before Johnson took over. Williams set the early tone and stayed in the mix through the first half of the race before settling into fourth at the checkered flag. Eddie Tafoya Jr. completed the top five with a fifth-place finish, rounding out a front group that stayed competitive from the drop of the green to the final lap. The order at Perris showed how quickly the lead changed hands and how tightly the front runners stayed grouped through the feature. Lundy’s late pass decided the win, Johnson’s climb from sixth shaped the closing stretch, Roa kept pressure on the leaders, Williams controlled the opening run and Tafoya finished the race inside the top five.
