Johnson on his way to his fourth straight victory. Photo by Anne Cypress
IRWINDALE, CA – What more could an estimated 4,000 fans in attendance want but a Bristol Style night of racing.
The night began with Ken Michaelian winning for the fifth straight time and ended with Mike Johnson continuing his promise of winning the remainder of the Auto Club Late Model events.
In between those events, Ryan Reed all but sewed up the Legends Cars title.
There was also a Skid Plate Car exhibition, which saw front-wheel drive cars run on the 1/3rd mile track with no rear tires. It was quite a site to see.
CLASSIC STOCKS – 35 LAPS
For the eighth time this season, Ken Michaelian won the Classic Stock race to open a night of racing. It was his fifth straight victory.
Michaelian made a impressive move in the apex of turn three and four to pass Tommy Agosta and David Foster to get the lead on lap 18.
Agosta took the lead on lap four in turn one when he passed Tommy Mason, who led four laps.
Foster was able to take advantage of pole-sitter Mike Colato Jr’s engine problems to get the third place.
Michaelian extended his series lead to fifty points on Agosta who finished second for the fifth straight time.
The victory all but clinched the Classic Stock title for Michaelian.
KING TACO SUPER TRUCKS – 40 LAPS
Rod Johnson Jr was able to take a yellow-checkered finish when he was on the lead on the final lap.
It was his fifth victory of the season.
The caution flag was thrown when Taylor Cuzick got into the back and spun division leader Pat Mintey Jr on lap 40.
For Mintey it was a blessing for the race to end under caution as he and Cuzick should have been sent to the back if they went with a green-white-checker flagged re-start. The finale helped Mintey gain two points in the championship chase against Ron Peterson.
Johnson gained the lead from Grant Hebner on lap 16, when he passed Hebner in turn two.
Jeff Peterson finished third.
LEGEND CARS – 50 LAPS
Rookie Dallas Montes won his second straight victory in the division in a caution filled fifty lap event.
Montes inherited the lead on lap 46 and held off division leader Ryan Reed on the final four laps for the victory.
The race from lap 27 to lap 46 was between Brent Scheidemantle and Brandon Toy who were battling for the lead when, Toy appeared to have caused Scheidemantle to spin in turn two.
With Toy being sent to the back of the pack, it meant that Reed now has 48 point lead with one race to go.
Toy’s championship dreams may have been dashed with the incident that occurred on lap 46 as his 12 point deficit was tripled in one night.
The race saw nine cautions thrown during the race, none worse than Ken Maler Jr. hitting hard into the turn three wall. Maler Jr. was able to get out of his car.
Donny St. Ours was able to survive and get third.
AUTO CLUB LATE MODEL – 50 LAPS
Mike Johnson continued to make good on his promise with his fourth straight victory in the series.
Johnson definitely had the best car of the evening as he distanced the field by 2.640 seconds.
“I have this car set-up,” said Johnson. “Dean Kuhn has helped out and if it wasn’t for Tim Cash giving me the money for new tires we wouldn’t be running very well.”
The race was marred by a early crash that collected points leader Tim Huddleston and Beau DeBard.
Huddleston gets collected by Debard. Photo by Anne Cypress
The wreck began when DeBard did a slide job on Irving and got loose and spun into wall and collected Huddleston as he tried to clear high to avoid the wreck.
The incident cost Huddleston the point-lead as Nick Joanides finished third on the evening.
With his third-place finish Joanides took a eighteen-point lead after the evening and is one-step closer to winning two track championships at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. There are four races left in the points battle.
Joanides was cost second when Huddleston brake-checked while Joanides was attempting to lap the #50.
“Huddleston showed ‘zero’ class,” said Joanides. “He did it to try and take me out of the points race.” Joanides is running on a limited budget and a wreck likely puts him out for the last four races of the year.
“Tim is lucky he didn’t hurt anybody,” said Irving. “That was a dangerous move.”
While all this was going on, Johnson just cruised to another victory.
PICK YOUR PART OUTLAW FIGURE 8’S – 20 LAPS
Rod Proctor ended the evening by winning the PYP Outlaw Figure 8’s by a full lap.
A field of ten took the green flag, but Proctor led the entire race for the victory.
Steve Stewart and Billy Ziemann rounded out the top three.
TOYOTA SPEEDWAY AT IRWINDALE REPORT – Is on every Tuesday from 9 p.m to 10 p.m. at www.midvalleysports.com.
RESULTS –
CLASSIC STOCKS – 30 LAPS
1. Ken Michaelian
2. Tommy Agosta
3. David Foster
KING TACO SUPER TRUCKS – 40 LAPS
1. Jeff Williams
2. Christian Copley
3. Ronnie Davis Jr.
KING TACO SUPER TRUCKS – 40 LAPS
1. Rod Johnson Jr
2. Grant Hebner-R
3. Jeff Peterson
LEGENDS CARS – 50 LAPS
1. Dallas Montes – R
2. Ryan Reed
3. Donny St. Ours
AUTO CLUB LATE MODEL – 50 LAPS
1. Mike Johnson
2. Travis Irving
3. Nick Joanides
4. Dallas Colodny – R
5. Travis Motley
PICK YOUR PART FIGURE 8’S – 20 LAPS
1. Rod Proctor
2. Steve Stewart
3. Billy Ziemann
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