RJ Johnson moves to top of Super Late Model standings at Irwindale

IRWINDALE – RJ Johnson of Canyon Country won the NASCAR Super Late Models race and took over the lead in the Super Late Model standings at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.

Kevin Thompson from Conroe, Texas, who entered the race as the leader in the Super Late Model standings, crashed into the backstretch wall on the first lap of the race. He did not return.

Jason Patison from Corona, who was third in the Super Late Model standings, was collected in a crash on the second lap of the race with Dennis Schlarbaum of La Habra. Neither driver returned to the race.

Ryan Partridge of Rancho Cucamonga held the lead for the first half of the race. Johnson was the fast qualifier but had to work his way to the front after an inverted start put him 13^th.

It was Johnson’s fourth win in five Super Late Model starts. Partridge finished second, followed by Race Liberante of Quartz Hill in third.

In other races, Gerrit Cromsigt of Saugus won the NASCAR Super Stocks race, his second of the season and his first since opening night.

Rich De Long III of Santa Clarita, the leader in the Super Stocks standings, was second. It was his second runner-up finish of the season. He leads the Super Stocks standings by eight points even though he has not won a race this year.

Curtis White of Norwalk, who is second in the Super Stocks standings, was third.

Andrew Anderson of Lancaster won the S2 stock car race and took over the lead in the standings at the track. It was his second win of the season. He has three runner-up finishes to go with his two wins.

Joe Anderson from Valencia was second followed by Nik Romano of Atherton in third. Andrew Porter from La Verne, who entered the night tied for first place with Anderson in the S2 standings, was fourth.

Riki Rachtman of Hollywood, of “Headbangers Ball” and “Loveline” fame, crashed into Trevor Huddleston in the S2 race and finished 10^th.

Frankie Muniz, who starred in the TV show “Malcolm in the Middle,” was at the track to watch the races. He is planning on racing in the S2 stock cars in two weeks.

Eric Gunderson of San Diego won the Legends Cars race, his first of the season. Brent Scheidemantle of Alta Loma was second, followed by Donny St. Ours of Upland in third.

Chad Schug of Oak Hills, the leader in the Legends Cars standings, was seventh.

Daniel Nikolai of Granada Hills won the Bandoleros race, his fifth of the season. Christian McGhee of La Verne, the leader in the Bandoleros standings, was second, followed by Mikael Lovas of Menifee in third.

Austin Grabowski of Uplan won the Open Comp race. He was followed by Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley in second and Jerry Toporek of Venice in third.