Joanides wins NASCAR Late Model championship at Irwindale

Nick Joanides put the perfect book end to a championship season in the NASCAR Late Models at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
Joanides, a driver from Woodland Hills, won the Late Model season finale and captured his first Late Model championship at the track.
Joanides won the opening night race in March and capped his championship season by winning the last race of the Late Model season.
Joanides added to his championships in 2009. He won the NASCAR Super Late Model championship at the track two weeks ago. He became the first driver to win the Super Late Model and Late Model championships at Irwindale in the same season. He also won the NASCAR Whelen All American Series California State championship.
It was the third Late Model win of the season for Joanides and his first win since April 25. Travis Motley of Tucson, Ariz., was second, followed by Travis Irving of Corona in third.
Mike Johnson of Covina won the first of two Late Model races at the track. He was followed by Tim Huddleston of Agoura Hills in second and Irving in third. Joanides was fourth in the first Late Model race of the night.
Huddleston, the runner-up in the Late Model standings, won five races including three in a row from May 9-30.
Johnson won six Late Model races, the most of any driver in the division. He won four in a row July 25 to Sept. 5 and won five of the last seven races of the season.
R.J. Johnson of Canyon Country won the NASCAR Super Trucks race and moved into a tie for first place in the Super Truck standings at the track. Pat Mintey Jr. of Quartz Hill, the reigning Super Trucks champion at Irwindale, came in as the leader in the Super Trucks standings by 10 points. He finished sixth and lost his lead.
It was Johnson’s seventh win of the season and his third in the past four Super Trucks races. Matt Kimball of Mission Viejo was second, followed by Ron Peterson of Riverside in third.
The Super Trucks season finale is Oct. 24.
Dalton Kuhn of San Marcos won the South West Tour Trucks race. Christian Copley of Santa Ynez was second, followed by Jeff Williams of Newbury Park in third.
Christine Thiebert won the demolition derby after her sister, Alisha Thiebert, was disqualified. Tammy Kalb was second, followed by Shayle Zins in third.