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Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Nick Joanides Takes 2 at Toyota Speedway

Nick Joanides, a driver from Woodland Hills, who last season became the first driver in NASCAR Whelen All American Series history to capture both the Super Late Model and Late Model championships at a track in one season, got back to his winning ways on Saturday night at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.

Joanides won the first of two Late Model features, and then slid to victory in the fun yet challenging Skid Plate race. In the first Late Model race, Joanides held off Saugus’ Sean Woodside for the win. Rookie Brandon Davis, from Henderson, Nevada, finished a career best third.

In race two, Mike Johnson, a series regular from nearby Covina, beat Woodside in another great race. Chris Holloway, a second year driver from Bakersfield, finished third. Joanides recaptured the points lead from rookie Rod Johnson Jr., who was plagued by motor issues in race one and was involved in an incident in race two. Joanides holds a 10-point lead over four drivers; Johnson Jr., Holloway, Travis Irving and rookie Christian Copley.

In the Skid Plate race, Joanides passed series founder Robert Rice with two laps remaining for the win. Skid Plate cars are front-wheel drive cars with the rear tires removed and replaced with metal plates.

Ryan Partridge, a driver from Rancho Cucamonga, stayed perfect in the Super Trucks division. Partridge took his fifth pole and parlayed it into his fifth win of the season. He leads Monrovia’s Todd Cameron by 14 points in the season standings. Cameron finished second, and has not placed lower than third all year. Matt Kimball, from Mission Viejo, took home third place.

Ken Michaelian won his fourth Classic Stocks race of the year. The Lawndale native and defending series champion beat Mike Colato Jr. to the stripe. Tom Whitson, from Lake Hills, came home third.

Eric Sunness won the Super Stocks main event. The driver from Chatsworth picked up his second victory of the year. Bryan Harrell, and former series champion from Riverside, finished second, with current points leader Rich DeLong III of Santa Clarita finishing third.

Austin Murphy put his name in the history books, winning the first ever Open Stock Car race at Toyota Speedway. Murphy beat Garret Cromsigt by nearly a half lap. Ken Michaelian finished third.

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