Mike Johnson wins NASCAR Late Model race at Irwindale

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Mike Johnson, a driver from Covina, won his second NASCAR Late Model race of the season at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night. Then he boldly predicted he wouldn’t lose another race at the track.

Pat Mintey Jr., a driver from Quartz Hill, won the NASCAR Super Trucks race, snapping the three-race winning streak of R.J. Johnson, a driver from Canyon Country. Mintey won his third race of the season and his first since April 18.

The Super Trucks race featured a pair of past track champions. Rod Johnson, the father of R.J. Johnson, won the first NASCAR Super Late Model championship at Irwindale in 1999. John Watkinson, a driver from Canyon Country, won two track championships at Irwindale. He won the Grand American Modified championships at the track in 2002 and 2006. They were both making their season debuts in the Super Trucks division.

Go to www.haddockinthepaddock.com for video interviews of the drivers and all the race results from Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.

-- Tim Haddock