Joanides Sneaks to Irwindale Win

Nick Joanides’ late pass Saturday night spoiled Mike Johnson’s hopes for a third consecutive victory in Irwindale Speedway’s late model division.

Johnson, who had won both races of the twin 40s on Aug. 26, led for the first 37 laps of the 40-lap race Saturday on the half-mile track, until being passed by Joanides on the 38th. Division leader Travis Thirkettle moved into second and Johnson dropped to fourth on the next lap.

Joanides held off Thirkettle’s final challenge, winning by 0.587 of a second. Tim Huddleston, second in the season standings, finished third and Johnson fourth.

“We had motor issues the last couple of weeks,” Joanides said after his first victory of the season. “We finally got that rebuilt and that helped us.”

Joanides posted the third-fastest qualifying time and started fifth in the 21-car field under the track’s inversion system.

He swapped second and third places with Thirkettle four times, but never trailed Thirkettle after the 26th lap.

“I was looking for an opportunity [to pass], and I didn’t get one,” Thirkettle said. “Every time I would get along side of him, he’d get a good lap in. It was a hard deal. This is one of the widest race tracks there is that’s hard to pass on. You’ve got to be faster than somebody or willing to do some aggressive moves to get by him.”

Sean Bennett, who started second, was knocked out of the race in an opening-lap collision.

Thirkettle added two points to what was a 25-point lead over Huddleston entering the race and now leads, 648-621, entering Sept. 23’s season finale. Thirkettle would be assured of the championship with at least a 14th-place finish or avoiding finishing 14 or more places behind Huddleston in the finale.

“We’re right where we need to be going into our last championship race,” Thirkettle said.

The winner of each race receives 50 points, the second-place finisher 48, with two points less for each subsequent place.

Joanides, a Woodland Hills resident, received $1,000 for the victory.

-- Steven Herbert

*

Mike Spencer of Temecula celebrated his 25th birthday by passing Tony Jones of Norco on the final corner of the last lap to win the 40-lap Bagley Sprint Car Classic at Perris Auto Speedway. The victory was Spencer’s second USAC/CRA win of the season.

Spencer hit the wall in qualifying and had to settle for the 35th fastest time. Spencer avoided a number of mishaps from his 22nd starting position and was in perfect position to pull off the last-lap pass when it counted.

Current series point leader Damion Gardner of Concord narrowly escaped an opening-lap pileup that left five cars spun to a stop on the front straight. Gardner eventually took the lead and appeared to be on his way to victory when he hit the wall three laps from the finish.

*

-- Robert Mayson