Johnson Wins but Doesn’t Gain Ground

Rod Johnson won the first of Saturday night’s NASCAR Lucas Oil Super Late Models Twin 50 races at Irwindale Speedway, but his hopes of moving closer to series leader Todd Southwell ended just before the halfway point of the second race.

Johnson started on the pole and was second behind Southwell when mechanical problems forced him out on the 23rd lap of the 50-lap race at the half-mile track. Southwell went on to complete the wire-to-wire victory, finishing 0.26 of a second ahead of Andrew Phipps.

Southwell, who finished sixth in the first race, leads Phipps, 594-538, in the standings with four races remaining. In the first race, Johnson tookthe lead from Russell White with three laps to go and won by .465 of a second for his second victory of the season.

Johnson posted the fastest qualifying time, but started third under the track’s inversion system. He took the lead from White on the 16th lap, then kept it for the next 30, including 26 under two yellow flags. White took the lead on the first lap under the green flag, only to have Johnson pass him one lap later.

-- Steven Herbert