JOANIDES TAKES FIRST AND SECOND IN TWIN RACES

(05-02-09) IRWINDALE, California — Toyota Speedway at Irwindale hosted its premier AC Delco Super Late Models Saturday in twin-35 lap features during NASCAR Whelen All-American Weekly Racing action on the progressively banked half-mile. The five division, six main event program attracted about 2,000 fans on USG-Family Night for races on the half and third-miles and on the Figure 8 course. Danny Gay, 35, won the first AC Delco SLM 35 after starting fourth in an impressive 22-car field that had a three-car inversion based on qualifying times. The second SLM 35 had a straight-up starting lineup based on finishing positions in the first 35. Point leader Nick Joanides, who traded the lead three-times with Gay and chased him home in the first race, started second and led all 35 laps in the second event. Gay scored his first career victory at Irwindale. Joanides' triumph was his 23rd at TS@I, tying him with Dean Kuhn for 10th place on the track's list of career main event winners at the 11 year old track.

1st SLM 35: Gay, a resident of Lakeside (San Diego area) won $1,250 for his initial TS@I victory. He has collected almost 100 feature first place trophies during his career with more than 50 victories alone at his home track—Cajon Speedway—which closed after 2004. He also logged winning efforts at tracks in San Bernardino, Tucson and Lake Havasu, AZ. His best prior TS@I finish was third place on April 18 in his own black and silver No. 01 Chevy. Gay missed racing in recent years because of a serious off-road crash that left him with one shorter leg following surgery and bone grafting. He had to work for his first victory all 35 laps by dueling Joanides, the hottest driver at the track this season. Joanides led the first two laps and lap 4. Gay shot from fourth to second on the initial lap. He passed Joanides on the inside at turn four and led lap 3. Joanides used an outside pass at the starting line to lead the fourth lap. Inside-running Gay retook the point on lap 5 and held it to the lap 35 checkers despite heavy pressure from Joanides, who said his car was “bottoming out” during the event. Gay jumped to the outside once he cleared Joanides Chevy and forced him to challenge from the inside groove. Pole starter Luis Martinez, Jr, 19, finished third. Quickest qualifier/third starter Rip Michels finished fourth after radioing to his team under a lap 16 caution that his car was “too free on top and OK on the bottom”. Dan Moore, 16-year old Bear Rzesnowiecky, David Ross, Travis Thirkettle, Ron Esau and Jeff Eshleman, second oldest of three racing sons of former Fontana mayor David Eshleman, completed the top ten. Seventeen of 22 starters (16 on the lead lap) finished the 18-minute race that had two yellow flags for one and two car accidents. Gay defeated Joanides by 0.232 with Martinez 0.757 back and Michels 1.498 in back of the winner.

2nd SLM 35: Following a 90-minute break between the two SLM mains, 21 drivers took the green flag for the second 35. Joanides would not be denied this time and he led all 35 circuits. He held off challenger Michels, the all-time TS@I feature winner with 57 triumphs, by 1.170 seconds. Moore started fifth and finished third, 1.958 back. When the top finishers met the media later, Michels said, “Nick is so solid right now I had nothing for him. I drove my butt off for 35 laps and couldn't catch him.” Winner Joanides stated, “ “We beat the king of Irwindale so I can't complain. First and second finishes, that's a good point night. The Jackson team gives me such a great car each week it's hard to screw up.” Red-hot Joanides now has won four of the six ACD SLM features this season, plus two of the four Auto Club Late Model mains this year in Loyd McGhee-owned, Mr. Crane backed Chevrolets. His 600 “batting average” has him atop the points in both top tier TS@I NASCAR weekly racing series. He won the 2008 SLM title and finished a close second to Tim Huddleston in the 2008 ACLM title-run.

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