Joanides Wins Fourth Consecutive Race with Second Twins Sweep

BY TIM KENNEDY

(06-20-09) IRWINDALE, California —  A night of near caution-free racing Saturday had four of five main events run under the green flag all the way after original or restarts during the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale Salute to Father's Day. NASCAR AC Delco Super Late Model point leader Nick Joanides earned a belated present three days after his birthday on Wednesday. The Woodland Hills resident won his second consecutive SLM twin-40 lap victories, proving his double dip two weeks earlier was not a fluke. His twin victories Saturday gave Joanides eight triumphs in 11 SLM features this season. He also has two victories in eight Auto Club Late Model features this season giving him 27 career TS@I feature trophies—all earned since late 2006. Joanides is now tied for ninth place with Bryan Harrell on the list of all-time feature winners at the 11 year old track Interestingly, 26 of his 27 trips to victory lane have come since August of 2007 when he first climbed aboard the Loyd McGhee-owned Mr. Crane backed Jackson Race Cars built Chevy Monte Carlos in the track's two premier Whelen All-American Weekly Racing Series divisions (ACDelco Super Late Models and Auto Club Late Models).

With fathers and children 15 and under admitted free for Father's Day weekend, an estimated 3,500 spectators watched personable Joanides repulse intense pressure from Rip Michels all the way in both 40-lap mains on the progressively banked, half-mile. Michels set the fastest qualifying time during late afternoon time trials on both qualifying laps. Drivers' first timed lap set starting positions for the first 40 and their second qualifying lap set starting positions for the second 40. Michels started fourth in the first main and fifth in the second feature. Joanides started second in both races. He departed the track with a 64-point lead (544-480) over Michels, who remains winless this season despite strong showings all season in the SLM series. Joanides also leads the Auto Club Late Model Standings.

1st SLM 40: In the first feature of the night, fourth quickest qualifier/pole starter Luis Martinez, Jr., 19, led the first lap over fellow front row starter Joanides. On lap 2 Joanides shot past Martinez on the outside from turn four to the starting line to take command for good. Michels came from fourth slot to pass Martinez on lap 3 and began his pursuit of friendly rival Joanides. On lap 12 two back-markers looped and caused Joanides to slow and pull to his left exiting turn four after his spotter told him about the yellow flag. Michels shot past Joanides leaving the fourth turn on the outside, but because of the caution flag he had to return to second place for the resumption of racing. With Joanides running the outside and Michels using the inside groove, they were seldom more than a few lengths apart. Michels Hot Rod Hobbies Ford Fusion closed in more tightly on Joanides during the final three laps. On lap 39 in turn four his right front tapped the leaders' left rear and got Joanides' Chevy loose. “Nine out of ten times we would have spun out in that situation,” the winner told the media. “It was definitely dirt tracking. It was the most mad I've been after winning a race.” He and Michels later traded banter in the press box. They clearly respect the driving talent of each other and enjoy beating their primary championship rival.

Joanides beat “the king of Irwindale” (with 57 feature triumphs) by 0.197. Martinez logged his second third place finish this year and was 2.370 seconds behind the winner. The second year SLM driver finished a career-best second in March on opening night. Travis Thirkettle, Danny Gay, Bear Rzesnowiecky, Dave Beat, David Ross, 18-year old rookie Mackena Bell, from Carson City, NV, and Jeff Eshleman completed the top ten. Bell's ninth was her career-best TS@I finish in her tenth start. Fifteen of the season-low 17-car field finished and 14 drivers completed all 40 laps in a 15:09.722-timed race that had only one brief caution on lap 12.

2nd SLM 40: The final race of the speedy program Saturday concluded at 9:12 pm. Joanides out-dragged pole starter Ross and led all 40 laps. Michels came from fifth to third on lap 3 and reached second on lap 12. The top three—Joanides, Michels and Martinez—ran closely again in a near duplicate scenario to the first 40. The all-green flag race took 12:432.846. Michels again tried a white flag inside move to pass Joanides, but he trailed by 0.211 this time. Michels told the media, “The lapped car on the inside (leaving turn four on the final lap) didn't cost me the win. I didn't have enough to get by Nick. When things are going your way you have good luck. Right now things are just clicking for Nick. They have their stuff together this year.” 

The evening was also the third event in the Slick Mist Super Six Series. This, Lucas Oil sponsored program is a special competition featuring TOYOTA Speedway’s Super Late Model division. The top three drivers who accumulate the most points competing in the six designated races making up the Slick Mist Super Six will share a $10,000 jackpot. Joanides has won two of the three with a second place finish in the other event. He leads that point race by 12 over Danny Gay. Michels sits third, 32 points back of the leader.

As of this writing, in addition to leading the standings in the tracks two premier divisions (SLM & LM) and the Slick Mist series, Joanides also leads the Whelen All-American Weekly Racing Series California State standings and is ranked fourth overall in the National Standings. For the State title, drivers compete against other drivers from the four Nascar sanctioned tracks in the state. For the National title, drivers compete against more than 2,000 drivers at more than 60 tracks across the country. While currently ranked fourth, Joanides has run three fewer races than current point leader and defending National Champion, Phillip Morris. Joanides however has a series leading 44.73 points per race average compared with Morris' 41.07 points per race average.

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