Johnson Wins in New Division

Chris Johnson showed Saturday night that he has the potential to be a champion in Irwindale Speedway’s super late model class, just as he was in the West Coast pro truck series the last two years.

Johnson was a winner in his second race in his new division, finishing .478 of a second ahead of pole-sitter David Beat in the 50-lap race on the half-mile track.

Joe Herold, the pole-sitter in the super trucks race, was taken from the track in an ambulance when his truck hit the wall after a collision on the 36th lap. Herold was not hospitalized, a speedway official said. The scheduled 40-lap race was called off another collision in the first lap after the restart, with Ron Peterson declared the winner.

Brian Harrell won the 25-lap super stock race and Tom Dye the 30-lap mini stock race.

Jesse James, host of the Discovery Channel series “Monster Garage” and husband of actress Sandra Bullock, finished second in the Figure 8 race behind Tom Smith.

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-- Steven Herbert