Irwindale, CA., Jul. 31 – Wild finishes, a first-time Pepsi Super Late Model feature winner and four point leaders extend their lead in their respective divisions. All of that took place in front of almost 3,000 spectators at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale this past Saturday.

In the NASCAR Pepsi One Super Late Model twin 40 lap features, the first main included a season-high car count of 23 cars and Andy Allen grabbed the checkered for his first ever Super Late Model feature win. VAR Driver Dusty Davis was the Fastest qualifier and started from pole in a backup car (the spare No. 90 Vision Airlines car renumbered 94 after Dusty wrecked his primary 94 Fusion during Friday night practice). Outside front row starter Andy Allen shot into the lead and held the point for the full 40 laps. Allen won over Luis Martinez with point leader and VAR driver Justin Johnson in his Vision Airlines 98 charging from his sixth starting spot to pickup third. VAR driver Davis piloted his backup Fusion to fourth.

In the second Pepsi Super Late Model feature, 21 cars took the green with a six-car inversion putting Travis Thirkettle and VAR driver Justin Johnson first and second with a charging Andy Allen starting third. Johnson grabbed the lead immediately over King and Allen. Allen took second on lap 3 and by lap 12 trailed Johnson by 5 car lengths. A pair of yellows on lap 13 bunched the field and Johnson chose the outside for both double-file restarts. On the restart, Allen out-dragged Johnson leaving the fourth turn and led laps 13-22. They ran side-by-side with Allen high and Johnson low until lap 23 when Johnson executed an inside pass in turn two and then opened half a straightaway advantage by the checkered flag. Johnson won his seventh SLM main this season in 14 races. After the win, Johnson told the crowd, “I thought I got jumped on that restart, but Chuck Wahl (crew chief) gave
me a good car and I got back by him.” Johnson’s VAR Teammate dusty Davis came home seventh after starting sixth as the FQ. If Johnson can win again and get his eighth Feature he will be in elite company tied with only three other Irwindale drivers to accomplish eight single-season feature victories.