Irwindale,California - It was a big night for the Vision Aviation Racing Team and 2 hard charging teenagers were the stars of the show. Ryan Reed, 17, and VAR driver Dusty Davis, 18, won the NASCAR Pepsi One Super Late Model twin 40-lap mains at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale Saturday. Davis’ Vision Air teammate Justin Johnson also celebrated by winning his first NASCAR championship. The Las Vegan also won the NASCAR All-American Weekly Racing Series California State Championship.
In the first Pepsi Super Late Model feature, the 22 drivers ran the entire 40 laps under all green in just over 12 minutes. Randel King started from the pole and paced the first 36 laps in a tight duel with fast qualifier Reed and Davis. Partridge took second from Reed on lap 9 and made it a three-way contest with King and Reed. On lap 17 Partridge bumped the second turn wall and slowed to third place before he retired into the infield on lap 18. On lap 37 Reed passed King and opened a half second lead over the final four laps. Second starter Vision driver Davis placed third 4.143 seconds back. Point leader Justin Johnson qualified fifth, but had to move to the back after his No. 98 Vision Airlines Ford Fusion did not meet a ride height measurement prior to the race. Johnson raced forward quickly to sixth by lap 18 where he took on Derek Thorn and David Beat in a three-way fight for fourth place for the next 18 laps. Johnson took fifth from Thorn on lap 36 and fourth from Beat two laps later. His 44 points for fourth place clinched his first NASCAR championship.
In the second Pepsi Super Late Model 40 lapper VAR driver Justin Johnson and Randel King had the front row. After an opening lap crash forced a restart, Johnson grabbed the lead and led the first 37 laps chasing his 11th feature victory this season. At lap 7 with the top four cars in a tight pack, Reed and King made contact fighting for second, Reed spun but continued. On lap 19 the yellow flashed after contact between Reed and Thompson sent Thompson into the first turn wall and out of the race. During the final 21 laps, Reed brought cheers from the large crowd as he raced from sixth to third by lap 27. Then Reed cut the six car length lead of the Vision Airlines lead duo and joined them in a tight, high-low three-way dog-fight for the victory during the final six laps. But on this final night Dusty Davis would not be denied as he passed his VAR teammate Johnson on the inside leaving turn four on lap 38 for his first taste of the lead. On the final lap, Reed used the same inside route in the fourth turn to take second from the Johnson the new track champion. Davis, whose team repaired a broke header after the first 40, led Reed by 0.345 and Johnson by 0.454 at the finish.
Champion Justin Johnson performed some victory donuts on the backstretch for VAR co-owners Steve and Bill Acor. Then he placed the nose of his Ford against the front straight wall under the starter’s stand and did a major burnout. Johnson won his first title by 66 points (904-838) over his VAR teammate Davis. The 2010 champ told the media his VAR team plans to race on the NASCAR K & N Pro West and East circuits next season. He said the team has purchased two Michael Waltrip Racing cars and a shop on the east coast. Additionally, they moved into a larger shop in Las Vegas. Personable Johnson thanked his early career car owner Al Budd, his current VAR car owners, his wife Jenna for her support and love and his entire family. He said he will race in the final K & N West race during November at the Phoenix mile and the just announced Toyota Speedway at Irwindale $50,000 stock car triple-header Saturday, November 27. He added that the VAR team will race in the January 2011 Toyota All-Star Showdown in two divisions. He advised listeners to follow the VAR team plans on www.VisionAirlines.com.
In the Pepsi 2010 Super Late Model division over 12 race dates and 19 main events, Johnson won ten times (53%) and his teammate Davis won four times, giving the Vision Aviation team a 74% winning percentage. The VAR team had both of their team cars and entire crew posed in victory lane for photos at the track. Certainly the VAR team has two very talented young wheel men in Justin Johnson and Dusty Davis but the VAR crew and crew chiefs Chuck and Sonny Wahl as well as past Irwindale champion Rip Michels deserve a great deal of credit for what the VAR team has achieved this year!
Vision Airlines / Vision Aviation Racing - Vision Airlines started in Las Vegas, NV in 1994 with one 9-seat Piper Chieftain Aircraft. Vision Airlines’ founders had spent more than 15 years in the airline, jet charter and Grand Canyon tour industries in Las Vegas and felt there was a need for a company dedicated to safety and customer service. Vision Airlines now operates a fleet of Boeing 767’s, 737’s, Dornier 328 and Dornier 228 aircraft. It has become one of the premier charter airlines in the United States. The company’s experience in domestic and international operations is widely recognized throughout the industry. Vision Airlines has flown for US Presidential candidates, heads of state, countless celebrities and Fortune 500 companies. The company also flies routes between cities within the US and from the US to Cuba. Vision Airlines has offices in Las Vegas, NV, Louisville, KY, Miami, FL, Atlanta, GA and Washington DC.
For more information and to be included on further Vision Aviation Racing updates, contact: Alan Mollet Vision Aviation Racing at 702-354-2526 or alanmollet@msn.com
