Johnson dodges mayhem, earns another Bullring win

Demolition derbies routinely feature cars salvaged from a junkyard and given enough life support to turn other cars into abstract art.

Saturday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring, a couple of demolition-derbylike crashes occurred during the featured Super Late Models division race before around 3,000 fans on Keith Danser Kids Candy Toss night.

Mayhem caused four cautions, including a three-car crash with 15 circuits left in the 40-lap feature in the NASCAR All-American Series. On lap 35, a four-car pileup brought a red-flag stoppage.

Justin Johnson had just moved into the lead and was cruising to his third consecutive victory.

“The car is working really good now,” Johnson said of his No. 17 Dodge Charger. “We won’t touch the car. We’ll keep the same setup until the competition catches us.”

Instead of working to catch Johnson this week, his top competition will be rebuilding cars, rather than fine-tuning them.

Dustin Ash, who started on the pole, led for 24 laps until Johnson moved inside and passed him going into the second turn.

The first top runner to get mangled was Jimmy Parker Jr. on lap 26.

Less than 10 laps later, Ash and Tom Lovelady, running second and third respectively, took each other out. Travis Swalwell, in the fourth position, was left with nowhere to go, and his No. 98 slammed Ash.

Johnson, 21, took over the points lead in his division and beat runner-up Steve Anderson to the finish line by 2.075 seconds. Johnson patiently picked his spots moving to the front.

“I was looking for opportunities,” Johnson said, explaining his steady drive to the front. “It’s more mental than physical.”

Not for the crews of several of his competitors. This week, it will be more physical than mental as they rebuild.

Other winners were: Doug Hamm (Late Models), Charlie Wahl (IMCA Modifieds), Darren Rollins (Chargers) and Don Sargent (Bombers).