Congratulations Billy Johnson!
MotoIQ Staff Report
MotoIQ's professor of race craft, Fast Lap Columnist Billy Johnson was victorious last weekend in the Salt Lake City 200 Koni Grand Am Cup race at Miller Motorsports Park. In an exciting knockdown-drag-out battle with the defending race winner Bill Auberlen, Johnson passed Auberlen in Turn 1 of Lap 46, the final lap of the two-and-a-half hour race to win by a narrow 1.095 seconds. This was Johnsons second Grand Sport (GS) victory of 2009 and the first ever for co-driver Jack Roush Jr, son of the legendary Jack Roush. Check out the Video here!
Johnson originally took the lead on Lap 31 from Dean Martin and led seven laps before Auberlen grabbed the lead back and held it until Lap 38. Johnson put the No. 61 Valvoline/Roush Ford Mustang GT back out in front on Lap 39 on the front straightaway, and the two ran nose-to-tail for the next three circuits. On Lap 42, however, Auberlen slipped off the track momentarily, allowing Johnson to distance himself for about a lap.
Auberlen quickly regained his composure and on Lap 45, repassed Johnson for what he was hoping to be his second consecutive victory and the fourth straight for the Turner MotorsportsTeam which had won every GS race at Miller prior to Friday. It was not to be as Johnson fought back, and drag-raced Auberlen all the way into Turn 1, where he took over the lead with an inside pass once again. Auberlen dogged him around the track, but couldn't get past.
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| Billy Johnson and Co-Driver Jack Roush Jr celebrate their win in GS Class |
Congratulations Billy and Jack Jr!
