Louisiana's Johnson sweeps first two races in Cocopah Cup Challenge

Sixty laps later, Jason Johnson is $13,000 richer.

And, the driver from Eunice, La., is looking to more than double his money.

The Ragin' Cajun led all 30 laps of Saturday night's Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV American Real Cocopah Cup Challenge feature event at Cocopah Speedway to take the win and the $10,000 payoff, after leading all 30 laps of Friday night's feature event to also win that race and pocket another $3,000.

The sweep puts Johnson, the three-time defending Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour champion, in position to pocket a possible $41,000 when the Cocopah Cup Challenge resumes in November with two more races, including a $5,000 bonus if Johnson can win both of those as well.

“Tell you what, coming away with two victories at the end of the weekend, I'm pretty excited,” said a smiling Johnson from atop victory lane Saturday night.

“I don't know if we had ‘em covered. We started up front, and that was definitely the position to be in, up front. And the guys gave me a great race car.”

Johnson drew the No. 1 position for Friday night's event, and was fortunate enough to draw the top spot again for Saturday night's feature, which prompted Tony Stewart to say jokingly with a laugh, “I wouldn't have come if I'd known it was going to be fixed.”

Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, was in the field both nights, notching a third place finish Friday and settling for fourth on Saturday night.

Finishing second behind Johnson Saturday night was Lucas Wolfe, from Lemoyne, Pa., with Brady Bacon, from Broken Arrow, Okla., in third, Stewart in fourth and Seth Bergman, from Snohomish, Wash., rounding out the top five.

Wolfe had the best chance to keep Johnson out of victory lane by reeling in the race leader and drawing alongside before Johnson got a look at him.

“I kind of glanced one time when I went onto Turn 3, I was running around the top,” said Johnson, “and I seen him trying to put a slider on me. I seen that he was driving to the bottom.

“Lucas Wolfe is a good racer, he's got a lot of experience, and to outrun Lucas and win a race, I'm very excited.”

After seeing how close Wolfe was, Johnson appeared to light the afterburners and motor away, winning by a comfortable margin.

“When you see someone like that all over you, it makes you concentrate and try to get your car into better position, a better spot,” said Johnson.

“The only thing I could adjust from the driver's seat was the wing, so I just got the wing back just a little bit more, kind of looking for a little more drive, and looking for your marks, trying to hit your marks and not get yourself caught up in lapped cars and try to drive a smart race.

“The lucky thing is I get to drive a fast race car.”