WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Shane Golobic won the 61st annual Johnny Key Classic at the Ocean Speedway on Saturday night.
Golobic’s No. 17w for Matt Woods Racing with help from Elk Grove Ford and NOS Energy Drink, led all 35 laps after starting from the pole. The event marked the first ever Ocean Speedway appearance for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour and added Golobic’s name to the impressive list of past winners.
Dominic Scelzi followed in Golobic’s tire tracks for most of the race and despite several side by side restarts, West Coast’s hottest sprint car driver had to settle for the runner-up spot.
Ryan Robinson, in a tight battle with Justyn Cox for the Series Championship and the winner the night before at the track’s weekly sprint car show, filled out the podium in the winning car from Friday night.
Golobic jumped to the lead from his pole position starting spot from the very start. By lap five, he had caught the tail of the 24-car starting field on the quarter-mile track. The former sprint car track champion had little problem getting through the slower cars but at the same time he showed Robinson and Scelzi the fastest route allowing them to stay within striking distance of the leader.
Mitchell Faccinto, the defending race winner, had a left rear flat tire and would exit the track via the infield without drawing a caution.
Scelzi would get around Robinson on the 12th lap. One lap later, Zane Blanchard spun in the second turn and caused the sixth place running Keith Day Jr to do a half spin up over the inside berm. The caution would come out and with a double file restart, Scelzi was given a spot at Golobic.
It wasn’t until the 20th circuit that Scelzi would get close to the smooth and wily Golobic. For the next 10 laps the race turned into a three-car battle between Golobic, Scelzi and Robinson. With Golobic holding a three-car length advantage, Robinson was about the same distance behind Scelzi as the race’s final caution would come out as the second turn officially bit Day Jr., forcing him to give up fifth.
With a single-file restart and a slicked off track, the race ended as it restarted with Golobic taking advantage of a clear track.
The finish:
Shane Golobic, Dominic Scelzi, Ryan Robinson, Kalib Henry, Corey Day, Tristan Guardino, D.J. Netto, Joey Ancona, Chase Majdic, Bud Kaeding, Colby Copeland, Tanner Carrick, Andy Forsberg, Zane Blanchard, Keith Day Jr., Jake Andreotti, Justyn Cox, Travis Labat, Isaiah Vasquez, Joel Myers, Andy Gregg, Kaleb Montgomery, Tucker Worth, Mitchell Faccinto