STOCKTON, Calif. — Justin Sanders was a smooth operator on a rough racetrack, dominating all 30 laps at Stockton Speedway Saturday night to win the season finale for the Sprint Car Challenge Series.
On the same night, Sanders also scored the NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car victory.
Sanders jumped into the lead from the outside front row at the green flag and settled into the high line around the three-eighth-mile oval and quickly left the field in his jetstream as he soared out to a more than three-second lead while heavy hitters such as Shane Golobic and Dominic Szelzi valiantly tried to find grip on a uneven track.
Sanders’ massive lead was wiped out by a caution flag on lap 16. But even after regrouping and getting a second wind, the field simply couldn’t keep up, as Sanders once again opened up a multl-second lead on an open track and ran around lappers like a slot car as the stragglers wrestled across a rough lower groove.
In the closing stages, lapped traffic slowed Sanders just enough to give Golobic, who had chased the leader from the start, a long-shot at stealing the lead. As the pair came off turn four on lap 28, Golobic dove to the inside of Sanders and got alongside the leader for a split second before Sanders took away the line and drove hard into turn one before taking the checkered flag by a full second over Golobic, Scelzi, Bill Balog and Ryan Timms.
“I just kept my foot down and pushed as hard as I could to keep my momentum up,” said Sanders, who said he was glad to break what he considered a losing streak to claim his 13th win of the season. “I think it’s been 12 weeks since I last won a race.”
About defending against Golobic’s attack in the closing laps, Sanders said, “I closed the door on him a little bit and then drove as straight as I could into turn one,” a move that sealed the win.
Golobic was realistic about his chances to steal the win. “I was able to close up on him, but even when he bobbled in the corner I knew I couldn’t pass him.”
The two contenders for the SCCT championship, Andy Forsberg and Tony Gomes, started side by side in the third row on the grid and both fell back a few spots in the opening laps and battled each other throughout the race for position. Forsberg finished one spot behind Gomes in eighth, but that was enough for him to claim the SCCT title.
The Finish:
Feature (30 Laps): Justin Sanders, Shane Golobic, Dominic Scelzi, Bill Balog, Ryan Timms, Colby Copeland, Tony Gomes, Andy Forsberg, Chase Randall, Dylan Bloomfield, Gauge Garcia, Ashlyn Rodriquez, Chance Grasty Ryan Robinson, Joey Ancona, Michael Faccinto, Ashton Torgerson, Isiah Vasquez, Eric Humphries, Caden Sarale, Josh Wiesz
Tuttle Gets First Win At Stockton
Jacob Tuttle’s win in the Hunt Magento Wingless Tour at Stockton Saturday night was more fitting for an NHRA dragstrip than an oval track. It was unpredictable and historic with a winning margin of only 0.073 seconds.
Shawn Jones jumped into the lead at the drop of the green flag with Tuttle in hot pursuit in what essentially became a two-car race over 25 laps. The two set such a hot pace that they reached slower lapped cars in just six circuits around the three-eighths-mile oval.
On a restart after a lap 12 caution, Jones jumped out to a multi-car length lead before Tuttle began closing in while lapped traffic slowed the leader. Tuttle was right on Jones’ rear bumper as the pair came out of turn four with the checkered flag in sight. After leading 24 and three-fourths of a lap, Jones caught a rut on the exit from turn four that cut his momentum.
Tuttle dove to the inside like a fullback running between tackles and the pair drag raced down the front straightaway with Tuttle winning by a nose.
As he crossed the finish line, Tuttle wasn’t sure who won the race.
“I thought lapped traffic would work in my favor,” said Tuttle about his chances of catching Jones, but still the win was unexpected and became a special memory for Tuttle.
“This is the first race I’ve ever won in my career.”
Jones took the disappointment of finishing runner-up in stride.
“Lapped traffic was tough,” said Jones, “and I didn’t know Tuttle was there.”
Shane Hopkins, Nick robfogel and Jake Morgan rounded out the top five with Morgan claiming the series’ championship.
The Finish:
Feature (25 Laps): Jacob Tuttle, Shawn Jones, Shane Hopkins, Nick Robfogel, Jake Morgan, Jarrett Soares, Nick Larson, Mark Hanson, Josh Young, Brent Steck, Evan Gularte, Shawn Arriaga, Jake Williams, Braidon Moniz, Anthony Snow, Kaimi Moniz-Costa, Eric Hopkins, Trey Walters, Jordan Garretson, Keith Calvino.