PETALUMA, Calif. — Justin Sanders became the third different winner in as many NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series events, holding off Bud Kaeding to win Saturday’s fast-paced 30-lapper at Petaluma Speedway.
The initial attempt to get the event underway saw Sanders and fellow front row starter Andy Forsberg get together coming out of the fourth corner to take the initial green flag.
Before the red-flag carnage was over, it reeled in four other cars. Sanders escaped with no damage, but Forsberg received the worst of it and was done for the night. The mayhem also forced makeshift repairs on Tim Kaeding’s ride and sent Dominic Scelzi, Kyle Offill and Michael Sellers to the back of the pack for the restart.
Once the line-up was sorted out, the second start was clean and the 30-lap event ran non-stop. Sanders, piloting the Antaya Motorsports Fire Protection Management XXX sprinter, jumped out to an early lead, pursued by Kaeding, Joel Myers Jr., Kaleb Montgomery and Bill Aton.
Things got entertaining on the sixth circuit when the freight train reached lap traffic with Kaeding shadowing the leaders every move as they zigged and zagged through slower cars. The pair raced wheel-to-wheel with Kaeding applying pressure throughout the contest, but Sanders made all the right moves on the hooked up track to secure the $3,500 victory.
Sanders was subdued in victory lane after scoring his seventh series win and 100th sprint car win of his career.
“I never intended to run Andy (Forsberg) off the track and I feel bad for what happened,” said Sanders. “That was not my intention and I never want to win that way.”
Kaeding drove the Al’s Roofing Supply No. 69 to his second runner-up finish in as many weeks.
The 15-year old Myers posted an eye-opening third place finish in his PitStopUSA/Dirt Dudes XXX. Eleventh-starter D.J. Netto scored fourth aboard the Penny Newman Grain KPC to pocket the Swift Metal Finishing hardcharger money. Scelzi rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Justin Sanders, Bud Kaeding, Joel Myers, D.J. Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Kaleb Montgomery, Tim Kaeding, Billy Aton, Austin McCarl, Ryan Robinson, Sean Becker, Sean Watts, Kenny Allen, Kyle Offill, Michael Sellers, Richard Brace Jr., Burt Foland, Geoffrey Strole, Andy Forsberg.