PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Justin Sanders and Shane Golobic have been a part of some classic battles over the years in California and on opening night at Placerville Speedway, the pair provided the crowd on hand with a show they won’t soon forget.
At the end it was Sanders who came on top by just inches at the Ron Stahl checkered flag, following 25 hard fought laps of competition with the Thompson’s Family of Dealerships Winged Sprint Cars. It marked the 22nd career Winged 360 triumph at Placerville Speedway for Sanders, giving him sole possession of ninth all-time.
The Thompson’s Winged 360 Sprint Car feature came to the line with Tanner Carrick and Colby Copeland sharing the front row. Things got off to an exciting start as the pair went three wide with Golobic, prior to a caution waving after a lap was complete. Track conditions were in tip top shape, lending to some of the best Sprint Car racing we’ve seen in some time on the red clay.
Once things got into a groove it was Carrick holding command as heavy duty lapped traffic came into play, which bunched up the front runners. Carrick, Golobic, Copeland and Sanders raced inches from each other through traffic, zig zagging their way around the quarter-mile. Golobic, last years winner on Legends Night, would slice his way to the inside and snag the lead on 13, only to have Carrick return the favor a couple circuits later.
The relentless Golobic kept at it and drove back by Carrick for the top spot on lap 19. Sanders also followed along, jumping into the runner up position. A green, white, checkered restart set up the thrilling conclusion in which Golobic and Sanders battled back and forth to decide the winner. With the duo racing off turn four to the checkered flag, Sanders executed a picture-perfect cross over move to nip Golobic at the line by 0.026 seconds.
Copeland, Carrick and Tony Gomes rounded out the top-five in the event that was broadcast live by SPEED SPORT affiliate CaliDirt.tv.
Sharing victory lane on opening night were Josh Young with the Wingless Sprint Cars, Nick Baldwin with the Red Hawk Casino Pure Stocks and Matt Micheli with the Anrak Corporation Limited Late Models.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 4SA-Justin Sanders[4]; 2. 17W-Shane Golobic[3]; 3. 5V-Colby Copeland[2]; 4. 83T-Tanner Carrick[1]; 5. 7C-Tony Gomes[7]; 6. 35-Sean Becker[8]; 7. 3-Kaleb Montgomery[6]; 8. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[5]; 9. 21-Shane Hopkins[15]; 10. 92-Andy Forsberg[17]; 11. X1-Michael Faccinto[10]; 12. 21T-Cole Macedo[13]; 13. 5H-Brinton Marvel[14]; 14. 9L-Luke Hayes[9]; 15. 87-Ashlyn Rodriguez[20]; 16. 12R-Mitchell Faccinto[18]; 17. 12J-John Clark[19]; 18. 21X-Gauge Garcia[12]; 19. 25-Justin Johnson[11]; 20. 37-Michael Pombo[16]