WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Justin Sanders continued his winning ways at Ocean Speedway on Friday night by taking the preliminary feature for the Howard Kaeding Classic.
Sanders led all 30 laps of the Taco Bravo 360 sprint car feature after starting on the pole.
In his Demo Mittry owned No. 2x car, Sanders held off a late race charge by Dominic Scelzi after dueling with Bud Kaeding for most of the race on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds quarter-mile dirt oval.
Kaeding finished on the podium and he was followed by Tanner Carrick and Dylan Bloomfield.
Sanders started from the pole courtesy of winning the dash alongside of Kaeding. The two set off in a duel seen many times at Ocean for the last several seasons. Sanders got the jump on Kaeding, leading going into the first turn. The race would go a third of the way before the first yellow flew for a stopped Kurt Nelson. That would be the start of several cautions as on the restart, B Main winner Colby Johnson jumped the cushion in the second turn and drove slowly around the track before coming to a stop in the fourth turn. Under caution his brother, Chase, got a flat right-rear tire and the two Johnson Brothers both ended up in the work area at the same time.
Both were able to make repairs and rejoin the race, however their troubles didn’t end there. Shortly after the restart, Colby Johnson pulled into the infield, out of the race. On the 21st lap, Chase Johnson found himself upside down in the second turn. Both Johnsons were towed back to the pit area, ending their nights.
Just before the red flag stoppage, Carrick had moved around Scelzi for the third spot. On the restart, Scelzi was able to get that position back with the help of a double-file restart.
The race would slow one final time when Tim Kaeding slowed on the track before he could find an exit. The slowdown helped Scelzi as he got around Bud Kaeding on the 28th lap for the runner-up spot. Before he could mount a challenge to Sanders, the checkered flag waved.
The finish:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Bud Kaeding, Tanner Carrick, Dylan Bloomfield, D.J. Netto, Mitchell Faccinto, Landon Brooks, Dominic Gordon, Michael Pombo, Kaleb Montgomery, Jeremy Chisum, Travis Labat, Ryan Rocha, Caeden Steele, Jason Chisum, Caleb Debem, Tim Kaeding, Ricky Sanders, Chase Johnson, Colby Johnson, Kurt Nelson
Â