WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Multi-time Ocean Speedway sprint car champion Justin Sanders knocked another big victory off the checklist, winning the $6,900-to-win 12th annual Howard Kaeding Classic on Saturday night.
Sanders topped Blake Carrick in a tight duel in the NARC Fujitsu General USA Sprint Car Series action.
Sanders had to lead the way through ferocious lapped traffic, leaning on his veteran experience at the quarter-mile at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds to defeat his younger challengers.
“Yeah you know it’s so hard to not get worked up and start doing dumb stuff. I was trying to watch (the traffic) and they were running kind of the same speed,” Sanders said. “I saw Blake (Carrick) stick his nose in off of turn two and I was like ‘Man, I know I didn’t lap him so he’s got to be in second.’ I know he’s really good on the bottom. It was a long race and I got some arm pump from running as hard I could!”
Sanders kicked off the race-winning effort by taking the six-lap Sunnyvalley/Martin Motorsports dash worth $400. Both 2021 HK winner Sean Becker and fifth-starting Dominic Scelzi, the NARC points leader, suffered flat right-rear tires during an opening lap caution.
Sanders grabbed the lead with Tim Kaeding taking a quick look inside of him. Traffic was already presenting itself in front of Sanders by the fifth lap. Joel Myers, Jr. dove inside Sanders in turn three on lap nine but could not complete the pass. Sanders got a reprieve when his teammate Max Mittry stopped in turn four on the same lap with a flat right rear of his own.
Shane Golobic drove into third on the restart while fast-qualifier Willie Croft drifted back to sixth. Carrick charged from 12th, passing Tim Kaeding for fourth in turn four on lap 15. He quickly took third as well on lap 17. He used lapped traffic to advance past Myers in turn two on lap 20, then set his sights on Sanders.
Carrick made several bids on the inside of Sanders over the final 10 laps in a thrilling conclusion to the weekend. Sanders drove through lapped traffic, at times splitting side-by-side lapped cars up the middle, to keep the lead from Carrick.
Sanders used an additional lapped car on the final lap to gain a .856 second advantage over at the finish. Myers finished third while Tim Kaeding rounded out the top-four.
An impressive 22nd to fifth run for D.J. Netto netted him an $800 Hard Charger from Martin Motorsports and Swift Metal Finishing as well.
D.J. Keldsen won the hobby stock feature.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 2X-Justin Sanders[1]; 2. 38B-Blake Carrick[12]; 3. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[4]; 4. 42X-Tim Kaeding[3]; 5. 88N-DJ Netto[22]; 6. 17W-Shane Golobic[8]; 7. 29-Willie Croft[2]; 8. 01-Colby Copeland[10]; 9. 69-Bud Kaeding[18]; 10. 5V-Landon Brooks[9]; 11. 21-Mitchell Faccinto[14]; 12. 22-Ryan Bernal[24]; 13. 83V-Sean Becker[23]; 14. 36-Craig Stidham[20]; 15. 24-Chase Johnson[21]; 16. 73-Kevin Thomas Jr[15]; 17. 121-Caeden Steele[11]; 18. 41-Dominic Scelzi[5]; 19. 17K-Kalib Henry[16]; 20. 3-Kaleb Montgomery[17]; 21. 115-Nick Parker[13]; 22. 72W-Kurt Nelson[6]; 23. 2XM-Max Mittry[7]; 24. 2K-JJ Ringo[19]