MERCED, Calif. — This week the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars will travel to two quintessential California facilities: a pair of tight, racy quarter-mile tracks.Â
The series visits Merced Speedway on Friday night and journeys to Ocean Speedway in Watsonville the following night.
The region was well represented last weekend at Thunderbowl Raceway as Fresno’s Gio Scelzi and Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson picked up victories, but the Golden State locals will be aiming for a better showing this weekend.
At Thunderbowl Raceway, Shane Golobic and Dominic Scelzi were the only drivers from the truly local crop to claim top-10 finishes. Golobic finished 10th on Friday, while Scelzi led nine laps in Saturday’s main event before finishing seventh.Â
• A trio of noteworthy California drivers who were absent last weekend are expected to be added to this weekend’s roster.
Tim Kaeding intends to race both nights in the Bates-Hamilton Racing No. 42x sprint car.
While none of Kaeding’s 21 career victories with the Outlaws have come at either track, “TK” did finish runner-up in the series’ most recent trip to Merced in 2014 and has podiumed in three of the four World of Outlaws visits to the track.
Kaeding is a seven-time NARC Fujitsu General Sprint Car Series winner at Ocean Speedway with his most recent victory there coming last year.
• Justin Sanders is expected to be in action as he continues to hunt his first World of Outlaws triumph.
Sanders’ feature debut with the nation’s top sprint car series came at Merced back in 2011 and he’s the most recent NARC winner there.
Ocean Speedway is Sanders’ home track and he’s enjoyed boundless success at the Santa Cruz county oval. The Aromas, Calif., native owns roughly 50 victories in Watsonville and looks to add one more to the list that would stand out above the others.
• On Saturday at Ocean Speedway, Bud Kaeding plans to get his season rolling aboard the BK Racing No. 69.
Like Sanders, Kaeding is chasing an inaugural World of Outlaws triumph. All three of Kaeding’s 2021 sprint car victories came in 360 competition.
• The entry lists this weekend are also expected to feature many of the locals who competed at Tulare.
Shane Golobic notched a top-10 on Friday night at Thunderbowl Raceway and has a solid chance at potentially moving into the top five this weekend.
Back in 2013, the Matt Wood Racing driver finished sixth with the World of Outlaws at Merced. More recently, in 2020, Golobic stood on the second step of the podium at a Lucas Oil ASCS event there.
Ocean Speedway is where Golobic has really shined. The facility is home to Golobic’s first NARC victory in 2008 and four of his 13 series victories.
• Dominic Scelzi will be especially hungry for a victory after leading his first laps with the World of Outlaws at Thunderbowl.
Merced has been kind to “The Dominator” in recent appearances with his last three starts producing podium finishes.
It’s been a mixed bag for Scelzi as of late at Ocean Speedway as he’s endured some crashes on the narrow surface, but he also picked off a pair of wins there last year.
• Colby Copeland has both events on his calendar.
Just last year Copeland secured his first Sprint Car Challenge Tour 360 sprint car victory at Merced and followed it up with a podium finish there in November.
Like Golobic, Copeland claimed his first NARC triumph at Ocean Speedway.
• While the local competition is strong, the full-time Outlaws continued to prove why they’re the best last weekend, occupying many of the top-10 spots.
Points leader David Gravel will look to continue his fast start to the year in which he’s finished no worse than seventh through seven events.
The most recent series race at Merced was won by Gravel in 2014.
In Gravel’s lone Ocean Speedway start, he finished 13th back in 2016, which was the series most recent appearance there.
• Speaking of the 2016 WoO event at Ocean Speedway, three-time and defending champion Brad Sweet went to victory lane that evening. Sweet also claimed the 2020 ASCS race at Merced during an off-weekend for the Outlaws.
Chasing Sweet to the line at Ocean Speedway in 2016 were Shark Racing teammates Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen.
• None of Donny Schatz’s 303 series victories have come at Merced or Ocean Speedway.
The 10-time WoO champion’s best showing at each track came during his first visits there. Back in 2000, Schatz came home third at Ocean Speedway and in 2011, he claimed the fifth spot in Merced.
• In other local California racing news, Andy Forsberg became the first driver to win two features in the Golden State this year as he stayed undefeated at Marysville Raceway this season.
• Placerville Speedway is set to kick off their weekly 360 sprint car action this Saturday.