Out-of-towners make Ocean Speedway home

WATSONVILLE — The traveling road show of daredevil drivers dominated the local challengers Friday night at Ocean Speedway at Watsonville.

Temecula’s Mike Spencer won the second of four 30-lap USAC/CRA sprint-car features.

Southern California racers Danny Sheridan of Santa Maria and Nic Faas of Huntington Beach won two of the three heat races. The top two qualifying positions were taken by the father-son team of Rip and Austin Williams of Yorba Linda.

Two of the speedway’s rising stars, Ryan Bernal and Taco Bravo series leader Shane Golobic, along with sprint car hall of fame champion Brent Kaeding, were the local threats against the multi-state touring contingent.

Two-time Ocean Speedway champion Bernal qualified third and led 18 of the 30 laps. The 18 year-old Hollister resident was on track for a second consecutive win when Spencer discovered a faster line in the top groove of the race track. The four-time USAC/CRA champion led the final 10 laps.

“Ryan is a very talented racer,” Spencer said. “The only way to get him is to find the fast line before he does. The middle of the racetrack began losing traction so I took a higher line around the track to find some moisture and it paid off. At that moment, I realized I could pass Ryan for the lead.”

Kaeding qualified fifth from a field of 27 challengers and finished eighth in the feature.

Golobic won the second heat race, but missed the start of the main event because the right rear axle broke on the warmup lap.



For the complete article see the 06-19-2012 issue.

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