Grassroots stock car racing action hit the dirt track at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville on Friday night, highlighted by victory in the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature for the Hall of Famer Jim Pettit II and by a wild Hobby Stock 20-lap affair won by popular driver Adriane Frost of Watsonville. The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds dirt track enjoyed five divisions of racing action.
Aromas’ Raymond Keldsen, Jr. drove around the outside of polesitter Kyle Bryan of Freedom at the start of the Modified nightcap, swooping into the lead on lap one. Salinas’ Robert Marsh and Pettit used the outside line to drive into second and third respectively. Pettit hounded Marsh but was unable to pass him for second, until Marsh spun in turn four. Marsh continued but surrendered several positions.
Keldsen had a nearly 2.5 second advantage on Pettit at that stage on lap 10, but Pettit went to work reeling him in. By lap 16, Pettit drove underneath him in turn four to take the lead position. The caution flew a lap later for Bryan spinning out of the top-five in turn four.
Pettit fended off a nose to tail line of Cody and Austin Burke over the final six laps of competition. Pettit, Cody Burke, Austin Burke, Keldsen, and Jonathan Hagio of Prunedale were the top-five finishers.
Hobby Stock action featured over half a dozen lead changes with 2020 IMCA Sport Modified champion Adriane Frost prevailing.
DJ Keldsen used the outside line to lead lap one of the feature. Frost clawed back towards him, charging inside in turn four to lead lap six. Keldsen crossed her over and retook the lead on lap seven. Frost reloaded and again made the bottom in turn four work to take over on lap ten. Defending track champion Joe Gallaher spun on lap 11 to bring out a caution flag.
Keldsen used the restart to slide past Frost and lead lap 11. Frost tried her moves on the bottom yet again in a never ending battle. Frost took over on lap 13 but Keldsen seized it right back on lap 15 with a power move in turn four. Keldsen then spun from the lead in turn one to bring out the caution and surrender the lead.
A wild restart saw Keldsen try to go underneath the pack coming to green. He marched towards Frost to retake the lead on lap 18 but it was nullified as he was called for jumping the start. Frost was credited with victory followed by Bobby Gallaher, Keldsen, Norm Ayers of Corralitos, and Joe Gallaher.
2023 IMCA Sport Modified champion Chuck Golden of Pittsburg won the 20-lap feature on Friday night. Golden took the lead from the outside pole position at the drop of the green flag. Yreka’s Bo Crebs made a slidejob attempt for the lead on lap ten to no avail. David Crocker of Gilroy’s second spin of the night set up a four lap run to the finish. Incoming points leader Email VanHoff of Chowchilla tried to challenge Golden for the lead. Crebs spun for another caution with three to go.
Coming to the checkered flag, VanHoff made a big maneuver in turn four to challenge Golden but fell short. Golden got the win followed by Santa Cruz’ Steven Allee, TJ Etchison of Watsonville, Watsonville’s Alexander Mead in his first start in over six years, and VanHoff.
2023 Four Banger champion Jason Lazzerini of Moss Landing dominated the 15-lap feature, which carried bonus money courtesy of Mead Performance. Tony Gullo of Watsonville, Thomas Cumming of San Jose, Nichole Beardsley of Felton, and Felton’s Travis VanGilder were the top-five finishers.
Santa Cruz County Sheriffs AJ Waltrip won the Police-in-Pursuit for Special Olympics. Ben Standen of Scotts Valley Police held off last race winner Kevin Elliott of Scotts Valley Polce in a thrilling battle for second.
Ocean Speedway returns on Friday night June 7 with Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo, Hobby Stocks, Four Bangers, and South Bay Dwarf Cars.
Ocean Speedway June 14, 2024 – Race Results
IMCA Modifieds A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 6-Jim Pettit II[6]; 2. 20-Cody Burke[5]; 3. 25-Austin Burke[3]; 4. 01-Raymond Keldsen Jr[2]; 5. 46N-Jonathan Hagio[7]; 6. 46-Kyle Bryan[1]; 7. 09-Ryan DeForest[8]; 8. 22-Robert Marsh[4]; 9. 3-Todd Hermosillo[9]
IMCA Sport Mods A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 3G-Chuck Golden[2]; 2. 39-Steven Allee[4]; 3. 28E-TJ Etchinson III[3]; 4. 16-Alexander Mead[8]; 5. 4M-Emali VanHoff[5]; 6. 25J-Jason Womack[7]; 7. 168-Bo Crebs[6]; 8. 33-Mike Gil[1]; 9. 22W-Charlie Hunter[10]; 10. 15-David Crocker[9]
Hobby Stock A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 22-Adriane Frost[1]; 2. X1-Bobby Gallaher[3]; 3. 01-DJ Keldsen[2]; 4. 51-Norm Ayers[5]; 5. 1-Joe Gallaher[6]; 6. 8-Wayne Reeder[4]
Four Banger A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 0-Jason Lazzerini[1]; 2. 52-Tony Gullo[4]; 3. 8-Thomas Cumming[7]; 4. 2-Nicole Beardsley[5]; 5. 112-Travis VanGilder[8]; 6. 10-Amaya Flower[10]; 7. 28J-Joshua Silva[6]; 8. 25-Bill Beardsley[3]; 9. 37-Peter Vannerus[2]; 10. 16-Lilly Mead[9]
Police-in-Pursuit A Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 14-AJ Waltrip[2]; 2. 13-Ben Standen[1]; 3. 36-Kevin Elliott[7]; 4. K9-Jerry Ogg[4]; 5. 134-Pat Sullivan[3]; 6. 62-Thomas Cumming SR[5]; 7. 45-Mitch Pisciotta[6]
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