HANFORD, Calif. – Ryan Rocha turned 15 less than two weeks ago and one of his goals was to win a feature event at his home track.
He can now cross that off his wish list as Saturday night he piloted his red No. 5R IMCA 305 Racesaver sprint car to victory in the 25-lap feature event at Peter Murphy’s Keller Auto Speedway.
Rocha was followed across the finish line by Michael Pombo and Albert Pombo. There were five members of the Pombo family racing in the 305 class. All but Tony Pombo, who flipped in his heat race, were all able to start the feature.
The winner started on the outside of the front row alongside Connor Danell. After attempting to start the race twice, the red flag would wave when Danell got sideways coming out of the fourth turn and got clipped by Kyle Rasmussen, sending him over on his side and ending his night. He would be the first car out of the race before a single lap was completed.
This moved Rocha to the pole next to Brooklyn Holland. The veteran Holland, the only female to start the feature, would jump to an early lead. She would hold that position through a lap five caution for a Steven Wenzel spin in the third turn. Holland’s car however started the race with an engine miss and Rocha was able to pass her but it would take three attempts to hold the front position as each time he made a pass, the track would go yellow and he would be put back a spot.
Finally on the 13th circuit, Rocha would successfully get around a slowing Holland with a turn 1 pass while on the same lap, Albert Pombo would take over the second spot with a pass in the third turn.
While Rocha was able to master slower traffic, it would be a battle of the brothers Pombo for the second spot. Michael Pombo would get around Albert Pombo, but Rocha was too far ahead to catch.
The finish:
Ryan Rocha, Michael Pombo, Albert Pombo, Brandon Stidham, Phil Heynen, Davey Pombo Jr., Sean Quinn, Bryson Berna, Steven Wenzel, Brooklyn Holland, Connor Danell, Ryan Delisle, Richard Weddle, Jacob Pombo, Kyle Rasmussen, Tony Pombo.