WATSONVILLE, Calif. – Justin Sanders won the 30-lap Taco Bravo 360 Sprint Car Series feature event at Ocean Speedway on Friday night.
Sanders drove his familiar yellow No. 17 Triple X Chassis to his ninth series victory of the season.
Mitchell Faccinto, driving the blue No. 37 Western Metal Company car, finished second and Jayson Bright’s black No. 68 filled out the podium. Completing the top-five were Bud Kaeding and Jake Andreotti.
Chase Johnson jumped to an early lead, beating Sanders out of the second corner after starting from the outside pole. Johnson had set fast time in his debut in the Sean Quinn owned No. 28. The Friday the 13th jinx bit Johnson on lap six when he made contact lapping a slower car on the frontstretch. Johnson’s car then went into the first turn, spun sideways and was hit by Bradley Dillard, knocking out the steering controls. Johnson would be the first car to retire from the race, turning the lead over to Sanders.
Once out front, Sanders couldn’t be touched despite the race being slowed four more times by caution periods and a red flag stoppage right after a caution on lap 20.
Jerry Bonnema took a scary flip on the frontstretch when a gaggle of cars got together, sending the speedway veteran over a series of times before he landed upside down close to the first turn entrance with the throttle stuck open.
The remainder of the field was able to avoid the flipped over car and once the track safety crew was able to cut off the engine, the shaken but uninjured Corralitos, Calif., driver was able to walk away from his severely damaged car.
With 10 laps remaining, several battles developed behind Sanders, including Faccinto getting around Bright and Kaeding passing Kurt Nelson.
Sanders would go on to win by a comfortable margin and padded his point lead over Kaeding.
The finish:
Justin Sanders, Mitchell Faccinto, Jayson Bright, Bud Kaeding, Jake Andreotti, Kurt Nelson, Tristan Guardino, Jeremy Chisum, Jason Chisum, Joey Ancona, Ricky Sanders, Grant Duinkerken, Mark Chaves Jr., Chris Nelson, Michael Pombo, Koen Shaw, Connor Danell, J J Ringo, Jerry Bonnema, Bradley Dillard, Bryce Eames, Chase Johnson.