STOCKTON, Calif. — Caden Sarale became only the second back-to-back champion in Hoosier Tire California Speedweek history on Saturday night, earning the Non-Wing champion for the second time. Sarale was joined at Delta Speedway by Austin Torgerson, Blayden Graham and Mackcen Roush as champions of the four-race Micro Sprint series in the golden state which paid $61,100 in cash and prizes.
Not only did Sarale win the Non-Wing championship, he claimed both the Super 600 and Non-Wing feature events on Saturday. Sarale lifted his total count of Speedweek wooden bear trophies to 14 with 11 wins and three championships in his career.
“I’ve already got (the bears) lined up at the shop but I’m going to have to see if I squeeze a few more in there,” Sarale said. “Track was very technical again just like last night, around the top. The car was just set up great in both classes. It kind of made my job easy.”
Sarale entered the evening with an 18-point advantage in Non-Wing on the strength of a Friday night victory. He kicked off Saturday action with fast-time over a 39-car field. Mattix Salmon, Jeffrey Pahule, Torgerson and Eric Botelho won the heat races.
Broedy Graham won the opening lap of the feature with Sarale moving up to second. Sarale then worked to the outside of Graham to lead lap two. Botelho flipped on the backstretch for a red flag on lap six.
Sarale led Graham into lapped traffic with 12 laps to go but Sarale rolled through the traffic well. Sarale led comfortably the rest of the way for the $1000 win and the $2100 championship prize. Graham finished second followed by Brecken Reese, Pahule and Salmon. Quinn Thurein won a $100 bonus as the weeklong hard charger.
In Winged Super 600 action, Torgerson kicked off his championship-winning effort with the $100 Hyper Racing fast-time. Colton Key, Stefan Sidur and Sarale won the 10-lap heat races.
Jeffrey Pahule charged around Key to lead lap one of the 30-lap feature. Action was halted on lap 12 when Key got sideways in turn one, with Jett Yantis and Cole Schroeder crashing hard to avoid.
Sarale used the restart to challenge Pahule for the top spot. He crossed over Pahule in turn four to lead lap 18. Sarale darted away to a 1.602-second advantage and the $1000 win. Pahule finished second over Sidur and Christensen. Torgerson drove from 11th to fifth, sealing the $2000 series championship. Raio Salmon was the weeklong hard charger.
Restricted also saw its eventual champion top time trials, with Blayden Graham earning the honor. Aubri Huckleberry and Colton Knapp then won the heat race competition.
Graham started on the pole for the 25-lap feature and dominated the fast-paced affair for his first $500 feature win of the 2024 Speedweek. After suffering a narrow loss in the 2023 Restricted championship battle, the 11-year-old driver delivered in 2024 with the $1000 series title. Graham was followed in Saturday’s feature by Huckleberry, Knapp, Jace Thurein and Jaxon Porter. Graham was also the weeklong hard charger.
Jr. Sprints joined Non-Wing as the only divisions to see any repeat winners throughout the four nights of competition. Qualifying kicked off the action with 11-year-old Connor Penix leading the way. Wednesday night winner Jaxson Evett and Penix then won the heat races.
For the second consecutive night, the opening lap of the 20-lap feature had a wild crash when Logan Banks spun sideways on the frontstretch and collected three cars. Everyone involved continued, however.
A spin for opening night winner Lee Uzzell in turn four set up a two-lap shootout between Penix and Evett. Evett jumped at the opportunity, driving around the outside of Penix for his second $500 win of the week. Tyce Domingos, Jayden Ferneau and round three winner Heston Stepps rounded out the top-five finishers.
Eight-year-old Mackcen Roush paired three second-place finishes with a sixth-place finish in the finale to seal the $1000 inaugural Jr. Sprints Speedweek championship. Liam Barton won the weeklong hard charger.