WATSONVILLE, Calif. – Shane Golobic kicked off the ninth annual Howard Kaeding Classic by racing to victory in the 30-lap main event at Ocean Speedway Friday that pitted the Civil War Sprint Car Series against the weekly Taco Bravo Series.
Golobic inherited the lead when Chase Johnson flipped with two laps to go and went on to claim the victory on the first of two nights of racing.
Golobic started on the pole and survived a few opening lap red flag periods and wagged a torrid battle with Bud Kaeding until Johnson entered the picture. Johnson’s Johnny Mufflers No. 24 took advantage of a Golobic bobble in turn four on lap 19 to take the lead. Johnson had just moved ahead of Kaeding on lap 12 while running the high line around the multi lane track.
Johnson tangled with the slower car of Joey Ancona and did a wheelie, spending a few seconds on his tail before doing a slow roll over. The crash ended Johnson’s night as he went over to chat with the parked Ancona car during the red flag period. The wreck put Golobic back into the lead with Kaeding following.
Colby Johnson moved into the third position, having improved 11 positions in Larry Antaya’s No. 16a.
Dominic Scelzi would be the only driver of the 22 qualified for the main not to take the green flag. Scelzi’s Roth Motorsports No. 83 entry failed to fire off.
The race would only go three turns before the red flag would stop the event for a Trent Canalas flip. The wreck would cause a complete restart.
Two laps later Grant Duinkerken would clip the backstretch wall and flip over entering the third turn. Both red flag victims were able to walk away.
Kyle Offill tagged the left rear tire of Kaeding while the two were battling for the second spot, sending Offill’s No. 2k into a slow spin coming out of the second turn, bringing out a caution on lap six.
Once restarted, the race ran caution free for a long period providing some great action between Golobic, Kaeding and Johnson. Johnson was the fastest of the three and had the lead until he had the lapped traffic issue.
The finish:
Shane Golobic, Bud Kaeding, Colby Copeland, Koen Shaw, Cole Macedo, D J Netto, Kurt Nelson, James Ringo, Justin Sanders, Tony Gualda, Blake Carrick, Geoff Ensign, Kyle Offill, Jayson Bright, Joey Ancona, Landon Hurst, Colby Johnson, Chase, Johnson, Mitchell Faccinto, Grant Duinkerken, Trent Canalas, Dominic Scelzi.