STOCKTON, Calif. — Shane Golobic won the Sprint Car Challenge Tour portion of the 38th annual Tribute to Gary Patterson, while Ryan Robinson took home the season-long championship at the Stockton Dirt Track on Saturday night.
Golobic drove his No. 17w NOS Energy Drink/Elk Grove Ford KCP Chassis from his pole position starting place to best Dominic Scelzi and D.J. Netto. Robinson finished fourth, while J.J. Hickle was fifth.
Golobic jumped to an early lead over Scelzi and Netto until a caution waved for a Daniel Whitley spin off the fourth turn banking on lap four. Mitchel Faccinto in the Menne Motorsports No. 75 pulled off the track during the caution and became the race’s first retiree. At the same time, Kaleb Montgomery in the No. X1 pulled into the work area but returned to the race. Both drivers were in unfamiliar mounts.
The race would restart but would go quickly to red as Ashlyn Rodriguez’s weekends of bad luck continued as she flipped coming out of the second turn. She had flipped the previous night in nearly the exact same spot. Netto had just passed Scelzi for the second spot but had to give the position back on the restart.
The failed pass seemed to wake Scelzi up as he passed Golobic on the eighth lap to become the race’s only second leader. The caution would come out when Isaiah Vasquez slowed to a stop on the 13th lap. The race would restart with a double-file lineup as there were still 20 cars taking the green.Â
Golobic would retake the lead from Scelzi on the 20th circuit as the two had to work lapped traffic. With three laps to go it would be Golobic’s turn to maneuver around a five pack of slower cars.Â
This would allow both Scelzi and Netto to close in but neither driver would pose a serious threat to Golobic who went on to take the checkered.
The finish:
Shane Golobic, Dominic Scelzi, D.J. Netto, Ryan Robinson, J.J. Hickel, Colby Copeland, Chase Majdic, Tanner Carrick, Corey Day, Ryan Timms, Justyn Cox. Colby Thornhill, Sean Becker, Andy Forsberg, Justin Henry, Bubba DeCaires, Tristen Guardino, Brett Barney, Daniel Whitley, Kaleb Montgomery, Isaiah Vasquez Art McCarthy, Ashlyn Rodriguez, Mitchel Faccinto