TULARE, Calif. – J.J. Ringo won his first ever Kings Of Thunder 360 sprint car feature at the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway on Saturday night.
Driving the Keller Motorsports No. 2K, the 32-year-old Morgan Hill California native led only 10 of the 30 lap feature, but ran no worse than second after starting on the pole.
D.J. Netto diced his way through the field to finish second after starting from the 12th position. Caeden Steele flipped hard in hot laps, so he wasn’t able to make a qualifying attempt and did not start his heat race. However, he came from dead last in the field to finish third. He improved 20 positions after little or no time on the track prior to the feature.
Grant Duinkerken finished fourth ahead of Mitchel Moles, who looked like he was headed for a podium finish until a late race near spin on the front stretch cost him several positions.
The heartbreak has to go to Chase Majdic, who started on the outside front row and led the first 20 laps before pulling into the infield and out of the race. Majdic got the jump on Ringo at the start and raced for 11 laps before the race’s first caution as Ashlyn Rodriquez spun around in turn 3 with a flat left rear tire. She was pushed back to the work area and after a tire replacement, where she eventually returned to the field.
The race would go 5 more green flag laps until Jake Haulot would slow to a stop in the fourth turn. The next caution came two laps later when Gauge Garcia would tag the first turn wall and bent the rear axle, forcing him to stop on the track at the exit of turn 2.
D.J. Netto was slowly moving forward as was Steele. Each caution bunched the field back up and allowed those two to stay within sight of the leader.
The race’s final caution came out on lap 26 when Steel Powel suffered a flat left rear tire. The race track had slicked off by this time, keeping anyone from posing any threats.
The Finish:
Feature (30 Laps): J.J. Ringo, D.J. Netto, Caeden Steele, Grant Duinkerken, Mitchel Moles, Michael Pombo, Brendan Warmerdam, Brooklyn Holland, Brody Fuson, Travis Coelho, Ashlyn Rodriquez, Steel Powell, Dawson Faria, Albert Pombo, Chase Majdic, Gauge Garcia, Koen Shaw, Jake Haulot, Kyler Shaw. Colby Thornhill, Tuesday Calderwood, Brandon Sampson, Brandon Stidham