PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Justin Sanders swept the Marcel Cassulo Classic at the Placerville Speedway on Saturday night taking home nearly $10,000.
The West Coast phenom won both the Sprint Car Challenge Series and the NARC-King of the West Series features in the same night.
Sanders drove the Dale Miller No. 4SA to victory in the 35-lap SCCT race, leading every lap after starting from the pole position. He picked up his first white cowboy hat of the night in victory lane edging out Cole Macedo and Ryan Bernal.
In the KWS feature, Sanders drove the Joe Von Schriltz owned No. 121 into victory lane to earn a $900 Double-Duty Challenge Bonus, given to any driver winning both features in the same night in which the sprint car series complete on the same card. Sander’s had a tougher time with the 410 series, passing race long leader Andy Forsberg on the front stretch as the two were taking the white flag. Sanders had started seventh while Forsberg took the initial green from the pole position.
Forsberg, in the family owned No. 92, had to battle Placerville archrival Sean Becker for nearly half of the race.
The two survived multiple caution periods and a red flag for an Andy Gregg flip off the first turn. Bud Kaeding was in the early hunt also until a flat left front tire forced him to stop on the front stretch while running third to bring out a caution. Kaeding tried to run several laps with the flat tire but finally had to give in. A quick pit stop for a replacement put him in the rear of the field, out of contention.
Becker would fade after the halfway point, first being passed by Bernal and then Sanders. Sanders would pass Bernal on the 21st lap and set his sights on Forsberg. When Forsberg went to pass the lapped car of Nathan Rolfe, a slight hesitation by the crafty veteran allowed for the opening Sanders needed and he would lead just one lap to take his second KWS victory of the season.
Bernal would get around Forsberg right before the checkered, moving him into the runner up spot. Jason Stalter would flip after taking the checkered. Neither Statler nor Gregg were injured in their wrecks.
The finishes:
King of the West: Justin Sanders, Ryan Bernal, Andy Forsberg, Colby Copeland, Sean Becker, Willie Croft, Shane Golobic, Billy Aton, Geoff Ensign, C.J. Humphries, Blake Carrick, Mitchell Faccinto, D.J. Netto, Bud Kaeding, Sean Watts, Stephen Ingraham, Jason Statler, Dominic Scelzi, Tim Estenson, Nathan Rolfe, Jenna Frazier, Richard Brace Jr., Kalib Henry, Andy Gregg
SCCT: Justin Sanders, Cole Macedo, Ryan Bernal, Tony Gualda, Chase Johnson, Ryan Robinson, Justyn Cox, Shane Golobic, Sean Becker, Tim Kaeding, Shane Hopkins, Colby Copeland, Jodie Robinson, Kyle Offill, Jarett Soares, Mike Benson, Kyle Hirst, J.J. Ringo, Jimmy Trulli, Hunter Stanley, Kaleb Montgomery, Kalib Henry, Colby Johnson, Andy Forsberg