WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Justin Sanders continues to impress on the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series campaign, taking home a big $6,900 check for winning the 14th annual Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway.
The Monterey Bay, Calif., native solidified the lead after a spirited battle with Cole Macedo around the midway mark of the 30-lapper to secure his second career victory at the marquis event.
Macedo grabbed the initial lead when the green flag dropped in the lucrative headliner. The Tarlton & Son No. 21 Maxim pilot was the recipient of a claymaker in turn two by Sanders on the following circuit.
Sanders, aboard the Mittry Motorsports Farmers Brewing Company No. 2x KPC, was in the process of checking out before reaching lapped traffic on lap seven. Macedo took a swing at Sanders on the 10th circuit, but Sanders kept him in check and another caution waved shortly afterwards.
On the restart Macedo again got around Sanders in turn four to pace the field on lap 13, only for Sanders to return the favor the next time around.
Traffic became a factor again with a dozen circuits remaining until a late caution on lap 23 slowed the field one last time. Sanders took no prisoners the rest of the way to win by almost a second.
“We had a really good race car and were really good in the midpoint of the race,” commented Sanders in victory lane after his 19th career NARC main event. “I was sliding myself on exit, and I didn’t know when to stop doing that. I didn’t want to leave the top open for (Cole) to get a run on me going into turn three. It all worked out from us knowing when to move, how hard to push, and not making any mistakes with any lapped cars.”
Macedo finished a solid second. The podium was completed by 2005 NARC champion Sean Becker in the Bjork Construction No. 7b Maxim for car owner Don Bjork.
Howard Kaeding’s grandsons completed the balance of the top five. 2017 NARC champion Bud Kaeding was fourth in the Kaeding Performance Center No. 29 Maxim, followed by two-time NARC title-winning Tim Kaeding in the Williams Motorsports No. 0 Maxim.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps):Â 1. 2X-Justin Sanders [2]; 2. 21-Cole Macedo [1]; 3. 7B-Sean Becker [4]; 4. 29-Bud Kaeding [3]; 5. 0-Tim Kaeding [13]; 6. 24-Chase Johnson [5]; 7. 17W-Shane Golobic [8]; 8. X1-Michael Faccinto [22]; 9. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [7]; 10. 73-Ryan Bernal [12]; 11. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [14]; 12. 15-Nick Parker [6]; 13. 42X-Justyn Cox [17]; 14. 88A-Joey Ancona [11]; 15. 88N-DJ Netto [21]; 16. 121-Caeden Steele [10]; 17. 2K-Gauge Garcia [15]; 18. 10-Dominic Gorden [9]; 19. 26-Billy Aton [18]; 20. 12J-John Clark [19]; 21. 72W-Kurt Nelson [16]; 22. 25Z-Jason Chisum [20]; 23. 12-Jarrett Soares [23]; 24. 8-Jeremy Chisum [24]
Â