Garcia Wins
Gauge Garcia won his first Restricted main event the year on Saturday at Delta Speedway. (Chris Cleveland photo)

Garcia Wins & Earns Extra Cash At Delta

STOCKTON, Calif. – Gauge Garcia earned his second career Delta Speedway presented by Financial Center Credit Union victory during Saturday’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Night.

In turn, Garcia collected a $1,000 bonus after winning Friday night at Dixon Speedway as well.

The big performance by the Lemoore-based driver highlighted a sizzling Saturday night on the seventh-mile dirt oval at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.

Three drivers all using Driven Chassis – Logan Trevino, Devon Courtnier, and Jade Avedisian – had secured each trip to victory lane in the Restricted division this year.  Garcia’s win breaks their stranglehold on the division.

Courtnier, the fast-time qualifier, started on the pole and maintained the lead early, including through a lap nine restart. Trevino, the incoming points leader, eventually took over on lap 13 in turn one.

Garcia started fifth and navigated past Courtnier for second on lap 20 before a bit of back-and-forth over a series of restarts.

Garcia jumped inside Trevino for the lead on lap 23 by running his best lap of the feature, and dancing to the $300 victory. The win included the $1,000 bonus put up by Elk Grove Ford, Forbidden Motorsports, and Joe W. Lewis Snap-On Tools.

Trevino, Courtnier, Brandon Rivera and Avedisian were the top five.

Super 600 saw another driver earn his first win of 2019. Livermore’s Travis Labat, the 2014 track champion, grabbed a well-deserved $500 win. He paced all 30 laps of the event.

Labat qualified 10th but won the pole after the inversion. Koen Shaw and Mitchel Moles battled side-by-side for second for several laps behind Labat as the race reached its halfway stage. Arizona’s Brandon Sampson spun and nearly flipped on lap 20.

Moles grabbed second on the restart. A flip for Rickey Sanders slowed things on lap 24. Cody Christensen fell from the top five on lap 27 and Labat fended off Moles for the $500 win.

Shaw finished third ahead of Dylan Bloomfield and 2018 champion Nikko Panella.

T.J. Smith of Fresno won his second Non-Wing feature of 2019, over a 27 car turnout.

Smith started on the outside pole next to July 6 winner Caden Sarale. Smith led lap one, while Moles took over second from Sarale a lap later.

The caution flew on lap 19 when two-time champion Dan Mognaga spun in turn three.  Several cars suffered mechanical issues including Brandon Carey who had advanced from 15th to eighth and Austin Stone who fell from fourth position.

Sarale and Moles went back and forth again for second before the finish. Smith topped Sarale, Moles, Brody Fuson, and 13th-starting Chad Laughton for the $500 win.

Lucas Mauldin won his fourth Jr. Sprint feature of the season and second in a row on Saturday night. Mauldin led from the outside front row and commanded the field over the final 12 laps all run under green.

Mauldin led three-time winner Jett Barnes and Kyle Fernandez at the finish. Hayden Stepps and Kellan Harper made up the balance of the top five.