6/4/2022
Ocean Speedway
Bryce Eames claims first Ocean Sprints victory on Friday
Bryce Eames, Jim Pettit, Joe Gallaher, Kate Beardsley and Danny Wagner earn Ocean Speedway wins Friday
By Gary Thomas
Watsonville, CA…Santa Maria’s Bryce Eames raced to his first career Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo victory last night at the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, California.
The second-year Sprint Car driver hung tough early and then drove an excellent race over the waning laps to score the win aboard the DL Farm Management/ V. Lopez Jr. & Sons No. 50 mount.
Joining him in victory lane during the night were Jim Pettit II with the IMCA Modifieds, Joe Gallaher with the Hobby Stocks, Kate Beardsley with the Four Bangers and Danny Wagner in the South Bay Dwarf Car division.
The 30-lap Ocean Sprints feature came to a quick halt when multiple cars came together in the first set of corners. Once things underway it was Fresno’s Steven Kent who shot to the lead and held command in the Western Metal Co. No. 37 machine. The complexion of the race changed drastically around laps 10 through 11 however, as second running JJ Ringo slowed to a stop in turn three.
Shortly after that Kent then lost power on a restart and saw his bid at an initial Ocean Sprints triumph come to a tough end. Bryce Eames now found himself out front and was able to persevere through various caution periods to keep the field at bay. Salinas driver Jason Chisum kept him honest while running the low line to perfection in his attempts to get by. Hanford’s Zane Blanchard, who came from the rear after an early collision also hounded the top-two over the closing circuits.
Eames hit his marks to cross under the Ed Entz checkered flag for the win over Chisum, Blanchard, Tuesday Calderwood and Logan Calderwood. Josh Chisum earned the Price Rite Restaurant Equipment Hard Charger Award, while Kent went home with the Beer Optics Hard Luck Award. Fresno’s Craig Stidham began the night by claiming the Dirt Travel Fast Time Award. The veteran had a strong night going until contact while battling for second resulted in him getting upside down during the feature.
Ocean Sprints finish: 1. 50-Bryce Eames[9]; 2. 25Z-Jason Chisum[8]; 3. 7Z-Zane Blanchard[2]; 4. 4-Tuesday Calderwood[5]; 5. 6-Logan Calderwood[10]; 6. 6D-Josh Chisum[15]; 7. 33H-Eric Humphries[12]; 8. 72S-Bradley Dillard[4]; 9. 28K-Kameron Suoja[14]; 10. 72W-Kurt Nelson[13]; 11. 37-Steven Kent[1]; 12. 2K-JJ Ringo[6]; 13. 56Z-Don Hart[17]; 14. 36-Craig Stidham[3]; 15. 23-Adam McCarthy[11]; 16. 34B-Glenn Bryan[16]; 17. 17-Rickey Sanders[7]; 18. (DNS) 72JR-Chris Nelson
Prunedale veteran Jim Pettit II withstood an early challenge with Raymond Keldsen to win the 15-lap IMCA Modified main event. Keldsen eventually dropped out which handed the runner up spot to Fred Lind.
IMCA Modified finish: 1. 6-Jim Pettit II[2]; 2. 77-Fred Lind[4]; 3. 01-Raymond Keldsen Jr[1]; 4. (DNS) 20-Cody Burke
Ocean Speedway Hobby Stock point leader Joe Gallaher battled with Jerry Skelton early before pulling away at the end to record his fifth victory of the 2022 season on Friday night. Skelton crossed the stripe in second, followed by Merced racer Chad Ragsdale, Adriane Frost and Joe Willoughby.
Hobby Stock finish: 1. 1-Joe Gallaher[3]; 2. 69-Jerry Skelton[2]; 3. 83M-Chad Ragsdale[9]; 4. 22-Adriane Frost[8]; 5. 196-Joe Willoughby[4]; 6. 73A-Brady Muller[5]; 7. 55F-Shane Freeman[7]; 8. 51-Norm Ayers[1]; 9. (DNS) 333-Samuel Mason
The Four Banger division saw a dominating performance turned in by Felton’s Kate Beardsley, who became the eighth different winner in eight races this season. Beardsley claimed the win by a half a lap over a hard charging Jason Lazzerini, who started 12th on the grid. Charlie Hernandez, Tony Gullo and Nicole Beardsley rounded out the top-five.
Four Banger finish: 1. 43-Kate Beardsley[4]; 2. 0-Jason Lazzerini[12]; 3. 51-Charlie Hernandez[1]; 4. 52-Tony Gullo[3]; 5. 2-Nicole Beardsley[8]; 6. 112-Travis VanGilder[7]; 7. 5-Bill Beardsley[9]; 8. 10-Amaya Flowers[6]; 9. 6-Dylan Chairez[5]; 10. 37-Peter Vannerus[13]; 11. 88-Ryan Bowers[2]; 12. 50F-Shelbie Freeman[11]; 13. 9-Nick Scentani[10]
Veteran Danny Wagner picked up another win last night while battling through a broken right arm. Wagner didn’t look like it slowed him down any, as he powered to the lead and pulled away for the triumph with the South Bay Dwarf Cars. Joe Barkett, Mark Biscardi, Eric Weisler and Sean Catucci completed the top-five.
Dwarf Car finish: 1. 11D-Danny Wagner[4]; 2. 00B-Joe Barket[2]; 3. 66B-Mark Biscardi[3]; 4. 64B-Eric Weisler[7]; 5. 43DD-Sean Catucci[5]; 6. 10B-Barry Waddell[8]; 7. 26N-Dan Zuger[9]; 8. 96-Pete Piantanida[6]; 9. 26B-Terre Rothweiler[10]; 10. 88B-Travis Day[1]; 11. 69-Eddy Claessen[11]
Article Credit: Gary Thomas
Submitted By: Gary Thomas
