4/16/2011
Sprint Source
TIM KAEDING WINS FIRST OCEAN SPRINTS FEATURE OF 2011
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (April 16, 2011) – Tim Kaeding kicked off the 2011 Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo by winning the 30 lap feature after passing Tommy Tarlton for the lead in the lapped traffic. The win marked Kaeding’s second of 2011 after winning the ASCS National Tour race at Tulare in February.
“It was Tommy’s race to loose. He was running a good pace, but he just couldn’t get by lapped traffic,” Kaeding said. “It was definitely one of those things where Watonsville traffic always comes into play.”
Tarlton, the 2010 series champion, led the 22 car starting field out of the gate and a series of yellows slowed action early. James Bondurant, Jeremy Chisum, and Steve Osborne all had early spins to bring out cautions.
On lap four, business picked up for the lead when 2010 King of California Kyle Larson charged to the inside of Tarlton into turn one. Tarlton and Larson made contact causing Larson to slow dramatically. Fast-time qualifier Shane Golobic had nowhere to go, sending Larson for a spin.
All cars involved were able to continue, with Larson going on a torrid run from the back. Kaeding moved up into second past Golobic on lap seven.
A series of cautions by lap 13 saw Prundale’s Justin Sanders crack the top-five, but on the restart he slowed with a power steering failure.
By lap 19, Larson had used the outside to move all the up to seventh place while Kaeding began to reel in Tarlton. The move for the lead came on lap 21 when Kaeding passed Tarlton on the bottom coming out of turn two.
“We had a good race car, but we didn’t have a great race car,” Kaeding said. “So we kinda just tipy-toed around and Tommy just missed the bottom enough so I could get down into the moisture where I was good. Tommy is always good here and fast wherever he goes, but traffic always gets people.”
Kaeding also credited his victory from what he learned watching the Wingless Sprint main event. After a series of heat races where the top was the fast way around the track, the complexion changed in the feature as evidenced by Adam Kaeding’s run on the bottom to win the wingless main.
Larson continued his strong charge through the field by passing Mason Moore for fifth on lap 28, while Golobic made a late race charge after Tarlton.
Kaeding took the victory followed by Tarlton, Golobic, Ronnie Day of Salinas, and Larson. “Cowboy” Craig Smith won the DDNi Hard Charger award after qualifying 18th and finishing ninth in the feature.
Golobic’s fast lap of 12.002 seconds came during the new group qualifying format at Ocean Speedway, which Golobic credited for the pole.
“I like this new qualifying technique as I had something in front of me kinda like a carrot to chase after,” Golobic said. “It felt good to start the year off with a good qualifying run with how bad we’ve qualified in the past.”
The fast-time paid $75 from Ray Scheidt’s Electric and a $50 KSE gift certificate from Kaeding Performance.
Heat race wins went to Kaeding, Larson, and San Jose’s Ryan Rusconi who was a surprise scratch for the feature.
The Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo will return to action on April 30 at Tulare Thunderbowl with their next race at Ocean Speedway scheduled for May 6.
Full results are available on www.oceanspeedway.com or at mylaps.com
For more information on the Ocean Sprint Cars presented by Taco Bravo, including post-race interviews, log onto http://www.oceansprints.com
For more on the Ocean Speedway visit http://www.oceanspeedway.com
Submitted By: Steven Blakesley
