9/30/2023
Ocean Speedway
TROY FOULGER OUTMATCHES HOGGE IN LAPPED TRAFFIC FOR PAT PETTIT SHOOTOUT WIN
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (September 29, 2023) – The opening night of the 13th Annual Jim and Pat Pettit Memorial at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville saw 2023 Antioch Speedway champion Troy Fougler outmatch future Hall of Famer Bobby Hogge IV for the coveted IMCA Modified feature. Fougler grabbed $1003 for the victory in the 33-lap contest, nabbing the lead in lapped traffic at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
An outstanding 116 entries participated across the three divisions for Friday’s Pat Pettit Night, aiming for over $30,000 in prize money over the two-day show. Preliminary action saw several champions fail to make the feature including 2022 Pettit Shoototut feature winner Troy Morris III of Bakersfield.
Bakersfield’s Robby Sawyer drove around the outside of Martinez’ Anthony Slaney to lead lap one of the IMCA Modified nightcap. Slaney then bobbled at the top of turn one to fall back to fifth. Slaney bobbled again and lost more positions, slipping to 11th. The feature was slowed on lap five for Reno’s Dave Sciarroni and Salinas’ Robert Marsh tangling in turn three.
Bobby Hogge IV advanced to second and Foulger nabbed third on the restart. Hogge showed his nose for the lead on lap 20 in turn four but couldn’t pass Sawyer. He then used a lapped car as a pick to drive into the lead on lap 23.
Sawyer fell backwards quickly before retiring for the race on lap 26 with a flat right rear tire. Foulger challenged Hogge for the number one spot, crossing him over on the backstretch to lead lap 30. Hogge dove underneath Foulger in turn four on the following lap, but Foulger went three-wide with a lapped car to maintain the lead.
Foulger prevailed followed by Hogge, 2023 Cottage Grove Speedway champion Jake Mayden, Grass Valley’s Andrew Peckham, and Nick DeCarlo of Martinez. Fast-time qualifier Buddy Kniss had to come out of the B-Main before retiring from the feature early to be awarded the hard luck prize.
“First off I got to say thanks to all the fans and hats off to Tom (Sagmiller) for a helluva race track, and the whole Pettit family for everything they do giving back to us racing. We love to come down here and support as much as we can. My guys gave me a helluva race car,” Foulger said.
The IMCA Sport Modified 23-lap feature started with a bang when Alex Wilson of Salinas spun in turn two and collected over half a dozen cars. Merced’s Gavin Espino, Billy Garner of Antioch, Antioch champion Kenny Schrader, and Levi Keifer of Bakersfield were eliminated from the race.
The caution flew again on lap three for Joseph Pato of Oakley and 2022 track champion Jonathan Hagio of Prunedale colliding in turn three.
Jason Ryan, Jr. of Oakley seized the lead from Frazier Park’s Cale Kanke on the restart to lead lap one. Kanke hounded Ryan throughout the first half of the race, including showing his nose in lapped traffic. A caution flew on lap 16 when Riley Jeppesen of Atwater spun from the third position in turn one.
On the restart, Kanke picked the inside which allowed Jacob Mallett, Jr. of Oakley to take second on the outside. Jason Ryan, Jr. motored away for the $503 win over Mallett, Kanke, 19th starting Fred Ryland of Brentwood, and 14th starting Trevor Clymens of Brentwood.
“There’s a lot of good competition out here and always challenging to race guys like that,” Ryan said. Hard Luck went to Billy Garner for his unfortunate role in the opening lap crash.
The Hobby Stocks competed in a 23-lap feature after attracting a 30-car turnout. Jason Robles of Rio Vista led the way in the main event. Bobby Motts and San Jose’s Bobby Gallaher crashed in turn one for the first caution flag on lap four. Bakersfield’s Tyler Irwin soared through the pack after starting 14th, taking the lead on the outside on lap seven. Maverick Shepherd of Atwater won a duel with Robles for second on lap 12, going around him on the outside of the backstretch.
Irwin never relinquished the lead, topping Shepherd, DJ Keldsen, Robles, and 2023 Ocean Speedway champion Joe Gallaher at the checkered flag. Prunedale’s Shane Freeman was unable to finish the race and was awarded Hard Luck.
The Pat and Jim Pettit Memorial Shootout concludes on Saturday night September 30 from Ocean Speedway in Watsonville. The drivers meeting is at 2:45pm with mudpacking beginning at 3:15pm The evening will conclude with 33-lap features for the IMCA Sport Mods and Hobby Stocks, plus a blockbuster 103-lap IMCA Modified feature paying $3006 to win.
Ocean Speedway September 29, 2023 Pat and Jim Pettit Memorial Shootout Results
Hobby Stocks
A Feature 1 (23 Laps): 1. 172-Tyler Irwin[14]; 2. 15-Maverick Shepherd[5]; 3. 01-DJ Keldsen[3]; 4. 78-Jason Robles[1]; 5. 1-Joe Gallaher[6]; 6. 7D-Kodie Dean[4]; 7. 43-Jake Archibald[12]; 8. 38S-Todd Gomez[17]; 9. 22-Adriane Frost[9]; 10. 83-Terry Campion[16]; 11. 57W-Sam Kennedy[2]; 12. 13-Bobby Motts[10]; 13. 17T-Taylor DeCarlo[20]; 14. 66W-Ken Winland[7]; 15. 45S-Race Shelton[19]; 16. 73B-Brady Muller[22]; 17. 51-Norm Ayers[15]; 18. 55F-Shane Freeman[13]; 19. 03-Dakota Keldsen[8]; 20. X1-Bobby Gallaher[11]; 21. 311B-Rosalee Ramer[18]; 22. 31W-Steve Remde[21]
IMCA Sport Mods
A Feature 1 (33 Laps): 1. 49-Troy Foulger[7]; 2. 2BH-Bobby Hogge III[6]; 3. 5M-Jake Mayden[3]; 4. 75-Andrew Peckham[8]; 5. 17-Nick DeCarlo[10]; 6. 17B-Tyler Blankenship[5]; 7. 6-Jim Pettit II[12]; 8. 51G-Gavyn Manning[9]; 9. 20-Cody Burke[4]; 10. 51B-Bryan Clark[20]; 11. 15F-Markus Frazier[15]; 12. 29-Andy Obertello[16]; 13. 34J-Jeff Faulkner[11]; 14. ONE2-Josh Combs[17]; 15. 22-Robert Marsh[19]; 16. X-Robby Sawyer[2]; 17. 1-Shawn Natenstedt[14]; 18. 4X-Anthony Slaney[1]; 19. 01-Raymond Keldsen Jr[22]; 20. 19K-Buddy Kniss[21]; 21. 77-Fred Lind[18]; 22. S25-Dave Sciarroni[13]
IMCA Modifieds
A Feature 1 (33 Laps): 1. 49-Troy Foulger[7]; 2. 2BH-Bobby Hogge III[6]; 3. 5M-Jake Mayden[3]; 4. 75-Andrew Peckham[8]; 5. 17-Nick DeCarlo[10]; 6. 17B-Tyler Blankenship[5]; 7. 6-Jim Pettit II[12]; 8. 51G-Gavyn Manning[9]; 9. 20-Cody Burke[4]; 10. 51B-Bryan Clark[20]; 11. 15F-Markus Frazier[15]; 12. 29-Andy Obertello[16]; 13. 34J-Jeff Faulkner[11]; 14. ONE2-Josh Combs[17]; 15. 22-Robert Marsh[19]; 16. X-Robby Sawyer[2]; 17. 1-Shawn Natenstedt[14]; 18. 4X-Anthony Slaney[1]; 19. 01-Raymond Keldsen Jr[22]; 20. 19K-Buddy Kniss[21]; 21. 77-Fred Lind[18]; 22. S25-Dave Sciarroni[13]
Article Credit: Steven Blakesley
Submitted By: Steven Blakesley
