8/8/2010
Sprint Source
Stout year continues for Tommy Tarlton with Ocean GSC win
Tommy Tarlton makes it back to back at Ocean Speedway with Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series victory Saturday night
By Gary Thomas
Watsonville, CA – August 7, 2010…With the traveling Golden State Challenge Sprint Car Series coming into Watsonville on Saturday night current Ocean 360 Sprints point leader Tommy Tarlton defended his home turf in grand fashion by winning his heat race, the dash and then leading the final half of the main event to pick up his second 410 win of the year.
The victory for the defending Ocean Speedway 360 champion was his second consecutive at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds track, after winning the previous week and also marked his fourth overall triumph at the quarter-mile oval this season.
“We had a blast tonight and it feels really good to make it two in a row at Ocean Speedway,” said Tarlton, whose previous GSC win this year had come at the Santa Maria Speedway on May 1, where he recorded a clean sweep during the night. “The last couple years we’ve won a lot of 360 races, but it’s always big when you can win a 410 show with these guys so we couldn’t be happier right now.”
The show on Saturday was the next to last event of the season for the Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series and going into it Tarlton had amassed an impressive record with the tour in limited starts this year, having finished among the top-five in each of his nine prior starts. With 23-cars signing into the pits the Easton driver opened the evening by timing in ninth fastest overall in qualifying aboard the Corporate America Lending, Tarlton & Son Inc., Sharp Insurance No. 21 mount.
Starting from third in his heat race Tarlton hounded early leader Bobby McMahan for a few laps, before slicing his way by to take the top spot and record victory in the 10-lapper. With one of the top-eight qualifiers not making it out of the heats it then moved him into the dash and with the luck of the draw he found himself on the front row for the six-lap contest. At the waving of the green flag Tarlton grabbed the lead of the race and sat out front the rest of the way to claim the win and earn the pole position for the main event.
Following issues on the first few attempted starts the 30-lap feature finally got underway and when it did Tarlton settled into second behind leader Evan Suggs. Early on cautions plagued the main event and never allowed drivers to get into a constant rhythm, but that all changed when the final stoppage of the race was seen with eight-laps down. The final 22-laps were then ran off without any problems and when the green came back out Tarlton proceeded to hound the rear bumper of Suggs, until getting a great run down the backstretch and utilizing a lapped car as a pick in turn three to take the top-spot with 15-circuits complete
Working his way through traffic the rest of the way Tarlton was able to fend off a final half of the race challenge from current Golden State Challenge point leader Kyle Larson to drive off and cross under the checkered flag for his seventh career series victory at the helm of the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, Elite Racing, Ridgeline Framing Maxim.
“My dad really deserves the success we’re having because he’s been around this sport for a long time and I can’t say enough about the team I have behind me,” commented Tarlton after the race. “We have a lot of great sponsors helping us out as well so I have to give a big thanks to all of them. This is the first year with Corporate America Lending on board and it’s been a great season so far and hopefully we can keep it up the rest of the way.”
Next up for Tarlton and the No. 21 team will be a visit to the Chowchilla Speedway next Saturday night August 14, before returning to the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville on August 20 for the final qualifying race prior to the 50th running of the Johnny Key Classic. With his victory a couple Friday’s ago the defending Key Classic winner joined Kyle Larson and Ronnie Day as the drivers already locked into the prestigious running of the event, which will be held in just a few weeks.
For more on Tommy Tarlton and Tarlton & Son Inc. log onto http://www.tarltonandson.com/
Tommy Tarlton and family in victory lane at the Ocean Speedway after claiming his second Golden State Challenge 410 Sprint Car Series victory of the season on Saturday aboard the Corporate America Lending, Tarlton & Son Inc. No. 21 sprinter. Photo by L&J Photography http://picasaweb.google.com/jmart16164?pli=1
Submitted By: Gary Thomas
