Photo Caption: Kurt Nelson, left, gets together with Gary Nelson and flips during the Sprint Car Main Event at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway. — Joe Shivak/Contributed
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Brad Furr took another step toward the season championship with his win in the 30-lap Taco Bravo Sprint Car Main Event Friday night at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville.
It was the fourth win of the season for Furr, as he continues to close in on his third championship.
Billy Aton, the 2016 Antioch Speedway champ, picked up the win in the six-lap Trophy Dash to grab the pole position, but it was Justin Sanders racing into the lead from the start.
Sanders led for the majority of the race before Furr, a third-row starter, began to make his move from fourth to challenge Sanders.
Furr slid underneath Sanders in the third turn of lap 27 and emerged out of Turn 4 with the lead.
Sanders settled for second, followed by Ryan Bernal, Aton, Kalib Henry, Colby Johnson, Jeremy Chisum, Koen Shaw, Jason Chisum and Gary Nelson Jr.
There were 22 sprint cars on hand, as some drivers were looking for a final tune up before next week’s 58th running of the Johnny Key Classic.
Sanders set the fastest qualifying lap of 11.646. Furr came out on the track next and was second fastest at 11.664.
Aton, Jarrett Soares and Ryan Bernal recorded wins in the eight-lap heat race. Aton outran Sanders to win the six-lap Trophy Dash.
IMCA MODIFIEDS
We haven’t seen Igor Grandzuk much this season, but he made his third appearance on Friday night and impressed with his first 20-lap IMCA Sport Modified feature win.
Grandzuk made his way from the fourth row to take the lead from Antioch Speedway point leader Trevor Clymens.
Fifth-row starter Anthony Giuliani made his way into second, but Grandzuk had a good enough lead by then to score the victory.
Giuliani settled for second, followed by Clymens, point leader Jim DiGiovanni, Jarrod Mounce, Travis Meyerhoff, Mike Kofnovec Sr, Steven Allee, Austin Williams and State point leader Austin Manzella.
Williams and Manzella won their respective eight-lap heat races.
AMERICAN STOCKS
J.C. Elrod picked up the win in the 20-lap American Stock Main Event. It was the third win of the season for Elrod, who took the lead from Jerry Skelton.
Elrod pulled away by the slimmest of margins, and Skelton managed to hold off point leader Matt Kile for second place.
John Farrell finished fourth, followed by Rob Gallaher, Terry Traub, D.J. Keldsen, Larry Robertson and Ed Letterman.
Kile and Joe Gallaher were the eight-lap heat race winners.
Gallaher beat John Farrell by about a straightaway, but he suffered a mechanical issue in the process, ending his evening.
SOUTH BAY DRAWF CAR
Shawn Jones scored an impressive win in the 20-lap South Bay Dwarf Car Main Event.
The 2011 champion started in 11th but made his way to the front of the pack. When he got there, he had to pass point leader Gene “Punky’ Pires to get the lead.
Pires managed to hold off Ryan Amlen for the second-place finish in a close battle.
Kyle Jones finished fourth, followed by Joe Barkett, Zach Price, Eric Weisler, Justin McKenna, Mack Aceves and Biscardi.
Amlen and Kyle Jones we’re the eight-lap heat winners.
UP NEXT
Next week is one of the biggest races of the season at the speedway, as the Watsonville track will host the 58th annual Johnny Key Classic for the Taco Bravo Sprint Cars.
IMCA Sport Modifieds will be back, along with the American Stock and South Bay Dwarf Cars.
