(Brody Roa took the USAC Sprint Week point lead with his Ocean Speedway feature win on Sept. 7. Photo by Chris Kearns)
WATSONVILLE — Brody Roa scored the victory in the 30-lap Amsoil USAC/CRA Sprint Car Main Event Sept. 7 at Ocean Speedway.
This was the fifth round of the Bullet Impressions California Sprint Week Series, and Roa used the win to take the lead in that series. He started on the pole for the Main Event and did an impressive job of leading all 30 laps for the win.
Past Ocean Speedway Spec Sprint champion Ryan Bernal and Chase Johnson both moved up from the fourth row to challenge Roa in a close battle before settling for second and third, respectively. Max Adams finished fourth, followed by Austin Williams, Danny Faria Jr., Jake Swanson, Cody Williams, Damion Gardner and Logan Williams.
Austin Williams bested the 19-car field in qualifying with the only 12-second lap of 12.955. Gardner was second quick at 13.049. They ran three 10-lap heat races with wins recorded by RJ Johnson, Jake Swanson and Brody Roa.
Reigning American Stock champion Rob Gallaher drove to his fifth 20-lap Main Event win of the season. Gallaher had a front row start for this race, but he still had to deal with the late race pressure of point leader Matt Kile, who sped from 12th starting to finishing a very close second. Jerry Skelton finished third, followed by Joe Gallaher, Adriane Frost, Chris McCabe, Terry Traub, DJ Keldsen, multi-time champion Sam Kennedy and John Farrell.
The second place finish for Kile kept him 44 points ahead of Gallaher, who only leads JC Elrod by three points in a closer race for second. Eight-lap heat race wins went to Chris McCabe and Elrod.
Kate Beardsley won her second 15-lap Mini Stock Main Event. In the process, she won the track’s closest championship battle by one point ahead of Abigail Kennedy and eight in front of Dakota Keldsen. Ray Bunn and Chuck Kessinger battled early, but it wasn’t long before Kate Beardsley and Nicole Beardsley found their way into first and second. Kate drove a great race and held off Nicole for the win. Kessinger settled for third, and Bunn was disqualified from fourth in post race tech, elevating Kennedy into fourth, followed by Tom Summers, Jake Gardiner, Keldsen, Amber Rendon and Bill Beardsley. Summers and Kate Beardsley won the eight-lap heat races.
Representing the Task Force of California, Jason Kelly won his first 15-lap Police N Pursuit Main Event. This was only his second start of the season. Kelly had his hands full holding off the challenge of Jessie Mueller, who was representing the California Highway Patrol. Mueller gave it a good effort in his bid for his third win, but he came up just short at the checkered flag. Roy Iler was about a half-lap behind in third, followed by Cliff Sloma and John Hohmann. Six lap heat race wins went to Iler and Mueller.
The next race is on Sept. 21, and it will feature the Taco Bravo Sprint Cars along with IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds and American Stocks. For information, visit www.racepmg.com.
