By Gary Thomas
Watsonville, CA – April 20, 2015…The busiest stretch of the season for the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo will kick-off this Friday night with round number three in the battle for the title at the quarter-mile bullring.
The night of racing will also be part of the first Prentice Motorsports Group “Double Down Bonus” weekend. If a driver can win the Friday event at Ocean Speedway with the Ocean Sprints, and then win at Thunderbowl Raceway this Saturday with the Civil War Series presented by Flowmaster in Tulare, they’ll go home with a $3000 bonus. If they do so, they’ll walk away with $6500 total for the weekend. This is the first of nine Double Down Bonus weekends in 2015.
The event on Friday begins a stretch of four consecutive weeks of the racing for the Ocean Sprints and during it Easton’s Tommy Tarlton will look to keep up his hot streak. The two-time Taco Bravo champion has won the first two races of the season and goes into this weekend sitting atop the standings by 18-markers. Tarlton would have to be considered a favorite to challenge for the Double Down Bonus this weekend, having also been a two-time track titlist at Thunderbowl Raceway.
Laton’s Heath Duinkerken & Watsonville’s Justin Sanders come into Friday tied for second in the points. Duinkerken has brought home finishes of fifth & fourth in the two events respectively, while Sanders has run fourth & second. After finishing third in the standings last season Sanders is poised to challenge for the title this year and a win on Friday would certainly be a step in that direction.
Gilroy’s Kurt Nelson had a great outing during the most recent event, finishing fifth in the feature, which has placed him fourth in the standings. Nelson was the Hive 5 Pizza Hard Charger after starting 16th. Corralitos’ Jerry Bonnema has been solid the first two races and rounds out the top-five. Completing the top-10 going into Friday’s round three is past champion Brad Furr of Stockton, Hollister’s Ryan Bernal, Salinas brothers Jason Chisum, Jeremy Chisum and rookie contender Tony Gualda of Hollister.
More possibilities for Friday night will include two-time & reigning Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo champion Shane Golobic of Fremont, along with his younger brother Dustin Golobic, Foresthill’s Ryan Robinson, Gilroy’s Ken Fredenburg, San Jose’s Darrell Taylor, Morgan Hill’s Nicholas Ringo, Hayward’s Danny Malfatti, San Jose’s Nick Ringo Jr. and others.
The front gate at Ocean Speedway will open at 4:30pm this Friday night with hot laps at 5:15pm, qualifying around 6pm and racing to follow. The pit gate will open at 2pm this season. All seating will be general admission with adult tickets costing $17, seniors 65 & older $16, children 6-12 $13 and kids five and under free. A family pack featuring two adults and two kids is available for $55.
The Ocean Speedway is located on the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville, California with the physical address being 2601 East Lake Ave, Watsonville, CA 95076.
Ocean Speedway & the Ocean Sprints would like to thank Taco Bravo, High Five Pizza, Ray Scheidts Electric, Beer Optics, Hoosier Tires West and Kaeding Performance for their support.
For more information on the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo log onto http://www.oceansprints.com and for more on the Ocean Speedway check out www.racepmg.com
Upcoming Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo events
Friday April 24 (Double Down weekend)
Friday May 1 (Double Down weekend)
Friday May 8 (Double Down weekend)
Friday May 15
Friday May 1 (Double Down weekend)
Friday May 8 (Double Down weekend)
Friday May 15