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– EASTON, Calif. (Sept. 18) – The deficit is seven points with three races remaining.
The task isn’t an easy one for Tommy Tarlton, who is gunning for his third consecutive Ocean Sprints championship. The chase resumes on Saturday at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif.
“It’s been about four weeks since the last Ocean Sprints race, so I’m just ready to get back after it with those guys,” Tarlton said. “We’ve got our work cut out to get the championship lead back.”
The Easton, Calif., native has three Ocean Sprints feature wins at the semi-banked, ¼-mile dirt oval this season, including two of the last three events. However, a late-race crash at the last event – the Johnny Key Classic on Aug. 27 – sent Tarlton from competing for the lead to finishing 10th and veteran Ronnie Day capitalized to retake the point’s advantage.
With a gap of five points from first to second and then a one-point difference for the remaining positions in each feature, Tarlton said winning is more important than ever.
“Ronnie has been having a great season and he’s going to be tough to beat for this championship,” he said. “If I want to get that lead back, I need to win. That’s my mindset.”
In 11 Ocean Sprints events this season, Tarlton has claimed a top 10 in all but one – when he got caught up in an early crash while running in the top 10. He also has nine finishes in the top four.
Tarlton claimed the Ocean Sprints championship by 44 points last season and in 2009 he held off Brent Kaeding, who had won the previous two titles, by a handful of points.
“This year’s championship will probably come down to that last feature and maybe even the last lap,” Tarlton said. “It’s been a blast this year racing Ronnie and the other guys for the title. I just hope I’m holding that trophy after the final race.”
Saturday’s event is also co-sanctioned by the California Civil War Sprint Car Series.
SEASON STATS –
34 races, 34 features, 9 wins, 25 top fives, 27 top 10s, 29 top 15s, 32 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., with the Ocean Sprints and California Civil War Sprint Car Series
FAVORITE NUMBER –
3: Ocean Sprints feature wins this season at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.tommytarlton.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/tommytarlton21
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001286852863
APPAREL –
Tarlton has black t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats, and white women’s shirts available for purchase at every race he attends. For information on where you can get them, visit http://www.tarltonandson.com/tarlton-racing-schedule.
ON THE AIR –
Tarlton was a guest on the Lucas Oil ASCS Show by Racinboys on May 3. Click on the link below to listen. Tarlton’s interview begins around the 32-minute mark.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=18831
He was also a featured guest on the Dirt Cast podcast on June 29. The link is below:
http://dirtcast.com/2011/06/29/tommy-tarlton-ascs-sprint-cars-ocean-sprints-6-29-11/
Check out the link below to see highlights of Tarlton’s King of the West Sprint Car Series’ win at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., on May 14.
Here are a couple of videos from Tarlton’s victory and runner-up performance with the King of the West Sprint Car Series at the Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., on July 1-2:
http://vimeo.com/25952465 and http://vimeo.com/25950506
Here is a link to Tarlton spinning around on the back of his car during a heat race at Ocean Speedway on July 8:
Check out this link to an in-car video of Tarlton winning the B Main at the Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore., on July 13:
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino
Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino is a full-service destination that offers a hotel, a casino with slots and table games, multiple restaurants and a spa in one location in Lemoore, Calif. For more information, visit www.tachipalace.com.
“Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino and our race team have been a winning combination since 1997,” Tarlton said. “They’ve got an awesome place near the Hanford and Tulare race tracks. It’s the nicest place to stay for a racer and there’s plenty of parking.”
Tarlton would like to thank his sponsors, including Tarlton and Son, Inc., Corporate America Lending, Bandy & Associates, Sharp Insurance & Bonding, Simpson and BG Products for their continued support.