Ben Deatherage
(5/19/24 – ) Stockton, California … Justin Sanders scored a hard fought victory on a rough track to claim Sunday’s Salute to Leroy Van Conett NARC 410 Sprint Car Series event at the Stockton Dirt Track.
Sanders, who started fifth in the 20-car grid, stole the lead from race leader Sean Becker with a brilliant lap 15 restart and battled challenging track conditions and slower traffic the rest of the way to score his second NARC victory of the season aboard Demo Mittry’s Farmers Brewing KPC sprint car.
The 30-lap contest began with Billy Aton’s Plant Reclamation #26 XXX grabbing the point and setting the standard for the first 14-laps. Aton would put on quite a show, including several wheel stands on the front straightaway, as he pulled away from all challengers. Things tightened up as the leaders got into lapped traffic on the narrow racing surface on lap eight, and even thicker congestion formed ahead of them on the 13th circuit.
Tragedy would strike on the 14th circuit when Aton lost power in the first set of corners and collected second-place runner Tanner Carrick to bring out the caution. Beacon Wealth Strategies dash winner Sean Becker inherited the lead in the Don Bjork-owned Bjork Construction #7B Maxim. However, on the ensuing restart, Sanders performed the overtake for the top spot.
The event went stoppage-free after the restart allowing Sanders to get in a good rhythm, as he methodically worked his way through slower cars on the way to the checkered. It was his third career NARC win at Stockton.
“I think Becker went in too hard, hit the hole, and pushed up,” explained Sanders about his move to get around Becker on the restart. “I tried to get my car as far down as I could and get off the bottom of two really good, and it was just enough to get by him. I’m glad to get another NARC win and I got to thank Demo Mittry and all the sponsors and our supporters.”
Becker finished a very respectable second place for his first podium in the current campaign.
“The crew’s been through the wringer the last few days and fought through it,” said Becker, the 2005 series champion, “and I’m so proud of them. I wish I could have given it (a victory) to them, but to get a podium with this stout field is pretty good.”
The Matt Wood Racing entry driver by Shane Golobic, in the NOS Energy Drink #17W KPC, kept up his consistent form with a third place podium finish.
NARC point leader Cole Macedo’s continued to grind with another top five finish in the Tarlton Motorsports team finishing fourth. Andy Forsberg rounded out the top five aboard the Pacific Highway Rentals #92 Maxim. He started tenth.
2017 NARC champion Bud Kaeding was sixth, chased by Justyn Cox. Rookie driver Dominic Gorden was the Williams Roofing Hardcharger by finish eighth after starting 16th. Dylan Bloomfield edged out Nick Parker to wrap up the second five at the checkered.
Cole Macedo was the fastest qualifier in the ARP Time Trials.
Caeden Steele, Becker, and Aton were victorious in the program’s three heat races.
HOOSIER RACING TIRES A-FEATURE (30 LAPS): 1. 2X-Justin Sanders [4]; 2. 7B-Sean Becker [1]; 3. 17W-Shane Golobic [8]; 4. 21-Cole Macedo [5]; 5. 92-Andy Forsberg [10]; 6. 29-Bud Kaeding [9]; 7. 42X-Justyn Cox [12]; 8. 10-Dominic Gorden [16]; 9. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [14]; 10. 15-Nick Parker [15]; 11. 2K-Gauge Garcia [7]; 12. 121-Caeden Steele [6]; 13. 12J-John Clark [13]; 14. 87-Ashlyn Rodriguez [20]; 15. 4-Burt Foland Jr. [18]; 16. 75-Bill Smith [17]; 17. 26-Billy Aton [2]; 18. 83T-Tanner Carrick [3]; 19. 551-Angelique Bell [19]; 20. 12-Jarrett Soares [11]
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Billy Aton 1-14; Justin Sanders 15-30
WILLIAMS ROOFING HARDCHARGER: Dominic Gorden +8 (16th to 8th)
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 LAPS): 1. 121-Caeden Steele [1]; 2. 17W-Shane Golobic [2]; 3. 21-Cole Macedo [4]; 4. 42X-Justyn Cox [5]; 5. 15-Nick Parker [6]; 6. 10-Dominic Gorden [3]; 7. 551-Angelique Bell [7]
KIMO’S TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 LAPS): 1. 7B-Sean Becker [2]; 2. 2K-Gauge Garcia [1]; 3. 29-Bud Kaeding [5]; 4. 2X-Justin Sanders [4]; 5. 12J-John Clark [3]; 6. 75-Bill Smith [6]; 7. 87-Ashlyn Rodriguez [7]
SYSTEM 1 PRO IGNITION HEAT THREE (8 LAPS): 1. 26-Billy Aton [2]; 2. 83T-Tanner Carrick [4]; 3. 92-Andy Forsberg [5]; 4. 12-Jarrett Soares [1]; 5. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [3]; 6. 4-Burt Foland Jr. [6]
BEACON WEALTH STRATEGIES TROPHY DASH (6 LAPS): 1. 7B-Sean Becker [2]; 2. 26-Billy Aton [1]; 3. 83T-Tanner Carrick [4]; 4. 2X-Justin Sanders [5]; 5. 21-Cole Macedo [6]; 6. 121-Caeden Steele [3]
ARP QUICK QUALIFIER: Cole Macedo, 12.111 (20 Cars)