By Ben Deatherage
(6/29/24 – Ben Deatherage) Chico, CA … Justin Sanders mastered a lap 15 restart to secure the race lead and went on to win the exciting 35-lap David Tarter Memorial at Silver Dollar Speedway with the NARC 410 Sprint Car Series. It was the second time he has won the event, the fourth time he has bested the NARC regulars during the current campaign.
“I’m happy to get this win again, and for the whole Tarter family,” said Sanders in victory lane in front of his Farmer’s Brewing Company #2X KPC of Mittry Motorsports. “Everyone knows how tragic it was when we lost David, and I knew if I won, I had to park in turn four and point up a #35 for David,”
Sander, who previously won this event in 2021, stopped in the final corner on his victory lap and got out of his racecar to celebrate with the fans.
The H.A.M. Construction #35KM entry, piloted by Tyler Thompson, seized control of the top spot at the drop of the green flag. The Beacon Wealth Strategies dash winner and ARP Quick Qualifier set a fast pace but lost the advantage on a lap nine restart to Sanders.
Sanders powered his way past Thompson on the back straightaway only to be slowed once again by another caution period three laps later. On the ensuing restart, the Bjork Construction #7B Maxim of Sean Becker immediately pressured the leader taking the lead on lap 15.
Unfortunately, Becker’s efforts were halted due to the event’s lone red flag for an upside-down Shane Golobic. He was unhurt.
When the race resumed, Becker got a little high on the exit of turn two, resulting in the loss of the lead and a melee for the lead between Sanders and the Tarlton & Son #21 Maxim of Cole Macedo. Sanders won the race back to the flag stand and effectively checked out from the rest of the field, despite another caution period and heavy lap traffic.
“It was nice to have that open red and put air back in the tires,” continued Sanders. I felt like my tires were getting too low on those restarts, and I was getting too tight. I tried too hard to blaze it on the top in turns one and two, but the open red came out. We changed the air pressure a bit, and it gave me a chance to get my head on straight.”
Rookie of the Year contender Dominic Gorden made a late race surge and finished an impressive second aboard his J.I. Apparel Company #10 KPC. Macedo wound up third, and Thompson was credited with fourth. Chase Johnson in the Toyota of Marin, Walnut Creek, and Sunnyvale #24 Maxim rounded out the top five.
The second five includes Caeden Steele, Becker, Justyn Cox, Michael Faccinto, and Ryan Bernal. Gauge Garcia earned the Williams Roofing Hardcharger Award finishing 12th after starting in the last row.
Heat winners earlier in the night were Macedo, Sanders, Gorden, and 2017 NARC champion Bud Kaeding.
2019 NARC champion D.J. Netto won the Starr Property Management B-Feature.
HOOSIER RACING TIRES A-FEATURE (35 LAPS): 1. 2X-Justin Sanders [3]; 2. 10-Dominic Gorden [5]; 3. 21-Cole Macedo [8]; 4. 35KM-Tyler Thompson [1]; 5. 24-Chase Johnson [10]; 6. 121-Caeden Steele [11]; 7. 7B-Sean Becker [4]; 8. 42X-Justyn Cox [2]; 9. X1-Michael Faccinto [14]; 10. 73-Ryan Bernal [12]; 11. 88N-DJ Netto [21]; 12. 2K-Gauge Garcia [23]; 13. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [9]; 14. 26-Billy Aton [16]; 15. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [22]; 16. 29-Bud Kaeding [6]; 17. 12-Jarrett Soares [17]; 18. 2XM-Max Mittry [7]; 19. 12J-John Clark [19]; 20. 9-Dustin Freitas [24]; 21. 9M-Michael Ing [20]; 22. 83T-Tanner Carrick [15]; 23. 17W-Shane Golobic [13]; 24. 15-Nick Parker [18]
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Tyler Thompson 1-9; Justin Sanders 10-14, 16-35; Sean Becker 15
WILLIAMS ROOFING HARDCHARGER: Gauge Garcia +11 (23rd to 12th)
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 LAPS): 1. 21-Cole Macedo [2]; 2. 24-Chase Johnson [1]; 3. 2XM-Max Mittry [4]; 4. X1-Michael Faccinto [3]; 5. 12J-John Clark [6]; 6. 2K-Gauge Garcia [5]; 7. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [8]; 8. 76-Jennifer Osborne [7]
KIMO’S TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 LAPS): 1. 29-Bud Kaeding [2]; 2. 121-Caeden Steele [1]; 3. 42X-Justyn Cox [4]; 4. 26-Billy Aton [3]; 5. 9M-Michael Ing [6]; 6. 81-William Fielding [7]; 7. 5-R.C. Smith [5]
WINTERS PERFORMANCE HEAT THREE (8 LAPS): 1. 2X-Justin Sanders [2]; 2. 35KM-Tyler Thompson [4]; 3. 73-Ryan Bernal [3]; 4. 83T-Tanner Carrick [6]; 5. 12-Jarrett Soares [1]; 6. 88N-DJ Netto [5]; 7. 4-Burt Foland Jr. [7]; 8. 7X-Jacob Johnson [8]
SYSTEM ONE PRO IGNITION HEAT FOUR (8 LAPS): 1. 10-Dominic Gorden [3]; 2. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [2]; 3. 17W-Shane Golobic [5]; 4. 7B-Sean Becker [4]; 5. 15-Nick Parker [1]; 6. 9-Dustin Freitas [6]; 7. 75-Bill Smith [7]
BEACON WEALTH STRATEGIES TROPHY DASH (6 LAPS): 1. 35KM-Tyler Thompson [1]; 2. 42X-Justyn Cox [2]; 3. 2X-Justin Sanders [8]; 4. 7B-Sean Becker [3]; 5. 10-Dominic Gorden [5]; 6. 29-Bud Kaeding [6]; 7. 2XM-Max Mittry [7]; 8. 21-Cole Macedo [4]
STARR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT B-FEATURE (15 LAPS): 1. 88N-DJ Netto [1]; 2. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [8]; 3. 2K-Gauge Garcia [3]; 4. 9-Dustin Freitas [2]; 5. 76-Jennifer Osborne [9]; 6. 5-R.C. Smith [5]; 7. 81-William Fielding [4]; 8. 7X-Jacob Johnson [10]; 9. 4-Burt Foland Jr. [6]; 10. 75-Bill Smith [7]
ARP QUALIFYING QUICK TIME: Tyler Thompson, 12.363 (30 Cars)