By James Allen
(October 12th – Ben Deatherage) Tulare, California … In a typical elbows-up NARC 410 Sprint Car Series feature event at the Thunderbowl, Cole Macedo’s persistence finally paid off in the waning laps after battling and shadowing race leader DJ Netto throughout the exciting 30-lap contest.
The Chris & Brian Faria Memorial would be the Lemoore standout’s fifth career NARC victory and the first time the pilot of the Tarlton Motorsports-fielded Tarlton & Son #21 Maxim has won with the series at Tulare. The victory earned him the NARC championship point lead over Justin Sanders, by a slim 11-point margin. Justin Sanders, who had the point lead entering the show, suffered motor issues and finished 16th.
“I’ve been doing points racing for the last three or four weeks,” said Macedo in victory lane, “and Justin (Sanders) has been beating us, so I told Drew (Warner, crew chief) and the boys, “I’m hanging it all out here; I don’t care about the points anymore.”
“I was pushing as hard as I could and then the caution came out and it looked like [D.J. Netto] ran out of fuel or something. You hate to win them this way, but I’ll take them this way.”
Netto was the class of the field from the pole and grabbed the early lead. The Beacon Wealth Strategies Dash winner had no problems on the open track as he successfully navigated his Netto Ag #88N KPC on the high side of the historic one-third-mile clay oval.
Netto was challenged by a motivated Macedo throughout the contest and several restarts the field had to endure. Despite Macedo’s best efforts trying to diamond off the corners, the leader answered every challenge.
Netto appeared to be on his way to victory when the caution flag appeared one last time with only two laps remaining. On the restart, Netto’s motor stutter-stepped and Macedo motored around the 2019 NARC champion to take the lead and eventual victory.
The balance of the podium consisted of two drivers that bounced back after having to start deep in the field. In fact, the winner, Macedo, was the only driver to start with a single-digit position that posted a top five finish.
Kaleb Montgomery sliced and diced his way from 13th in his Luxton Real Estate #3 Maxim to earn his second runner-up finish of the season and his career with NARC.
Dominic Gorden notched his third career series podium with an impressive 16th to third effort, earning the Gary Silva Ranches #10 KPC the Williams Roofing Hardcharger Award.
Dylan Bloomfield brought the Dave and Debbie Vertullo-owned Starr Property Management #83V Maxim to a solid fourth, chased by the California Waterfowl #83T Maxim driven by Tanner Carrick in fifth.
Former NARC champions Dominic Scelzi, Tim Kaeding and Bud Kaeding were next to cross the checkered. Gauge Garcia and Netto rounded out the top ten.
Netto, Scelzi, and Caeden Steele were the heat race winners.
HOOSIER RACING TIRES A-FEATURE (30 LAPS): 1. 21-Cole Macedo [2]; 2. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [13]; 3. 10-Dominic Gorden [16]; 4. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [10]; 5. 83T-Tanner Carrick [12]; 6. 41-Dominic Scelzi [3]; 7. 0-Tim Kaeding [9]; 8. 29-Bud Kaeding [5]; 9. 2K-Gauge Garcia [17]; 10. 88N-D.J. Netto [1]; 11. 26-Billy Aton [11]; 12. 42X-Landon Brooks [8]; 13. 15-Nick Parker [15]; 14. 09S-Geoffrey Strole [19]; 15. 5D-Connor Danell [18]; 16. 2X-Justin Sanders [4]; 17. 17W-Shane Golobic [7]; 18. 12B-Dawson Faria [14]; 19. 72JR-Chris Nelson [20]; 20. 121-Caeden Steele [6]
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: D.J. Netto 1-28; Cole Macedo 29-30
WILLIAMS ROOFING HARDCHARGER: Dominic Gorden +13 (16th to 3rd)
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 LAPS): 1. 121-Caeden Steele [1]; 2. 21-Cole Macedo [4]; 3. 0-Tim Kaeding [3]; 4. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield [2]; 5. 3-Kaleb Montgomery [5]; 6. 2K-Gauge Garcia [6]; 7. 09S-Geoffrey Strole [7]
KIMO’S TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 LAPS): 1. 88N-D.J. Netto [1]; 2. 42X-Landon Brooks [3]; 3. 2X-Justin Sanders [4]; 4. 26-Billy Aton [2]; 5. 15-Nick Parker [6]; 6. 10-Dominic Gorden [5]; 7. 72JR-Chris Nelson [7]
WINTERS PERFORMANCE HEAT THREE (8 LAPS): 1. 41-Dominic Scelzi [2]; 2. 17W-Shane Golobic [1]; 3. 29-Bud Kaeding [4]; 4. 83T-Tanner Carrick [3]; 5. 12B-Dawson Faria [5]; 6. 5D-Connor Danell [6]
BEACON WEALTH STRATEGIES TROPHY DASH (6 LAPS): 1. 88N-D.J. Netto [2]; 2. 21-Cole Macedo [6]; 3. 41-Dominic Scelzi [1]; 4. 2X-Justin Sanders [5]; 5. 29-Bud Kaeding [4]; 6. 121-Caeden Steele [3]
ARP QUALIFYING QUICK TIME: Cole Macedo, 13.430 (20 Cars)