Burke outruns Modified foes at Ocean’s Mike Cecil Memorial 50

Cody Burke led all but the first two laps in winning Ocean Speedway’s Mike Cecil Memorial feature for IMCA Modifieds. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (July 23) – A very long turn at the front of Ocean Speedway’s Mike Cecil Memorial 50 ended with Cody Burke in victory lane.

Burke took the lead on the third circuit in the first half of the 50-lapper. After the mandatory caution at midway for refueling and any repairs that could be completed in five minutes, he ran at the front of the IMCA Modified field the last 25 laps for the $1,000 payday and 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth.

Junior Dawson, Todd Hermosillo, Kenny Nott and Donny Casho rounded out the top five.

Jim DiGiovanni led the opening two laps and an early crash eliminated Bobby Hogge IV.

Cody Burke, from the fourth starting spot, led laps 3-17 before the next yellow came out. The first half was slowed by caution one more time before Burke led Jim Pettit II, Brian Cass, Kevin Fitzgerald and Tim Balding to the break.

Pettit, Nott, Balding and Cass all fell victim to flat tires and bent race cars in the five cautions that waved after midway.

Burke had a two lap dash to win over Dawson and a returning Nott.

Feature results – 1. Cody Burke; 2. Junior Dawson; 3. Todd Hermosillo; 4. Kenny Nott; 5. Donny Casho; 6. T.J. Etchison; 7. Jim DiGiovanni; 8. Brandon Leonard; 9. Tim Balding; 10. Andy Obertello; 11. Brian Cass; 12. Jim Pettit; 13. Randy Brown; 14. Michael Dalton; 15. Kevin Fitzgerald; 16. Austin Burke; 17. Jerry Movrich; 18. Nick Collins; 19. Larry Hood; 20. Paul Stone; 21. Jeff Mead; 22. Bobby Hogge IV.

Heat winners were Cass, Pettit, Brown and DiGiovanni.