Champions crowed in exciting finale at Ocean

By Ben Deatherage  WATSONVILLE, Calif. (April 1, 2022) – Ocean Speedway returned to racing on Friday for their third race on the campaign, with IMCA feature wins going to Cody Burke and Jonathan Hagio.  At the release of the green flag for the 20-lap IMCA Northern SportMod main, Igor Gandzuk took the reins on the opening lap and set a rapid pace but was eventually caught by the completion of the seventh circuit. The driver to catch Gandzuk was Jonathan Hagio. However, Hagio was by no means out of the proverbial woods as he got bottled up in lapped traffic that brought the entire top five into contention for the lead. Shortly after Hagio passed the last car on the lead lap, a multi-car incident, including two top-five runners, occurred on the 12th circuit. Hagio got up to speed but felt some brief heat a few circuits later. Richard Ragsdale got close to getting around Hagio, but the leader kept Ragsdale in check and scored his first win of 2022. Ragsdale was second, followed by Fred [Read More]

By Steven Blakesley  Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (June 14, 2024) – Grassroots stock car racing action hit the dirt track at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville on Friday night, highlighted by victory in the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature for the Hall of Famer Jim Pettit II. Raymond Kjeldsen, Jr. drove around the outside of polesitter Kyle Bryant at the start of the Modified nightcap, swooping into the lead on lap one. Robert Marsh and Pettit used the outside line to drive into second and third, respectively. Pettit hounded Marsh but was unable to pass him for second, until Marsh spun in turn four. Marsh continued but surrendered several positions. Keldsen had a nearly 2.5 second advantage on Pettit at that stage on lap 10, but Pettit went to work reeling him in. By lap 16, Pettit drove underneath him in turn four to take the lead position. The caution flew a lap later for Bryan spinning out of the top five in turn four. Pettit fended off a nose to tail line of Cody and Austin [Read More]

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (July 19, 2024) – Kc Keller prevailed over a strong field of Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods to claim Friday’s 20-lap feature at Ocean Speedway. “I had a little baby girl in February, she’s five months old now. It was going to be kind of a lot (to keep racing),” Keller said. “But my son has taken a huge interest this year. So we took the car off the market and as long as he’s going with me and the rest family, we’re going to keep going.” Keller snagged the pole position against a 19-car starting grid. The first caution fell on lap five when Brian Baggett spun in turn two. On the restart, Steven Allee pedaled a bit from second to fourth. Bo Crebs crashed in turn four with front end up damage for the next caution on lap seven. Cody Bryan pitted with a right front flat tire as well. Matt Hagio and Rob Gallaher, the fourth row starters, went head-to-head in a back and forth [Read More]