This message was edited on
February 13, 2013 at
10:51:10 AM by stevenblakesley
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2013 SEASON SHAPING UP TO BE BEST EVER FOR OCEAN SPEEDWAY
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (February 12,
2013) – John Prentice's Ocean Speedway Watsonville is preparing to
embark on a landmark 2013 season with 33 race events and some of the
toughest weekly competition on any dirt track in the nation. The 2013
campaign will be highlighted by several major events throughout the
year as drivers jockey for points, prize money, and their spot in the
record books.
Ocean Speedway's
beautiful quarter-mile dirt oval at the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds is
headlined by weekly racing action from the IMCA Modifieds and the Ocean
Sprints presented by Taco Bravo.
The IMCA Modifieds
at Ocean Speedway Watsonville have been a mainstay at the speedway for
many years attracting some of the nation's top short track drivers such
as 2012 champion Jim Pettit. The Modifieds kick off their campaign on
March 22nd and the season will be highlighted by the 3rd Pat Pettit
Shootout on September 20th-21st.
Race teams from all
over the nation will descend on Watsonville in September hoping for a
piece of a $15,000 winner's share in the Saturday night feature. The
2013 edition of the Pat Pettit is one of the highest paying Modified
events in the country.
Some of the West
Coast's best 360 Sprint Car drivers assemble each year for the Ocean
Sprints presented by Taco Bravo with 17 races on tap this season. The
hugely successful $10,000 to win 53rd Johnny Key Classic will be held
on Saturday night August 24th. A nearly sell-out crowd came out to
watch Tommy Tarlton grab the victory in 2012 while Mike Henry set an
all-time Ocean Speedway 360 Sprint Car track record in qualifying.
Each Ocean Sprints
event will carry a special "back-row challenge" presented by Nobel
Construction. The top-two qualifiers will have the option to start the
feature at the rear. If the driver can pull off the win, they will
earn an additional $1,500 on top of the already posted awards.
2012 champion Shane
Golobic of Fremont will have his hands full this year against a driver
roster that includes veterans such as Brad Furr, Kurt Nelson, and young
guns like Wingless graduate Nathan Washam, DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi,
Carson Macedo, and many more.
The Pat Pettit and
Johnny Key are not the only special events on tap. The USAC Sprint Cars
will grace the quarter-mile on four occasions including July 12th as
the kick-off to the 3rd Howard Kaeding Classic. USAC Western Midgets
will also be in action on July 12th. Night two of the Howard Kaeding
Classic will feature the Golden State King of the West Sprint Cars in
the only appearance for Winged 410s in the south bay this year.
"With all of the
improvements to the facility we have made and with this great schedule,
I think this will be our best year ever," Promoter John Prentice said.
Overseeing all of
the action this season will be a two man crew of Dan Belton and Mike
Andreatta sharing the Race Director roles.
"I have a lot of
respect for Dan and have been trying to get him to join the Ocean team
for some time now," Prentice said. "I have learned in business if you
hire the very best staff you can good things will happen! Between Mike
and Dan I feel I have the two very best race directors in the business
working for me."
Other divisions racing weekly at Ocean this year
include the American Stocks, Dwarf Cars, Four Bangers, the rapidly
growing IMCA Sport Mods, Ocean Late Models, and traditional Wingless
Sprint Cars. Some divisions will incorporate a season ending "Chase"
points format with more information to be announced soon.
For ticket and race
day information, fans can visit the all-new OceanSpeedway.com All
seating at Ocean Speedway is general admission and gets you a ticket to
some of the best dirt track racing anywhere.
For more information on the Ocean Sprints log onto http://www.oceansprints.com and for more on the Ocean Speedway visit http://www.oceanspeedway.com
Ocean Speedway would
like to thank Taco Bravo, Digital Delivery Networks, Nobel
Construction, Get Som Sports, Ray Scheidt's Electric, Hoosier Tires
West, and Kaeding Performance for their support.
www.stevenblakesley.com
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