This message was edited on
June 27, 2009 at
03:09:32 PM by Gary Costa
 
(Photo courtesy L&J Photography)
Tommy Tarlton Wins Round No. 6 GLR Investments Feature in Exciting Fashion
By Gary Costa
WATSONVILLE, CA – (6-26-09) – Easton's Tommy Tarlton won the sixth GLR Investments 30 lap feature event at Ocean Speedway in another thrilling race held on the racy ¼-mile speedway. Tarlton's win also made him the first repeat winner of the '09 season. The event was also the first of three qualifying races for the Johnny Key Classic.
The sixth pill for the inversion was pulled. Masher's Mike Henry and Wes Gutierrez brought the 22 car field down to the green flag with Henry getting the jump and Gutierrez immediately banging the cushion. However things slowed down with Shane Golobic stopped between turns 1-2.
With Golobic restarting in the rear, it moved Evan Suggs in the Suggs Racing No. 33E next to Brent Kaeding in the Sala/Matherly No. 19 who were both tied in the point's coming into the event, right next to each other in the eighth row to duke it out.
Henry in the No. 18 got the jump on Gutierrez in the WG Motorsports No. 007 on the restart. This time Furr threw himself into the mix, with all three cars battling neck-and-neck. Just as the trio was just about to get the first lap in, Mike Stallings flipped his No. 83M in turn 4. Officials deemed that Henry and Gutierrez drove past the red and were relegated to the back of the field, putting Furr on the point.
With racing resuming and laps winding down, Furr looked as though he would be the sixth different winner in six races in the Furr Motorsports No. 2. But Tommy Tarlton had other plans as he looked to attack Furr in lapped traffic. Racing slowed down on Lap 12 as Matt Sargent slowed to a stop while running a strong third in the Sean Leggat No. 14.
Jason Statler showed why he is considered one of the best in the business as he was blasting around the speedway and moving forward in the Statler Racing No. 00 charging from his 15th starting spot. Statler, Suggs and Kaeding put on a show for all in attendance as at this point in the race; Statler was fifth, Suggs was already up to seventh with Kaeding following behind in eighth. Gutierrez was putting on a show of his own by making hair raising moves, working himself into ninth.
After a Lap 13 red for Burt Foland, Jr., Furr once again got the jump with Tarlton hounding him. 16-year-old hot shoe, Justin Sanders threw himself in the mix with the front runners in the Sanders Motorsports No. 17. Sanders was hooked up and flying coming from the ninth spot and literally looked like he was shot out of a cannon in the waning laps of the race.
The already scorching racing action on the racetrack got even hotter as lapped traffic came into play once again. Andy Ferris, Ronnie Day, Statler, Suggs and Kaeding split lapped cars like it nobody's business.
Tarlton eventually got by Furr and worked heavy lapped traffic like a maestro leading an orchestra in the Tarlton & Son, Inc. No 21. With a handful of laps to go, Sanders got by Furr for second in another entertaining GLR 360 Sprint Car Series feature event. Rounding out the Top-10 were Day, Statler, Ferris, Suggs, Kaeding, Wright, Jr. and Henry who came from the back of the field.
"I'm so excited! We've been racing a lot this year, and it's fun to be racing again. My crew chief Paul Baines gave me a great car tonight. We have had motor problems starting about three races a go," two-time GLR Investments feature event winner, Tommy Tarlton said. "After the last race, we just couldn't run. We couldn't go forward no matter what we did. We dropped a fresh motor in the car and man what a difference! I have a crew that has faith in me and we're excited. The Maxim's are working well and the Shark motors are hitting hard, and we have great sponsors that support us."
"I had a lot of fun tonight. The track was really good tonight, it had two grooves and lapped traffic came into play and that really helped me," second place finisher, Justin Sanders said. "I try to keep my head screwed on strait and move forward. I also try to race as clean as I can, but remain aggressive. 'Moose' had the car perfect in the main event. We're going to need to stay consistent to win the championship, but also remain aggressive and smooth."
"I finally qualified well tonight, and the guys gave me a real good car. I made the wrong choice in traffic," third place finisher, Brad Furr said. "When you're leading the race it's hard to experiment much, but my hats off to my guys, we just gave this one away. This year we haven't been able to qualify well, but when we get in the main event we do pretty well."
Ronnie Day laid down an 11.889 qualifying lap in the Werbach Motorsports No. 20 garnering him quick time out of the 25-car field.
Heat races were won by Brad Furr, Justin Sanders and Kurt Nelson. Ricky Wright, Jr. claimed the B-main.
FAST TIME: Ronnie Day, 20-11.889
HEAT RACE 1: (8 laps)
1. Brad Furr, 2. Ronnie Day, 3. Jerry Bonnema, 4. Jason Statler, 5. Andy Ferris, 6. Kevin Pylant, 7. Ricky Wright, Jr., 8. Burt Foland, Jr., 9. Wayne Katen
HEAT RACE 2: (8 laps)
1. Justin Sanders, 2. Craig Smith, 3. Tommy Tarlton, 4. Wes Gutierrez, 5. Brent Kaeding, 6. Keith Day, 7. Jason Newton, 8. Mike Stallings
HEAT RACE 3: (8 laps)
1. Kurt Nelson, 2. Mike Henry, 3. Evan Suggs, 4. Matt Sargent, 5. Shane Golobic, 6. Cory Eliason, 7. Garrett Ishii, 8. Aaron Sirles
B-Main: (12 laps)
1. Ricky Wight, Jr., 2. Kevin Pylant, 3. Jason Newton, 4. Mike Stallings, 5. Garrett Ishii, 6. Wayne Katen, 7. Burt Foland, Jr., 8. Keith Day, 9. Aaron Sirles, 10. Cory Eliason
FEATURE: (30 laps)
1. Tommy Tarlton, 2. Justin Sanders, 3. Brad Furr, 4. Ronnie Day, 5. Jason Statler, 6. Andy Ferris, 7. Evan Suggs, 8. Brent Kaeding, 9. Ricky Wright, Jr., 10. Mike Henry, 11. Jason Newton, 12. Kevin Pylant, 13. Wes Gutierrez, 14. Wayne Katen, 15. Matt Sargent, 16. Garrett Ishii, 17. Kurt Nelson, 18. Jerry Bonnema, 19. Craig Smith, 20. Burt Foland, Jr., 21. Shane Golobic, 22. Mike Stallings
The next event for the GLR Investments 360 Sprint Car Series will be held on July 17, with a visit from the tough California Sprint Car Civil War Series. The event will also be the 2nd qualifying race for the Johnny Key Classic. For more information, please visit www.oceanspeedway.com or www.oceansprints.com
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