7.27.19 King of West Sprints Results
(7/27/19) By Jim Allen, Santa Maria, CA … Dominic Scelzi picked off Chase Johnson with only two laps remaining to score Saturday’s exciting King of the West-NARC Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car feature at Santa Maria Raceway.
Scelzi, piloting the potent Roth Motorsports number 83 KPC sprint car, started fifth in the grid and quickly moved into the hunt in the 30-lapper. He passed Bud Kaeding for third on lap eight, powered past initial race leader Nathan Rolfe on the 13th circuit, and began to apply pressure on Johnson three laps later.
Johnson, piloting the Fire Suppression Engineering-sponsored Maxim, took the lead by motoring past Rolfe on the backchute on lap five. Once out front, he cut a stellar pace through slower traffic with both Scelzi and Kaeding shadowing his every move in lap traffic.
Scelzi made several unsuccessful attempts on both the high and low side before winning a no holds barred drag race with Johnson down the front straightaway with two circuits left. He held on the rest of the way to score his third King of the West-NARC feature of the season.
Johnson secured the runner-up spot at the checkered, chased by fast qualifier Kaeding steering the Alviso Rock Maxim. Eighth starter Willie Croft drove across the line in fourth aboard his Amerikote-backed sprint car, chased by DJ Netto.
The second five were Rolfe who scored a career best series finish, Geoff Ensign, series point leader Ryan Bernal, Kenny Allen and Kaleb Montgomery. The Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger award went to Montgomery who started 17th in the grid.
The red flag came out twice during the feature for separate accidents by Sean Watts and Geoff Strole. Neither driver was hurt.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30 laps): Dominic Scelzi, Chase Johnson, Bud Kaeding, Willie Croft, DJ Netto, Nathan Rolfe, Geoff Ensign, Ryan Bernal, Kenny Allen, Kaleb Montgomery, Craig Stidham, Tim Estenson, Gary Paulson, Jenna Frazier, Burt Foland Jr., Geoff Stole, JJ Ringo, Mark Barroso, Mitchell Faccinto, Sean Watts.
LAP LEADERS: Lap leaders: Rolfe 1-4, Johnson 5-28, Scelzi 29-30.