oceanspeedway Archives

Pettit prevails in Ocean IMCA Modified tilt

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2024) – Jim Pettit II moved closer to a third consecutive track championship in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified division Friday, during the Terry Traub Tribute program at Ocean Speedway. Austin Burke drove third to first on the opening salvo with Pettit going fourth to second as well. The first caution of the evening flew when Jacob Mallet, Jr. got sideways in turn three and was hit hard by Raymond Keldsen Jr. on lap four. Pettit stormed around Burke on the outside on the restart to lead lap five. Bobby Hogge drove into second as well. Hogge showed his nose in lapped traffic and drove up to Pettit’s bumper on a few occasions, but Pettit held court. Pettit took a one car length win ahead of Hogge, Andy Obertello, Cody Burke and Mallet. Matthew Hagio earned his second win of the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod season when he grabbed Friday’s 20-lap event. Outside polesitter Brian Baggett took the first lap lead. Fourth starting Rob [Read More]

Keller collects Friday checkers at Ocean

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]

Kaeding Classic is stage for Frazier’s first feature win

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (July 12, 2024) – Opening night at Ocean Speedway’s 14th annual Howard Kaeding Classic saw Matthew Frazier collect top honors in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event. The win was the career first for Frazier, 15 years old and a sophomore-to-be at St. Joseph High School in his hometown of Santa Maria. “It’s a pretty crazy feeling to get my first win in my second season” in the class, said Frazier, who topped the 20-lap contest over a 16-car field. “There was a lot of excitement at the end. I pretty much wanted to yell.” Jeff Mead led the opening lap after starting third. Frazier started seventh and used a restart on lap two to advance to second. A caution on lap four allowed Frazier to challenge Mead for the lead. Frazier jumped inside to lead lap five. Emali VanHoff and Mead battled for second place through a series of cautions in a challenging race. Frazier got away cleanly on a green, white, checkered finish attempt [Read More]

Pettit, Golden take IMCA checkers at Ocean

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]

Burke, Mead top IMCA features at Ocean

Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (May 31, 2024) – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville hosted a special Friday night show with Cody Burke and Jeff Mead earning exciting wins at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds dirt track. After a winless 2023 season, former track champion Burke prevailed for the second time in 2024 in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Robert Marsh jumped ahead of Burke to lead the opening lap of the 25-lap feature. Marsh built up a large lead before approaching lapped traffic. The caution flew for a spinning car in turn two. Burke marched towards Marsh on the restart and took the lead from car no. 22 on lap 22. Burke led the final three laps for victory followed by seventh-starting Bobby Hogge IV, Marsh, Austin Burke and Jim Pettit II. Jeff Mead led all 20 laps for the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod win. Emali VanHoff prevailed in a fast-paced race for second followed by 2023 track champion Chuck Golden, TJ Etchison and Brian Baggett.

Marsh, Allee sail to IMCA wins at Ocean

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (May 10, 2024) – Robert Marsh and Steven Allee were IMCA feature winners on Friday night during round five at Ocean Speedway. Marsh led all 25 laps for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory. Outside polesitter Todd Hermosillo drifted outside the top five within the first two laps of action. Eighth starting Jim Pettit II, aiming for his third consecutive track championship, drove up to second by lap six and brought along Jacob Mallett, Jr. into third on lap seven. Pettit ran on Marsh’s bumper through traffic before the caution flew on lap 19 for debris in turn four. Pettit drove inside of Marsh twice in turn three to no avail. Marsh and Pettit raced side-by-side down the front stretch on lap 24 but Marsh edged ahead. Robert Marsh scored the win followed by Pettit, Mallet, Bobby Hogge IV and Raymond Keldsen. Allee earned his first career Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win in a 20-lap contest. Mike Kofnovec Jr. led from the pole position and [Read More]

Hogge, Kniss win IMCA openers at Ocean

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (April 13, 2024) – Tenth starting Bobby Hogge IV put on a master class of passing, then dominated the rest of the way in winning Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified nightcap at Ocean Speedway. Multiple track champions from across California were scattered throughout the main event field. Hogge charged from tenth to second in the first few laps, avoiding a crash involving Jacob Mallet Jr., Cody Burke and Robert Marsh. Hogge then drove up the inside of Andy Obertello on lap eight to take the lead, accumulating a 6.4 second advantage at the stripe followed by Obertello, Jim Pettit II, Andrew Peckham and Austin Burke. Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod action saw Buddy Kniss fend off Fred Ryland in a classic 20-lap duel to start the season. The pair went side-by-side on lap 16 but Kniss held court once again. Kniss saw the checkered flag with a three car length advantage followed by Ryland, Mark Garner, Emali VanHoff and 2023 champion Chuck Golden.

Foulger wins 103 lap IMCA Modified feature, sweeps Pettit Shootout

By Steven BlakesleyBlakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 30, 2023) – Troy Foulger completed the sweep of the Pat and Jim Pettit Memorial Shootout at Ocean Speedway in Saturday’s 103-lap finale, grabbing the 13th annual Friesen Performance IMCA Modified event in Watsonville. The victory paid $3,006 to win in the extra distance affair at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds after Foulger snared $1,003 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility on Friday night. “Thank you to the Pettit family for everything they do. They are a wonderful family and give us a great race,” Foulger said. “Hats off to the track crew and hopefully that was a good show for the fans. I saw (Nick DeCarlo’s) nose down there and I didn’t know what pace to set. Lapped traffic was thick so I just started sliding people. So I kind of moved my line down there in three and four and was able to get away.” Hall of Famer Jim Pettit II led the 22 starters from the pole position before Foulger took over the lead [Read More]

Format for Pettit Shootout released, IMCA Modifieds to race 103 laps

By Steven Blakesley WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 15, 2023) – Details have been unveiled for the prestigious 13th annual Pat and Jim Pettit Memorial Shootout on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29 and 30 from Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. The annual event pays tribute to the parents of Hall of Famer Jim Pettit II and features Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods racing in complete programs each night at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds dirt track. The main event is Saturday’s 103-lap IMCA Modified blockbuster, paying $3,006 to win and $206 to start. SportMods race for $1,006 to win that evening. Friday action pays $1,003 in the Modifieds and $553 in the SportMods. Both Modified feature winners become eligible to qualify for the 2024 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. During Saturday’s 103 lap Modified feature, caution flag laps will not count and all drivers a single lap down will receive a lucky dog during caution flags (except for during the lap 50 break). The lap 50 break will be a seven-minute break for fuel [Read More]

Morris has whale of a weekend at Ocean with Pettit Shootout IMCA Modified sweep

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 23-24, 2022) – Troy Morris III had a pair of DNQ’s to show for his first Pettit Shootout outings in 2020. He has a pair of Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature wins to show from his second trip to Ocean Speedway’s season-ending special. The Bakersfield driver led every lap of Friday’s $1,003 to win main event and the last 18 circuits while checking out in Saturday’s $3,006 to win 53-lapper. “I was super pumped,” said Morris, who won ahead of Bobby Hogge IV and Cody Burke on night one, and was six seconds in front of Nick DeCarlo and then Burke on night two. “I was feeling good after Friday but to be able to win again on Saturday was really special.” “I grew up watching my dad race there and his birthday is the week after the Pettit,” continued Morris, who celebrates his 19th birthday in early October. “It was fun to go up there and win for him.” Morris started outside row one on Friday and had Hogge, a double winner [Read More]