(5/20/23 – Ben Deatherage) Petaluma, CA … Dominic Scelzi continued to build on his incredible NARC 410 Sprint Car Series momentum leading all 30-laps at Petaluma Speedway. It was Scelzi’s second-straight win of the season, giving him three series triumphs on the campaign for his Scelzi Enterprises/Whipple Superchargers/Red Rose Transportation #41 Maxim team.
On the initial green flag, Scelzi came out in front of a drag race against Bud Kaeding down the front straightaway and into the first set of corners. The first 20-laps ran non-stop, which brought heavy lapped traffic into the mix as the leader negotiated his way through slower traffic. Scelzi was cutting perfect laps and established a healthy straightaway advantage over Kaeding, before slower cars slowed his progress.
With a restart with only 10-laps remaining, Kaeding, piloting the Alviso Rock/Al’s Roofing Supply #69 Maxim, launched one more assault on the leader but to no avail. With an open track ahead of him, Scelzi cruised to the victory and tightened up the battle with Corey Day for the NARC championship.
“I’m thankful to be upfront and win,” said Scelzi in victory lane. “It’s awesome to win here; it’s two in a row. Earlier in my interview, I said this is right up my alley but in reality, this is where I struggle the most of anywhere I’ve been, so winning here is really cool.”
His second straight Petaluma Speedway came by a 1.973 second margin.
“The only way I was going to catch him was if he blew a motor or got a flat tire,” said Kaeding, after posting his first podium finish of the season.
The balance of podium finishers was Justin Sanders in the Farmer’s Brewing/North County Plastering/MittryConstruction.com #2X Maxim. Sanders launched a haymaker at Kaeding on the restart, but was unable to make it stick.
Andy Forsberg, driving the Pacific Highway Rentals/Meridian Camera #92 ART scored fourth. ARP fast qualifier Willie Croft, aboard the Amerikote Powder Coating/Novelli Auto Body/Rudeen Racing #29 Eagle rounded out the top five.
The balance of the top ten comprised Joel Myers Jr., Justyn Cox, NARC point leader Day, Williams Roofing Hardcharger Award winner Chase Johnson, and Billy Aton. Johnson brought out the only red flag of the program when he got upside down in his trophy dash.
HOOSIER TIRE FEATURE (30 laps): 1. 41-Dominic Scelzi; 2. 69-Bud Kaeding; 3. 2X-Justin Sanders; 4. 92-Andy Forsberg; 5. 29-Willie Croft; 6. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr.; 7. 42X-Justyn Cox; 8. 14-Corey Day; 9. 24-Chase Johnson; 10. 26-Billy Aton; 11. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield; 12. 115-Nick Parker; 13. 551-Angelique Bell; 14. 4-Burt Foland Jr.
METTEC TITANIUM LAP LEADERS: Dominic Scelzi 1-30
WILLIAMS ROOFING HARDCHARGER: Chase Johnson 12th to 9th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER: Willie Croft, 12.631 seconds
BROWN AND MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS HEAT ONE (8 laps): 1. 2X-Justin Sanders; 2. 14-Corey Day; 3. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr.; 4. 29-Willie Croft; 5. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield; 6. 42X-Justyn Cox
KIMO’s TROPICAL CAR WASH HEAT TWO (8 laps): 1. 69-Bud Kaeding; 2. 41-Dominic Scelzi; 3. 92-Andy Forsberg; 4. 24-Chase Johnson; 5. 115-Nick Parker; 6. 26-Billy Aton; 7. 551-Angelique Bell
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH 1 (6 laps): 1. 41-Dominic Scelzi; 2. 69-Bud Kaeding; 3. 2X-Justin Sanders; 4. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr.; 5. 92-Andy Forsberg; 6. 29-Willie Croft
SUNNYVALLEY “POWERED BY BACON” TROPHY DASH 2 (6 laps): 1. 26-Billy Aton; 2. 42X-Justyn Cox; 3. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield; 4. 14-Corey Day; 5. 115-Nick Parker; 6. 24-Chase Johnson