WATSONVILLE — The young guns continued to shine at Watsonville Speedway, as 14-year-old Landon Henry of Sacramento bolted to his initial winged sprint sar victory on Friday night.
Half of the Gold Star GMC 360 Sprint Car races this season have now been captured by drivers who were age 14 at the time.
Also claiming wins on Friday were Martinez’s Nick Decarlo in IMCA Modifieds, Yreka’s Bo Crebs in Santa Cruz Apparel IMCA Sport Mods, Porterville’s Colby Quinton in R&J Landscaping Hobby Stocks and San Jose’s Mel Dunn in Police N Pursuit.
Earlier in the week, the track surface was widened and it was noticeable during the Johnny Key Classic Tune-Up Race.
Sacramento’s Landon Henry, 14, celebrates winning the Gold Star GMC 360 Sprint Car feature race at Watsonville Speedway on Friday night. (Top Dawg Photos)
Henry jumped to the early lead in the 360 sprint car feature, as drivers behind him jockeyed for position over the early stages. El Cajon’s Braden Chiaramonte, Clayton’s Joey Ancona and Auburn’s Andy Forsberg went at it before things calmed down with Chiaramonte settling into second.
With a handful of laps remaining, Chiaramonte and Ancona exchanged spots, with the El Cajon driver remaining in the runner-up position. He then began to reel in the leader and with the white flag waving, things began to heat up.
Henry didn’t get the run up top that he wanted through turns one and two, which allowed Chiaramonte to dive below him, making it a fight for the win.
Ancona was right there waiting to pounce on the final corners as well, but Henry did what he needed to do and crossed under the Ed Entz checkered by inches over Chiaramonte to grab the thrilling win. Ancona, the Taco Bravo Hard Charger; Forsberg, Keith Day Company Fast Time Award winner; and Caleb Debem completed the top five.
IMCA Modified
The IMCA Modified main event saw multiple different leaders while putting on a solid show in their 20-lapper. Prunedale’s Jonathan Hagio took the early command, but it was short-lived as Robert Marsh blasted to the point on lap four.
A long red flag period to clean up a crash in turn two was seen, which dropped the race from 25-laps to 20 with curfew looming. Jim Pettit II looked very fast and took the lead on lap nine, until “Quick Nick” Decarlo assumed the top spot with 14 laps complete.
Decarlo went on to grab the win ahead of Pettit, Marsh, Fred Lind and Hagio.
IMCA Sport Mods
The Santa Cruz Apparel IMCA Sport Mods saw the “Burrito Bandito” Kaden Perez of Watsonville hop to the early lead. He maintained command for several laps before encountering issues that knocked him out of contention.
Yreka’s Crebs ran on the high side early, as he had to withstand several restarts, and fended off Danny Wagner. Crebs withstood all challengers and grabbed the win with Wagner.
Atwater’s Darren Thomas, Kingsburg’s Todd Carlock and Brentwood’s Jeff Bentancourt rounded out the top five.
Hobby Stocks
The R&J Landscaping Hobby Stocks had a lengthy feature that was ultimately cut to 16 laps due to time constraints. Porterville driver Colby Quinton made the drive to Watsonville pay off by claiming the triumph over Watsonville’s Lilly Mead and Dakota Keldsen, Joe Gallaher of Manassas, Virginia, and Santa Cruz’s Brady Muller.
Police N Pursuit
Mel Dunn made the move by AJ Waltrip of Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office to claim the Police N Pursuit portion of the evening.
IF YOU GO
66th Johnny Key Classic
When: June 20, 4 p.m.
Where: Watsonville Speedway
Events: 360 Sprint Cars (Sprint Car Challenge Tour), Four Bangers, BCRA/WMR Midget Super Series, West Coast Pro Stocks and the Watsonville Wreckers Demolition Derby.