Ensign Increases Point Lead, Howard Scores Big on Santa Rosa Auto Body Night
By Devin Mayo and Rick Faeth
Petaluma Speedway returned to action Saturday Night with four classes. The Pit Stop Winged 360’s saw the Cotati Comet Jake Haulot set fast time with a time of 12.853 on lap 1 of his qualifying effort until the engine let go the second lap, ending his night early. The 2 heat races were won by David Lindt Jr and Alissa Geving. Visiting Australian Michael Keen and Geoff Ensign would lead the field to green with Keen getting the jump. It would be a fierce battle between Keen, Ensign, and Lindt as they were encountering lap traffic mid race battling for the lead. Keen would make a slight mistake in turn 4 and that’s all Ensign needed to take over the lead as Lindt went to second. A late race yellow with only a handful of laps remaining would set up a sprint to the finish, but Ensign would go on to close the deal for his third Petaluma win of the season. Lindt Jr. would earn his best ever finish with a runner up, and Down-Under Daniel Keen would round out the podium.
The Pit Stop USA Spec Sprints made their return to the Petaluma 3/8th’s. Nick Larson set fast time with a time of 14.834. Sparky Howard and Shayna Sylvia captured heat race victories. Sylvia would start on pole and take the lead in the early going. Howard and Larson would battle for second as Larson would take it and try to run down the huge lead Sylvia had built. A caution for William Fatu would bunch the field back up. Sylvia would rocket back out to a huge lead until her motor expired on the 20 stanza, handing the lead to Larson. Nitro Nick seeking his first Petaluma win would lead the field back to green but Howard stayed right behind him, making a pass for the lead on the low side of turns 3 & 4 on the 23rd circuit. The popular Howard would hold off Larsen to score his first victory since 2014. Larson’s solid effort yielded second and new point leader Ryon Silverling would capture his first podium at Petaluma Speedway with third.
The General Hydroponic Dwarf cars had some visitors as they would take on the South Bay Dwarf cars. An impressive 34 cars signed into the pits. Mark Hanson, Dave Mosier, Scooter Gomes, and Punky Pires won their heat races with Adam Teves winning the non-stop B-Main. Marcus Hardina led the field to green as Mosier would start making his charge towards to the front. Mosier would take the lead in the early going as the field behind him battled for position. Hardina’s strong night would come to an end when the motor expired while leading the A main. Mosier would dominate as he would lead the non-stop 25 lap feature to take the victory over Ryan Ameln who was 2nd and Punky Pires in 3rd.
The Santa Rosa Auto Body 600’s made their return for the 2nd week in a row with Jared Morrison and Nick Robfogel taking heat races victories. Morrison led the field to green in the early laps of the race but the man on a mission was Koen Shaw. Shaw would use the outside line in turns 1 & 2 to make the pass for the lead. Tony Soper, Jared Morrison, Jim Beck, and Nick Robfogel would battle it out for positions 2nd-4th. Shaw had a dominate car once again as he would win his 3rd race of the year at Petaluma Speedway with Soper in 2nd and Morrison finishing 3rd.
Petaluma Speedway returns this upcoming Saturday with the Pit Stop USA Winged 360’s, USAC vs. BCRA Midgets, General Hydroponic Dwarf Cars, and the Jake’s Performance Hobbies Mini Stocks. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.petaluma-speedway.com.
