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Photo by Steve's Racing Photos
Jason Statler rebounds from heat race accident to finish 6th at Ocean Speedway
By Gary Thomas
Watsonville, CA – April 12, 2008…Former King of California Jason Statler fought through adversity Saturday night at the Ocean Speedway, but as usual the Los Gatos racer showed perseverance and recorded a sixth place finish in the 30 lap feature.
The Golden State Challenge Series sanctioned event Saturday night at the Watsonville bullring saw just 20 cars show up for the evening of racing on what was a rather warm day for the area. Statler began the night by qualifying eighth fastest in the field with a lap of 12.379 around the quarter-mile clay oval, but unfortunately after qualifying the early season bad luck caught up to him yet again during his heat race.
Starting third in the heat he was challenging for the lead when the leader spun and left him with nowhere to go. “The Big Guy” made contact with the spun car and flipped upside down in turn two. The DF Rios Construction, Pheasant Run Shopping Center Maxim was towed back to the pit area and crew chief Mark Bristow and the team went to work to fix the damage.
They were able to get it fixed as good as possible and with no B-main being run, Statler found himself starting in the ninth position for the main event. The track surface had dried out considerably and became a one lane deal on the bottom in the feature. Statler hugged the bottom groove for 30 laps and in the end brought the D & D Roofing, Trimble Motorsports No. 00 home in sixth place.
“The track was real tough tonight and I was definitely thankful when some people got off the bottom, because that was the only way to make a pass during the feature,” Statler said. “We just have to get rid of some of this bad luck we’re having and we’ll be alright as the season goes on,” he concluded.
This coming week Statler is scheduled to be in Watsonville on Friday night for a local points show before heading to Petaluma Speedway on Saturday for a Golden State Challenge Series event. It will all be dependent on when wife Stephanie has the baby however, as she is due to have it next weekend. Statler jokingly commented, “If you see me come out and qualify, but don’t see me the rest of the night you’ll know my wife is having the baby!”
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Photo by Johns Racing Photos
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