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OVER 30 TEAMS EXPECTED TO VIE FOR $10,000 JOHNNY KEY CLASSIC
WATSONVILLE, CALIFORNIA (August 21, 2013) - The 53rd Johnny Key Classic has a $10,000 carrot that has attracted some of the top Sprint Car talent from across the country to invade John Prentice's Ocean Speedway Watsonville this Saturday night. The 50 lap feature is expected to draw over 30 entries as they jockey for one of the largest 360 prizes on the west coast.
1996 Johnny Key winner Bud Kaeding, West Sacramento's Kyle Hirst, Hanford's DJ Netto, and Watsonville's Justin Sanders are locked into the contest by virtue of wins in the four Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo qualifying races in the lead up to the event, while the top-two in series points Brad Furr of Stockton and Kurt Nelson of Gilroy have also earned berths.
That leaves a who's who of the sprint car world left to race their way into the show through a series of b-main races, headlined by 2012 Johnny Key Classic winner Tommy Tarlton. The "Terminator" led all 50 laps last year but must race in alongside 2012 Ocean Sprints champion Shane Golobic of Fremont, driving for the 2011 Johnny Key-winning Keith Day Trucking squad.
Rutherford's Rico Abreu and 2010 winner Tim Kaeding will bring their rigs back home to duel for the Key after extensive traveling this year. TK has scored an impressive seven World of Outlaw victories, while Abreu has scored wins across King of the West 410s and POWRi and USAC National Midgets this season.
1980 & 2008 Johnny Key winner Brent Kaeding, 2007 winner Jason Statler, and 1997 winner "Cowboy" Craig Smith are also expected in the fray, giving the event as many as six former winners should they all manage to race into the field.
Third in the King of the West points, Willie Croft will steer Clyde Lamar's #3c while 2012 Petaluma Speedway champion Chase Johnson will make his first Ocean start of 2013.
Several valley teams are expected to come up to compete in the Key, with Fresno's Dominic Scelzi, Tarlton's nephew Carson Macedo, Collin Markle, and Visalia's Steven Tiner among them.
The championship battle for the Ocean Sprints presented by Taco Bravo includes Furr, Nelson, Salinas' Jeremy Chisum, San Jose's Ryan Rusconi, and Bud Kaeding in the top-five. The balance of the top-ten sees San Jose's Nick Foster, Jr., Fresno's Koen Shaw, Salinas' Jason Chisum, Golobic, and Nick Rescino, Jr.
Other regular contenders this year have included Nicholas Ringo, Tim Decarlo, Burt Foland, Nathan Washam, Jerry Bonnema, Kyler Shaw, and Nick Ringo, Jr.
The six pre-qualified cars will hot lap then pill draw for positions in a six lap dash. The finishing order of the dash for cash will make up the starting line-up for the feature. Each b-main event will be 12 laps. Drivers who make the Key through their b-main will get their qualifying times back and start behind the qualified six.
Purse for the Johnny Key Classic A-main will be $10,000 to win and $300 to start. There will also be lap money awarded with $25 going to first, $15 to second and $10 to third during the sponsored laps. The Johnny Key Classic will be a 50 lap feature in two 25 lap segments. During the break, teams will be allowed to refuel and make adjustments before the race resumes.
Laps are still for sale for the Johnny Key Classic with interested parties urged to contact [email protected] Laps are $50 each to be paid out to the top-three cars each lap.
On Friday, Ocean Speedway will host a huge kick-off party for the Key at Taco Bravo on Snell Road in San Jose with several Sprint Cars on display. The goal of the event is to sell 3,000 tacos in one nigrht.
Saturday's races for the Ocean Sprints will also include racing for the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, and Wingless Sprints. Adult tickets are just $17 with seniors 65+ $16 and kids ages 6-12 are $13. The family pass for two adults and two children is value priced at just $55. Qualifying will get underway at 5 p.m. with fan gates opening at 3:30 p.m.
For more information on the Ocean Sprint Cars presented by Taco Bravo log onto http://www.oceansprints.com and for more on the Ocean Speedway visit http://www.oceanspeedway.com
Ocean Speedway would like to thank Taco Bravo, Digital Delivery Networks, Nobel Construction, Get Som Sports, Ray Scheidt's Electric, Hoosier Tires West, and Kaeding Performance for their support.
Johnny Key Classic winners
1954 Danny Graves
1955 Al Pombo
1956 Clyde Palmer
1957 Ray Raineri
1958 Rick Henderson
1959 George Benson
1960 Marshall Sargent
1961 Clyde Palmer(2)
1962 Clyde Palmer(3)
1963 Marshall Sargent
1964 George Snider
1965 Burt Foland
1966 Burt Foland(2)
1967 Bill Scott
1968 Howard Kaeding
1969 Bill Scott(2)
1970 Don Epperson
1971 Everett Edlund
1972 Nick Rescino
1973 Howard Kaeding(2)
1974 Nick Rescino(2)
1975 Nick Rescino(3)
1976 Tony Ringo
1977 Danny O'Neill
1978 Johnny Brazil
1979 Howard Kaeding(3)
1980 Brent Kaeding
1981 Mike Sargent
1982 Nick Rescino(4)
1983 John Viel
1984 Nick Rescino(5)
1985 Rich Voss
1986 Nick Rescino(6)
1987 Howard Kaeding(4)
1988 Rod Spencer
1989 Scott Luhdorff
1990 Danny Olmstead
1991 Terry McCarl
1992 Scott Luhdorff(2)
1993 Chuck Miller
1994 Chuck Miller(2)
1995 Rick Martin
1996 Bud Kaeding
1997 Craig Smith
1998 Ronnie Day
1999 Eric Rossi
2007 Jason Statler*
2008 Brent Kaeding (2)*
2009 Tommy Tarlton*
2010 Tim Kaeding*
2011 Ronnie Day*
2012 Tommy Tarlton*
* = Held at Ocean Speedway
www.stevenblakesley.com
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