Jul 30 - July 31st

Tight Points Battle Heads into Ocean Speedway for Round No. 8 GLR Investments Sprint Car Action

By Gary Costa

Watsonville, CA – July 27, 2009….This Friday evening, the GLR Investments 360 Sprint Car Series will be back in action once again competing on John Prentice's ¼-mile speedway in Round No. 8 Winged Sprint Car action. After the completion of the GLR Investments Series Sprint Cars vs. Civil War race on July 17 that Kyle Larson won, the points were shaken up, and a new point's leader emerged.

Evan Suggs in the Suggs Racing 33E and Justin Sanders in the North County Plastering No. 17, both were plagued with unusual circumstances during the event that has relegated Suggs to third in the points and Sanders fourth.

With only six races remaining, things are really heating up as we are getting down to crowning the 2009 champion. Every race held thus far has been anything less than entertaining. The July 31 event will also mark the third Johnny Key Qualifying race. The action on the speedway has been fierce to get "locked in" the prestigious 50 lap event.

Campbell's Brent Kaeding now sits atop the standings in the co-owned Mike Sala/Brian Matherly Motorsports, Kaeding Performance No. 19. Kaeding put on a driving display during the Civil War vs. GLR Series race. Kaeding charged from his 13^th starting spot to finish third in the wild 30 lap feature. BK battled for every inch of real estate that he got, and continued to show why he is a 13-time King of California champion and in deservingly in the Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

Easton's Tommy Tarlton has picked up major speed in the Tarlton & Son, Inc. No. 21. Tarlton has managed to leap from fourth in the standings to second. Tarlton drove the wheels off of the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino sponsored mount in the last event chasing Kyle Larson to the checkered flag, finishing second. Tarlton remains the only repeat winner in the series.

Scotts Valley's favorite son, Evan Suggs had another dose of the tough luck that has plagued the pilot of the No. 33E in the last three events. Suggs was moving up nicely in the last event; unfortunately he spun in Turns 1 & 2, dropping him down, but not out of the points chase. Look for Suggs to perform his usual fan favorite all-out driving style on the ¼-mile surface.

16-year-old Justin Sanders was another driver to experience a tough evening during the last event. Sanders, who was tied for the points lead with Suggs going into the last event, got turned around during main event action, sideling the young shoe for the rest of the evening. The second year Sprint Car pilot will look to rebound this Friday.

Pleasanton's Brad Furr has been looming in the fifth place points standing for the past few races. Furr flipped the BFR Motorsports No. 2 in his heat race, but remarkably the capable team just about rebuilt the battered mount from top to bottom in the pits, and Furr returned to action finishing 11^th in the main event.

Steve Osborne will be making a return to GLR Investments Sprint Car action. Osborne was sitting tenth in the points standings before breaking his hand. The pilot of the No. 9J is excited to be giving away one free indoor skydiving flight to a lucky fan Friday evening.

A host of other drivers will be seeking the Round No. 8 GLR Investments 360 Sprint Car Series win including Grass Valley's Jason Statler, San Martin's Wes Gutierrez, San Jose's Jason Newton, Morgan Hill's Ricky Wright, Jr., Visalia's Cory Eliason, Gilroy's Kurt Nelson, Santa Cruz's Kevin Pylant, and many more.

Top-10 in GLR Investments Sprint Car Points

1. Brent Kaeding 355
1. Tommy Tarlton 346
3. Evan Suggs 341
4. Justin Sanders 336
5. Brad Furr 333
6. Ronnie Day 317
7. Ricky Wright, Jr. 302
8. Jason Newton 265
9. Kurt Nelson 257
9. Craig Smith 257

49th Running Johnny Key Classic Qualifiers (14 spots available)

1. Tommy Tarlton
2. Justin Sanders
3. Brad Furr
4. Kyle Larson
5. Brent Kaeding
6. Sean Becker

Pit gate opens at 1:00 with the front gate opening at 4:00. Racing starts at 6. Adults are $15, kids 6-12 $9, all kids under 5 free. Family $40 (2 Adults and 2 Children), Senior $12 with I.D. (65 yrs+). For more information please log onto www.oceanspeedway.com or call the speedway at (831) 476-9466

The speedway is located at 2601 East Lake Ave in Watsonville, CA