SCELZI DOMINANT AT KING OF THE WEST-NARC OPENER AT KCRP
(4/6/19) Bakersfield, CA, By Joe Shivak & Jim Allen … Dominic Scelzi won the 30-lap King of the West-NARC Fujitsu Racing Series 60th Anniversary season opener feature at the Dirt Track at Kern County Raceway on Saturday night.
The Fresno ace led the feature from flag to flag in his Roth Motorsports No. 83 JR and pocketed $4,000 for his efforts. It was his fourth career King of the West-NARC victory.
Two-time KWS Kern County winner from last year Shane Golobic dogged Scelzi the entire distance,but had to settle for the runner up spot in the Matt Wood owned, Elk Grove Ford-backed sprinter. Seventh starter Chase Johnson fought his way to an impressive third finish after an exciting battle with Ryan Bernal and DJ Netto.
The duo of Scelzi and Golobic brought the 23-car starting field to the green flag with Scelzi quickly jumping out front. The race would only go three laps before a multi car shunt coming out of the second turn resulted in a Jenna Frazier flip bringing out the red flag. The Sacramento driver escaped injury but her badly damaged racer had to be towed back to the pit area. The wreck also ended the night for J.J. Ringo.
Soon after the cars were re-fired, the night’s ARP Fast Qualifier and fourth-place starter Willie Croft pitted with a flat right rear tire and rejoined the tail of the field.
Scelzi and Golobic put on quite a show slicing and dicing through lapped traffic, but it was Johnson who was advancing forward in the Thomas Family Fire Suppression Engineering Maxim. He picked off Sean Watts, Netto and Bernal and was running in the third spot by the 20th circuit.
Golobic was able to get to the Scelzi’s rear bumper a few times but that was as strong a challenge as the willy veteran would muster.
“I saw Shane (Golobic) a couple of times and could hear him behind me so so I knew he was close,” continued Scelzi. “It was good for me though, because I knew I had to sit up a little straighter in the seat and stay focused.”
It looked like a caution would come out for a spinning Mitchell Faccinto, but his No. 37 ended up far enough off the track in turn one that the race stayed green. It wasn’t until lap 26 when the yellow lights would come on for a turn one spin by Jeremy Chisum.
Scelzi took advantage of a clear track to make the four-lap dash to the final checkered, taking the win over Golobic. Bernal drove the Tarton Motorsports KPC to fourth, chased by Netto in the Netto Family Ag KPC sprinter.
“I always dreamed as a kid about getting a chance to drive this race car,” said a happy Scelzi in victory lane, referring to the icon Roth Motorsports championship team. “I’m just glad I could step up my game and put it in victory lane to start the season. I have to thank everyone who made this possible.”
The second five to cross the checkered were 11th starter Gio Scelzi, Bud Kaeding, 16th starter Kyle Offill, Geoff Ensign, and ninth row starter Scott Parker. Ensign earned the Swift Metal Finishing hardcharger award after kicking off the affair in the 21st position.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30-laps): Dominic Scelzi, Shane Golobic, Chase Johnson, Ryan Bernal, D.J. Netto, Gio Scelzi, Bud Kaeding, Kyle Offill, Geoff Ensign, Scott Parker, Sean Watts, Jace VanderWeed, Willie Croft, Landon Hurst, Nathan Rolfe, Mark Barroso, Jeremy Chisum, Tim Estenson, Kenny Allen, Mitchell Faccinto, J.J. Ringo, Jenna Frazier, Stephen Ingraham
ARP FAST QUALIFIER (24 cars): Willie Croft – 13.857 seconds
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS FIRST HEAT (10 laps): Shane Golobic, Mitchell Faccinto, Willie Croft, Chase Johnson, Kyle Offill, Scott Parker, JJ Ringo, Stephen Ingraham
FK ROD ENDS SECOND HEAT (10 laps): Sean Watts, DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Jace Vanderweerd, Jeremy Chisum, Kenny Allen, Jenna Frazier, Mark Barroso
SPEEDSHIFT TV/MILLS VIDEO PROMOTIONS THIRD HEAT (10 laps): Gio Scelzi, Nathan Rolfe, Bud Kaeding, Ryan Bernal, Geoff Ensign, Landon Hurst, Tim Estenson
SUNNYVALLEY BACON TROPHY DASH (6 laps): Dominic Scelzi, Shane Golobic, Ryan Bernal, Sean Watts, Willie Croft, DJ Netto
