NETTO DOMINATES NARC OPENER AT STOCKTON DIRT TRACK
(March 21, 2021 by Jim Allen) – Defending NARC King of the West Fujitsu Sprint Car Series champion DJ Netto took no prisoners on his way to a dominating green-to-checkered victory at Saturday’s Salute to LeRoy Van Conett 30-lap headliner at the Stockton Dirt Track. Photo by Joe Shivak
Netto, piloting the potent Netto Ag/Penny Newman Grain KPC, started on the pole after winning the Sunnyvalley Bacon dash and quickly jumped to a straightaway lead over Dominic Scelzi, Mitchell Faccinto and Rico Abreu. Netto encountered lap traffic five laps into the event but had absolutely no problems motoring in and out of slower cars. By lap 12, he had already built up a four-lapped car interference, only to lose the advantage when the first of three caution flags appeared a circuit later for a stopped car.
On the restart, Netto quickly motored to the lead as Scelzi fought handling issues caused by a broken front wing and a pressing Abreu. Abreu managed to move into the runner-up spot after a lap 21 restart but gained little ground on the leader until the final caution flag appeared with only three laps remaining. However, at that point, Netto was in the zone and cruised to a .846 second victory.
Abreu, who set the standard for the 23-car field in ARP qualifying, scored second aboard the Works Limited/Lucas Oil #57 sprint car. Scelzi held on to a solid third in the Scelzi Enterprises Maxim. Seventh started Shane Golobic was fourth, chased by Iowa driver Austin McCarl.
Netto credited his fourth career series to victory to his family and Drew Warner. It ended a NARC King of the West winless streak dating back to June 24th, 2017 at Calistoga Speedway.
“Drew gave me a car that I could run anywhere I wanted,” said Netto. “Lapped traffic wasn’t an issue and I did my job to get us here.”
The remainder of the top ten included Faccinto, Bud Kaeding, Tim Kaeding, Geoff Ensign, and Sean Becker. Justin Sanders captured the Swift Metal Finishing Hardcharger Award with a 19th to 11th run.
Heat races were picked off by Golobic, Faccinto, and Becker.
FUJITSU FEATURE EVENT (30-laps): 88N-DJ Netto (Netto 88N), 57-Rico Abreu, 41-Dominic Scelzi, 17W-Shane Golobic, 21-Austin McCarl, 37-Mitchell Faccinto, 69-Bud Kaeding, 42X-Tim Kaeding, 01-Geoff Ensign, 83V-Sean Becker, 16A-Justin Sanders, 38B-Blake Carrick, 26-Billy Aton, 56-Willie Croft, 98-Sean Watts, 01X-Mitchell Moles, 14T-Tim Estenson, 76-Kenny Allen, 78-Mark Barroso, 88-Kyle Offill, 83-Kyle Hirst, 83T-Tanner Carrick, 46JR-Joel Myers Jr.
HOOSIER TIRE LAP LEADERS: DJ Netto 1-30
SWIFT METAL FINISHING HARDCHARGER: Justin Sanders: 19th to 11th
ARP FAST QUALIFIER : Rico Abreu – 14.364 seconds (23-cars)
BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS FIRST HEAT (8 laps): Shane Golobic, DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Rico Abreu, Billy Aton, Tanner Carrick, Willie Croft, Kenny Allen.
FUJITSU GENERAL USA SECOND HEAT (8 laps): Mitchell Faccinto, Tim Kaeding, Kyle Hirst, Austin McCarl, Bud Kaeding, Justin Sanders, Joe Myer Jr.
FLORACING.COM THIRD HEAT (8 laps): Sean Becker, Geoff Ensign, Sean Watts, Blake Carrick, Kyle Offill, Tim Estenson, Mark Barroso, Mitchell Moles.
SUNNYVALLEY BACON DASH (6 laps): DJ Netto, Dominic Scelzi, Geoff Ensign, Mitchell Faccinto, Rico Abreu, Sean Becker.
