WOOD, SARALE, AND WARD SCORE BEARS DURING THIRD NIGHT OF CALIFORNIA SPEEDWEEK

DIXON, CALIFORNIA (July 3, 2023) – Sacramento’s Austin Wood withstood a late race challenge to score his first career Hoosier Tire California Speedweek victory on Monday night at Dixon Speedway, earning the $1000 Non-Wing feature during a furious night of action in the penultimate round of the series. Stockton’s Caden Sarale moved closer to possibly sweeping both the Super 600 and Non-Wing championships by winning his fourth bear of the week in Super 600. Nathan Ward of Bakersfield seized the points lead in the Restricted division with his first career win as well. Photo by Angela Ward

“Being able to outrun some of the fastest guys from all over the country is really good,” Wood said. “Hopefully we can do what we did tonight and do it tomorrow!”

Wood won the Hyper Racing qualifying against a 46-car Non-Wing Micro Sprint field. Canyon Texas’ Brecken Reese used a sensational drive in his heat race to earn high points, then drew a three invert for the 30-lap feature.

Wood led the way in the feature while eighth-starting Jeffrey Pahule of Brentwood charged to second by just the second lap of the race. Pahule soared outside Wood then crossed him over the backstretch on lap five but Wood was able to hold the lead.

The red flag flew on lap 12 for a multi-car incident at the top of turn one which snared Arizona’s Drake Edwards, Ripon’s Brandon Carey, and Robby Brockman.

On lap 19, Pahule attempted to slide into the lead before the red flag flew for Brockman flipping on the backstretch.

Wood survived additional cautions on lap 20 and 26 to hold possession of the top spot. Pahule threw a deep slidejob attempt coming to the checkered flag but fell short. Wood won the wooden bear and $1000, followed by Pahule, Ashton Torgerson, Sarale, and Reese. Darren Brown of San Diego was the race’s Wilwood Brakes Hard Charger, driving 16th to seventh.

Stockton’s Caden Sarale left Dixon with the championship lead in both Super 600 and Non-Wing after winning the Super feature, his fourth win across the two divisions through three nights of racing. Austin Wood led Hyper Racing qualifying in the Winged division as well and was the high point car. He spun a four invert which set a front row of Friday winner Jake Smith of Madera and 2018 series champion Jake Hagopian of Fresno for 30-laps of racing.

Hagopian paced the action while Smith backpedaled to tenth quickly. Hagopian held the lead over a pair of early race restarts. Dalton Parreira of Hanford slowed on the front stretch for the race’s third caution on lap 14. Hagopian narrowly avoided him and had to drive through the infield as the yellow flag waved.

Sarale took over the point on the restart but it was nullified when Evan Dixon and Australian Dylan Beveridge collided in turn three.

Austin Torgerson slowed on lap 26 on the front stretch to bring Hagopian and Sarale back together for a four lap shootout. Sarale pounced, moving up the inside for the lead. Hagopian tried to answer back with a slidejob to no avail. Caden Sarale earned his eighth-career Hoosier Tire California Speedweek triumph. Wood snuck through for second followed by Hagopian, Caden Stoll, and Concordia, Missouri’s Garrett Benson. Madera’s Logan Trevino gained eight positions for the Topline Titanium Hard Charger.

Friday winner Lucas Mauldin of Rancho Murieta was the fastest driver in Hyper Racing qualifying for the Restricted division but it was Aubri Huckleberry who was high points after heat race action. Huckleberry set the field up with a four-car invert for a 25-lap main event.

Bakersfield’s Nathan Ward drove around the outside of Arizona’s Connor Jacobs to take the lead. Brody Rubio of Manteca, Dash Duinkerken of Laton, and Jaydon Barnes came together for a multi-car crash in turn two. On the restart, Levi Osborne of Tracy and Mauldin tangled for fifth. Mauldin suffered damage that would ultimately lead to an 18th place finish and a big swing in the championship order.

Ward won the feature for his first career win while Saturday winner Blayden Graham of Bakersfield steadily advanced to second place at the finish line. Jacob, Huckleberry, and Arizona’s Jace Thuerin were the balance of the top-five. Greyson Henry gained eight positions for the Wilwood Hard Charger prize.

The 11-year-old Ward and 10-year-old Graham are separated by just nine points heading into Tuesday’s finale with Mauldin drifting back to third in the championship. Caden Sarale leads the standings in both Super 600 and Non-Wing.

Championship night is July 4, Independence Day, at Delta Speedway presented by Valley Strong Credit Union in Stockton. Drivers meeting is at 4:30pm with racing to follow.

The Hoosier Tire California Speedweek is presented by: Southern Pacific Farms, Elk Grove Ford, Dillon Risk Management, F&M Bank, and Keizer Wheels.

Contingency partners include Hyper Racing, Wilwood Brakes, CSI Shocks, Driven Performance, Topline Titanium, and Kaeding Performance. The Speedweek also thanks MyRacePass, Bullet Impressions, The Cushion, and Creative Vision Printing for their support.

All four nights will feature on site merchandise sales from Bullet Impressions. Hoosier Racing Tires and race fuel will be available each night as well.

HOOSIER TIRE CALIFORNIA SPEEDWEEK RESULTS – JULY 3, 2023 DIXON SPEEDWAY (DIXON, CALIF.)

Super 600 – 34 entries
A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 24-Caden Sarale[3]; 2. 2A-Austin Wood[4]; 3. 14-Jake Hagopian[2]; 4. 21B-Caden Stoll[5]; 5. 2B-Garrett Benson[8]; 6. 44X-Jeffery Pahule[6]; 7. 56-Cody Key[10]; 8. 02-Ashton Torgerson[15]; 9. 3-Cole Schroeder[12]; 10. 4-Jett Yantis[9]; 11. 7T-Logan Trevino[19]; 12. 28-Jake Smith[1]; 13. 20Q-Brecken Reese[21]; 14. 19-Nate Matherly[22]; 15. 4X-Teagen Moles[13]; 16. 12-Alex Panella[16]; 17. 88-Austin Torgerson[7]; 18. 5-Mattix Salmon[14]; 19. 14X-Dylan Beveridge[11]; 20. 22E-Evan Dixon[17]; 21. 51-Dalton Parreira[18]; 22. 55B-Jett Barnes[20]

Non-Wing – 46 entries

A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 2A-Austin Wood[1]; 2. 44X-Jeffery Pahule[8]; 3. 02-Ashton Torgerson[11]; 4. 32-Caden Sarale[4]; 5. 20Q-Brecken Reese[3]; 6. 55B-Jett Barnes[9]; 7. 99-Darren Brown[16]; 8. 88-Austin Torgerson[7]; 9. 69-Cameron Paul[10]; 10. 2T-Taylor Mayhew[6]; 11. 4J-Jett Yantis[2]; 12. 72B-Bryant Bell[19]; 13. 4K-Khloe Cotton[21]; 14. 5X-Mattix Salmon[20]; 15. 73-Nikko Panella[5]; 16. 55-Brandon Carey[17]; 17. 7-Quinn Thurein[22]; 18. 74-Robby Brockman[14]; 19. 8S-Daniel Shaffer[18]; 20. 21-Cash Lovenburg[12]; 21. 3AZ-Drake Edwards[13]; 22. 3-Cole Schroeder[15]

Restricted – 20 entries

A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 95-Nathan Ward[2]; 2. 66B-Blayden Graham[6]; 3. 3C-Connor Jacobs[1]; 4. 10J-Aubri Huckleberry[4]; 5. 5-Jace Thurein[7]; 6. 77L-Landon Jones[10]; 7. 9J-Levi Osborne[3]; 8. 76-TK OBrien[13]; 9. 58C-Clay Mibach[16]; 10. 21G-Greyson Henry[18]; 11. 11A-Austin Lee[14]; 12. 38JT-Jackson Tardiff[15]; 13. 25R-Brody Rubio[9]; 14. 29V-Vito Celli `[5]; 15. 21-Brayton Roberts[19]; 16. 29-Jaydon Barnes[11]; 17. 16S-Bryson Sozinho[20]; 18. 55X-Lucas Mauldin[8]; 19. 79-Dash Duinkerken[12]; 20. 67Z-Clayton Wilson[17]