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Tracks >> OCEAN SPEEDWAY WATSONVILLE >> Kicking Up Dirt..
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Message started by jpocean on 03/26/12 at 2:27pm

Title: Kicking Up Dirt..
Post by jpocean on 03/26/12 at 2:27pm

Kicking up dirt
BY: GLEN CRAVINS

It draws them in.

It’s the roar, the dirt, the friendships, and the checkered flag.

Fans and competitors had to wait a week, but they were happy to be back at Ocean Speedway at Watsonville on Friday evening as the 2012 season kicked off.

“I’m very excited it’s back,” said Elane Christensen of Morgan Hill, alongside her husband, Mark. “Friday nights since 1996, we’ve been here. Football is over. Now, it’s time for racing.”

The Christensens say it’s more than just the racing, although that’s the main reason why they come to the Watsonville track located at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. It’s a way to kick off the weekend and meet up with friends.

The couple don’t just come to Watsonville. They’ve traveled to Bakersfield, Santa Maria and Chowchilla to watch racers kick up dirt and chase victories.

What draws them to Watsonville is that the racers are pushed to the limit. The track is wetter than most places, so the lead isn’t safe, Mark Christensen said.

But it can also pose some dangers because mud flies everywhere.

The walkway at the track was clear before the start of Friday’s races. Within minutes of drivers sprinting around the tracks, clumps of dirt were all around the walkway.

Elane Christensen mentioned how she was hit by a rock sitting about 10 rows up in the middle of the grandstands.

But they love it.

“When a car is on the edge, that’s what we enjoy the most,” Mark Christensen said.

Mark Sargent waited in the stands for the races to begin. His family has been racing for nearly 30 years and it was involved in Friday night’s opener.

He said he hopes more locals check out the races, especially since the season is one day old. Perhaps viewing can lead to competing.

“It’s real exciting,” Sargent said. “The average guy can get in and compete in one of these cars. Watsonville is one of the few tracks left that’s still doing the racing. I hope more people come out because it’s not just the racing, but it’s so much more. And it’s good for the community.”