West Coast Shootout Series
Petaluma Speedway
September 8, 2012
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Decker Uses Lapped Traffic to Claim M. Maselli and Sons Classic at Petaluma Speedwayby Stephanie Odom
PETALUMA, CA (September 8) - Jeff Decker became the fifth West Coast Shootout Late Model Series feature event winner in just as many races Saturday night at Petaluma Speedway during the 33rd annual M. Maselli and Sons Classic. Sixteen cars were on hand for the $2,000 to win and $400 to start event. Rob Sanders started the night strong and was in route to his first West Coast Shootout victory until contact was made through lapped traffic.
Sanders and Clay Daly led the field to the initial green flag. It took multiple attempts for the race to begin with point leader Daly dropping out with a broken birdcage. Jason Papich and Tony Toste, both in the top five in points, were involved in a turn one and two collision and had to go into the pits to make repairs. As the lights went out they pulled onto the racing surface and tagged the back of the field. Petaluma Speedway Modified track champion Michael Paul Sr. filled the front row position and fell back to third when racing got underway.
Sanders qualified fast time and dominated his heat race. He quickly pulled away during the feature event and worked his way through lapped traffic putting a straight away lead over second place Jeff Decker. Behind them Jason Papich worked his way through the field and into the top five by lap ten battling with John Silva for forth. A caution came out on lap fifteen for Mike Meazell as he spun onto the berm. Two lapped cars were put between the first and second place contenders allowing Sanders to get a jump on the start. It took six laps for Decker to clear the lapped traffic and gained on Sanders as he worked through lapped traffic himself.
Trailing a car that was spewing water into his view, Sanders dove to the bottom exiting turn four to make the pass with Decker going below him forcing a three wide exit and race down the front stretch pushing Sanders up the track nearly into the wall. Sanders recovered and held onto second place with a partially broken front end before pulling in on lap thirty two with the inability to see due to the water.
Decker went uncontested the remainder of the race with a huge lead over John Silva who moved into second place. Paul Guglielmoni, Jason Papich, Mike Meazell, Tony Toste, Rick Shafer and Steve “Ratso” Johnson crossed the finish line as the only cars on the track. Sanders was scored in ninth with Rod Arnold tenth.
Chris Kearns Presents Late Models will return to Santa Maria Speedway for their season finale of local racing on September 22nd. West Coast Shootout Late Models will make their inaugural run at Yuma, Arizona’s Cocopah Speedway on October 6th For more information visit
www.RaceSantaMariaSpeedway.com or
www.WestCoastLateModels.com.
Chris Kearns Presents and the Santa Maria Speedway would like to thank Shannon Pump Company, Drake Farms Transportation, Toste Construction & Paving, Indiana Truck Salvage, Papich Construction, ProPower Engines, Integra Shocks, West Coast Boring, Pearsons Auto Wrecking, Victory Circle and RoadRunner Fabrication for their support this season.
A-Main
1 84 Jeff Decker
2 59 John Silva
3 22G Paul Guglielmoni
4 91P Jason Papich
5 42 Mike Meazell
6 91T Tony Toste
7 17S Rick Schafer
8 56 Steve Johnson
9 10N Rob Sanders
10 66 Rod Arnold
11 16 Michael Paul Jr
12 83 Dennis Souza
13 32B Clay Daly
14 44 Dean DeVolder
15 58 Anthony Restad
dns 4P Richard Papenhausen
Dash
1 10N Robert Sanders
2 32B Clay Daly
3 84 Jeff Decker
4 91T Tony Toste
5 56 Steve Johnson
Heat #1
1 16 Michael Paul Sr
2 84 Jeff Decker
3 44 Dean DeVolder
4 22G Paul Guglielmoni
5 83 Dennis Souza
dns 4P Richard Papenhausen
Heat #2
1 32B Clay Daly
2 10N Robert Sanders
3 17s Rick Schafer
4 66 Rod Arnold
5 42 Mike Meazell
Heat #3
1 56 Steve Johnson
2 91T Tony Toste
3 59 John Silva
4 91P Jason Papich
5 58 Anthony Restad
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