WATSONVILLE, California — If everything in life is about timing, racing is the perfect example between the fine line of happiness and dejection.
"There was an opening between Larson and Kaeding, and I thought I had them cleared. Larson tried to keep his car going and got into my right rear to spin us out. "— Tommy Tarlton
For Tommy Tarlton on Saturday night at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., the timing wasn’t right and his bid for a second Johnny Key Classic win in three years came to a spinning end with nine laps remaining.
“It’s all timing,” he said. “I thought I had it timed right.”
The Easton, Calif., resident overcame a rough start to charge back to third at the 51st annual Johnny Key Classic. As he made it a three-way battle for the lead amidst lapped traffic, the first two drivers – Kyle Larson and Tim Kaeding – made contact and spun in turn three.
“We were all less than a car length between each other,” Tarlton said. “There was an opening between Larson and Kaeding, and I thought I had them cleared. Larson tried to keep his car going and got into my right rear to spin us out.
“Larson was just trying to keep it going and stay the leader. I don’t blame him. It was just one of those things.”
The trio had to restart at the back of the field and Tarlton drove to 11th by the checkered flag. It was far from the result he was on pace for most of the night.
Since he won an Ocean Sprints qualifying feature on July 29, Tarlton was locked in as one of six drivers in the redraw. He randomly drew the No. 2, where he started the dash that would line up the first three rows for the 50-lap feature.
Tarlton took the lead on the backstretch of the opening lap and held off Larson to win the dash, which gave him the pole for the main event. However, the start of the feature was anything but desirable and Tarlton struggled with a tight race car on the semi-banked, ¼-mile dirt oval.
“I had to stark flicking the car and the next thing you know I end up losing four or five spots,” he said. “Once I screwed it up, I started searching and found a good groove. I could run a different line entering and exiting than they were.”
Tarlton was up to third and actually challenging Kaeding for second when the caution flag was waved at the midway point of race. When the race resumed, the top three put on a show slicing through the field. Traffic began to play a role as the race entered the final 10 laps.
“I’m a pacer,” Tarlton said. “I was just kinda hanging tight and waiting for the opportunity. And the opportunity was coming. It was winding down, lapped traffic was thick.”
And then the incident wiped out Tarlton’s opportunity. Just as significant, it allowed Ronnie Day to claim the victory and regain the Ocean Sprints championship lead with three races remaining.
“There was a split second when I was running third that I thought about just riding it out for the championship,” Tarlton said. “But I was just too fast and I’m out there to win. I wanted to win the Johnny Key Classic again.”
Tarlton is taking this weekend off and will return to the track on Sept. 10 at Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., for an ASCS Southern California Region event.
He has a 262-point advantage with two races remaining in the inaugural season.
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 27 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Dash: 1 (2); Feature: 10 (1).
SEASON STATS –
33 races, 33 features, 8 wins, 24 top fives, 25 top 10s, 28 top 15s, 31 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Sept. 10 at Giant Chevrolet Kings Speedway in Hanford, Calif., with the ASCS Southern California Region
FAVORITE NUMBER –
262: Point lead with two races remaining in the ASCS Southern California Region, meaning Tarlton only has to show up to one of the final events to wrap up the championship.
