PETALUMA, Calif. — Bud Kaeding overcame cool temperatures and the challenges of Jason Statler to win Saturday night’s Golden State Challenge sprint-car feature at Petaluma Speedway.
Kaeding started on the pole and the two-time USAC Silver Crown champion took the lead. However, Tyler Walker swept past to lead on the second lap. Sean Becker was on the move and he moved to the top of the three-eighths-mile oval and grabbed the lead on lap four. Walker regained the lead on lap nine.
Becker bobbled on lap 11 and Walker regained the lead. But Walker tangled with a lapped car on lap 18 and the resulting crash eliminated Walker and point-leader Jonathan Allard from the tussle.
Becker gained the lead, but Brent Kaeding flipped on the restart. As cars were being pushed off, Becker pulled off with low oil pressure. Bud Kaeding inherited the lead and went on to his first GSC victory since July 2006.
Statler finished second, ahead of Mike Henry, Kyle Hirst and Evan Suggs.
The finish:
Bud Kaeding, Jason Statler, Mike Henry, Kyle Hirst, Evan Suggs, Alissa Geving, Dave Lindt, Shane Golobic, Art McCarthy, Pat Harvey, Brent Kaeding, Ken Fredenburg, Ricky Wright, Jason Botsford, Jeff Parady, Brent Bjork, Klint Simpson, Mark Workentine, Dan Simpson, Sean Becker, Jonathan Allard, Tyler Walker, Mike Mossi, Bradley Terrell.