5/10/2010
Sprint Source
Tommy Tarlton Is Victorious Once Again; 1st, 2nd & 3rd place finishes for Tarlton Motorsports
(Photo courtesy Paul Trevino)
Tommy Tarlton Is Victorious Once Again; 1st, 2nd & 3rd place finishes for Tarlton Motorsports
By Gary Costa
Watsonville, CA – Hanford, CA - Santa Maria, CA – (May 7-8, 2010) --- Tommy Tarlton would prove once again why he considered one of the elite Sprint Car drivers in the Sunshine State as he would once again, turn in another strong performance over the weekend. Tarlton would compete at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, CA and Giant Chevrolet Speedway in Hanford, CA. Peter Murphy from Clovis, CA would pick-up another second place finish at the Santa Maria Speedway in Santa Maria, CA. The depth of the team was also shown over the weekend with the cars being fast on 1/4-mile, 1/3-mile, and 3/8-mile dirt tracks.
Tarlton Motorsports rolled the potent Corporate American Lending, Tarlton & Son, Inc. No. 21 out of the hauler Friday night, for the third race of the Ocean Sprint Car Series presented by Taco Bravo Winged Sprint Car action at the 1/4-mile dirt oval. Tarlton, who is the series point's leader and the defending champion of the series, immediately showed why he swept both races at Santa Maria Speedway last weekend.
Tarlton stormed around the speedway, clocking-in second-quick out of the 27 cars that signed-in at the back gate. Crew chief Paul Baines had the Maxim tuned to perfection in the heat race, as Tommy quickly charged from his fourth place starting position to finish second, while testing different track lines, during his ten-lap heat race. Tarlton started the 30-lap feature from the second row alongside Hall of Famer Brent Kaeding. Kaeding would drop into third at the start of the race, with Tommy following behind closely. During the middle part of the race, he slipped out of the groove in turns three and four, allowing Bud Kaeding to slip underneath him. Tommy kept his foot in it, and drove the car as hard as it would allow him to the top of the racetrack and passed both Bud and Brent, as the Shark Racing Engine made the rear wheels tear into the Ocean Speedway back straightaway surface.
The "Racing Gods" were undoubtedly smiling down on the high-speed battle that Tarlton and Bud were laying down. With all eyes on the wicked-fast duo, Bud would eventually maneuver back around a rim riding Tarlton, who was running the cushion like it was nobody's business, eventually finishing in third. Tarlton's third place finish would keep him atop the point's ladder, a mere 5-points ahead of the racy Bud Kaeding. "The track was kind of tough tonight, but Justin did a solid job out front and so did Bud to come from the fourth row and get second," Tarlton commented to speedway announcer, Gary Thomas. "We've definitely had a great start to the year and it's really due to this great team I have behind me with Paul Baines and everyone that helps out. We've been making the right calls and we'll just try to come back next week and get another win."
Giant Chevrolet Speedway (Kings Speedway) was up next for the Fresno based team. Tarlton quickly started where he left off the previous evening as he was fast out of the box. He won his heat race from his fourth starting spot on the 3/8-mile dirt oval. He then went on and checked out in the 30-lap Winged Sprint Car feature, capping off another successful weekend of racing for the Easton gasser who now has won three races in four starts. "We had another good weekend! The track was awesome. I wish that there were more cars there because the track guy that is preparing the track has it going on, Golden State (Golden State Challenge Series) should be exciting," Tarlton concluded.
Tarlton Motorsports' strong weekend continued as 2009 Santa Maria track champion, Peter Murphy would do battle with the West Coast 360 Non-Wing Sprint Car Series. Blaine Steele and Jason Wheelock would do their part to keep the Tarlton Motorsports juggernaut rolling along. Murphy came into the event third in the point standings in the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, Tarlton & Son, Inc. No. 21 KPC. The veteran driver posted the fifth-fastest time out of the 26 cars that circled the 1/3-mile clay oval.
Murphy had his "Game Face" on the entire evening as he drove to an exciting victory in his heat race, after he charged from his fifth starting position. Murphy would start the 30-lap feature from his sixth starting spot, where he charged to his second consecutive second place finish. Murphy also moved into second place in the point standings. "We didn't win, but I'm pleased with our finish. We went out late in qualifying and we still qualified pretty well," Murphy said. "It was a good point's night for us. We don't like to finish second, so we will just keep trying to get that first win. We seem to keep getting closer; we just need to move up one position."
Another busy weekend awaits Tommy Tarlton who will be aboard the Corporate America Lending, Tarlton & Son, Inc. No. 21. He will race at Ocean Speedway Friday. Saturday, Tarlton will race with the Golden State Challenge Series 410 Winged Sprint Car Series at the Tulare Thunderbowl.
Peter Murphy will look to capture his first feature win of the season aboard the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, Tarlton & Son, Inc. No. 21 as he will compete at the Tulare Thunderbowl Speedway as well. Murphy will compete with the West Coast 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars.
Be sure to catch "Team Tarlton" on Facebook! For schedule information, please visit www.tarltonandson.com
Special thanks to: Corporate American Lending, The Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino, Ridgeline Framing, Shark Racing Engines, Matt & Glass, M & S Motorsports, Sharp Insurance, Elite Racing, BG Products, Pro Signs, VMAC, Kaeding Performance, Pro Shocks, Sander Engineering, Astro Titanium, Simpson, BR Motorsports, Willwood, and Brown & Miller Racing Solutions.
Submitted By: Gary Costa
