8/10/2025
Santa Maria Speedway
Montgomery, Culver, Tristao Jr., Sanders and Jackson Victorious on Saturday Night
Santa Maria Speedway hosted a full night of racing action on Saturday night. The third-mile clay oval was headlined by Ultimate Sprint Car Series and USAC Western States Midgets for their “Surecan Showdown” with California Regional 305 Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds and Coastal Creations Financial Mini Stocks also on hand.
Justin Jackson secured his fifth victory of the season in Coastal Creations Financial Mini Stock action. Pole sitter Bob Dias suffered a mechanical failure prior to the twenty lap feature with Jackson inheriting the pole position. He led all but one lap with Levi Burgett not letting him pull away and settling for a second place finish. Justin Klucker completed the podium.
Bakersfield’s Rob Sanders looked to escape the heat and shakedown his IMCA Modified in preparation for Boone’s IMCA Nationals. In doing so, he scored his first victory of the season at Santa Maria Speedway. Justin Crockett and Doug Hagio completed the top three.
George Tristao Jr. started the California Regional 305 Sprint Car Series night off strong with quick time turning a time of 12.803. He started the twenty-five lap feature on the pole alongside Jeremy Alves. The duo have a victory credited to their name this season at Santa Maria. Tristao took the lead when the green flag dropped and never looked back leading from flag to flag. Series’ points leader Davey Pombo and Alves completed the podium.
USAC Western States Midgets had a strong showing of nineteen cars checked in for the $2,000 to win Surecan Showdown. The night started with Goleta’s David Gasper qualifying quick time with a lap time of 13.939. TJ Smith and Jett Yantis were heat race winners. Seventeen cars took the green flag for thirty laps. Series’ points leader and recent victor of Santa Maria, Caden Sarale, took the early lead and looked as if he would continue his perfect streak of victories on the Coast. Young Dane Culver thought otherwise though. The Riverside native found a line in turns one and two and slid his way to the lead on lap twenty-six, pulling away for his first career USAC Western States Midgets victory. Sarale crossed the line second with Gasper, Jake Andreotti and Jett Yantis completing the top-five.
Ultimate Sprint Car Series showed up strong with twenty-six entries checked in for the $5,000 to win Surecan Showdown. Templeton’s Kaleb Montgomery started the night off where he had left off locally, setting a new track record with a lap time of 13.412. He backed that up with a heat race victory. Austin Williams and Trent Carter also scored heat race wins. Cody Majors and Jacob Tuttle led the field to the green flag for thirty laps. Majors led the early laps while Montgomery charged to the front from his sixth place starting position. He took over the top spot on lap seven and held on to secure his third victory at Santa Maria Speedway this season in three different series, the previous two being USAC CRA Sprint Cars and NARC King of the West Sprint. Cole Wakim, Logan Calderwood, Tuttle and Carter rounded out the top five.
For full feature event results: https://www.santamariaspeedway.net/schedules/event/576210
Santa Maria Speedway will be off next weekend and return to action on August 23rd featuring California Regional 305 Sprint Cars, IMCA Northern SportMods, Dwarf Cars, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. For tickets and information visit: https://www.myracepass.com/tracks/1872/tickets/1458522
Article Credit: Stephanie Odom