8/24/2025
Santa Maria Speedway
Tristao Jr., McKellar, Preast, Johnson, Burgett Shine on Saturday Night
Santa Maria Speedway hosted another exciting night of action on Saturday night. The card highlighted California 305 Regional Sprint Car Series alongside IMCA SportMods, Dwarf Cars, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks.
Coastal Creation Financial Mini Stocks saw Kris Gilbertson and Levi Burgett pick up heat race wins. The duo, alongside division points leader Justin Jackson, took a back row challenge with the trio starting at the tail of the eleven car field. Daniel Campbell and Gary Rayburn Jr. led the field to the green flag. Burgett was the first among the trio to make his way to the lead. Shortly after, Jackson made his run to the lead. A late race flat tire saw Jackson bringing out the yellow flag. Burgett inherited the lead again and withstood battles from Gilbertson. Burgett went on to collect his second victory of the season ahead of Gilbertson and Jackson who charged back to third.
Santa Maria Speedway Hobby Stocks welcomed new competitors in 2025 from the Central Valley. Colby Quinton, Ethan Johnson and Corben Kuma picked up heat race wins. With an invert of zero being drawn, Quinton and Johnson led the field to the green flag for twenty laps. Johnson jumped to the lead early and went uncontested for his first SMS victory of the season and finishing a clean sweep of the night. Quinton, Marcus Wankum, division points leader Dakota Brown and Skyler Chairez completed the top five.
Local Dwarf Car racing was started off with two hometown boys picking up heat race wins with Ryan Caldwell and Kobe Kerns. Jason Horton and Scotty Preast the led the field to the green. Horton jumped out to the early lead with Kerns filing in second. A restart on lap seven saw Horton stalling as the green flag flew, Preast capitalized and took over the lead with Kerns getting involved but still moving forward to hold onto a second place position. Preast went on to defend his hometown turf taking the checkered flag ahead of Dominic Maldonado, Caldwell, Daniel Peters and JD Brown.
IMCA Northern SportMods rolled in strong to the Central Coast with twenty-three cars checked in. John Piker, Paul Brown and Chris McKellar picked up heat race wins. Piker and McKellar led the field to the green with McKellar taking the lead and going uncontested for his first victory at Santa Maria this season. The Bakersfield driver was trailed by Tate Loftis, Matthew Frazier, Paul Brown and Danny Wagner.
California Regional 305 Sprint Cars took the track for their fifth time this season. The night started off with Tulare's George Tristao Jr. setting fast time with a lap time of 12.326. David Pombo and Phil Heynen picked up heat race wins. Lance Jackson and Tylor Hensen led the field to the green flag for twenty-five laps. After a few attempts of going green, fourth place starting Davey Pombo found his way to the lead and set the pace for a caution free twenty-three laps. Pombo quickly found the tail of the field with significant lapped traffic in front of him. Unable to make the pass, second place Tristao Jr., closed the gap, capitalized and weaved his way through traffic and scored his second series victory of the season at Santa Maria Speedway. Pombo, Joe Delisle, Maverick Myrick and Eric Greco Jr. rounded out the top five.
For full results from Saturday night, visit: https://www.santamariaspeedway.net/schedules/event/554043
Santa Maria Speedway will be back in action on Saturday, September 6th with Kings of Thunder Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Dwarf Cars and Mini Stocks. For tickets and event information, visit: https://www.myracepass.com/tracks/1872/tickets/1458543
Article Credit: Stephanie Odom