FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMadera, CA. (8/27/22) Justin Kawahata, in the Gene Kawahata Racing Engines number 45 Eagle/360 Chevrolet made it two main event wins in a row after a hard-fought battle with Jerry Kobza in the number 93 Hornet/LS 347 Cadillac at Madera Speedway on Saturday night.Kawahata started his evening by setting fast time (14.767) in qualifying with Pat Goodwill (14.903) second and Kobza (14.948) third.
Kawahata won the first heat race, followed by David Dias and Kobza. The second heat race was taken by David Goodwill, followed by Rob Hamond and David Burchettd.
In the feature pole setter Dias won the drag race to the first turn with Kobza, Kawahata and Pat Goodwill in tow. Goodwill got under Kawahata, but a spin on lap 3 by Burchett brought out the yellow and Goodwill was relegated back to 4th . On the restart, Kobza started working on Dias for the lead, and on Lap 5 he took the lead. Kawahata followed Kobza into second, and for the next 12 laps, those two battled nose-to-tail as Kawahata looked for a way past Kobza. Kobza set the fastest lap of the race at 14.464 in the heat of this thrilling battle.
On lap 16, the yellow came out for David Goodwill, who had stopped on the track. With the field bunched back up, it became a three-way battle for the lead between Kawahata, Kobza and Pat Goodwill. Kawahata got around Kobza on lap 19. Kobza spent the next 6 laps looking for a way back around Kawahata. Kawahata found his rhythm and set his fastest lap at 14.473 – within 1/100ths of a second off of Kobza’s fastest lap. As the white flag came out, a charging Pat Goodwill, who had just set his fastest lap of the race, at 14.625, passed Kobza to take second. David Burchett was fourth and Mark Amador finished fifth.
Post-race, Kawahata thanked his father and team owner, Gene, who pulled solo duty crewing for his son. As for the battle with Kobza, Justin said “Jerry is super smooth and really hard to pass. He’s probably one of the cleanest drivers out here”.
Feature Top 10: 1. 45 – Justin Kawahata (Eagle/Chevrolet 360); 2. 49 – Pat Goodwill (Hornet/Chevrolet 360); 2. 93 – Jerry Kobza (Hornet/Cadillac LS347); 4. 77D – David Burchett (Beast/Chevrolet 360, 5.) 76 – Mark Amador); 6.) 24 – David Dias (360 Chevrolet); 7.) 2A Robb Hamond (360 Chevrolet); 8.) 2 David Goodwill (Chevrolet 360); 9.) Shauna Hogg Hogg (Beast/Cadillac/LS 360); 10.) Alan Beck (Chevrolet 360).Heat Race #1: Kawahata, Dias, Kobza, Alan BeckHeat Race #2: D. Goodwill, Hammond, Burchett, Amador, HoggQualifying Top 3: 1. Kawahata (14.767); 2. Pat Goodwill (14.903); 3. Diaz (14.948).
Next up for the NCMA Pavement Sprints will return to Madera Speedway on Saturday, September 24th .
Series Schedule:
September 24th – Madera Speedway, Madera, CA Harvest Classic
October 1st – Stockton 99 Speedway, Stockton, Ca – Ed Amador Memorial
For more information on the NCMA Pavement Sprint Car Series, such as points, driver profiles,and track data visit www.ncmasprints.com or on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/groups/84216356253
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