MERCED, Calif. – Ethan Dotson added two more victories to his resume on night four of California IMCA Speedweek Monday evening at Merced Speedway.
Dotson picked up right where he left off on Sunday at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford, Calif., by once again winning the IMCA modified and Sunoco IMCA Stock Car features
In the IMCA modified feature, Cody Laney took the initial lead at the start of the 25-lap main event. However, Dotson was quick to make his presence known as he quickly moved into second in pursuit of Laney.
The duo soon caught slower traffic, with Dotson taking advantage to move under Laney to take the lead on the 15th circuit. Moments later the first caution flag of the race waved, setting up a restart with Dotson now leading Laney.
When racing resumed Dotson went right back to work and built a gap on the field before the second and final caution waved on lap 20. Another restart didn’t hamper Dotson, who led the final five laps to pick up his second-straight IMCA modified victory.
Collen Winebarger ended up second, followed by Darrell Hughes II, Laney and Jake Pike.
In the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main event, a multi-car accident on the opening lap immediately slowed the action. The second attempt to get the race going saw Nicholas Johnson and Garrett Corn battle for the race lead, with Corn getting the upper hand to lead the first lap.
Corn tried to slip away from the field, but Johnson and Dotson kept him honest and didn’t allow him to escape. Dotson made his move on the eighth circuit, tracking down and passing Corn to take the lead.
With no other cautions to slow the action, Dotson rolled to his second victory of the evening. Nicholas Johnson was second, with Cody Johnson, Austin Van Hoff and Corn completing the top-five.
The Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern Sportmod feature saw Chuck Weir take the lead on the initial start of the 25-lap feature before the first caution on lap eight slowed the action. Weir held the position on the restart, but a multi-car crash on the frontstretch negated his advantage.
Weir continued to lead through two more caution periods, but when racing resumed Jason Bannister quickly arrived on the scene and took the lead with a run around the top on the 13th lap.
Caution flags on lap 20 and 22 forced Bannister to defend, but he held his ground and was able to pick up the victory. Jason Nation came home in second, followed by Fred Ryland, Tyler Bannister and Andrew Pearce.
California IMCA Speedweek resumes Wednesday at Antioch (Calif.) Speedway.