WATSONVILLE >> “Tricky” Troy Foulger made a late-race move to repeat as the IMCA Modifieds winner on the opening night of the 14th annual Pettit Shootout to thrill the crowd at Ocean Speedway on Friday night.

Other Shootout winners included Pacheco’s Kenny Shrader in IMCA Sport Mods and Bakersfield’s Nicholas Johnson in Hobby Stocks. A robust field of 122 cars filled the pit area among the three divisions.

Bakersfield ace Robbie Sawyer made a wild move from the inside of row two to open the 33-lap IMCA Modified feature race. He sliced his way under the front row and take the lead by the time they completed lap one.

Gavyn Manning, the Bakersfield Speedway track champion and Friday’s fast qualifier, stayed within striking distance of Sawyer as drivers battled it out behind them. Troy Foulger started 11th on the grid and picked off cars one by one, while trying a few different lines on the quarter mile.

Foulger took over fourth on lap 14, before he carved his way to third on lap 20. With the race winding down, the top three cars began to bunch up as the crowd rose to its feet. Sawyer continued to hold command but had Manning and Foulger were right there.

Coming to the line to complete lap 29 they proceeded to go three wide in thrilling fashion, which saw Manning come out with the lead. Foulger assumed the runner-up position and then blasted by Manning for the top spot one circuit later.

Foulger claimed the victory over Manning, Winton’s Paul Stone, Sawyer and Hollister’s Andy Obertello in the top five. Rounding out the top 10 were Nick Decarlo, Shawn Natenstedt, Cody Burke, Keith Brown Jr. and Ryan Porter.

Natenstedt earned the Hard Charger Award with his fantastic drive from 20th to seventh.

IMCA Sport Modified

The “Pacheco Pistol” Kenny Shrader started from the front row in the 23-lap IMCA Sport Mod main event and led flag to flag to pick up the victory. Oakley’s Buddy Kniss and Bakersfield’s Dylan Wilson fought for the second spot not far behind for most of the contest.

Several caution periods and a couple of reds plagued the Sport Mod finale, but through it all Shrader was perfect on every restart. Wilson crossed the stripe in second ahead of Kniss, Yreka’s Ethan Killingsworth and Oakley’s Jason Ryan Jr. among the top five.

The remainder of the top 10 in the Sport Mod feature was filled out by KC Keller, Jeffrey Hudson, Brent Curran, Cale Kanke and Jeremy Hoff.

Tommy Clymens was the Hard Charger going from 22nd and 13th.

Hobby Stock

Bakersfield’s Nicholas Johnson won by half a lap to crush the field in the 23-lap Hobby Stock finale.

Rio Vista driver Jason Robles led the first four laps, until Johnson drove past to assume the point. After that Johnson pulled away with ease and ended up crossing the checkered flag over 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Lance Hurst.

Robles came home in third, followed by Ocean Speedway champ Joe Gallaher and son Rob Gallaher. The top 10 was rounded out by Jake Archibald, Maverick Shepherd, Ryan Hart, Bobby Motts and Hard Charger Casey Johnson, who started 22nd.

The Pettit Shootout concludes Saturday at Ocean Speedway. The program will be capped with a 103-lap IMCA Modified main event.