Cran Wins Easily in Sportsman Main at Saugus Speedway

For the second consecutive week, John Cran of Reseda started from the front and was never headed en route to a Sportsman Division main event win at Saugus Speedway on Saturday.

Last week, Cran was challenged by points leader Will Harper of Tarzana for the last 28 laps, but Saturday, in front of a crowd of 3,170, Harper was unable to get around John Covan of Simi Valley, who finished second as Cran cruised to a quarter-lap win.

The win was Cran’s second career main-event victory.

“We changed gears right before the race because we knew we needed more power on Will down the straightaways,” Cran said. “We’ve just gone back to basics and done our homework.”

The third-place finish was the lowest of the season for Harper, third in the Sunbelt Region points standings.

Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley won his second race of the night, leading from start to finish in the Street Stock 25-lap main event. Earlier in the evening, Rayburn, who entered the night sixth in the standings with 36 points, won the Street Stock fast-heat race.

Ken Maler of Castaic finished second, followed by Ed Horst of Reseda.

Rudy Sandoval won the Mini-Stock 12-lap main event, passing Ed Fuller of Carson on Lap 7. Fuller took the lead from Jeff Walker of Newbury Park on Lap 5 when Walker spun out.

Rock Ake Jr. of Moorpark finished second, followed by Fuller.

Jerry Bosson of Simi Valley won the Sportsman 10-lap semi-main event, leading from the start, to advance to the main event.

Thad Friday of Reseda won the Street Stock semi-main event easily, passing Rick Winakur of San Gabriel on Lap 3. Winakur finished second followed by Mike Braham of Lakeview Terrace and Craig Jensen of Sunland.

Other heat-race winners included: Norm Wareburg and Sylmar’s Steve Burdett (Sportsman); Larry Durm of Northridge and Mitch Thompson of Sylmar (Street Stock); and Rich Iannolo of Mission Hills and Brian Hayden of Castaic (Street Stock figure-eight).