GREAT ESCAPE: Off to the Races in Watsonville

So what if you can’t make it to the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day? We’ve got our own racing excitement nearby, just a few miles west of Gilroy.

Ocean Speedway, on the other side of Hecker Pass in Watsonville, offers auto races every Friday night from March to October, as well as a few Saturday events. Both amateur and professional drivers compete on the semi-banked clay quarter-mile track, competing for points and glory on the local racing circuit.

What to do here: Tonight’s race features modifieds, American stock cars, dwarf cars, four-bangers, micro 600 and late models.

“Four-bangers are the first level,” said race promoter John Prentice, with drivers getting experience in those cars and progressing through different classes, “and winged 360 is the professional level,” with cars boasting engines with as much as three times the horsepower of normal vehicles.

Fans can get a look at the cars before the races start, with gates opening at 4:30 p.m. Next is hot laps at 5:15 and heat races ongoing from 6-10 p.m.

Tonight, the speedway is offering family-friendly prices: Children 12 and under are admitted free, while general admission is $14 and seniors are $12. (The full 2011 schedule, with special dates and prices noted, is at www.oceanspeedway.com/schedulespeedway.php). Concession stands offer a variety of food and beverages, including hot dogs, popcorn, chili cheese fries, chicken kabobs, and linguica (Portuguese pork sausage) or tri-tip sandwiches.

Why we like it: Ocean Speedway, which began in 1957 as Watsonville Speedway, is one of the few auto raceways left in the area. Back in racing’s heyday in the mid-20^th century, more than a dozen racetracks and speedways could be found in the Santa Clara Valley. Many racing stars got their start at the Watsonville Speedway, including Ernie Irvan in his early days. The track is a little nugget of local history that’s still alive and kicking. 

And even more to like: No matter what class the cars are in, the action is nonstop. Many of the drivers and car owners are local, such as the one pictured in this article, which is owned by Gilroy resident Paul Salaiz, sponsored by Gilroy Tire, and driven by Clay Daly of Watsonville. Other local drivers to look for are Kurt Nelson and Ken Fredenburg of Gilroy as well as “Cowboy” Craig Smith of San Martin, who finished in the top 10 in last year’s standings for the Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints series.

About Ocean Speedway: A 60-year-plus tradition in Watsonville, the speedway brings tens of thousands of race fans to the stands there each year. It was first established as a half-mile oval track in 1957. In all, there are 30 racing events scheduled for 2011, according to Prentice.

Directions and phone: Take Highway 152 west until you’re over the hill and the road turns into East Lake Avenue; continue straight until you see the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on the right at 2601 E. Lake Ave., and follow signs to the parking area. Tickets are sold only on the day of the race. Camping is available at the fairgrounds although there are no hookups; call in advance to reserve a space.

For a list of upcoming events, historic photos, recent photos and video, and results and records from previous races, see www.oceanspeedway.com, or call (831) 662-WINN.