Drivers extend points leads at Rattlesnake

As drivers enter the final stretch of the season at Rattlesnake Raceway, a pair of racers extended their points lead on Saturday.

Dave Ausano and Zach Cali tightened their grip on the points title in the Hobby Stock and IMCA classes, respectively.

Ausano took second in his preliminary heat and the main event, while Scott Tenney earned the checkered flag in both of his races. Dan Dias edged out Ausano in their preliminary heat.

With the result, Ausano pushed his lead to 13 points over Shane Cazel (350-337), while Chris Christiano (335) and Cody Morris (333) remain in the hunt.

Cazel placed third in both races on Saturday, while Christiano won his preliminary heat but struggled in the main event with a 17th-place finish. Morris, meanwhile, was fourth in his preliminary heat and took 18th in the main event.

In the IMCA division, Cali was the benefactor of the absence of Malen Gonzalez, who did not compete and sits in second place with 312 points.

As a result, Cali took third in his preliminary heat and sixth in the main event to add 32 points to his season total of 333.

Dave Sciarroni won the main event after a second-place showing in the prelim. Don Childs placed second in the main, followed by Alec Childs, Shawn Natenstedt and Missy Natenstedt.

Cali leads the points race followed by Gonzalez, Fred White (258) and Chris Neal (255).

Three regular-season races remain with the next a double-points event on Aug. 8. The season concludes with points races on Aug. 22 and Sept. 12. The annual Dirt Track Championships runs Sept. 26-27.