KING CITY — The AgriRace has a new race champion in Greg Lazzerini and second place winner Joe Panizera. The winner of the Powder Puff race was Shelby Ray.
Lazzerini has been a part of the AgriRace on multiple occasions. According to announcer Daniel Bulter, Lazzerini was an original invitee of the AgriRace. The final race started out as a race between Cody Young and Joe Panizera, who were neck and neck until a move toward the 19th lap that left the race open to challengers and Lazzerini came out on top.
“This racing circuit started about two years ago,” Butler said. “It’s the brain child of Louie Ray from Soledad, who got a bunch of his buddies together with an idea to just have a little bit of fun.”
To compete in the AgriRace Invitational or the Farmer 500, racers had to have a four-cylinder car, a limit of $1,100 when the car was purchased, and have no modifications to the car other than safety features. The AgriRace is in its second year as part of the Salinas Valley Fair lineup.
Before the event began, the racers participated in some qualifying races and Dan Myrick was the top qualifier. Each race started with a rolling start and five to six racers in the first five heats and then two semi-final heats with eight racers going on to the main event.
A new part of the final race of the evening was a Calcutta, during which audience members were able to bet on the racers that they thought would win the race.
A total of $6,200 was raised, with half going to the Salinas Valley Heritage Foundation and half going to the overall race winner. The largest bet of the evening was placed on Cody Young in the No. 54 car by Dennis Capra from RC Farms.
The Powder Puff race also received a boost in participation with seven drivers competing in the race. Shelby Ray came out as the champion after the race defenders, the Alatorre sisters, ran out of gas just feet from the finish line.
The Panizera family was once again well represented with Joe being one among three Panizeras to make it to the final race.
Joining Joe was brother Nick Panizera and uncle Allan Panizera, who was the second place finisher last year.
Neil Panizera did not make it to the final race of the evening.
