Petaluma, CA, 10/13/12
Billy Aton has been racing part time over the last few years, as being a full time student will do that to a youngster, but when the 22 year old Benicia resident breaks away from his studies at the California Maritime Academy, the results come pouring in. Already a winner of upwards of 50 main events on dirt starting in outlaw karts and 600 micro sprints, the Mechanical Engineering student Aton added another victory to his long list of accomplishments last Saturday night at Petaluma Speedway versus 17 other 360 wingless sprint cars by taking the winner’s share of the purse in his family owned XXX Chassis, Transport Products Unlimited, Bill Aton Painting, Red Line Oil, Aton Racing #26.
With typical overcast and cold October weather at the speedway, Aton was expecting to see a typical heavy and hooked up surface, but that thought was quickly squashed when the track came in quickly and the heavy Petaluma never surfaced.
Coming out early in qualifying, Aton timed in 6th quick, and after inversions, Aton was starting fifth in his heat race, which proved no obstacle as Aton knifed through the field to lead his heat race by lap 6 and ended up flashing under the checkers as the winner two laps later.
Aton, while making his own luck in his heat race, didn’t have to for the feature as the inversion pill drawn was perfect for him, a 6, and Aton had nothing but air and opportunity between he and the checkers by starting on the pole.
When the green was displayed, Aton hit the throttle and the Petaluma surface didn’t help out as he spun the tires and had to settle for second getting into the first turn, and as part of a two car breakaway, he’d occupy second until lap 24, when an inside move put Aton on the point of the inaugural Adobe Cup at the Petaluma 3/8ths. As Aton has done many times in his already 10 year plus racing career, the last six laps were academic, no pun intended. Aton enjoyed a healthy lead and hit his spots perfectly while never seriously challenged the rest of the way, eventually taking flagman Scott Erwin’s twin checkers after a great yellow flag restart put him out of reach.
In Victory Lane, Aton commented:
“It was a great night for the Aton Painting #26. I spun the tires on the start, so I just took it easy for awhile and rode around until it started to get late then I looked for a spot and found one.” Said Aton. “I wasn’t too happy with the way the track turned out, but we all have to race on it, so we did what we could and it was enough. Thanks to my sponsors, Transport Products Unlimited, XXX Chassis, Aton Painting and Red Line Oil. We wouldn’t be here without them.”
Aton will continue to school at the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo and race whenever his schedule allows.
You can find Billy Aton on Facebook, search Billy Aton.
-RJM Promotions
- Ron Lingron on Oct 15, 2012
- Article Date: 10/15/2012