My Visit To Vallejo Speedway

Vallejo Speedway 1993

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Pictured above is where the grand stands used to be at Vallejo Speedway on the hill side.

My First Visit To Vallejo Speedway

I probably was 8 or 9 years old when I first started attending races at Antioch Speedway. My memories really don't go back before 1977 or 1978. My parents probably took me to the races before that, but I don't recall. At that time, Vallejo Speedway was still in existence, but dad and I always went to Antioch. I know he really enjoyed going to Vallejo Speedway and Contra Costa Speedway before that, because he used to tell me stories about the drivers. When I began researching things, all of his stories about those racers began to line up with the facts. My uncle Ken even lent me his scrap book from the time when he and his brother Don raced at Vallejo. It's a track that has always fascinated me.

The place was known for the Hardtops, but everything from Sprint Cars to Midgets to Super Modifieds to Super Stocks and Street Stocks raced there. In the 70's, there was six division racing there, and Hardtops competed right to the end. Had I gone in 1978, I could have at least caught the tail end of things and watched champion Barry Pries, Terry DeCarlo, Tom Thompson, Bob Richardson, Del Quinn and all the racers in the Hardtops. It's kind of a sad thought to me to know I was going to races at that time and never went there. I hadn't even heard of the track until after it closed.

The stories my dad and racers who had been there told me made me want to learn more about it. There was a time when they ran shows where the Sportsman division, Hardtops and even Super Modifieds competed against each other. They did it at Vallejo and I've heard stories if it happening at Dixon as well. The 60's and 70's were a great time for racing, and I'm glad to have at least had a taste of it at Antioch.

By the way, Don O'Keefe Jr. has an excellent Vallejo Speedway Hardtop Page with lots of pictures that can be viewed HERE.

Anyway, George Acree's legendary Quarter-Mile Clay oval, the Vallejo Speedway, closed at the end of the 1979 season. In 1993, I finally made it to the site of the track on my way home from a race at Petaluma Speedway.

What was the big deal, you ask?

Well, when Contra Costa Speedway in Pacheco closed it's pits in the name of progress--a highway--at the end of the 1960 season, the drivers and many fans headed for Vallejo Speedway. During the 80's, I began to pay closer attention to my father's stories about Vallejo Speedway and legendary racers like LeRoy "Go Get Em" Geving, Chet Thompson, Phil "Bang Bang" Pedlar, "The Sundrop Kid" Larry Damitz, Rich Govan and Steve Mentch. As I became more of a racing fan and decided that racing was something I wanted to spend my time researching and writing about, I did more research about Vallejo Speedway in the sixties and seventies.

I began listening to any stories my dad or former Vallejo racers like Del Quinn, Steve Mentch, Terry DeCarlo and Roland Lokmor would tell me. Years passed and I continued to hear stories that the track was still there, and then one day I got a chance to check it out for myself. I was coming home from Petaluma Speedway during an afternoon race in June of 1993. With camera in hand, I went past the broken down fence with a camera and a tape recorder in hand, paying no attention to the No Trespassing sign. I was finally going to see the famous Vallejo Speedway, where racing legends were made.

The front straightaway.

Joe Valente Looks 'em over
and the green flag waives.

I walked around up on the hill (the top picture), just surveying the track and decided to start on the front straightaway, where the drivers would race to "Jumpin" Joe Valente's green flag as Speed Reilly called the action from the press box. I was feeling the ghosts of races past. I could almost hear the roar of the engines. Wow! Then, coming from the infield, there were three young boys hunting gophers with a big knife. One of them remarked about how there were a lot out there and snakes too. Well, there went the mood for the moment. I wasn't there just to see Vallejo Speedway as it was in 1993, but to get a picture in my mind and a feel for what it was like back then. So, I kept going.

Turns 1 & 2 under the weeds but still in tact underneath.

Hey! Who put those houses there?

As I walked up to end of the front straightaway, I began to form a picture in my mind again about how it was. The fastest drivers had to start in the back of the fully inverted fields. I could just picture a late race restart between Damitz and Pedlar on the front row. They race past Valente's green flag, trying to lead the lap, Damitz up high and Pedlar down low as they enter Turn 1. Damitz finds the bite up high and takes a slight lead exiting Turn 2 and... Hey! Who put those houses so close to the turns? Talk about killing the mood. Oh well, I kept going.

Pictured above is the back stretch from the perspective of Turn 3 facing Turn 2.

Hey! Maybe they could
re-open this place.

As I walked down the back stretch, I was amazed at how good of shape it was in considering the track hadn't been raced on for some 13 years. If I didn't know better, I'd say the occasional 4-Wheeler came out there and played around. Anyway, I walked down the back stretch, those pesky houses behind me, and the "Spirit Of The Track" again taking hold of me. I could picture Quinn or Ken "Flip Top" Gandy leading the pack for one more lap, looking for that checkered flag. Again, I could just feel it. Oh no, a tangle between Gil Richardson and Paul Stornetta forces a yellow flag, and Gandy will have to restart with Quinn on the front row next to him. Can he hold him off one more time? A crazy thought overcame me at this point. Hey! Maybe they could re-open this place.

The back stretch concrete was still in tact.

In the middle of the back stretch it dawned on me that the concrete wall was still in good shape the entire length of the track. In fact, some of the wood was still there too. Just think, this is where a bill board advertising Vallejo Masonry or Johnny Franklin Mufflers might be, but then, who has time to notice these things with 20 roaring Hardtops battling for main event glory! I was still in awe of the fact that I was on a track that had run hundreds of racing programs and the fact that it was still there, but not in racing condition. How sad.

Turns 3 & 4 were in perhaps the worst shape of the track, but you could still tell it was there.

Coming down the stretch

Turns 3 & 4 were in rough shape, but what do you expect after all those years? Still, I could make out the turns clearly, and the mental picture of Thomson racing Pedlar coming out of the final set of turns as Reilly makes the call was in my mind. Wow! It must have been a great place to race and watch the races.

A quite spacious Vallejo Speedway pit area.

There's still plenty of room in the pits

I aimed the camera towards the pits and took a shot. Wow! They still had plenty of room for pit parking. Maybe, if they... Nah, I knew the track was dead, and it brought a tear to my eye. I walked the pits and saw a few of the old lights from the track and some tires and a fender and other stuff. This is where the drivers all hung out before and after the races. This is where they shook each others hands or settled their differences.

I could feel the ghosts of heroes past that I would never get to see. I must confess, it brought a tear to me eye, but I was glad I visited. I had always wanted to and this was my chance. I was happy to at least pay my respects to a track I never knew, but had come to have a great respect for. With that in mind, I walked away from Vallejo Speedway, but there was one more place I had to go.

The End Of An Era

I'm not sure how the story goes exactly, so I won't go too far into details. Basically, Acree had owned the property the track was on and let a trailer park on it. It was a park for old retired people. Well, these people weren't happy to have a place to park their mobile homes. They began bitching to the city about the noise. Well, they won in the end, and the track was closed. Before I left, I just had to take a snap shot of this place that had ruined everything for the racing fans and drivers (I have edited that picture from this post). It opened in 1961 and ran it's last race in 1979.

Even Vallejo Speedway 2 had it's nightmares trying to bring racing to Vallejo, and I never understood why. Steve provided a nice venue for the kids to come race, and some of them have grown up top be the stars we see today at some of the area tracks. It seems to me that in these tough times, having a place to go race and watch the races would only be a positive for the community, but what do I know?

Final Thoughts

It can all go in an instant. It doesn't matter what the track means to the people involved. There are always those who would come in and take it away. It took them over 15 years to finally build houses on Vallejo Speedway. It's all houses now. The fans flocked to the races at Baylands until the end, but it didn't matter. An even better example is San Jose. They packed the stands there for special Sprint Car events. The board of supervisors wanted a concert venue. The racing community wasn't all that loud in protest either. The board had their way. Well, to an extent.

The track closed in San Jose at the end of 1999. I started hearing rumblings a year later that there were insiders trying to save things, but there was already enough damage done that nobody wanted it. Those nice grandstands were demolished. The concert venue fell through. Are you ready for the irony? San Jose Speedway lives, but it's not what you think. It's a one eighth mile dirt oval on the property, where they race motorcycles and go karts. Not exactly what the fans and racers really wanted, but I don't want to put down the effort that is there.

The point is, any of these tracks can be taken from us, and there are some places that have people looking for an excuse to make that move. It's not even a question of if, but when they will go after another track. Will the racers and fans even put up a fight when it happens, or will they just accept their fate?

Vallejo Speedway was a track that evoked passion from all of those who considered themselves regulars, fans or racers. They had a strong presence in Racing Wheels and the area newspapers. The had a strong fan base that formed their own club. If a racer could win at Vallejo, they could win at any of the area tracks, and they did. As time passes, the memories fade, and that's a real shame. I guess that's to be expected as a casualty of time. It's over 30 years later now. Has it been that long. One thing is for sure. There will never be another Vallejo Speedway, or at least not like it was before, but may the memories of those days gone by never die.

Dirt Modified Results From Calistoga

Here are the results I was able to track down from the Calistoga show for the Dirt Modifieds. I understand Saturday was a bit rough as they tore up some cars, but the show ran smoother on Sunday. I hope they continue to do this race, but I also hope the drivers stay as safe as possible. It's a big track and they do build up some speeds on the straightaways. Anyway, these are unofficial.

By the day, Dennis Daniel has story on Dirt Modified Racer with details on the race. The site is also a good place for information on Dirt Modifieds.

Saturday Night

Heat 1

1 Randy McDaniel
27 Mark Abouzeid
2c Duane Cleveland
96 Jeff Olschouka

Heat 2

4 Shaun DeForest
66 Kevin Fitzgerald
14 Mark Haas
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.

Heat 3

28b Keith Brown
73s Steve Stone
17 Nick DeCarlo
73 Scott Busby

Heat 4

59s Freddie Plourde
07 Jeff Thomas
90 Jeremy Petrell
82 Sean O’Gara

B Main

Not Available

Main Event

10 Ryan McDaniel
66 Kevin Fitzgerald
07 Jeff Thomas
54 Brian Azevedo
23 Oreste Gonnella
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.
1jr Jerry Roy Jr.
96 Jeff Olschowka
14p Ryan Porter
11 Mike Learn
73 Scott Busby
2c Duane Cleveland
27 Mark Abouzeid
59s Freddie Plourde
90 Jeremy Petrell
80p Matt Petrell
82 Sean O'Gara
4 Dan McLean
28b Keith Brown
17 Nick DeCarlo
1 Randy McDaniel
73s Steve Stone
4 Shawn DeForest
14 Mark Haas
29 Chad Chadwick

Sunday Night

Heat 1

83 Kellen Chadwick
28b Keith Brown
66p Paul Stone
1jr Jerry Roy, Jr.
99 Kenny Neu
84 Robby Jeppesen
29 Chad Chadwick
25d Rick Karnes


Heat 2

17 Nick DeCarlo
62 Jeremy Newberry
73s Steve Stone
80p Jeremy Petrell
73 Scott Busby
33c Nick Caughman Jr.

Heat 3

10 Ryan McDaniel
07 Jeff Thomas
27 Mark Abouzeid
54 Brian Azevedo
12 Joe Carr
25dd Danny Dozier
74s Chris Sieweke
2c Duane Cleveland

Heat 4

96 Jeff Olschowka
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.
7k Kent Bickford
11 Mike Learn
80 John Pierce
68 Norman Boeck
31 Jeremy Prince

Heat 5

4p Richard Papenhausen
28 Chester Kniss
14p Ryan Porter
66 Kevin Fitzgerald
46 Joel Myers
17f Joe Flower
24 Dan McLean

B Main

99 Kenny Neu
12 Joe Carr
84 Robby Jeppesen
25dd Danny Dozier
2c Duane Cleveland
29 Chad Chadwick
17f Joe Flower
46 Joel Myers
74s Chris Sieweke
68 Norman Boeck
25d Rick Karnes
80 John Pierce
24 Dan McLean
31 Jeremy Prince
1 Randy McDaniel

Main Event

10 Ryan McDaniel
66p Paul Stone
17 Nick DeCarlo
83 Kellen Chadwick
62 Jeremy Newberry
12 Joe Carr
28b Keith Brown
1jr Jerry Roy, Jr.
4p Richard Papenhausen
14p Ryan Porter
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.
25dd Danny Dozier
66 Kevin Fitzgerald
73s Steve Stone
54 Brian Azevedo
28 Chester Kniss
11 Mike Learn
80p Jeremy Petrell
27 Mark Abouzeid
7k Kent Bickford
07 Jeff Thomas
96 Jeff Olschowka
99 Kenny Neu
84 Robby Jeppesen

Dirt Modifieds Invade Calistoga This Weekend

Saturday and Sunday night, the Dirt Modifieds invade the historic Calistoga Speedway for only the second time ever. Calistoga Speedway is best known as a Sprint Car track, the home of the NARC Sprint Cars for many years, while also being visited by the World of Outlaws, CRA Sprint Cars, USAC and BCRA, opened its gates to Dirt Modifieds as a companion to the Golden State Challenge Series Sprint Cars. The opportunity to go where so many great Sprint Car racers have gone was too good to pass up, and several racers went to the half mile dirt track, causing a severe car count drop for the second leg of the Freedom Series at Antioch last year.

Anybody who has to ask why just doesn't get it. Legends such as LeRoy Van Conett, Johnny Anderson, Billy Anderson, Hank Butcher, Mike McCreary, Chuck Gurney and Brent Kaeding have all won there. Suddenly, Modified drivers would have their chance at history. Frankly, if they'd have opened it up to Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks or even Mini Stocks, they'd have been crashing down the gates to race too. Why? Because a win at Calistoga is as big an accomplishment as a track championship itself. Races at the famed facility that staged it's first event back in the 1930's don't happen every week.

Last year, Bobby Hogge IV and Jeff Olschowka collected the victories, and by virtue of being the winner of the last race, you might say Olschowka is the defending champion. He had to hold off Hogge to do that. This year, Hogge is off to Santa Maria to try and pull off a double win night with his Late Model and Dirt Modified, but this field will still be stacked with talent, including Randy McDaniel, Ryan McDaniel, Scott Busby, Joe Carr, Kenny Neu, Richard Papenhausen, Paul Stone and Olschowka.

The track put the limit at 50 cars for the $1,200 to win events, but the field was still full within a couple of weeks. The answer to the quest of whether drivers would be interested in running this race was a resounding yes. They are coming from all over to compete, causing several tracks to cancel the Dirt Modifieds or just go dark for the weekend. This event may not pay as well as others, but it's still big and full of talented racers.

Entry List 2010 Dirt Modified Race At Calistoga Speedway

1 Randy McDaniel - A champion at Marysville, Chico and Sacramento.
1jr Jerry Roy Jr. - Top runner in the past at tracks like Marysville and Petaluma
2c Duane Cleveland - Former Chico champion
3 Chad Chadwick - Former top five racer at Antioch and San Jose
3 Todd Hermosillo - Top runner at Ocean Speedway
4p Richard Papenhausen - Former champion at Chico
7k Kent Bickford - Former top ten driver at Antioch
7 Sean O. Wilson - Top ten driver at Antioch
7 Randy Larson - Former Petaluma champion
10 Ryan McDaniel - Former Chico champion

11 Mike Learn - Former top runner at Petaluma
12 Joe Carr - Two time champion at Petaluma and division original
14 Mark Haas - Former top ten runner at Petaluma
14p Ryan Porter - Point leader at Chowchilla, former champion at Merced
15 Bill Egelston - Top runner at Merced and Chowchilla
17 Nick DeCarlo - Second in points at Antioch
17f Joe Flower - Former champion at Chico
225 Bill Smith
25 dd Danny Dozier Jr. - Former feature winner at Antioch
27 Mark Abouzeid - Defending champion at Chico

28 John Dawson - Former top runner at Watsonville
28b Keith Brown Sr. - Former Chowchilla-Antioch series champion
32 Nick Caughman Jr. - Former Petaluma champion
33 Don Camili - Former champion at Petaluma
23 Oreste Gonella - Top five runner at Petaluma
25 Rick Karnes - Top five runner at Antioch
28 Chester Kniss - Former top ten runner at Antioch
31 Jeremy Prince - Former champion at Antioch
46 Joel Myers - Former top five runner at Petaluma
54 Brian Azevedo - Former top ten runner at Petaluma

59 Paul Anderson
62 Jeremy Newberry - Open comp runner and former NFL Lineman for 49ers and Raiders
66 Kevin Fitzgerald - Former champion at Antioch
66p Paul Stone - Former champion at Merced and Hanford
68 Norman Boeck - Top five runner at Antioch
73 Scott Busby - Four time champion at Antioch, former champ at Altamont
73 Steve Stone Sr. - Former champion at Chowchilla
74s Chris Sieweke - Top runner at Petaluma
80 Matt Petrell - Former top ten runner at Antioch
80 John Pierce - Open comp runner

u81 Bobby Motts Jr. - Former champion at Antioch
82 Sean O'Gara - Competitor at Antioch
83 Kellen Chadwick - Former Antioch champion
84 Robby Jeppesen - Former champion at Merced
90 Jeremy Petrell - Former top five runner at Antioch
96 Jeff Olschowka - Defending race champion, former champ at Marysville and Chico
99 Kenny Neu - Two time champion at Antioch
03 Jim Pettit II - Former Regional champ and 2 time Southwest Tour Champ
07 Jeff Thomas - Top five runner at Antioch
xx Johnny Eskew - Competiitor at Antioch

Note: Some of these championships were won in divisions other than the Dirt Modifieds.

Night 1 - 2009 Heat Race 1

2 Bobby Hogge IV
1 Randy McDaniel
27 Mark Abouzeid
07 Jeff Thomas
28 Chester Kniss
90 Jeremy Petrell
59a Paul Anderson
10c Charley Campbell
Heat 2

10 Ryan McDaniel
62 Matt Petrell
96 Jeff Olschowka
46 Joel Myers
23 Oreste Gonnella
XX Kenny Neu
1x Jerry Roy
73 Scott Busby

Heat 3

2h Bobby Hogge III
12 Joe Carr
6 Richard Papenhausen
68 Norman Boeck
33 Don Camilli
59 Robert Miller

Heat 4

u81 Bobby Motts
28b Keith Brown
3c Chad Chadwick
2L Mike Learn
25d Rick Karnes
25dd Daniel Dozier
83 Kellen Chadwick

B Main

90 Jeremy Petrell
28 Chester Kniss
15 Bill Egleston
23 Oreste Gonnella
1x Jerry Roy Jr.
33 Don Camilli
59a Paul Anderson
25dd Danny Dozier
25d Rick Karnes
59 Robert Miller

A Main

2 Bobby Hogge IV
2h Bobby Hogge III
12 Joe Carr
62 Matt Petrell
10 Ryan McDaniel
1 Randy McDaniel
28b Keith Brown
27 Mike Abouzeid
96 Jeff Olschowka
07 Jeff Thomas
90 Jeremy Petrell
28 Chester Kniss
2L Mike Learn
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.
68 Norm Boeck
23 Oreste Gonnella
3c Kellen Chadwick
46 Joel Myers
1x Kennt Roy
15 Bill Egleston

Night 2 -2009 Heat Race 1

10 Ryan McDaniel
62 Matt Petrell
46 Joel Myers
25dd Daniel Dozier
1x Jerry Roy
u81 Bobby Motts
23 Oreste Gonnella

Heat 2

83 Kellen Chadwick
1 Randy McDaniel
27 Mark Abouzeid
90 Jeremy Petrell
28 Chester Kniss
59a Paul Anderson
59 Robert Miller

Heat 3

32 Nick Caughman
2h Bobby Hogge III
96 Jeff Olschowka
07 Jeff Thomas
68 Norman Boeck
XX Kenny Neu

Heat 4

2 Bobby Hogge IV
2L Mike Learn
28b Keith Brown
33 Don Camilli
12 Joe Carr
15 Bill Egleston

B Main

28 Chester Kniss
12 Joe Carr
1x Jerry Roy Jr.
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.
XX Kenny Neu
15 Bill Egleston
68 Norm Boeck
59 Robert Miller
23 Oreste Gonnella
59a Paul Anderson
A Main

96 Jeff Olschowka
2 Bobby Hogge IV
90 Jeremy Petrell
62 Matt Petrell
1 Randy McDaniel
83 Kellen Chadwick
07 Jeff Thomas
12 Joe Carr
2L Mike Learn
u81 Bobby Motts Jr.
25dd Danny Dozier
1x Jerry Roy Jr.
33 Don Camilli
32 Nick Caughman Jr.
27 Mike Abouzeid
28 Chester Kniss
28b Keith Brown
10 Ryan McDaniel
XX Kenny Neu

Laliberte, Machado Three Time Antioch Winners

As always, I'm unofficial. Just doing this to help spread the word a little. I may update the story at the bottom as more details become available.

Roughly 50 cars filled the pits for the four division show at Antioch Speedway Saturday night. Rain claimed a few races in California, but the show went on at Antioch with some chilly evening temperatures. Taking the checkered flags for the evening were Tommy Laliberte (Wingless Spec Sprints), Josh Hiatt (Dwarf Cars), Mitch Machado (Super Stocks) and Dan Wagner (Mini Trucks).

The Wingless Spec Sprints had a 17 car field and ran three heat races to set the grid for the feature. "Jammin" Jim Perry Jr. won the first heat ahead of Tyler Enrique. Tommy Laliberte won the second heat in front of Chuck Bradshaw. Gary Nelson won the third heat with David Press finishing second.

With Laliberte trimming the Press point lead to two coming into the feature, he finished his point lead earning night by collecting his third feature win of the season with another impressive driving effort. Perry's hopes for a first win of the season ended with another second place finish that still keeps him in title contention, while Press will fall two points behind Laliberte with his third place finish. Bradshaw collected a season best fourth place finish with Rowdy McClennon placing fifth. "The Piledriver" Dan Gonderman drive the Sam Daviess car to a sixth place finish as Rick Sharp, Nick Larsen, Brandon Enos and Nelson completed the top ten.

The 16 Dwarf Cars ran three qualifying heats with Jerry Doty winning the first one ahead of NCDCA invader Michael "Spanky" Grenert. Last week's feature winner Ricardo Rivera won the second heat with Josh Hiatt finishing second. The third heat went to point leader Nick Squatritto ahead of Tony Carmignani. Grenert came back to win the Trophy Dash in front of Hiatt.

For the Main Event, NCDCA competitor Hiatt charged to victory in his first visit to the track this season. The finishing order was full of surprises. Mini Truck competitor Tom Brown made an impressive debut in the #64 car by placing second, followed by a season best third place finish by Clayton Dortzbach. Charlie "The Hammer" Correia and Squatritto rounded out the top five. Joel Osias finished sixth as Rivera, Liston, John Davis and Chuck Golden made up the remainder of the top ten.

The Super Stocks had at least the same seven cars as last time, and Mike "The Blue Knight" Gustafson won his second heat race ahead of "The Sundrop Kid" Larry Damitz. Mitch Machado collected his third win of the season to maintain his point lead. Previous winner "Fast" Freddy Ryland started last in the feature. Lloyd Cline and "The Mean Kitty" Natalie Perry led the field to the green. Gustafson passed Cline on his way to challenge Machado for the lead. Gustafson finished second as Cline enjoyed his best finish of the season in third. Ryland and Perry completed the top five. Eric "Bad News" Berendsen crashed during the feature to continue what has been an up and down season for him. Damitz was also eliminated in the incident.

"Rockin" Ray Bunn started his night off right in the Mini Truck action with a heat race win over Jon Haney. In the feature, Dan Wagner collected the a much needed victory ahead of point leader Travis Dutra, Haney and Bunn. Pete Paulsen spun during race before settling for fifth.

After being dark for two weeks, racing resumes at Antioch on June 12th with Wingless Spec Sprints, Super Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Trucks and Four Bangers.

Details have emerged from the Wingless Spec Sprint feature.

Polesetter Gary Nelson jumped out to the early lead ahead of Chuck Bradshaw and Tyler Henriquez. Jim Perry Jr. settled into fourth, and Eighth starter Tommy Laliberte moved into fifth on lap four. Laliberte beat Perry back to the line to take fourth on lap five. Henriquez passed an out of shape Bradshaw in Turn 4 to grab second on lap six, and an outside move on the back stretch of the seventh lap gained Laliberte third from Henriquez. Laliberte made an inside pass in Turn 3 of the eighth lap to take second, and an inside move entering the back stretch on lap ten gained Lailiberte the lead from Nelson. Henriquez spun from third in Turn 4 for a caution flag. Lailiberte led Nelson on the restrart as Perry continued to search for a way around Bradshaw. A crash on the back stretch caused a lap 13 caution flag. Laliberte continued to hold command on the restart. While working lap 19, Perry finally made a backstretch pass on Bradshaw for third, but Nelson spuin from second in Turn 4 for a caution flag that would negate the pass. A low move in Turn 3 of the 23rd lap finally gained Perry second from Bradshaw, but Laliberte was a straightaway in front by then. David Press dove down underneath Bradshaw in Turn 3 of the last lap to take third. Laliberte cruised to the impressive victory ahead of Perry, Press, Bradshaw and Rowdy McClennon.

More details have emerged from the Super Stock feature.

Natalie Perry and Lloyd Cline had the front row for the Super Stock Main Event as Eric Berendsen and Mitch Machado shared the second row and heat race winner Mike Gustafson started third row outside. However, Perry opted to start in the back after introductions. Berendsen moved to the pole for the start and spun in the second turn, collecting Larry Damitz and ending the race for both drivers. Machado raced into the lead on the restart ahead of previous winner Fred Ryland and Gustafson. Ryland got sideways in Turn 2 a lap later and fell back to fifth. Cline spin from third in Turn 3 for a lap four caution flag. Machado chose the outside on the restart and continued to lead Gustafson. The lead duo ran close the rest of the way as Gustafson tried a few times, unsuccessfully, to make a pass with the lapped Fred Ryland running right with them. Machado picked up the victory just ahead of Gustafson as Cline, Ryland and Perry made up the rest of the finishing order.

More details have emerged from the Mini Truck feature.

Pete Paulsen and Jerry Carpanello led the Mini Truck Main Event to the green flag. Paulsen raced into the early lead ahead of Dan Wagner, and Carpanello spun from third in Turn 3, handing the spot to Jon Haney. Haney spun into the Turn 4 tractor tire for a lap two caution flag. Paulsen chose the inside for the restart, but Wagner raced by on the outside for the lead. Last starter Travis Dutra and Ray Bunn were having a side by side battle for third until a low pass in Turn 4 of the fourth lap gained Dutra the position. Dutra was pressuring Paulsen for second when Paulsen spun from the position in Turn 2 to bring out a lap ten caution flag. Wagner led Dutra and Haney on the restart, and the leaders ran close the rest of the way with Bunn making it a four car battle up front. At the checkered flag, it was Wagner holding off Dutra for the impressive victory. Haney brought it home third ahead of Bunn and Paulsen.

More details have emerged from the Dwarf Car feature.

Tony Carmingnani and Josh Hiatt paced the Dwarf Cars Main Event as they took the green flag. Nick Squatritto had just taken second from Carmignani when Carmignani spun in Turn 4, collecting several others. The next start attempt was botched when Chuck Golden spun in Turn 2, and Hiatt pitted during the caution flag. Squatritto chose the outside on the restart and maintained the lead ahead of Nick Davis and Randy Jahoda. With Squatritto in command out front, the battle was for third, and a low move in Turn 4 of the fifth lapped gained Michael Grenert that position. A lap later, Ricardo Rivera made a similar move around Jahoda for fourth. A spin in Turn 2 wiped out a straightaway lead for Squatritto over Davis on lap eight. Grenert and Rivera raced past Davis for second and third on the restart, and moments after Rivera passed Grenert for second, Grenert crashed in Turn 4. Davis was moved back into second as the lap was not official, and Squatritto led Davis and Rivera on the single file restart. A low move in Turn 2 of the tenth lap gained Rivera second from Davis. Davis broke on the back stretch, handing third to Tom Brown, and a lap 11 caution flag flew for a spin in Turn 4. A lap 13 restart saw Rivera challenging Squatritto hard for the lead as Hiatt was battling Brown for third. A high move in Turn 2 of the 15th lap gained Hiatt third, and Squatritto spun in Turn 4 for a caution flag. Rivera restarted in the rear after the incident as Hiat led Brown and Clayton Dortzbach on the restart. Another restart two laps later saw Squatritto charge back into fourth moments before Dan Liston spun in Turn 4, collecting Rivera for another caution flag. Track officials evoked the time limit rule on the race with Hiatt getting the win ahead of Brown, Dortzbach, Correia and Squatritto.

Antioch Gears Up For Final Race Of May

Looks like the clouds are rolling in, but racing should go on as scheduled at Antioch Speedway for their Four division show Saturday night. There will be no Memorial Day Weekend races, so this is a chance to check out the races at the track for the final time in May. I'm sure track management will use the down time to get ready for the big Dirt Modified show coming in June and to work on details for when Merced Speedway will be opening. We might even finally hear some details on that front.

But, back to Saturday. The Over/Under number is 46. The track has been out performing these numbers lately, which I like to see.

Wingless Spec Sprints (16), Dwarf Cars (12), Mini Trucks (10) and Super Stocks (8). That last number would be a season high for that division. It should be at least ten, but it is what it is. Still some good drivers in the class.

Here's an interesting fact. This is the 20th season of points racing for Dwarf Cars in Northern California. Has it really been that long? Yes it has. The first champion was crowned at the one-eighth mile dirt oval in Stockton, known as Delta Speedway. The division exploded from there. Who was that champion? It wasn't Doug Philpott or Doug Williams, though both are champions in the division. We'll get back to this.

Ricardo Rivera is the real deal, just in case you didn't know. Whenever he's behind the wheel of the #4 car, he is a threat to win. He's that good. His victory in the previous race was a thing of beauty. He started back in the fourth row, there were no yellow flags in the race and he still managed to make a late race pass to claim the victory. Drivers have been asking the question for the past six years. How do you stop this guy?

Rivera has posted over 40 wins at Antioch, putting him atop the division's all time win list and certainly making him at least top ten on the track's all time win list (I really need to update that list). He has even won a Main Event in Wingless Spec Sprint competition. For his off week, Ricardo headed down to Bakersfield Speedway and placed fourth in the CDCRA Dwarf Car race. He was driving the #12 car. I'm not sure if that was a local car or the #12 of Antioch regular Dan Liston, who currently sits sixth in points.

Ricardo knows point racing. He should. He's won five of the last six titles at Antioch, and the one he didn't win (2008) he wasn't racing for. He's had to fight for those championships and has had good challengers. This year is no different. Since he missed one race, he's third in the standings behind Nick Squatritto and Jerry Doty. He is 40 points out of the lead, a gap that has narrowed over the last couple of races despite the fact that Squatritto is picking up good finishes as well. He has to. One little slip up, and he could fall. This trio of drivers will be among the favorites to win come Saturday night.

Breaking through to pick up a victory is the big challenge for the rest of the pack. Ed Johnson would seem to be the next pick. After all, Ed is the only driver over than Rivera to win the division's championship in the last six years. Ed seems to be doing the same thing as veteran Charlie "The Hammer" Correia, running a relaxed schedule, but he is a threat to win when he's there. Correia has won his share of races through the years and was one of the top stars of the NCDCA Dwarf Car group in the 90's. Some people might not be expecting it from him with the way things have been going lately, but that would be a mistake. His next win could happen at any time.

By virtue of their top five rankings, Mike Corsaro and Clayton Dortzbach would seem to be prime candidates. You've got to be there to win, and this duo hasn't missed a race. The lap time could pay off in the long run. What's really nice about this division is that whoever wins, it's sure to be a good race.

The Dwarf Cars sort of took California by storm in the early 90's. In Northern California, it started at Delta Speedway in 1991. A year later, racers from Delta started racing at Merced and elsewhere and formed NCDCA. In 1992, Petaluma took a good look at the class and ran them as part of the Masseli & Sons Race. What a wild race that was. In 1993, the Dwarf Cars had a home at Petaluma under the All Pro Series banner (Jim Soares was the first champion there). By then, the Nor Cal Dwarfs were in full swing. Then, the PCDCA was formed. By the 2000's, Antioch and Petaluma both had Dwarf Car programs and BADCA was formed from the ashes of PCDCA. Nor Cal is still going strong, but the Delta Speedway Dwarf Car effort, unfortunately, is long gone.

So, who was that first champion at Delta Speedway?

It was Scotty Hoff.

Dwarf Cars won't be the only division in the spotlight Saturday night. The Super Stocks will also be on the card. Anticipation is in the air for some more new cars to show for this one. The ones who have been racing, however, have put on some good races for the fans. Something interesting has happened in this division in recent weeks. Somebody has emerged to take the focus off of Mitch Machado and Larry Damitz. This appeared to be an unlikely task, and yet it has happened.

Considering all the titles Damitz has racked up in his long and storied career, it was a given that "The Sundrop Kid" was going to be a force. That man is amazing, and fans should appreciate him while he's still out there doing his thing. If you have an opportunity to go up to him after a race and say hi, do it. It doesn't matter who he has raced through the years, he has found a way to beat them. And, he's still winning races and threatening to win a championship again.

Machado could have even bigger career numbers if that was what he wanted, but what he has is pretty impressive. This includes track championships at Sacramento Raceway and Petaluma and an eight point lead over Damitz going into this race. It's no surprise to see Mitch's #22 car in the winner's circle.

When the third member of the "Superstar" group, three time Antioch champion Mike "The Blue Knight" Gustafson didn't show for the first few races, it may have been assumed that this would be a two car race for the championship. Well, that assumption was incorrect.

The first of these other drivers to hang with the leaders was Eric "Bad News" Berendsen. Eric picked up a pair of third place finishes to start the season third in the standings. Eric's father and brother, Carl I & II, have turned many laps at the speedway, and he learned much from them before hopping into a Pure Stock about a decade ago. Eric would become a star and feature winner in that class. While still learning, he is running with the leaders when things are right with the car. Unfortunately, back to back DNF's dropped him a position in the standings. A second in his heat and fourth in the feature last time out was a sign that maybe he's back on track.

But the driver sitting just 18 points out of the lead is "Fast" Freddy Ryland. Ryland has never done anything second rate with his racing since he came to Antioch Speedway, so seeing the 2009 UMP Hobby Stock champion running this well shouldn't be that much of s surprise. If some felt he lucked into his first win, they couldn't say that last time out when he held off Damitz and Machado for that victory. If he keeps this up, the question won't be can anybody hang with Machado and Damitz in the championship battle, but can they hang with Ryland.

Lloyd Cline would just like to have things hold together for him. After a top five point season last year, bad luck has him sitting eight points behind "The Mean Kitty" Natalie Perry in the race for fifth. Lloyd would just like to see a checkered flag at this point. Perry, meanwhile, raised a few eye brows when she held Damitz off for a top three spot in her heat race for four impressive laps last time out. She also has a second place finish to her credit this season.

If Gustafson can keep it all together this week, he undoubtedly will give the leaders somebody else to contend with. He does have a heat race win, but his first two Main Event outings have ended on the sidelines. Hopefully, these drivers will receive some new competition as there are known to be at least a dozen more cars in the area.

Somebody has to beat the #99's in Mini Truck competition. It hasn't happened yet. Late starter Jon Haney and "Rockin" Ray Bunn are both chomping at the bit for their opportunity, and it could be this week. Point leader Travis Dutra and Tom Brown have split the feature wins at two a piece. This has given Dutra a six point lead in yet another tight battle at the speedway.

The Bunn family name has been a force in Mini Stock racing going back to the 80's when David Bunn was a champion in NASCAR Mini Stock competition. Ray was no slouch himself and was top three ranked a couple times at Delta Speedway, while also a top runner at Altamont and Baylands. He's even seen the winner's circle on more that one occasion at Antioch. Though he's had his share of bad luck this year, Ray has still managed to hold onto third in the standings.

It's the other driver on the move who has people taking notice. In the #45 truck this season is Jon Haney. He wasn't ready for the season opener, but three straight top three finishes have moved him to within just 14 points of Dan Wagner for fifth in the standings. Hes definitely on the move, but more importantly, it may be Haney who finally breaks the steak of the #99 trucks of Dutra and Brown.

In their tenth season at Antioch after enjoying success at Altamont, Orland and Merced throughout the 90's, the Mini Trucks are capable of putting on a good show for the fans. Others, such as Wagner, Ron Mayberry, Dean "The Blinker" Cline and Pete Paulsen could also be a threat to win come Saturday night.

I bet you thought I forgot about the Wingless Spec Sprint division huh?

Yeah, right.

It's hard for me not to smile when I look at the numbers and see that there were four Wingless Spec Sprint winners at four different venues last week, and all produced double digit car counts. Over a decade after we started it at Antioch, the division is still going strong. The thing that appeals to me is the way open wheels veterans, Stock Car racers, newcomers and drivers moving up from the Modified Midget ranks blend together in this class and put on such a good show. Sprint Car racing for the working man and woman. I sort of look at it as Sprint Car racing for the Stock Car fan since they are self starting.

But before all the other tracks got on board, it was Antioch Speedway that started the movement. This is the 12th season for a division that has only had one repeat champion during that time (Darrell "The Hammer" Hanestad). With five races in the books, just 24 points separate the top four of David Press, Tommy Laliberte, "Jammin" Jim Perry Jr. and "Bullet" Billy Macedo. Perry and Macedo would join Hanestad as two time champions if either of them could win it this season.

Though Press, a former NCMA Select Series and Ocean Speedway champion, leads the way, Laliberte is closing in fast. Tommy is on a roll with two wins and a second in his last three starts and an amazing ability to pull off late race high groove passes for the win. Laliberte is only four points behind Press with momentum on his side. Press may need to deliver a big performance this week to get out of the night with his lead in tact.

While Press, Laliberte, Jeff Kindt and Macedo all have feature wins, Perry is still looking for his first of the year. Earlier this season, he was working on a clean sweep, only to be beat by Macedo in the Main Event. As competitive as this class is, many of the racers in the field have a legitimate shot at winning on any given week, and Perry has racked up several wins through the years.

Adam Kaeding, who is currently sixth in points at Watsonville and tenth at Antioch, has looked very impressive at times in his Antioch appearances. A win for him wouldn't be a surprise. Former Dwarf Car standout "Stroker Ace" David Hays Jr. also ran strong last time out and could be a threat if he shows again this week. "The Piledriver" Dan Gonderman, the 1999 champion, was a welcome sight in the pits last race and won his heat race. Seeing him pick up a victory wouldn't be a big shock.

With not much else happening on the circuit, turnout could be big for this race. The Wingless Spec Sprints have been putting on some good shows this season, and their sixth event of the season this Saturday night should be no different.

A Few Notes Of Interest

Had a few random thoughts I wanted to put out there. They don't seem to fit in with the Antioch pre race story, so I'll put them here in this post.

Tony Karis of Ocean Speedway is doing even more for racing than I've given him credit for. You can find his stories about Ocean Speedway in the Santa Cruz Sentinel and the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian, but that's not all. Did you know that Tony has a weekly radio show? It's called Motor Sports Radio and it's Wednesday nights from 7-9 p.m. on KNRY 1240 AM. Oh, and guess what? It's streaming live on the internet from the KNRY Website.

Why isn't this being touted more on the various websites. Guys, you're dropping the ball here. When we get something like this out there, the people really need to know. It's for racing, and it gives attention to Ocean Speedway and Laguna Seca. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if Tony would be willing to use a few minutes of the show for race winners or top threes at other tracks if he received the information.

But I will say this. The show is very interesting. I didn't take notes as I was busy researching some stuff for potential future blog posts, but his two Ocean Speedway guests were Taco Bravo Sprint Car racer Kyle Larson and Wingless Spec Sprint ace Ryan Bernal, both of whom won at Watsonville last week. These kids both seem pretty nice to me and gave good interviews. It was interesting to note that young age of the Sprint Car drivers who have been running up front at Ocean Speedway lately.

Both drivers discussed their schedules. Kyle is headed for Tulare and I think he said Hanford this weekend. Ryan talked about running the Hunt Magneto Series at the three tracks (Chico, Placerville and Marysville) and mentioned Chowchilla. I know people call them Wingless Sprints, but it's music to my ears when Tony and Ryan referred to them as Wingless Spec Sprints. There's a reason Don and I called them that when we put the rules together at Antioch. Wingless Sprints are what CRA and USAC run. It doesn't make the Spec Sprints any less important, but there are differences.

Anyway, Tony got into the road racing thing with two other guests and touched on some interesting subjects there. It's a good show, and I hope the racers realize how important things like this are for the sport. We are lucky to have shows like this when almost everything else on radio or TV focuses in on the NASCAR guys. You should check it out sometime and spread the word.

Memorial Day Weekend is going to be a busy one. People already knew about Santa Maria and Calistoga, but it looks like Chowchilla Speedway has entered the fray as well. Kenny Shepherd is attempting to keep the spirit of The Freedom Series alive with the LunkerDaddy Tri-Holiday Classic. The races take place on May 30th, July 4th and September 5th. There is a points fund as well. Divisions include the Dirt Modifieds ($1,000 to win), Wingless Spec Sprints ($1,000 to win), Street Stocks ($750 to win), Hobby Stocks ($600 to win), Dwarf Cars ($500 to win) and Four Bangers $200 to win).

Further information can be obtained at the Chowchilla Speedway Website.

A couple of things of interest. For those who didn't register in time be a part of Calistoga or maybe feel the deck is stacked too high in the Dirt Modifieds at Santa Maria, Chowchilla is your alternative. You wanna race and maybe have a real chance at the money, Chowchilla is there as a nice alternative. I'm not sure who will be there, but there are enough cars out there that a decent turnout is possible.

Also, the Wingless Spec Sprints have been on the schedule there this year, but they seem to be a bit of an afterthought. This race is the perfect opportunity for the racers to flex their muscles and get noticed. Car count has a way of opening people's eyes, and if the track sees it, maybe they will start paying better attention to the class. This could be the biggest car count that night, but that will be up to the drivers.

I will be most interested to see if they can pull this off. I think the reason John dropped the deal at Antioch was that competing shows were taking away cars. I'm sure he would love to put on big money races, but when other tracks step up on those nights, it's hard to get the cars. I find it interesting that Antioch is dark that week, and I think this could be an interesting time for announcements from John.

Certainly, Soares got people's attention with the announcement of the June 19th $5,000 to win Dirt Modifided show. People in The Valley want to know what's up with Merced Speedway, what will be running, when and who will be managing things at the track. As of yet, that hasn't been announced. Also, a look at the Chowchilla schedule finds them booked the last week of June, the rumored date for Merced's opening. Merced has traditionally done well with the 4th Of July races, but again, Chowchilla is booked. It will be interesting to see what happens.

I'm considering a preview post for the Calistoga Dirt Modified race. Having the Dirt Modifieds back again is huge news really. The bigger cars usually don't get to race on the Sprint Car track, so of course they were crashing the gates to get in last year. They signed up quickly for those 50 spots this year, even with the purse a modest, but still respectable $1,200 to win. Why? Drivers want to race there. You could book a Hobby Stock or Mini Stock race there and say first 30 entries get in. It would be full within a few days. Why? Racers know what it means to win at that place. It matters. It's a part of racing history. A few details are already up for the Dirt Modifieds and can be found on the Calistoga Speedway Website.

A few notes from the Hardtops have crossed my desk, so I figured I'd put them out here for the record.

The Nor Cal Vintage Hardtops group was at Stockton 99 Speedway Saturday with seven cars. They were given a full program of qualifying laps, 2 heat races, a dash and Main Event. Conrad Cavallero's 16.520 bested Charles Mart's 16.566 for fast time. Cavallero held off Mike Friesen to win the dash, but Jack Low beat him to the line in their heat to prevent the sweep. Mart outran Friesen to win their heat race. Cavallero and Low put on a show up front in the Main Event with Cavallero coming home the winner. Mart was next, followed by Friesen, Carmen Cavallero and Kendra McKay. Dan Williams scratched after his heat race.

I managed to track down a little more information on the Okie Bowl Hardtops race from Santa Maria on April 17. Of course, Tommy Thomson won the most recent event there, and there was information on the whole feature finish. The April results seemed a little elusive. However, Paquet Photography was on hand for that race and took plenty of pictures too. There were at least ten cars there, and Matt McCaslin has photos of him with the trophy and being interviewed. Matt's #29 car is a 2 door sedan, Chevy 350, 350T-trans, camaro sub frame and rear end.

The Okie Bowl Hardtops group has run two races at Santa Maria, and their web site says they are working on a possible date at Bakersfield Speedway. However, nothing is booked at this time. You'll have to stay tuned to their website for any updates.

Foulger Takes The Money In UMP Modifieds At Antioch

Threw another Antioch story together for the heck of it. As I get more details, I may add more information at the bottom of the story.

In a tuneup race for the big money showdown coming to Antioch Speedway in June, promoter John Soares Jr. offered $1,000 to win in the UMP Modified race Saturday night. The money attracted 24 racers to the three-eight mile clay oval. When the checkered flag flew, it was point leader Troy Foulger collecting the victory. In other action, impressive rookie Brad Byers (UMP Hobby Stocks), Travis Dutra (Mini Trucks) and "Peppermint" Patty Ryland (Four Bangers) scored feature victories.

During the week leading up to the race, Soares announced that the UMP Dirt Modified race on June 19th will offer a huge $5,000 to win payday from a purse of$20,000. Pre-Entry Deadline is June 9, 2010. Entries received on or before June 9th, will be $100. After June 9th, entries will be $150. Further information can be obtained by contacting the track though the www.antiochspeedway.com website.

Some of the top racers in the area were on hand for this event, and the 24 car field required four qualifying heat races to set the grid. Top five point runner Jeff Thomas won his heat race ahead of "The Richmond Rocket" Bobby Motts Jr. Heat 2 went to top five ranked "Stormin" Norman Boeck over former Petaluma champion Michael Paul Sr. Andy Angelo collected a victory in the third heat ahead of point leader Troy Foulger, while Chester Kniss won the fourth heat over second ranked "Quick" Nick DeCarlo.

The stromg car count for this race required the track to run a B Main. Former Petaluma Speedway champion and division original Joe Carr won that race in front of John Eskew. Tuning up for Calistoga's big race on Memorial Day Weekend, Jeremy Petrell earned his feature start by finishing third in the B Main.

The money brought out the competition for this race, and 2009 champion "The Outlaw" Kenny Neu made his presence known at the front in a quest for his second win of the season. However, Foulger was not to be denied as he collected his third win of the season in front of Neu. Coming off of a top three run in Orland last week and a win at Antioch in the previous race, DeCarlo lost very little ground to Foulger in the championship battle with his third place finish. Coming from the back of the pack, Petrell finished a solid fourth as Todd Hermosillo was fifth. Carr, Paul, Angelo, Danny Casho and Thomas made up the remainder of the top ten.

There were 11 Hobby Stocks in action, and former champion Dan McCown won his heat race ahead of incoming second place point runner Chris Sorensen. Sitting third in points entering the night, Eric Schantin was the second heat winner in front of Jim Freethy. The track is allowing the car to earn the points in the championship battle this season, and the Team #33 car of Melissa Hansen and rookie Brad Myers were shown as the leaders coming into the night. With two wins to her credit, two time track champion Hansen was the driver gaining all of the glory for the team so far, but that was about to change.

Myers answered the question of whether he could carry his share of the load with an emphatic YES as he collected his first career feature win. The Team #99 car, driven by Jim Freethy, earned their best finish of the season in second as Paul DeLucca maintained his top five point status with a third place finish. Struggling with bad luck in recent starts, "Smokin" Joe Cancilla rebounded with a fourth place finish as Garrett Mayberry enjoyed his best finish of the season in fifth. Michael Rydman will maintain his top five status in points for another week after finishing sixth ahead of Schantin, McCown, Sorensen and Wes Bentley.

The story in the Mini Trucks division remains the same as the #99 trucks are leading the way in points with late starter Jon Haney steadily working his way towards third in the standings. Haney collected heat race honors ahead of the #99 of Travis Dutra. Dutra would take sole possession of the point lead following his second straight Main Event win, but not by much. Two time winner #99x Tom Brown finished second to stay close in the battle. Haney placed third as "Rockin" Ray Bunn and Dan Wagner completed the top five in the eight truck field.

The Four Bangers matched their season best effort with nine cars on hand for their fourth event of the season. Incoming point leader Dayna Anderson won her heat race ahead of JC Elrod, but that was her high water mark of the night. After missing the action at the previous race, "Peppermint" Patty Ryland picked up right where she left off with a heat win ahead of previous week feature winner Randy Groves.

Driving the #XX car of "Wild" Jim Robbins, Elrod was hoping to improve on his second place heat race run, but 2009 champion Ryland had other ideas. Ryland drove to her second feature win of the season, forcing Elrod to settle for second. Second place point runner Ken Radabaugh grabbed the final podium position as the Concord High School effort of Groves and Robbins rounded out the top five finishers.

Next up at Antioch Speedway next Saturday night is an event featuring Wingless Spec Sprints, Super Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Mini Trucks.

A few details have come in from the Hobby Stock feature.

Rookie Brad Myers had his hands full trying to pull off a win in this race. Brad started the Team #33 car back in 10th in the 11 car field and battled Garrett Mayberry and Joe Cancilla for ninth early on as Paul DeLucca and John Freethy started on front row in front the row of Chris Sorensen and Eric Schantin. DeLucca and Freethy battled side by side for the lead for three laps before DeLucca pulled slightly ahead. A spin in Turns 1 & 2 brought a caution flag after 6 laps, and Schantin raced past Freethy for the second on the restart. Racing into Turn 1 a lap later, Freethy took evasive actions to avoid spinning Schantin and spun himself, collecting Wes Bentley and Mayberry. Freethy restarted in the rear after a pit stop as DeLucca surrendered the lead to Schantin with Myers now in close pursuit A yellow flag flew halfway through the race for a stalled Sorensen. Schantin stayed on the bottom and continued to lead DeLucca and Myers on the restart. As Schantin pulled away in the lead, Myers pressured DeLucca hard for several laps for second until making an inside pass in Turn 2 of the 16th lap to grab the position. Moments later, Schantin got a flat tire, handing the lead to the hard charging Myers. Freethy got around DeLucca and made a last lap challenge for the lead. However, Myers was not to be denied as he held on for the hard fought victory over Freethy and DeLucca. Last starter Cancilla and Mayberry rounded out the top five finishers.

A few details have emerged from the Four Banger feature.

Jim Robbins set the early pace in the Four Banger Main Event ahead of JC Elrod and Ken Radabaugh. Patty Ryland made a back stretch pass on Radabaugh for third on lap two as Robbins and Elrod waged a side by side battle up front. Clayton Groves spun in Turn 4 for yellow flag, and Elrod and Ryland rode the inside groove into first and second on the restart. Justin Silveira made an inside pass entering Turn 3 of the fourth lap to take third from Robbins. Ryland made a strong inside move to try to take the lead from Elrod in Turns 1 & 2 of the sixth lap, but Elrod still held the point by the end of the lap. Meanwhile, Radabaugh managed to make an inside pass in Turn 3 of the sixth lap to take third from Silveira. Ryland was pressuring Elrod hard before making an inside move on the back stretch of the ninth lap for the lead. Frank Rosa made his way past Silveira for fourth on lap nine as Robbins made this a three car battle for position. Robbins and Groves dropped Silveira out of the top six on lap 11 as Ryland was pulling away from Elrod in the battle up front. Groves took fifth from Robbins in Turns 3 & 4 of the 16th lap and pressured Rosa hard for fourth before making the pass on lap 17. Ryland drove to her second win of the season ahead of the impressive Elrod. Radabaugh earned a solid third place finish as Groves and Robbins rounded out the top five in one of the more interesting Four Banger races of the season.

Details have emerged from the Mini Trucks Feature.

An early yellow flag flew in the Mini Truck Main Event with pole sitter Jerry Carpanello retiring front the race. Tom Brown took the lead from Dean Cline on the restart with Ron Mayberry settling into second. A high move in Turn 3 of the fourth lap moved Travis Dutra into second. Jon Haney moved in to challenge Mayberry for third and made a low move in Turn 1 of the sixth lap to claim the position. With Ray Bunn making it a three car battle for third, Mayberry regained the spot a lap later before a caution flag slowed the pace. Brown chose the outside on the restart, but Dutra managed to beat him through Turns 1 & 2 to take the lead as Haney slipped back into third. A late caution flag flew for a Cline spin in Turn 2, but Brown was not to be denied as he went to to score his second straight victory and claim sole possession of first in the point standings. Brown settled for second ahead of Haney, Bunn and Dan Wagner.

Details have emerged from the Dirt Modified B Main.

With 12 drivers already qualified for the $1,000 to win Dirt Modified Main Event, the remaining 12 drivers competed in the B Main to determine the final six starters for the big money race. John Eskew led Tofdd Hermosillo through three early yellow flags in the first three laps. Eskew led Hermosoillo and Jeremy Petrell on the next restart. From the back of the pack after managing to get his car repaired from a heat race crash, Joe Carr had worked his way into sixth by lap five. Debris on the track forced a caution flag after six laps. Eskew chose the outside for the restart, and Danny Casho followed him around Hermosillo and into second. Petrell and Carr also raced past Hermosillo for third and fourth down the front stretch as they completed the lap. Rick Karnes spun in Turn 3 for a lap eight caution flag. Eskew stayed on the outside for the restart and continued to lead as Carr raced past Casho for second. Petrell was quickly back into third, and Carr beat Eskew back to the line to lead at the white flag. Carr went on to a crowd pleasing victory ahead of Eskew and Petrell. Casho slipped back to fourth as Matt Petrell and Hermosillo earned the fifth and sixth transfer positions.

Details have emerged from the Dirt Modified Main Event.

Kellen Chadwick led the pack to the green flag for the Dirt Modified feature as Kenny Neu and Scott Busby battled closely for second. Chadwick was working slower traffic when a lap six caution flag slowed the pace. Chadwick chose the outside on the resatrt and continued to lead Neu, but a multi car crash in Turns 3 & 4 forced a yellow flag a lap latter. Chadwick continued to set the pace on the restart as Busby began pressuring Neu once again. Busby's low move in Turn 4 resulted in the two cars locking together. Neu managed to break away when contact from Bobby Motts Jr. knocked him loose on the front stretch. Chadwick led the restart ahead of Jeff Thomas and Troy Foulger. B Main winner Joe Carr had worked his way into fourth by a lap ten restart. A low move in Turn 4 of the 12th lap gained Foulger second from Thomas. Norm Boeck spun on the front stretch for a lap 13 caution flag. From his outside spot, Chadwick maintained command on the restart as Carr charged into third. Chadwick caught traffic by lap 20 with Foulger not too far behind him before another yellow flag waived. As Chadwick led the way, a Carr spin in Turn 4 of the 21st lap handed Neu third and forced another yellow flag. The standings were further shaken up when Chadwick pitted, putting Foulger into the lead over Neu. Nick DeCarlo raced into third on the restart. With Chadwick out of the picture, Foulger cruised to the $1,000 victory ahead of Neu, DeCarlo, Jeremy Petrell and Todd Hermosillo.

$1000 On The Line In Dirt Modifieds At Antioch

I thought I'd put up another pre race Antioch post. Hard nothing better to do, so I figured why not? Still a week to week thing. I have no doubt people are reading at this point, but other than one Hobby Stock racer, I'm not sure who at Antioch is looking.

With Memorial Day Weekend offering a big money race for Dirt Modifieds at Santa Maria and a special race at Calistoga Speedway that already has 50 pre entries, John Soares Jr. elected to keep Antioch Speedway dark that evening. This Saturday night, however, he is offering a $1,000 to win race for the UMP Dirt Modifieds, based on an 18 car field. He should get that at least, and it could be huge depending on what sort of supporting mood the racers are in.

Over/Under Number 48

That's UMP Dirt Modifieds (20), UMP Hobby Stocks (12), Mini Trucks (10) and Four Bangers (6).

The last couple of weeks have seen the track go over that number, which is what I'm looking for this week as well. But honestly, if the Dirt Modifieds and Hobby Stocks deliver the way they have been this year and the trucks maintain what they have, it should be good. I'm at a loss as to what is going on with Four Bangers, but I hope for the best this week.

Antioch Speedway was coming off of a week of amazing Main Event action last week in which Tommy Laliberte (Wingless Spec Sprints) and Ricardo Rivera (Dwarf Cars) both made late passes for the wins. With the shape that Soares has been keeping his three-eighth mile clay oval in this season, it's no wonder the racing has been so good. The Dirt Modifieds have been putting on some good races as well, though their most recent outing likely had the drivers thankful for a week off to repair their cars.

Nick DeCarlo showed everybody that night why he should not be ignored in the championship battle when he finally won his first Main Event. Some are wondering why Nick doesn't get written about very much after being the point runner up last season and currently second this year, but the reality is racing in general isn't getting so much press on the short track level. Anybody watching can plainly see that this kid is a star on the rise as he trails two time winner Troy Foulger by just two points in the hotly contested championship battle. In fact, both drivers were top 20 in their region in UMP Modified points going into the break.

Foulger and DeCarlo can expect competition in the battle for the bucks this week as there are sure to be at least a few drivers looking to make a run for it. One driver who could be a threat is the #73 of four time track champion Scott Busby. Nobody has more wins in this division's history at Antioch than "The Buzzman" through the years. Mechanical gremlins have kept him from finishing in his visits so far, but that should not be considered an indication that he's lost a step. At any time, Busby is due for a win, and it could be this week.

Busby was among the first drivers to compete in this class when it was added at Antioch in 1990, and Joe Carr won the first division title when the class ran for points for the first time at Petaluma in 1988. Since then, Joe has been a threat to win in his #12 car wherever he goes. He was the early point leader with a feature win before his own mechanical problems struck. Joe seems to have opted out of running for points at this stage, but he will be a threat to win if he races this week. Two time division champion "The Outlaw" Kenny Neu can be counted as one of the top contenders as well, having a win to his credit already this year.

There's really no telling who may come out of the woodwork for a run at the money. In recent seasons, the money has attracted the attention of stars from the Marysville-Chico area, such as "Rockin" Randy McDaniel, Ryan McDaniel and Duane Cleveland. All three are champions in their area and not to be taken lightly if they run the big money race.

The big money doesn't mean that somebody will show up and collect the prize. It could be a track regular who goes home $1,000 richer. Quietly hanging in there in the championship race back in third and fourth are Jeff Thomas and "Stormin" Norman Boeck. Thomas is only 14 points out of the lead, while Boeck is just 28 point back. Boeck is working on his second top five season at Antioch having ranked fourth last season. A win in this race wouldn't just be good for the money, but could vault one of these drivers further up the point ladder as well.

In the UMP Hobby Stocks, word came out that the "Team Mighty Mouse" #33 car will be earning points towards their car. What had happened what the Team #99 car of Jim Freethy and Jack Jonker had requested their points be earned towards their car prior to the season, and that request was granted by track management. I'm not sure if Melissa Hansen and Brad Myers had requested the same, but in the interest of consistency and fairness, it was granted after the last race. This decision gave the #33 car of Hansen and Myers a two point lead over the #00 of Chris Sorensen.

What will be interesting is to see is how this will effect the strategy of the#33 team. The plan going in was for the two to alter weeks as the driver. The rookie Myers does have a fourth place finish, while Hansen, who has a championship each in Street Stocks and Pure Stocks, has won the two races she started. I believe Myers is slated to drive this week. How will that strategy play out as the season goes down the line? If points are needed at a crucial time, will the experienced Hansen take the wheel? One thing is certain, the two are engaged to be married, and the track has never had a husband/wife team win a championship sharing the same car during the season. I'd like to see if they can do it by sticking with the original plan. If Brad focuses in on finishing and gaining experience, while Melissa does what she does best, they should do just fine.

You can believe that Sorensen and third place Eric Schantin, who is just four points out, are not just going to sit there and let Team #33 win it all. Schantin has one win to his credit this year, as does Sorensen, and Eric is coming off of a second place finish last time out. Schantin showed much improvement throughout last season before ending the season third in points behind second place Nick DeLucca, and he has every intention of improving on that ranking this year. This is a battle that could last all season, and it's anybody's guess how it will end.

Taking over for Nick DeLucca in the #24 car this season is Paul DeLucca, who sits in fourth in front of Michael Rydman. Both drivers have each earned a top three finish so far and should not be counted out in the battle for Main Event victories. They will need good runs this week. After failing to start the season opener with mechanical woes, former champion Dan McCown is just seven points behind Rydman and 15 behind DeLucca in his quest to move into the top five.

Tom Brown and Travis Dutra enter the fourth race for the Mini Trucks in a tie for the lead. This comes after Dutra snapped Brown's two race win streak with an impressive clean sweep last week. With 2009 champion Gene Haney focusing on Dirt Modifieds, Dutra and Brown figured to be the drivers to beat in this year's battle, having ranked second and third, respectively, last season. That has been the case so far, though another Haney has entered the fray this season.

Taking over in the #45 truck this season is Jon Haney. Haney missed the opener, but his two top three finishes since then have already launched him into fifth in the standings, 38 points behind "Rockin" Ray Bunn and 24 behind Dan Wagner. Haney is running so strong lately that it seems only a matter of time before he makes his first trip to the winner's circle. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him shoot up to third in the standings in the near future. Mini Stockbveteran Bunn's #4 truck hasn't been running all that well lately, but he's won his share of races in the past and will be a threat to do it again when he gets his truck dialed back in.

Wagner is running the #11d team truck with the #11g of Greg Williams, who is ranked back in eighth. After both drivers experienced problems that kept them out of the feature in their first appearances, veterans Dean "The Blinker" Cline and Pete Paulsen both made the call for the race last week. Neither made the top five, though Cline came from last to second in his heat race to earn a start in the Trophy Dash. With over 40 wins in his career at Antioch, you better believe that Cline could be a threat to win on any night he is in action.

The Four Bangers struggle to gain a car count, but there have been three winners in three races as defending champion "Peppermint"Patty Ryland, Adriane DeSousa and Clayton Groves each have a win. Ryland missed the most recent race, enabling Dayna Anderson to take a 16 point lead over last season's point runner up Ken Radabaugh. These two drivers will be looking to add to their point effort by becoming the fourth different winner this week.

Groves, meanwhile, was part of the first high school, Concord High, to answer the call and get involved in the Four Banger class. The Concord High School Minutemen now have their first win at Antioch Speedway, but the question remains. Will another high school step up and answer the call? There are well over a dozen cars in the area, and the track is hoping to see more cars in action this week and in the weeks ahead.

Random Thoughts

A few thoughts on Merced Speedway, bringing back Racing Wheels, the latest race at Orland and the recent Okie Bowl Hardtop Race at Santa Maria.

The hypothetical Over/Under number for the season opener at Merced Speedway (reportedly in June) is 42.

Dirt Modifieds (12), Street Stocks (10), Hobby Stocks (10) Sport Compacts (5) and Sportsman (5).

Okay, I may have jumped the gun on this one, but I'm excited for Merced Speedway. First of all, it has yet to be announced what divisions are running there that night. I'm guessing the five main classes that were there before, but we don't know that for sure. It just makes sense to start with what was there last and go from there. There is already a buzz from the racers about getting back out there and racing again, and who can blame them? When the place closed, rumors began that racing was over for good at the track that had been in operation since the 1950's..

Obviously, the Fair Board had other ideas. Sure, the track hasn't been the money maker that other fairgrounds tracks have been, but it was still a steady stream of income. In the fairgrounds business, every little bit matters. This is why they never gave up on Chowchilla after the disaster that was the 2008 season. This is why Glenn County Fairgrounds never gave up on that track after the off year of 2008. Of course they weren't giving up on Merced Speedway. It just took a while to get it figured out and make the best deal for the fairgrounds.

One thing that seems obvious. There had been talk of big improvements to the facility, and perhaps what they wanted was for the track to be reopened as soon as possible. Gotta generate that revenue, and a year off for renovations doesn't do that now, does it? The other obstacle to be overcome was the that last I heard it's a three year deal. I have a feeling some potential promoters were looking for a bigger commitment if they were going to take the risk of investing.

So, it goes without saying that the racers better bring their cars out and go racing. They wanted change and now they have it. John Soares Jr. was willing to take that risk for the racers. The real question is who was left with any money willing to bid if John had backed out, because I have a funny feeling everybody else had done just that. So, again, I hope the racers give this a chance. For years, people asked for change, and now it's here.

The other question is, who is running the day to day? I believe it's Tom Sagmiller, but I don't have confirmation of that. Okay, I haven't gone into hardcore reporter mode, but that was never my intention. I simply wanted to get the word out that the track will be reopened, and I've done that. I'm happy to have been able to do that, but I'm still retired. I admit it doesn't look like it, but I am. I'm not being paid a dime for anything, and I haven't asked. At any point, I can stop. I would love for there to be somebody picking up the ball when that time comes, but the likelihood of that may not be so good. It's work for some people, and people like to be compensated. I'm just doing it on my time because (A) I'm bored and felt like using this as a creative outlet and (B) I thought I could be helpful. I had some other ideas on research and stuff, but funds are low at the moment, so it's not a priority. As I said, at any time, this could stop.

But getting back to the John's Track Manager, I hope that this person is revealed to the public soon, because it's needed. The racers need to know who they will be dealing with, and if it is Tom, that may just inspire more to come racing. Plus, this person can get the word out on all important information, and racing can resume. Using the internet is key, though I know some shy away from that. Tom never did, because he recognized how valuable a tool it could be. So if it's Tom or whomever, I hope we find out soon.

One thing that threw me off a couple weeks ago was a certain Hardtop driver who showed up out of the blue at Antioch. This particular driver has a history of not just promoting race tracks, but reopening them and making them bigger and better than they were before. It made me wonder if there was anything going on there, but I dropped that line of thinking. We do need to know who it is. Not that this person would be bad, because he wouldn't, but I hope John's man on the scene in Merced is indeed Tom, as I suspect it is. I hope we get an announcement soon.

The thing I want to see at Merced is as many of those names we know and love as possible, back in action once again. Give me one of the best and underrated Dirt Modified racers out there "The Big Dog" Ramie Stone and his brother Troy Stone, another good driver. Give me Raul "Showtime" Rodriguez. Let's see "The Organic Man" Randy Brewer. How about two of the best Street Stock drivers in the state, Darren Thomas and Tim Ragsdale? How's Larry Folkner doing these days? Do you suppose the Stofle family would be up for another running of the Ted Stofle Classic? Can you tell, I'm ready for Merced Speedway to open again?

I think the divisions that raced most recently are where it needs to start. I'm a Wingless Spec Sprint fan. I make no secret of that, but unless it were just one race and Antioch and Watsonville cars were willing to come, now isn't the time. The Dwarf Cars, perhaps, though I suspect you'd need to bring in either BADCA or NCDCA for a car count. Better to start locally and build it back up. And get those cars back out there people.

Another thing John has done with an eye towards spreading the word about racing is acquire Racing Wheels. He has the archives and all of that good stuff. I have my concerns about the printed media, obviously, since my own magazine also went down after 18 years. But Wheels wasn't so much about getting to the fans (I know many subscribed) as it was about making sure the racers knew what was happening and what big shows were coming up. What Gary Jacob didn't cover in his trips to race tracks with fliers on the big shows, Wheels covered with the big ads. Can printed media still make a difference in the age of the internet? Perhaps. Does John need help getting it off the ground. I believe so.

While we await word on when Merced will run, what divisions are running and who the track manager will be, Orland Speedway ran their second race last Saturday night. I'm still trying to get details or I'd have considered another small story for them. Dirt Modifieds were there with seven cars. Two things I have heard are that Richard Papenhausen had them covered until mechanical problems took him out, and the track ended up paying a fine due to noise in the division. They are still looking forward to the next event and paid the drivers a purse. I'm looking for official confirmation on who was in the #62 car (Jeremy Newberry?), but the finish had him ahead of Nick DeCarlo and a #67 car I don't have a name for.

Spec Sprints were light with three cars and Josh Tucker beating Josh Jacobo for the win. Newberry was there and won the dash earlier in the evening. At least the track bothered to put up results on their web page, regardless of the car count. Chowchilla Speedway could learn from that. I've had to deduce who the winners were of their first two races based on photos and the point standings and a post at dirtstars.net. How are you gonna get cars if nobody knows you are even running the class? So, I'm happy Orland is at least posting something.

I will again point out that Orland Speedway needs to keep a point list for it's divisions. I think it's important in gaining cars, and if there is a concern over banquet money, start getting the word out that you are looking for sponsors now. You know, worst case scenario, you hand out trophies at the season finale and do it in front of the fans in the grandstand. Just a thought. I know running a track isn't easy, and I'm not trying to be a jerk. I want Orland to be successful, and I'm pulling for them. Running Dirt Modifieds there (perhaps for the first time ever) was a cool move. They plan on doing it again too.

Anyway, I'm still waiting on Pure Stock results from Orland, but Tyler Pebley had a good night in Mini Trucks by winning the dash and then scoring a Main Event victory in front of Ross Vige and Richard Gale. Dan Webster beat Pebley in the heat to prevent the sweep. The Mini Stocks had seven just like the trucks, and Ken Johnson won the feature ahead of Sean Perry and Don Runkle. Ken Hammond won the dash and heat race but was apparently unable to start the feature.

I throw this last news item in because I think it's pretty cool. You don't hear much from the Okie Bowl Hardtop group, but they are alive and well. They ran in April at Santa Maria, but I can't find any details on that event. Many of their past results are listed on their web page. Well, on Saturday, they were at Santa Maria, and here's a little something about that:

Northern California racer "The Green Hornet" Tommy Thomson invaded Santa Maria Speedway and left with the Hardtop Main Event victory. The victory came after a battle with Matt McCaslin, who would settle for second. James Casey grabbed a third place finish with Tyler Weeks and Marc McCaslin rounding out the top five.

Okie Bowl Hardtops Main Event
1---39---Tommy Thomson
2---29---Matt McCaslin
3---3----James Casey
4---34---Tyler Weeks
5---8----Marc McCaslin
6---84---Daniel Grimm
7---55---Steve Sorenson
8---76---Chris Massey
9---100--Josh Yaden
10--121A-Brad Pesheck
11--51---Jeff Gibbons
12--7----Billy Winchester

The fact that you can still run a Hardtop in California with either the Okie Bowl group or the Nor Cal group is pretty darn cool. Add that to the fact that you can still run a Sportsman at Chowchilla and it's even cooler as far as I'm concerned. Fans can at least get a taste of what it used to be like. It's a shame people can't go back in time and really see what it was all about first hand. Ah, the good old days.

John Soares Jr. Confirmed As Merced Speedway Promoter

A Soares returns to run Merced Speedway. Tom Sagmiller involved?

Just got off the phone with Teresa Burrola, the Merced County Fairgrounds Manager at approximately 11:45 AM. She has confirmed that John Soares Jr. is the new promoter at Merced Speedway. She was unclear on the start date, but mentioned it should be soon after the annual county fair, which takes place in June. Yesterday was the monthly Merced County Fair Board Meeting, where the contract for the race track was officially approved.

I've known for a few months through the grape vine that John was looking at this track. Back in the late 70's and early 80's, his brother Jim had ran the track. John brings his years of experience to a track that has a rich history of great racing tradition.

Another name linked with John on this is Tom Sagmiller. I cannot confirm that at this time, though his name has been mentioned in these conversations I've had over the past few months. I chose to keep Tom's name out of the reports I've been making for reasons that most of you in the area will understand. It has nothing to to with bias against a man I respect. Tom would be an asset to the cause. I just didn't want to sabotage anything by putting his name out there. His involvement has not been officially confirmed by me, but I suspect he will be track manager.

With John, you have a man who has seen and done it all as racer, car builder and promoter. John has dedicated his life to the sport he loves, and I think his involvement is reason for fans to be excited about things. His improvements to the Antioch facility have been a positive and willingness to gave back the the racers who support the cause is noteworthy. Merced Speedway can only get bigger and better with John involved.

Sagmiller has not been in the sport as long as John, but in his 15 plus years, he has racked up some impressive credentials of his own as a racing champion, promoter and track prep man. The fact that Chowchilla Speedway ever came to be in a miracle, and he was at the forefront of making it happen. He is a man the racers respect, and his involvement would be an asset to the track.

A Soares-Sagmiller alliance was something I pushed hard for in 2000. This was an interesting time for me personally, but ironically, things started happening, such as a Limited Late Model Series, a Dirt Modified series, the Freedom Series moving to Antioch when Tom was back doored from Chowchilla. All of these things were positives for racing that John and Tom made happen.

We are looking for confirmation on several key things, which may pop up on the www.dirtstars.net or www.latemodelracer.com forums and the CRO blog at www.lnjphoto.com or possibly Antioch Speedway's own web site www.antiochspeedway.com. Undoubtedly, a new Merced Speedway page will launch soon.

Is Tom Sagmiller involved? As reports would indicate.

When will it open? Exact date should be announced soon, but likely right after the fair.

What divisions? I anticipate the classes that ran there before, such as Dirt Modifieds, Street Stocks and Hobby Stocks, possibly Sportsman and other classes as well.

Will there be a special meeting called for the racers prior to opening?

When will the new web page launch at at what address?

Any truth to reports that the track may bring back the quarter-mile oval they raced on for so many years, or will the bigger track remain in play?

And other questions.

The important thing is, racing is back at Merced Speedway. All the details will emerge in the coming days, so get ready to go racing.

I'll say it again, I hope Johnny Sass is back in the booth when things get going again. The man has been a tremendous asset to racing in The Valley, and that cannot be denied. I thought I read some place that this was to be his 60th year in the sport, and I think he deserves to have that if he wants it.

Stay tuned as I'm sure more details are coming and perhaps a special audio show as well.