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.
