Just A Kid From The Grandstands: My Time In Auto Racing
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Don's California Racing Recollections: Best Of The Blog And Beyond
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Also, what could be a series of informative books...
Short Track History Project at Gofundme
NOTE.....
The latest DCRR Racing Radio Show
Please note that Merced Speedway article is very unofficial. Due to the fact that Oval Motorsports is resituating it's results page, the results are not up there yet. Once that situation is resolved, they will be back on that site as usual. For all official matters concerning Antioch, Merced and Chowchilla Speedways, please consult the official Oval Motorsports Website. Also, check back on this post as it may be updated a few times. There will be audio calls again this week if I get a chance to get them done. Four divisions this time as I was unfamiliar with BCRA. Would have done them had I memorized the names better. Sorry guys.
Foulger Back On Top At Antioch
Taking the lead after a thrilling early race battle with many time Petaluma champion Michael Paul Jr., Troy Foulger went on to score an impressive 20 lap IMCA Modified Main Event victory Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The win was the 26th career victory for the four time track champion Foulger. Two time defending Dwarf Car champion Danny Wagner won that division's 20 lap feature.
The 16 car IMCA Modified field ran three heat races, and a pair of six time Petaluma Speedway champions, Nick DeCarlo and Oreste Gonella, ran 1-2 in the first heat race. Foulger won the second heat in front of Norm Boeck. It was Paul winning the third heat race ahead of Jeff Thomas.
Paul had the pole for the Dirt Modified Main Event with Foulger lined up sixth. Paul settled into an early lead in front of Terry Kaiser. A tangle in Turn 2 did some body damage to DeCarlo and four time track champion Scott Busby's cars and left the cars of defending champion Carl Berendsen II, Nick Viscuci III, Josh Combs and Sean O'Gara in a crash at the start of the back stretch. Paul led Jeff Thomas and Foulger on the restart, and a low move in Turn 4 of the third lap gained Foulger second. The battle was on at that point as Paul ran the outside and Foulger held the inside line. They ran side by side at various times with Foulger moving ahead through Turns 3 and 4. However, Paul would get a good run down the front stretch and hold the lead by a nose as each lap concluded. On lap eight, Foulger finally got the bite he needed on the inside exiting Turn 4 and grabbed the lead. Thomas got into the Turn 4 wall for a yellow flag after eight laps. Foulger led Paul on the restart as Bobby Motts Jr. briefly grabbed third. A low pass in Turn 2 of the tenth lap put Oreste Gonella into that third position. Foulger maintained command from that point on and sped home to victory. Paul settled for second ahead of Gonella. DeCarlo also managed to get past Motts for the fourth place finish as Motts ended up fifth ahead of Kaiser, Chris Elby, Raymond Lindeman, Busby, Norm Boeck, Jim Digiovanni, Berendsen and Thomas, the final lead lap finisher.
The 14 Dwarf Cars were given three heat races with David Teves the winner of the first heat ahead of Mike Corsaro. Young Adam Teves did a nice job of winning the second heat ahead of Wagner. The third heat found Kevin Miraglio picking up the victory ahead of 2010 champion Jerry Doty, who was celebrating his 55th birthday.
The invert put Doty and Wagner on the front row for the Main Event. Wagner settled into the lead at the drop of the green flag ahead of Doty and Miraglio. Miraglo slipped past Doty, and Corsaro spun in Turn 4 for a lap 2 caution flag. Wagner chose the outside for the restart and continued to lead as D. Teves raced by Miraglio for second. Tim Reeder spun in Turn 4 for a lap six caution flag. Wagner kept it up high and led the restart ahead of D. Teves and Miraglio. After Miranda Chappa brought out a lap ten caution flag. Corsaro managed to battle back into third behind Wagner and D. Teves on the restart after Doty and Miraglio got together in Turn 4. Wagner was not to be denied as he paced the final ten laps for his second victory of the season. D. Teves settled for second ahead of Corsaro, A. Teves, Chuck Weir, Charlie Correia, Thomas Lieby, Curt Jordan, Doty and Miraglio.
The night also featured an Easter Egg candy hunt for the kids in the infield along with a bike giveaway for 12 lucky kids. The drivers all lined up on the back stretch and did a meet and greet with the fans, all prior to the Main Events. Racing action continues next week with the IMCA Sport Mods and DIRTcar Late Models headlining a show that also includes the Wingless Spec Sprints, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars. For all the official information, check the Oval Motorsports Website. Also, coming on April 19th after the Saturday show at Antioch is another race at Chowchilla Speedway, featuring IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. For all of the official information, check the Oval Motorsports Website.
Oreta Prevails At Antioch
Gaining the lead after Jordan Swank did a solo spin in Turn 2 of the third lap, two time defending champion Kimo Oreta went on to score his first 20 lap Northern All Stars Hobby Stock feature victory of the season Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. In Limited Late Model action, defending champion Larry Damitz won an early duel with Mike Hynes for his second 20 lap Limited Late Model Main Event triumph of the season.
The Hobby Stocks ran two heat races, and Danny Jones appeared headed for a win in the first eight lap heat before a high move in Turn 2 of the last lap earned Nick Baldwin the victory. Oreta won the second heat as Brian Zachary made an inside move in Turn 1 of the final lap to grab second from Joey Ridgeway. The front row of rookie Jordan Swank and Natalie Perry paced the field to the Main Event green flag, and the rookie Swank led his first laps in the division. Unfortunately, Swank spun from the lead exiting Turn 2 for a yellow flag after two laps. Perry led them to the green flag, but it was Oreta racing by for the lead ahead of Zachary and Baldwin. Perry was still getting her motor sorted out. A Baldwin spin from third in Turn 4 of the seventh lap brought out a caution flag. Oreta chose the outside and continued to lead Zachary on the restart as tenth starter Melissa Myers settled into third. However, another yellow flag slowed the pace on lap eight. The hard charging Jones rode the outside from fourth into second behind Oreta on the restart. Zachary and Myers battled for third with last starter Robert Niven now in fifth. Baldwin was on the move back to the front and took fifth from Niven on lap 12. A low move in Turn 3 of the 15th lap put Myers into third. Baldwin gained fourth a lap later and made his move past Myers for third on lap 19. However, Oreta made all the right moves in traffic and was rewarded with a satisfying victory. Jones enjoyed a season best second place finish ahead of Baldwin, Myers, Zachary, Niven, Ridgeway, Swank, Perry, Frank Furtado and Michael Cooper.
The Limited Late Model car count dipped slightly, and Peggy Sue Jarred blew a motor in her bid for a third straight second place finish a week earlier at Merced Speedway. There were two heat races, and two time champion Mike Gustafson won the first heat race ahead of Damitz. Jim Freethy got the win in the second heat in front of Hynes. John Keith had motor problems in his heat race to scratch from the Main Event. The race had to be restarted after Freethy spun in Turn 4, collecting previous Antioch winner Mark Garner. After Freethy did it again, once again collecting Garner, he retired from the race. Hynes set the early pace ahead of Damitz and Lori Brown. A low move in Turn 4 of the fifth lap gained Damitz the lead from Hynes, and Gustafson retired from the race. Hynes stayed with Damitz as Garner moved in to battle Brown for third. John Evans spun for a lap 12 caution flag, and Garner slowed and headed to the infield on the restart. Damitz stayed smooth the rest of the way to collect the victory ahead of Hynes, Brown, Evans, Garner, Gustafson and Freethy.
The night also featured an Easter Egg candy hunt for the kids in the infield along with a bike giveaway for 12 lucky kids. The drivers all lined up on the back stretch and did a meet and greet with the fans, all prior to the Main Events. Racing action continues next week with the IMCA Sport Mods and DIRTcar Late Models headlining a show that also includes the Wingless Spec Sprints, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars. For all the official information, check the Oval Motorsports Website. Also, coming on April 19th after the Saturday show at Antioch is another race at Chowchilla Speedway, featuring IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. For all of the official information, check the Oval Motorsports Website.
Andrews Benefits From Dillard's Misfortune For BCRA Victory
The BCRA Midget Lites made their first of two scheduled appearances at Antioch Speedway Saturday night and put on an entertaining show. Taking the lead on lap 19 when leader Craig Dillard lost a chain in Turn 4, Cori Andrews went on to score the victory in the 20 lap Main Event. Brian Corso collected a second place finish ahead of the Lonnie Lopez owned car of Logan Seavey.
The Midget Lites ran two heat races, and the first heat saw Craig Holsted and Steve Brown get together in Turn 4 with Holsted rolling three times into the Turn 4 wall. He was not injured, but his night was over. Chris Hansen's night was also over after that heat race as Andrews cruised to the victory over Joe Provost. The second heat race went to Corso ahead of Brad Dillard.
C. Dillard had the pole position for the 12 car Main Event and set the pace from the drop of the green flag ahead of Andrews, Hunter Kinney and Corso. Only a minor yellow flag on lap two slowed the early pace, and the second yellow flag flew for Brown on the back stretch on lap 12. C. Dillard continued to lead Andrews and Kinney on the restart with Corso taking third from Kinney on lap 14. A lap 15 yellow flew for Kinney in Turn 4, and the drama of the race occurred on a lap 18 caution flag as C. Dillard threw a chain in Turn 4 to end his bid for victory. Andrews suddenly found herself in the lead and would maintain that lead from the restart to the checkered flag. Corso finished second ahead of Seavey, Scott Males, B. Dillard, Kayla Evans, Provost, C. Dillard, Kinney and Brown.
Merced Notes.....
I am VERY unofficial here and don't claim to be official.
Spainhoward Returns For Merced Victory
Returning to remind everybody that he is the current IMCA National point leader and defending IMCA Sport Mod State champion, Nick Spainhoward won the Sport Mod Main Event Saturday night at Merced Speedway. Jeremy Hoff won a drag race to the line with fellow last row starter Bruce Nelson to finish second and third, respectively. Shannon Nelson impressed with the Northern All Stars Hobby Stock Main Event win.
The IMCA Sport Mod car count rebounded with 16 cars in the pits for this show. It took a while to get the Main Event lineup resolved, but once it was, Keith Brown Jr. and Mark Odgers shared the front row with IMCA State point leader Fred Ryland starting sixth and Spainhoward eighth. Brown charged into the lead at the start ahead of Odgers. A low move in Turn 2 of the second lap put Ryland into second, and Spainhoward was third by lap five. A high move in Turn 4 of the eighth lap gained Spainhoward second on lap eight, and he quickly led Ryland past Brown for first and second. The race was marred by several caution flags, mostly for spin outs, including the Turns 1 and 2 spins of the fourth and fifth place cars. That moved last row starter Nelson and Odgers into fourth and fifth as Spainhoward continued to lead with Ryland in close pursuit. The spin bug bit Ryland on lap 17 as he spun and collected Brown in the process. Spainhoward led Nelson and Hoff in the Top 3 at that point, and Spainhoward would go on to victory. Nelson got sideways and nearly spun in the final turn. He recovered, but he appeared to lose a drag race to Hoff for that second position. Garrett Jerhagan crossed the line fourth ahead of Odgers, Kelly Wilkerson, Jordan Hagar, Mark Squadrito, point leader Josh Hensley and Brown.
The Hobby Stocks produced a ten car field, and I believe Austin Van Hoff got a heat win ahead of Jennifer Corder. A wild first heat race saw Ty Shelton spin with two laps to go as second generation Antioch racer Christopher Brown had the lead. However, a low pass in Turn 2 of the last lap gained point leader Kevin Joaquin the lead in a new car ahead of Shannon Nelson. The invert put Corder and Nelson on the front row for the Main Event, and Nelson raced into the lead at the start. Nelson led Corder and Van Hoff when a lap two caution flag flew for a Donnie Shearer spin on the front stretch. Nelson continued to lead as Kristie Shearer passed Corder for second. Van Hoff was third as Travis Avila ran fourth. They ran in that order until Avila led Brown and Shearer around Van Hoff. A front stretch pass on lap 19 gained Avila second with Brown following into third in the #11 car. Nelson was unstoppable as he took the victory ahead of Avilla, Brown, K. Shearer and D. Shearer.
In the Mini Stock action, It was Darren Miguel collecting his second Mini Stock win of the year at Merced Speedway. Miguel also has a Hobby Stock win at Merced and a Mini Stock victory at Chowchilla. The win could put Miguel into second in the standings as second ranked Kevin Lockerby had an unfortunate encounter with another car and a tractor tire and wound up fifth. Point leader Chris Corder finished second and Joey Alger finished third. Miguel also won the heat race. There was also a 7 car (Natalie Waldrop?), a 48 car (Dennis Copus?) and a 0 car (Steve Johnson?) in the field.
In the Central Valley Sportsman division, Eric Seely beat a small field for the victory. Kenny Birdsong was second ahead of Jeff Bristow. Marcus Lung had won all of the previous races, but he was absent from this event.
Merced Speedway also had a driver meet and greet on the track along with an Easter Egg candy hunt for the kids in the infield and a bike giveaway. Racing resumes at Merced Speedway next Saturday night with the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and Limited Late Models on the card for a five division program. Also, coming on April 19th after the Saturday show at Merced is another race at Chowchilla Speedway, featuring IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. For all of the official information, check the Oval Motorsports Website.
