Arriaga, Busby Antioch Winners, Ryland, Willoughby Win At Chowchilla

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The Summer Nationals at Antioch Speedway

The buzz probably hasn't been out there about the late June Summer Nationals races at Antioch Speedway, but here's what is on the schedule:

June 26 (Friday):

Antioch – Summer Nationals –  IMCA Modifieds,  Limited Late Models, IMCA Sport Mods (no    track points but there will be national, regional, and state points), Hobby Stocks, Dwarf Cars.

June 27 (Saturday):

Antioch – Summer Nationals – DIRTcar Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Mods.  

NASCAR racer Kenny Wallace will be driving a Modified and a Late Model that weekend and is willing to drive any other race car made available to him.  He'll compete in every class he can.  The track traditionally runs a big race on the weekend of the Sears Point NASCAR race, and this is no exception.

Questions were asked to this reporter about the purse, and this is the word we got from John Soares Jr. at Antioch Speedway.  The Friday night IMCA Modified race will pay $1500 to win and a minimum of $125 to start, which could end up being $150.  The Sport Mods will race for $500 to win.  Expectations are for good car counts in both classes, and we are already hearing rumors of cars coming down from Oregon for this event.

The Saturday night IMCA Modified feature will pay $2500 to win and will pay the same to start as mentioned above.  Sport Mods get $750 to win.  The Late Models get a minimum of $1500 to win and $150 to start regardless of car count.  John would like to pay $2000 to win if he can get 20 cars, and I'm thinking that will include an increase in the start money, though I didn't get clarification on that part.  However, these two races should be big.

For more information, go to the official Oval Motorsports Website.

 Big $1000 To Win Hobby Stock Races At Hayfork Speedway

I had this note passed across my desk as we were going live with our previous audio show.  Hayfork Speedway, which features Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and Enduro Cars this year, wants Hobby Stock drivers to come on up and race.  How badly do they want them?  They are offering $1000 to win on July 11th and August 8th.

Mike Rydman, who is a past Top 5 Hobby Stock racer at Antioch Speedway, recently spoke with Hayfork Speedway promoter Dwayne Brown.  They are hoping the extra money will attract racers from Orland, Chico, Placerville and maybe even further south.  Hayfork Speedway is in its fourth season, and they have already had a few big money Hobby Stock and Mini Stock races in their short history.

Hayfork Speedway has a Facebook Page for updates and in case you may have questions.  You can find it HERE.

 The DCRR Racing Radio Show

DCRR Racing Radio Show: Episode 36 by GenWhat

Late Passes Net Arriaga, Busby Antioch Speedway Wins

Making his winning pass late in the race, point leader Shawn Arriaga won the 20 lap Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway.  Arriaga followed leader Art McCarthy late and made his winning move on the last lap.  The third generation racer Arriaga became the fourth different winner in the four races held this season and ended a streak of 12 different winners in the last 12 races. He last won nine races ago.  With Arriaga capturing the thrilling $1200 victory, McCarthy brought it home to his second second place finish of the season.   Watsonville visitor Dustin Golobic earned a solid third place finish as Jeremy Burt made his season debut in fourth.  Chase Wood was fifth as Jake Haulot, Chris Magoon, Brayden McMahon, Ricky Brophy and Dan Gonderman rounded out the Top 10.  The race also paid a minimum of $150 to start.  The winner last time the class raced, Haulot won his heat race ahead of Golobic.  Burt won the other heat race ahead of McCarthy.

In the IMCA Modified Main Event, point leader Scott Busby steadily worked his way up from the fourth row.  Front row starter Kyle Wilson led the way for much of the race as Busby worked his way into contention.  Busby finally made an inside pass for the lead and would drive to his third win of the season.  Wilson settled for second for the second straight visit.  Bobby Motts Jr. won't lose too much ground on Busby in points as he rebounded with a third place finish.  2014 champion Carl Berendsen II also turned in a solid effort with a fourth place finish ahead of Mike Salazar. There were 16 cars in action, and Alex Wilson, Shawn DeForest, Dean DeVolder, John Pierce and Anthony Copeland rounded out the Top 10.  Berendsen won his heat race ahead of Trent Wentworth, Salazar out dueled Busby to win their heat race and K. Wilson won the third heat ahead of Motts.

Jimmy Perry III had a front row start in the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event.  The third generation racer Perry held off all challengers for his second win of the season.   The race had more than one flip and actually ended early due to another flip.  After recent disappointment, Alan Miranda managed a season best second place finish.  A late race crash, involving Roy Fisher, point leader Kyle Bakkie and Jeremy Newberry, saw the NFL alumni Newberry flip in the incident that ended the race early.  All three cars were too damaged to continue, and Newberry was actually scored third.  Bakkie was scored fourth ahead of Fisher, Chase Wood Jr., Rick Panfili, Kyle Standley, Marcus Smith and David Dias.  The Spec Sprints had a solid 12 car field, and Newberry was a heat race winner ahead of Miranda, while Standley held off Panfili to win the other heat race. 

There were a few surprises in the Limited Late Model Main Event, but Larry Damitz was not one of them.  The point leader and four time feature winner would win the 20 lap race.  It was his fourth win in seven starts and increased his lead as his closest point rival coming into the night, Mark Garner, did not finish.  Paul Hanley made his first visit of the year and finished second.  John Evans scored a season best third place finish.  Mike Gustafson used a fourth place finish to slip back into second in the point standings as Brian Zachary drove Jim Freethy's car to a fifth place finish.  Merced visitor Jeff Kendrick was sixth ahead of Garner, Mike Hynes and Lori Brown.  Hynes did grab a heat race win ahead of the man he used to crew for, Gustafson.  The other heat race went to Damitz ahead of Freethy.
 
In the Hobby Stock 20 lap Main Event, point leader Kimo Oreta had his work cut out for him as he started back in tenth as the previous winner.  Oreta worked his way into contention as the two time champion eventually found himself in second place.  Race long leader and past champion Chris Sorensen led most of the race, but a steering issue left him tired late in the race.  Oreta made his winning move late in the race and forced the 2010 champion  Sorensen to settle for second.  The win was two time defending champion Oreta’s fourth of the season and the division leading 17th of his career.  Following point leader Oreta and Sorensen was 2014 Four Banger champion Brent Curran, who was making his season debut.  Richard Shearer had his car back together and drove to a solid fourth place finish ahead of the steady Frank Furtado.  Second ranked Michael Cooper finished sixth ahead of Danny Jones, Robert Niven, Chase Templeton and Christopher Brown.  Car count in this class grew to 14 for the night, and Sorensen won his heat race ahead of Cameron Swank.  Oreta won the other heat ahead of Jordan Swank.

Racing returns next Saturday night with a program consisting of DIRTcar Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Vintage Hardtops.  For more information, go to the official Oval Motorsports Website.

Ryland Prevails Again At Chowchilla Speedway

Fred Ryland won for the fifth time in six starts Saturday night at Chowchilla Speedway.  The IMCA Sport Modified point leader grabbed the lead from Josh Hensley on the third lap and survived a challenge from Rick Diaz on a mid race restart to claim the victory.  The battle got a little bumpy between the two as Diaz had some rear body damage to his car and lost a piece of it on the track.  As Ryland won, Diaz had his hands full holding off Jeremy Hoff for second.  The battle was cut short four laps from the finish of the scheduled 20 lap event when two cars crashed in Turn 2.  Diaz ended up second ahead of Hoff, Nastasia Dodd and last starter Chase Thomas.  D.C. Brown was sixth and Marissa Odgers was part of the race ending crash as her car was heavily damaged.  Matt Pedroni, Doug Hagio and Eric Rose rounded out he Top 10.  Diaz won his heat race ahead of Merced point leader Josh Hensley, while Hagio held off Ryland to win the other heat race.

Watsonville visitor Joe Willoughby served notice to the Hobby Stock field that he came to win as he won his eight lap heat race.  The Friday night Watsonville winner trailed Gary Hildebrand for five laps before making an inside pass on the front stretch to take the lead in the 20 lap Main Event.  Once in front, Willoughby led the rest of the way to score a strong victory.  An early spin put point leader Kevin Joaquin last, but he steadily worked his way back to finish second ahead of Hildebrand.  Chowchilla’s Austin Van Hoff come home fourth, and 15 year old Cody Parker made his debut in the Jack Chapman Jr. car with a fifth place finish after a good battle.  Kodie Dean settled for sixth ahead of Bobby Williams and Chris Mayer.  Robbie Locuaci had a heat race problem and scratched from the Main Event.  Joaquin won his heat race ahead of Parker, while Willoughby won the other heat race in front of Mayer.

Newcomer Robert Jackson led the first three laps of the 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event before point leader Chris Corder made an inside pass on the back stretch to take over.  Corder led the rest of the way for his third win of the season.  Alex Odishoo was right there in the hunt for victory until his motor started severely misfiring late.  Mike Congdon made a late pass for a season best second, dropping the disappointed Odishoo to third.  Odishoo did manage to hold off Kevin Lockerby, who settled for fourth.  The rest of the finish was Jackson, Merced point leader Darren Miguel and David Richards.  Miguel did win a heat race ahead of Lockerby, while Corder prevailed in his heat race in front of Odishoo.

Kenny Birdsong and Jeff Bristow put on a Sportsman exhibition with Birdsong winning the ten lap race.

Racing continues on Saturday, June 13 at Chowchilla Speedway with a five division show that will include the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and the Limited Late Models.  For more information, check the official Oval Motorsports Website.
 

Arriaga A $1200 Winner In Winged 360 Sprints At Antioch Speedway, 

Jimmy Perry III wins Second Wingless Spec Sprint Feature

By Don Martin II
Antioch, CA...June 6...Shawn Arriaga won a late race duel with veteran Art McCarthy to score an impressive victory in the Northern All Stars Winged 360 Sprint Car 20 lap Main Event.  The win made Arriaga the fourth different winner in as many races this year as he continues to maintain the point lead.  It also paid $1200 to the second generation racer.  Jimmy Perry III survived a wild Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event for his second win of the season.

Promoter John Soares Jr. and Oval Motorsports has made the commitment to build a Winged 360 Sprint Car class and is paying $1200 to win and $150 to start as the class slowly builds a car count.  Soares has pointed out that at 16 cars, the win will pay $1500, and there were 10 cars for Saturday night's race.  There were two heat races, and previous winner Jake Haulot won his heat ahead of Dustin Golobic.  Jeremy Burt was the other heat winner ahead of McCarthy.

McCarthy was the winner of the season opener and is still very much in title contention this year.  After his second place finish last time out, the veteran McCarthy was leading the Main Event when Arriaga moved his #56 car into second  The third generation racer Arriaga finally pulled underneath McCarthy on the final lap to make the winning pass.  Arriga was the happy winner ahead of McCarthy and Golobic.  Jeremy Burt had won a pair of features not long after the track had been expanded in Turns 1 and 2 back in 2009.  The past Marysville champion would finish fourth in his first Antioch start of the season.  Chase Wood was fifth as Haulot, Chris Magoon, Brayden McMahon, Ricky Brophy and Dan Gonderman completed the finishing order.

With the new "Econo" rules package, the Wingless Spec Sprint Car count is starting to come back around, but attrition would get the better of most of them in the Main Event.  Jeremy Newberry would be one who didn't get through the Main Event unscathed, but he did win his heat race ahead of Alan Miranda.  Kyle Standley won the other heat race ahead of Rick Panfili.

Perry had the pole position and he had his white #21p car running stronger this time around.  Behind him, attrition whittled away at the field as drivers fell out one by one.  Perry would go on to win for the second time this season, and hard luck racer Alan Miranda was a happy second place finisher.  The battle for third ended the race and sent Newberry and Kyle Bakkie flipping.  Newberry, point leader Bakkie and Roy Fisher were not injured, but all unable to continue and were scored in that order to complete the Top 5.  Young Chase Wood Jr. was credited with a sixth place finish ahead of Panfili, Standley, Marcus Smith and David Dias.  Smith and Standley also flipped during the Main Event but were both uninjured.

The two Sprint Car classes return to Antioch Speedway for another race on June 20th.

Vogt Leads IMCA Modifieds Back To Chowchilla Speedway

Five divisions will be on hand this Saturday night at Chowchilla Speedway, and optimism his high for a good show all the way around.  On the card for this event will be IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Limited Late Models and Mini Stocks.

In his last start, things didn't go so well for Santa Maria's Josh Vogt, but the three time winner and defending champion is still leading Modesto's Danny Luukkonen by just 13 points.  Ray Mayer is third in the standings, and all three are anticipated for this show.  John Osgood III of Ceres was hot lapping his car last week in preparation for the show, and rumors are a big name or two from one of the other tracks could be on hand.

Chowchilla already has the biggest name in IMCA Sport Mods at its track, and that is Bentwood's Fred Ryland.  After his fifth win of the season, Ryland now holds a 57 point lead over Keith Brown Jr. of Pittsburg.  Madera's Nastasia Dodd is seven points behind Brown, and these three are expected to be among the field.  Dodd survived for a fourth place finish last week ahead of impressive teenage newcomer Chase Thomas of Atwater, who was making just his second start ever. .

Point leader and two time winner Kevin Joaquin of Sonora had a good night in second last week after spinning early.  Joaquin stretched his lead to 42 points over Chowchilla's Austin Van Hoff, who finished fourth in the Main Event.  Van Hoff has just a 34 point lead over Turlock's Gary Hildebrand, with Chowchilla's Kodie Dean only four points behind him.  All four are anticipated to be back to put on another show this week.

Speaking of shows, Modesto's Chris Corder was the star of the show in Mini Stocks after his third win last week.  Corder holds the biggest point lead at the track of 70 points in front of Merced's Alex Odishoo.  Odishoo got his misfiring car back to the line in third last week after being passed by his closest rival, Mike Congdon of Madera.  Congdon is only 16 points behind Odishoo, and these three are anticipated on Saturday.

Mark Garner of Antioch holds a commanding lead in Limited Late Model points at Merced Speedway and is anticipated for Saturday's race.  Garner has won four of the the six features at Merced and all six heat races.  His closest rival, Scott Van Gelder of Columbia, is anticipated, along with last week's winner Roy Hart Jr. of Dos Palos. and possibly Mariposa's Buddy Thatcher.

These five divisions put on a good show, and the racing is sure to be exciting on Saturday.  Chowchilla Speedway is located at the Chowchilla Madera County. Fairgrounds on S. 5th Street in Chowchilla. Racing begins at 6 p.m.

Chowchilla Speedway Top 5 At A Glance

IMCA Modified

Josh Vogt     146
Danny Luukkonen 133
Ray Mayer     103
Billy Wilker     98
Kyle Wilson     93

IMCA Sport Mod

Fred Ryland     234
Keith Brown Jr. 177
Nastasia Dodd     170
Marisa Odgers     164
Josh Hensley     160

Hobby Stock
 
Kevin Joaquin     252
Austin Van Hoff 210
Gary Hildebrand 176
Kode Dean     172
Dexter Long     114

Mini Stock

Chris Corder     306
Alex Odishoo     236
Mike Congdon     220
Jadon Harrington 102
Brian Widdowson 98

Limited Late Model

Mark Garner     332
Scott Van Gelder 184
Buddy Thatcher     152
Peggy Sue Jarred 144
Roy Hart     140
 

Late Models, IMCA Modifieds Lead Five Division Antioch Speedway Program

Five divisions will be in town to entertain racing fans Saturday night at Antioch Speedway.  John Soares's three-eighths mile clay oval track has been fast all season long, and DIRTcar Late Models are ready to make their seventh appearance of the season.  Also in action will be the IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Dwarf Cars and Vintage Hardtops.

Because heat race points are so important, Morgan Hill's Jeff Decker managed to take the point lead from winner Richard Papenhausen of Chico after his second place finish last time out.  Decker won his heat race that night.  He is a one time winner to three wins for Papenhausen, but he consistently finishes in the Top 3.  The Decker lead is a not too comfortable two points in front of the defending champion Papenhausen.

Hayward's Danny Malfati used a fourth place finish last time to grab a four point advantage over David Newquist of Chico in the battle for third.  Newquist has been keeping himself busy racing at Chico, where he also ranks second.  These four drivers, along with Vacaville's Paul Guglielmoni, Chester Kniss of Antioch, Antioch's Rob Norris and others are also anticipated for this race.

After winning for the third time last week, Antioch's Scott Busby increased his IMCA Modified point lead to six points.  The reason for such a little gain was the third place finish that second ranked Bobby Motts Jr. of San Pablo earned.  Busby seems to have hit his stride, and the pressure will be on Motts to come up big.  These two lead foots and others are aiming for the big show at the end of the month.

Billed as the Summer Nationals, this two day event at Antioch Speedway (June 26-27) boasts a $2500 first prize that Saturday and $1500 to win the night before.  There is also a big Late Model race on Saturday that pays $1500 to win and will be increased to $2000 at 20 cars.  IMCA Sport Mods race for $500 to win that Friday (June 26) and will get $750 to win the next night.  NASCAR competitor and personality Kenny Wallace will compete in a Late Model and IMCA Modified that weekend.

Getting back to this week, Carl Berendsen II of Antioch is coming off of a fourth place finish last week and that enabled him to increase his lead to 16 points over Dustin Himes of Manteca in the battle for third.  Last week boasted a 16 car field, and some of the competitors anticipated this week include Mike Salazar of Antioch, Jeff Thomas of Petaluma and Chris Elby of Livermore.

Kimo Oreta won for the third time in a row last week, and when the Vacaville driver did that, he took the lead on the All Time Antioch Speedway Hobby Stock win list with 17 victories.  Oreta's lead over Castro Valley's Danny Jones is now a whopping 167 points, and he would have to walk away at this point to not win his third straight division championship.

Jones has just a one point lead over Bay Point's Michael Cooper and a ten point advantage over rookie Jordan Swank of Concord in the battle for second.  His car was so damaged after last week, that Jones is unsure if he can make it this week, though he is going to try.  Frank Furtado of Antioch had a career best fifth place finish last week to maintain fifth in the standings.  Other divers we're anticipating include Cameron Swank and Robert Niven of Concord and Antioch's Brent Curran.  The 2014 Four Banger champion Curran finished third in his season debut last week.

After three weeks off, the Dwarf Car drivers are anxious to get back out and race.  With three wins this year, you'd think two time defending champion Danny Wagner of Bay Point would be leading the race, but he isn't.  Wagner trails one time winner David Teves of Concord by just two points.  His son, Adam Teves, won his second Main Event last time and is just 24 points out of the lead in a good battle.

Tracy teammates Mike Corsaro and Charlie Correia, who recently turned 77, rank fourth and fifth in the standings.  Corsaro is 32 points out of the lead and still very much in the hunt.  Others to watch for this week include Pleasaton's Kevin Miraglio, Thomas Leiby of Copperoplis, Jerry Doty of Hayward and Miranda Chappa of Martinez.  All four drivers rank inside the Top 10 in the standings.

The Vintage Hardtops are coming to town to give the fans a dose of racing that hearkens back to the 1950's and 1960's.  This class features old Sedans and Coups, and a field of competitors that includes Jim Perry Jr. of Concord in a car built by Dave Mackay, San Leandro's Thommy Thomson in a car he actually drove and won Main Events with at Vallejo Speedway in the late 1970's, Placerville's Dennis Armstrong, Mike McClure, John Philburt and others is anticipated.

Saturday's race should be a good one.  Antioch Speedway is located within the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, 1201 W. 10th St. in Antioch, Calif. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for senior citizens, and $10 for children 6-12. Children under six years old are admitted free. A family four pack of tickets is $40. Secured parking is offered by the Fairgrounds for $5. Racing begins at 6:30 p.m.

Antioch Speedway Top 5 In Points

DIRTCar Late Models

Jeff Decker    314
Richard Papenhausen 312
Danny Malfatti     244
Dave Newquist     240
Troy Foulger     207
 
IMCA Modifieds
 
Scott Busby     257
Bobby Motts Jr.    251
Carl Berendsen II 202
Dustin Himes    186
Alex Willson     143

Hobby Stocks

Kimo Oreta     530
Danny Jones     363
Michael Cooper    362
Jordan Swank    353
Frank Furtado    326

Dwarf Cars

David Teves     394
Danny Wagner    392
Adam Teves     370
Mike Corsaro    362
Charlie Correia    300