Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Rivera Back On Top At Antioch

Again, just doing this for the heck of it. Any stats in this story are unofficial as always.

Antioch Speedway was the place for a show featuring the high powered Golden State Challenge Series Sprint Cars (won by Jonathon Allard) and the track's Dwarf Car division. Despite threatening weather that claimed many other events in the area, the show went on at Antioch. When the checkered flag flew over the Dwarf Car feature, it was defending champion Ricardo Rivera picking up the victory.

In the past six seasons, Rivera has collected the championship trophy five times, while scoring well over 30 Main Event victories. Rivera won the race ahead of the BADCA Dwarf Car's 2009 runner up John Wear and Antioch's 2007 champion Ed Johnson. Johnson collected a heat race victory earlier in the evening, along with another of BADCA's top racers, Mark Biscardi. Biscardi was third in points with BADCA last season. Coming off of a victory in the season opener, Nick Squatritto claimed Trophy Dash honors.

A field of 22 Golden State Challenge Series Sprint Cars paid Antioch the first of two scheduled appearances, and Allard claimed the victory, his second of the season. Evan Suggs chased the two time series champion across the line in second ahead of 12 time champion Brent Kaeding. 2004 Series champ Jason Statler and Bobby McMahan rounded out the top five. Two time Petaluma Speedway champion Alissa Geving finished sixth. Heat race honors were claimed by Zach Zimmerly, Shane Golobic and Mason Moore. Statler collected the hardware in the Trophy Dash.

Antioch Speedway features a regular program of Dirt Modifieds, Wingless Spec Sprints, Super Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Mini Trucks and Four Bangers next Saturday night.

Note: From the March 27th race, a few more details are in on the Larry Damitz Super Stock win. Damitz started on the front row with Eric Berendsen and immediately motored ahead of the pack, leaving Berendsen, Mitch Machado and 2009 Pure Stock champion Fred Ryland to battle for second. Damitz was already lapping rookie Natalie Perry and Loyd Cline by lap five. The second place battle caught the two lapped cars soon after, allowing Berendsen to pull away for a few laps. Machado and Ryland soon caught him, and the second place battle again caught the slower cars by lap 15. Machado made a high pass in Turn 2 of the 19th lap to claim second from Berendsen, but Damitz was a half lap ahead of him by then. Damitz won ahead of Machado, Berendsen, Ryland and Brent Lawerence. Perry and Cline took the checkered flag in sixth and seventh, respectively.