Busby Beats Schrader At Antioch Speedway, Merced Racing News

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Busby Beats Schrader In Exciting Night Of Racing 

At Antioch Speedway

Left promoter John Soares and right Ken Schrader have a post race conversation.  The two actually raced against each other a few times years ago in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. 
Photo By Paul Gould Photography

Antioch, CA...June  18..NASCAR Star Kenny Schrader made a special visit to Antioch Speedway to compete with the local Late Model and A Modified racers Saturday night.  Schrader's impressive career highlights include four NASCAR Sprint Cup wins and a 4th place ranking in 1994.  He's also won 17 ARCA Series races.  These days, Kenny is doing a "barn storming" tour across the country in his Federated Auto Parts Modified.

Within the last week, Schrader won a race at the track in Idaho Falls and then towed west to Sunset Speedway in Banks, Oregon, where he finished second Friday night to past Antioch Speedway champion Kellen Chadwick. Chadwick just wrapped up the Wild West Modified Speedweek championship with four wins in six starts.  Schrader's schedule sent him to Antioch Speedway, where a ride in the Oval Motorsports Late Model was waiting for him.  Though luck was not with him in the Late Model, the Modified show went differently.

Left Ken Schrader and right Scott Busby discuss their exciting Modified Main Event battle. 
Photo By Paul Gould Photography

The fans were treated to a show in the Northern All Stars A Modified division as the track's most decorated star in  this division, Scott Busby, moved in to do battle with Scharder.  With over 60 wins and five championships at Antioch in this division, Busby is one of the best ever, but his luck has been terrible this year.  Earlier this season, the defending champion lost a win to Jeff Decker late in the race.  This time, Busby had to battle Schrader, who came well prepared for the race.  The two delighted the crowd with a great race up front, but it was Busby prevailing in the end.  Busby gained little ground on point leader Carl Berendsen II, who finished third after winning his heat race.  Trent Wentworth notched another good finish in fourth as six time Petaluma Speedway champion Michael Paul Jr. completed the Top 5.  

Rookie Bobby Montalvo provided some cosmetic damage to the fence in turns 3 and four with his heat race crash.  Photo By Paul Gould Photography

Reigning DIRTcar Late Model champion Jeff Decker and 2014 champion Richard Papenhausen battled at the front of the Late Model Main Event.  Some people tend to forget just how good Decker really is, but he reminded them as he beat Papenhausen back to the line to become the fourth different winner in four races.  Decker is now a winner in Late Model and Dirt Modified competition this year, joining the elite company of Bobby Hogge IV.  Papenhausen settled for his second runner up finish of the year.  Dennis Souza had his best finish of the season in third as Rob Norris and Mike Hynes rounded out the Top 5.  Chester Kniss joined the "Rollover Club" when his brakes stuck entering Turn 3.  Fortunately he was not injured.

The Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event win went to Bobby McMahan.  A lap wasn't even in the books before a tangle on the back strech, involving Matt Barber and title hopefuls Billy Aton and Dan Gonderman.  The incident sent Gonderman  flipping.  Once that was cleaned up, point leader Art McCarthy and his son Adam McCarthy had hopes of battling for the lead.  However, McMahan had other ideas as he was piloting the #12 car normally driven by Jarrett Soares, who was racing in Stockton.  A championship winning Sprint Car driver with many wins through the years, McMahan would not be denied as he held off the elder McCarthy for the victory.  Art's son Adam McCarthy was third as Matt Barber and Jenna Frazier rounded out the Top 5.

Having been awarded a special "Rookie Of The Year" plaque for his improvement throughout last season, K.C. Keller was a B Modified driver people picked to win a Main Event this year.  Keller looked strong last week in a battle with Trevor Clymens before falling out.  This time, however, he would not be denied.  Keller prevailed ahead of current Watsonville point leader Jim DiGiovanni.  Clymens won his heat race, but he settled for third in the feature ahead of point leader and fellow heat winner Al Johnson and Shane DeVolder.

Second generation superstar Jim Perry Jr. won for the second time this year in the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event.  The current point leader was chased across the line by another second generation racer with family ties going back to the old Vallejo Speedway.  In this case, it was Barry Pries Jr.  Pries settled for second ahead of 2015 "Rookie Of The Year" Marcus Smith.  Alan Miranda  and past Chowchilla champion Brandon Burd completed the Top 5.

Kevin Miraglio finally got the monkey off his back by winning his first 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event at Antioch.  The point leader has been consistently finishing second and third, but this one belonged to him.  Miraglio outdueled his closest point rival Mike Corsaro for the victory.  Josh Miller was a solid third with David Rosa having his best finish of the year in fourth.  Tim Reeder rounded out the Top 5 finishers.

Racing continues next week with Winged 360 Sprints, Wingless Spec Sprints, B Modifieds, Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks and CHA Hardtops.  For further information, check out www.antiochspeedway.com

Unofficial Race Results, Saturday Night June 18

A Modified

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Carl Berendsen II, Nick Viscusi III.  Main Event (20 Laps)-Scott Busby, Ken Schrader, Berendsen, Trent Wentworth, Michael Paul Jr.

Winged 360 Sprints

Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Bobby McMahan.  Main Event (25 Laps)-McMahan, Art McCarthy, Adam McCarthy, Matt Barber, Jenna Frazier.

DIRTcar Late Models

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Richard Papenhausen, Jeff Decker.  Main Event (20 Laps)-Decker, Papenhausen, Dennis Souza, Rob  Norris, Mike Hynes.

B Modifieds

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Al Johnson, Trevor Clymens.  Main Event (20 Laps)-K.C. Keller, Jim DiGiovani, Clymens, Johnson, Shane DeVolder.

Wingless Spec Sprints

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jimmy Perry III, Alan Miranda.  Main Event (20 Laps)-Jim Perry Jr., Barry Pries Jr., Marcus Smith, Miranda, Brandon Burd.

Dwarf Cars

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Mike Corsaro, Lionel Francis.   Main Event (20 Laps)-Kevin Miraglio, Corsaro, Josh Miller, David Rosa, Tim Reeder.

Ryland, Nelson, Odgers, Corder Merced Speedway Winners

Merced, CA...June 18...Fred Ryland returned to Merced Speedway Saturday night and was glad that he did. The reigning IMCA Sport Modified State champion won the 20 lap Main Event ahead of veteran Gary Tucker. Two time Merced Hobby Stock champion Bruce "Bubba" Nelson drove one of the Shearer Racing Team cars to his second 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event win of the season. Past Sportsman champion Mark Odgers returned and beat the biggest field of Sportsman drivers this year with his 20 lap feature triumph. Despite an invasion of stars from Bakersfield and Porterville, the "Corder Train" kept rolling as point leader Chis Corder won his fourth 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event in five starts.

After title contender Mike Drake, Andy Welch and G. Tucker won nine lap IMCA Sport Modified heat races, the race was on for Main Event glory. Fred Ryland and G. Tucker were in a race to see which of the two could get to the front from the third row first. Tucker won multiple Main Events last season, but the veteran of over 20 years of racing at Merced has been shut out thus far. Second was Tucker's best finish so far this year, but F. Ryland continued his string of impressive finishes with his latest triumph. Ryland had a double win weekend last week up north. Past IMCA State champion Nick Spainhoward charged from tenth to third as Patti Ryland, point leader Steve Stone and reigning champion Josh Hensley rounded out the top 6. Having parted ways with car owner Randy Brown during the week, incoming point leader Rick Diaz scrambled to get the ride in the #74 car while he awaits his new car. Diaz managed a seventh place finish ahead of Paul Espino, Andy Welch and Drake.

The lowest Hobby Stock count of the year still produced a 17 car field, and heat race wins went to Raulie Rodriguez, Ben Lewis and point leader Michael Shearer. Starting back in the eighth spot, Bubba Nelson made a charge to the front and mixed it up with front row starters Lewis and M. Shearer. However, Nelson passed them both and scored the well earned victory. Lewis settled for second with M. Shearer maintaining his point lead in third. Kodie Dean continued his strong season with a fourth place finish ahead of John Hensley. Kristie Shearer regained second in the standings with her seventh place finish as Kyle Singleton, Rodriguez and rookie Darren Miguel made up the remainder of the Top 10.

After winning the heat race in his "Mr. Dirt" Vern Willhoite tribute car, past Sportsman champion Mark Odgers scored an impressive feature victory. Car count was higher than it's been in about two years, and Odgers had to contend with two time champion Mike Friesen, who settled for second. Sportsman point leader Kenny Birdsong was third in the Rod Poor tribute car as Watsonville's all time Sportsman win leader and "Hall Of Famer" Jerry Cecil was fourth. Jeff Bristow completed the Top 5. Division newcomers Jeff Amos and Shannon Fry were sixth and seventh as Eric Sealy completed the finishing order.

When Jennifer Corder sold her Hobby Stock, she really didn't want to get out of racing, so she orchestrated a trade to get her back into a Mini Stock. Jennifer joined her point leading brother Chris Corder as heat winners on the night. She gave it a good run in the Main Event, but Chris was just a bit too fast. Jennifer settled for a strong second place finish to complete the Corder domination of the night. Bakersfield title contender Andy "The Dirt Dog" Boydstun was third ahead of Porterville regular Clinton Massey and Justin Moore. Tony Peffer drove his truck to a sixth place finish as Kit Murphy, Paul Laoretti and Curtis Thornhill made up the rest of the field. Bakersfield point leader Shawn Schwartzenberger scratched from the Main Event.

Merced Speedway goes flat track racing this week, but The Tommy Post Memorial Race returns on July 2nd. The night features IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds and Hobby Stocks as well as a Fireworks Display. To make it even better, it is free admission for the fans. For further information, go to www.racemerced.com.