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Barber, Cass, Pearce Grab Antioch Speedway Victories
Armstrong Wins Chet Thomson Memorial Race
Antioch, CA...September 10...A turnout of roughly 80 racers competed in the six division All Star Series event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event saw Matt Barber become the 10th different winner in 13 races. Brian Cass earned his third A Modified Main Event victory, while Mark Garner got his fifth Limited Late Model win. Brian Pearce won his first 20 lap B Modified Main Event, while Fred Ryland became a double division winner after winning the 20 lap Hobby Stock feature. The California Hardtops made their fifth appearance of the season, and Jason Armstrong won the special Chet Thomson Memorial 20 lap race.
The Sprint Cars had a solid 14 car turnout with visiting drivers again boosting car count. Matt Barber has made several visits and has finished as high as fourth this season. This week, Barber found himself battling for his first Antioch victory with another Outlaw Kart graduate, Kenny Allen, making his first visit. When the checkered flag flew, it was Barber leading the way in victory ahead of Allen. Shawn Arriaga drove the Brett Lay owned car to a third place finish ahead of Brent Dothage and Shawn Conde. Art McCarthy's eighth place finish and heat race win closed the gap to less than ten points behind Billy Aton in the championship battle with two races left.
A field of 18 A Modified competitors were on hand to do battle in the 20 lap Main Event. Past Hanford and Watsonville champion Brian Cass had his hands full with the return of 2004 champion Aaron Crowell. Cass is one of two repeat winners in this division, and he became the first three time winner as he held off Crowell for the victory. Point leader Carl Berendsen II had one of his best finishes of the season in third as he closes in on his second championship in three seasons. Trent Wentworth and five time champion Scott Busby rounded out the Top 5 finishers.
Mark Garner is locked in a close battle with Kimo Oreta for second in Limited Late Model points. On this occasion, Mark had a side by side battle with the truck of Ryan Cherezian on the final lap before racing to his fifth 20 lap feature win of the season. Cherezian was a career best second ahead of likely champion Larry Damitz. Top rookie Oreta settled for fourth ahead of Mike Gustafson.
Brian Pearce and B Modified point leader Trevor Clymens were battling for a victory earlier this season when Pearce lost the lead late and hit the front wall hard. It's been a rough season for Pearce, but his perseverance paid off as he scored his first career victory. Clymens was attempting a pass for what could have been his eigth win when he spun on lap 13. This opened the door for rookie Shane DeVolder to grab his sixth runnerup finish ahead of Anthony Giuliani, heat race winner Al Johnson and Kevin Brown.
Fred Ryland is the reigning B Modified champion and a feature winner in that class this year. Ryland took the wheel of the Chase Templeton Hobby Stock for the 20 lap race. He proceeded to score an impressive victory with point leader Guy Ahlwardt not far behind him in second. Cameron Swank and Chris Sorensen crossed the line in third and fourth, respectively, but both drivers were disqualified in post race tech. Second place point runner Lindsey Buirch ended up third ahead of newcomer Syd Smyth and Frank Furtado.
Rounding out the program was the return of the Chet Thomson Memorial Hardtop race. The race ran at Vallejo Speedway from 1967 through the track's closure in 1979 as a tribute to 1962 Hardtop champion Thomson. Thomson passed away after a battle with Cancer. Just last week, Jason Armstrong's son Tyler passed away. Tyler had Leukemia and bravely went through many treatments. The Hardtop group donated the proceeds from Thomson Memorial t-shirt sales to the Armstrong family to help with medical costs. Jason Armstrong was driving with a heavy heart, but he won both his heat race and the 20 lap Main Event. Ken Retzloff had a close battle with heat winner Dave Mackey before Mackey spun to avoid contact, causing a four car pileup. Retzloff finished second ahead of Jason's father Dennis Armstrong, Dan Williams and Jason Clifford.
Six divisions compete next week, headlined by the Winged 360 Sprint Cars, DIRTcar Late Models, A Modifieds, B Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Unofficial Race Results September 10
Winged 360 Sprint Cars
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Justin Sanders, Art McCarthy. Main Event (25 Laps)-Matt Barber, Kenny Allen, Shawn Arriaga, Brent Dothage, Shawn Conde, Wayne Katen, Matt DeMartini, McCarthy, Billy Aton, Michael Kofold, Shawn Laeber, Sanders (DQ), Marissa Polizzi (DNS).
A Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Aaron Crowell, Brian Cass, Nick DeCarlo. Main Event (20 Laps)-Cass, Crowell, Carl Berendsen II, Trent Wentworth, Scott Busby, Anthony Slaney, Norm Boeck, Chris Compton, Walter Ball, Bobby Motts Jr., MacDougall, Bobby Montalvo, Jake Dewsbury, Mike Salazar, Josh Combs, DeCarlo, Jason Ryan, Sean O'Gara.
Limited Late Models
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Mike Gustafson, Larry Damitz. Main Event (20 Laps)-Mark Garner, Ryan Cherezian, Damitz, Kimo Oreta, Gustafson, Jay Bryant, Lori Brown, John Keith, Jon Haney, Chad Hammer.
B Modifieds
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Al Johnson, Anthony Guiliani. Main Event (20 Laps)-Brian Pearce, Shane DeVolder, Giuliani, Johnson, Kevin Brown, Trevor Clymens, Walter Harper, Tim Hammett, Mike Mates, K.C. Keller, Brian Lyons, Josh Hensley, George Medeiros.
Hobby Stock
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Fred Ryland, Cameron Swank. Main Event (20 Laps)-Fred Ryland, Guy Ahlwardt, Lindsey Buirch, Syd Smyth, Frank Furtado, Jordan Swank, Anthony Vigna, Cameron Swank (DQ), Chris Sorensen (DQ).
Hardtops
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Jason Armstrong, Dave Mackey. Main Event (20 Laps)-J. Armstrong, Ken Retzloff, Dennis Armstrong, Dan Williams, Jason Clifford, Charles Mart, Steve Cloyes, Joe Shenefield, Mackey, Tommy Thomson, Dave Reed, Ken Clifford, Eddie Dixon, Larry Damitz (DNS).
Cheffey, Killingsworth Win At Siskiyou Motor Speedway
Yreka, CA...September 10...Racing continued Saturday night at Siskiyou Motor Speedway with the O'Reilly Auto Parts IMCA Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks both competing. Rising young star Colton Cheffey turned in a stellar performance in winning the Sport Modified 25 lap Main Event, while 14 year old Ethan Killingsworth scored his first career 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event victory.
The Sport Modifieds ran two sets of heat races. Cheffey held off Trophy Dash winner D.J. Bottoms to win his first eight lap heat race and outran reigning champion Colter Boswell to win his heat second race. Come Main Event time, Cheffey had championship contender Garrett Hamilton following closely behind him. However, Cheffey drove a flawless race and scored an impressive victory. Hamilton settled for second ahead of Randy Wright and rookie Ryder Boswell. Gary Foster was fifth ahead of Bottoms, Gavin Gonzales, Jack Waldon III and C. Boswell. Only a second in the four lap Trophy Dash to Bottoms marred an otherwise perfect evening for Cheffey. Wright just beat Waldon back to the line to win a heat race, and Hamilton held off Wright to win their other heat race.
For most of the night, it was second place point contenders Ethan Killingsworth and Terry Kendrick battling for victory in the Mini Stocks. Killingsworth has finished second on multiple occasions this year in his fast little truck, but he was on a mission to get a win. Past champion Kendrick shadowed him down the stretch, but Killingsworth scored the popular 20 lap Main Event victory. Kendrick settled for second ahead of 2014 champion Mike Whitaker, point leader Marilyn Yawnick, Mike Frost, Mike Colson and Amber Walden. Kendrick won the first heat race ahead of Killingsworth, but Killingsworth beat Kendrick in the other heat. Killingsworth also won the four lap Trophy Dash.
Racing continues next Saturday with IMCA Sport Modifieds and McDonald's Mini Stocks on the schedule once again. For further information, go to www.siskiyoumotorspeedway.com.
This article is based on live scoring and is unofficial due to possible computer error and official's decisions.
Meseraull Wins USAC Srint Car Race At Ocean Speedway
Watsonville, CA...September 9...Making a dramatic last lap pass around Damion Gardiner, Thomas Meseraull won the 30 lap USAC/CRA Sprint Car Main Event Friday night at Ocean Speedway. Past Wingless Spec Sprint champ Ryan Bernal led early, but he surrendered the lead to Gardiner on the fourth lap. Meseraull was running third at the time, and Chad Boespflug and Jake Swanson made up the remainder of the Top 5 at the halfway point of the race. Meseraull finally found his opening to slip past Bernal for second on lap 17. Gardiner was setting a good pace up front, but traffic allowed Meseraull to close the gap during the final five laps. Meseraull looked for his opportunity and found it as he made his winning pass on the final lap. Gardiner settled for second. Boespflug made a last lap pass of his own to steal third from Bernal, who settled for fourth. Swanson finished fifth ahead of Austin Williams, Brody Roa, Brady Bacon, Stevie Sussex and Kevin Thompson. Gardiner blistered the track with a fast time of 12.555 in qualifying and then held off Austin Liggett to win the first ten lap heat race. Bernal won the second heat in front of Roa, while Kevin Thomas held off Boespflug to win the third heat. Swanson won the 12 lap B Main ahead of Sussex, Geoff Ensign, Max Adams and Kyler Shaw.
Jeff Decker returned to the track he enjoyed much success at in a Late Model and won the 25 lap IMCA Modified race. The non point event still attracted 17 cars, including Jim Pettit II. Pettit was tuning up for the September 30-October 1 Pat Pettit Memorial Shoot Out, and he set the early pace ahead of Tim Balding. Andy Obertello settled into third as point leader Bobby Hogge IV was biding his time further back in the Top 10. Decker slipped past Obertello for third on lap three, and a lap nine yellow flag changed the race as Pettit's impressive run came to an end. Decker raced into the lead ahead of Balding and Obertello on the restart. Hogge made his first Top 3 appearance by passing Obertello on lap 20, and he passed Balding for second a lap later. Hogge closed in on Decker, but Decker was not to be denied. Decker scored the impressive victory ahead of Hogge, Obertello, Alex Wilson, Balding, Raymond Keldsen, T.J. Etchison, Freddie Plourde III, Robert Dias and Kenny Nott. Pettit kicked off the night by holding off fellow past division champion Brian Cass to win his eight lap heat race, while Decker won the other heat ahead of Balding.
Nick Sqautritto grabbded the victory in the 20 lap SBDCA Dwarf Car Main Event and kept the pressue on David Teves in a close championship battle. Reigning champion Gene "Punky" Pires led a lap before another champion, Mark Biscardi, raced by for the lead. Terre Rotthweiler followed closely into second. Rothweiler, Squatritto and Justin Yanez shuffled Biscardi out of the Top 3 on lap four. Rothweiler seemed to have the race in hand before slipping up on the last lap and falling out of the Top 5. Squartitto was there to seize the moment and claim the victory. The Biscardi-Teves battle for fourth suddenly became a second place battle. Biscardi would claim the runneup finish ahead of Teves, Yanez and Pires. A disappointed Rothweiler settled for sixth ahead of Eric Weisler, Kyle Jones, William Belfield and Greg Richardson. Squatritto also won his eight lap heat race ahead of Teves, while Pires was the other heat winner in front of Yanez.
Robert Gallaher won the 20 lap American Stock Main Event. Nick Triolo led the race at the start ahead of past champion William Kennedy and two time champion Terry Campion. Campion took second from Kennedy on lap four as Gallaher quickly struck to third. The lead trio was running closely at the halfway point, and Campion's race came to an end on a lap 11 yellow flag. Gallaher took the lead from Triolo on the restart as Stock Car veteran Tony Oliveira settled into third. Gallaher stretched his lead to about a straightaway as he cruised to victory ahead of Triolo. George Fernandez made a last lap pass on Oliveira to grab third, and previous winner Katie Briggs finished fifth. John Farrell, Charlie Hunter, Kennedy and Campion rounded out the finishing order. Gallaher passed Kennedy on lap five to win his eight lap heat race, while Campion won his heat ahead of Triolo.
Peters, Gonzales and Atchison Win At Rocky Hill Speedway
Porterville, CA...September 10...Three drivers shared the spotlight in Rocky Hill Speedway's second to last point race of the season. In Hobby Stocks, Jake Peters kept his championship hopes alive with a 20 lap feature win. Lance Gonzales won the 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event and then chased point leader Roy Atchison Jr. across the line for a second place finish in the Super 4's feature.
It's a two car battle for the Hobby Stock championship as reigning champion Raymond Noland Jr. leads Jake Peters. Noland was coming off of a win ahead of Colby Quinton and Peters last time out. On this occasion, 2014 Mini Stock champion Joe Robinson was making his presence known at the front of the pack, but Peters was on a quest to get a much needed win. When the checkered flag waved, Peters would win his first feature of the season ahead of Robinson and hard charger Michael Scruggs. Noland settled for a fourth place finish ahead of 2015 Mini Stock champion Jared Plumlee, Quinton, Kevin Collier, Dave Bettencourt, Travis Avila and Karl Noland Jr.
Lance Gonzales was doing double duty in the Mini Stocks and Super 4's. In Mini Stock action, Gonzales grabbed another feature win ahead of Jason Cook. Cook took a big step towards the championship with that finish. Chris Rutledge was a solid third ahead of Seven Scott and Clint Massey. Mary Massey collected a sixth place finish ahead of Candy Noland-Soares, Cory Matta, Justin Moore and Matt Harod.
Roy Atchison Jr. has been the dominant Super 4's driver and will repeat as champion this year. On this occasion, Atchison was chased across the line by Gonzales in his best division effort. Roy Atchison III finished third ahead of Darren Esterman and Steve Gauld.
Though racing continues beyond next Saturday night, this will be the final point race. Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks, Super 4's and American Stocks are all on the schedule.
Race Results 9/10
Hobby Stock
Jake peters
Joe Robinson
Michael Scruggs
Raymond Noland Jr.
Jared Plumlee
Colby Quinton
Kevin Collier
Dave Bennetcourt
Travis Avila
Karl Noland Jr.
Mini Stocks
Lance Gonzales
Jason Cook
Chris Rutledge
Steven Scott
Clint Massey
Mary Massey
Candy Noland Soares
Cory Mata
Justin Moore
Matt Harod
Travis Newsom **DNS**
Super 4s
Roy Atchinson
Lance Gonzales
Roy Atchinson III
Darren Esterman
Steve Gauld
