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Modifieds Night To Shine At Antioch Speedway
Antioch, CA...There's been plenty of reason to smile at Antioch Speedway lately. On the Fourth of July, the speedway was represented in the Antioch Parade for the first time in about 25 years. A good group of competitors across five different divisions offered their cars for the parade, and then several racers had their cars on display as part of the car show at the fairgrounds. In fact, awards were presented to A Modified racers Mike Salazar and Chester Kniss, Hobby Stock competitor Angela Brown and Wingless Spec Sprint racer Rick Panfili. With candy giveaways and an opportunity for the kids to sit in the race cars that day, it was a good showing for the track.
The racing action on the 3/8 mile clay oval has been exciting to watch in recent weeks as the track has been in great shape. Following last week's exciting show, the All Star Racing Series program will continue this Saturday night with the A Modifieds returning along with Wingless Spec Sprints, B Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars.
There is still a close battle at the front of the pack between Buddy Kniss and Danny Wagner in the A Modified division. Kniss picked up his fifth podium finish in third at the Firecracker 50 two weeks ago, while Wagner finished further back. There is now a 34 point spread between the two drivers, in favor of Kniss. This battle could go down to the final checkered flag of the season.
Meanwhile, reigning champion Nick DeCarlo cashed the $1,000 paycheck for his win in the Firecracker 50. It was his third win of the season, and it elevated him to third in the standings ahead of two-time winner Kellen Chadwick and one-time winner Chester Kniss. The racing has been good in the A Modified division, and you never know who might show up from week to week. Other drivers to watch for include top rookie Frank Furtado, Sean Wilson, Brian Pearce and Gary Hetrick.
Because of an impressive start that saw him win the first four races of the season and five total so far, Shannon Newton has a little bit of breathing room in his bid to win the Wingless Spec Sprint championship. Newton spun on the last lap last week to avoid taking out leader Dustin Maibes, but he still holds a 64 point advantage over division original Rick Panfili. Panfili picked up his third straight fourth place finish last time out to increase his advantage to 28 points ahead of second-year competitor Mackenzie Newton in a closer battle for second.
Two-time reigning champion Bob Newberry missed some races, but on the strength of two wins, a second and a third, he's on a pace that could see him challenging for a Top 5 point position within the next few weeks. Running in fifth right now is Dustin Maibes. Maibes got his first career win last time out and has a pair of seconds and a third among his best efforts. He trails Roy Fisher by 41 points in his quest for fourth in the standings. Maibes will be out to see if he can get two in a row this week, and others to watch for include Keith Calvino, Adam Teves, Troy Ferry, rookie Jeff Scotto and two-time champion Dan Gonderman.
We are 11 races into the B Modified season, and we're watching the closest championship battle at the speedway unfold. Brent Curran scored an emotional fifth feature win last time out, but because Tommy Fraser was able to recover from an early spin and finish second, Fraser holds a slim two point advantage over Curran. Fraser has four wins this season, and he knows that Curran can start no better than 10th this week as the previous winner.
An equally close battle is taking place for third, where Kevin Brown leads rookie Cameron Swank by just four points. Brown has been running a bit better in recent weeks with three Top 5 finishes in the last four races. He seems to be on the verge of his first win. Other drivers hungry for victory include two-time reigning champion Trevor Clymens, reigning Limited Late Model champion Mark Garner, Tommy Clymens Jr and Joe Salvi.
In the Hobby Stock division, Chris Sorensen continues to stretch his lead in a quest for his third championship. In 11 starts, Sorensen has only failed to finish in the first or second position once. As you might expect, his lead over second place is 58 points. After getting her first win of the year out of all Top 5 finishes in her 11 starts, Breanna Troen has moved into a tie with three-time winner Josh Leach for second. Leach led a couple laps last week before a flat tire sent him to the pits.
While the Top 3 drivers may be the ones to beat, there are some good competitors in the field. Will Buirch continues to hold fourth in the standings as the top rookie. His advantage over rookie rival Ken Johns is 38 points despite the fact that Johns had his best finish of the year in third last time out. Jacob Mallett has looked good in recent weeks, and other drivers to watch for include Dalton Jewel, Jeff Betancourt, Luke Brignoli and James Thompson.
Scott Dahlgren turned in another stellar performance last week in posting his third Dwarf Car feature win. Dahlgren now leads teammate Devan Kammermann by 66 points in the championship chase. Kammermann led some early laps last week before ending up a season-best second. He holds a four-point advantage over Troy Stevenson in a close battle for second. Stevenson is another driver looking to get his first win. Travis Dutra is a one-time winner sitting in fourth, and other racers to keep an eye on this week include Chris Becker, Mario Marques, David Michael Rosa, David Rosa and two-time reigning champion Mike Corsaro.
Saturday's program offers a nice variety of divisions for the fans to enjoy. It should be another great show. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Maibes Grabs First Win, Curran Scores Fifth Win
At Antioch Speedway
Antioch, CA...July 6...Dustin Maibes picked up his first All Star Racing Series Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event win Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Maibes trailed Rick Panfili for the first four laps before making an outside pass on the frontstretch to take the lead. Panfili maintained second until surrendering the position to an inside pass on the backstretch by point leader Shannon Newton. Newton took up pursuit of Maibes, and the battle was on during the final five laps. As they took the white flag, Newton took a look to the inside of Maibes. Exiting Turn 2, Newton spun to avoid taking out Maibes, resulting in Bob Newberry spinning as well. However, Newberry kept his foot to the floor and continued on as Maibes scored the victory ahead of Newberry, Dan Gonderman, Panfili and Adam Teves.
Brent Curran won his fifth B Modified Main Event of the season to keep the championship race close between himself and Tommy Fraser. Fraser spun in Turn 4 on the opening lap, which was led by Kevin Brown. However, Fraser got going without need of a yellow flag. Curran made an inside pass in Turn 4 of the second lap to take over, and Les Friend took second from Brown on a lap 10 restart. On lap 11, Fraser finally moved into third, and he slowly closed in on Friend. However, Curran held about a straightaway advantage at the waving of the checkered flag. Fraser made a pass on the front stretch on lap 18 to take the second place position from Friend. Trevor Clymens also made a late move to finish third, followed by Friend and Brown.
Chris Long won the 20 lap Limited Late Model Main Event. This was his first win of the year aboard the John Keith owned car. Long won a heat race earlier in the evening and had a front-row start for the race. He settled into the early lead ahead of Chad Hammer. Hammer ran closely behind Long for the first 13 laps before surrendering second to Kimo Oreta on a lap 13 restart. Oreta was looking for his third win, but he had his hands full fighting off point leader Jim Freethy. On lap 18, Freethy made an inside pass in Turn 2 to take second from Oreta. However, nobody was going to stop Long as he scored the impressive win ahead of Freethy, Oreta, Jimmy Robbins and Jay Bryant.
Point leader Scott Dahlgren won his third 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event of the season. Mario Marques led two laps before an inside pass in Turn 4 of the third lap gained Devan Kammermann the lead. Troy Stevenson Jr settled into second, but he surrendered the position to Dahlgren on lap 10. Dahlgren began to pressure his teammate Kammermann before making an outside pass on the backstretch on lap 12 to gain the lead. As Dahlgren went on to victory, Kammermann exchanged second with two-time reigning champion Mike Corsaro a couple of times down the stretch before finishing there as Corsaro settled for third. Stevenson and David Michael Rosa rounded out the Top 5.
Breanna Troen emerged with her first 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event win of the season after apparent winner Tyler Henrickson was disqualified in post race tech. James Thomson was the early leader with Henrickson quickly settling into second. Following a lap five yellow flag, Thomson headed to the pits with a flat tire. Henrickson led Aiden Ponciano on the restart, but soon it was Josh Leach taking up pursuit of Henrickson. When Henrickson got out of shape on the backstretch on lap 11, Leach slipped past him for the lead. Unfortunately, Leach got a flat tire two laps later as Henrickson regained the lead. Henrickson had Chris Sorensen and Troen behind him in a good race up front, and traffic enabled Troen to take the second spot from Sorensen on lap 15. Henrickson pulled away just a little bit for the apparent win, only to be disqualified in post-race tech inspection. This elevated Troen to the win, followed by Sorensen, Ken Johns, Dalton Jewell and Will Buirch.
The All Star Racing Series A Modifieds will be back in action this Saturday night, joined by the Wingless Spec Sprints, B Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Unofficial Race Results
All Star Series Antioch Speedway
Wingless Spec Sprints
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Dan Gonderman, Adam Teves. Main Event (20 laps)-Dustin Maibes, Bob Newberry, Dan Gonderman, Rick Panfili, Adam Teves, Keith Calvino, Mackenzie Newton, Jeff Scotto, Shannon Newton, Bryan Greer.
B Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Trevor Clymens, Mark Garner. Main Event (20 laps)-Brent Curran, Tommy Fraser, Trevor Clymens, Les Friend, Kevin Brown, Cameron Swank, Mark Garner, Tommy Clymens Jr, Scott Savell, Joe Salvi.
Limited Late Models
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Kimo Oreta, Chris Long. Main Event (20 laps)-Chris Long, Jim Freethy, Kimo Oreta, Jimmy Robbins, Jay Bryant, Chad Hammer, Mike Gustafson, Michael Burch, Jon Haney, Mike Walko.
Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Jeff Betancourt, Lori Brown, Tyler Herickson. Main Event (20 laps)-Breanna Troen, Chris Sorensen, Ken Johns, Dalton Jewell, Will Buirch, Madison Motts, Lori Brown, Angela Brown, Josh Leach, Aiden Ponciano.
Dwarf Cars
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Mike Corsaro, Devan Kammermann, Travis Dutra. Main Event (20 laps)-Scott Dahlgren, Devan Kammermann, Mike Corsaro, Troy Stevenson Jr, David Michael Rosa, Bobby Johnson, Tom Van Tuyl, Mario Marques, Chris Becker, George Carvalho.
King Of The West Sprint Cars Return To Petaluma Speedway
Petaluma, CA...After a week off for the 4th of July holiday, Petaluma Speedway comes back with a big event this Saturday night. The NARC/King of the West Fujitsu Winged 410 Sprint Cars return for their second and final appearance. Also competing will be The Lumberjacks Restaurant Super Stocks, Jake's Performance Hobbies Mini Stocks and General Hydroponics Redwood Dwarf Cars.
The last time the King of the West Sprint Cars were in town, it was Colby Copeland scoring the victory ahead of DJ Netto and Geoff Ensign. Ryan Bernal has picked up a pair of Top 3 finishes in the last three races to move into the point lead ahead of Netto, but it's very close. It fact, Bernal only has a one point advantage aboard the Tarlton Motorsports entry. Both Netto and Bernal have a pair of second place finishes, but they are still looking for their first wins of the season.
A look at the winner board finds Justin Sanders picking up his second win of the season at the recent race in Placerville. Dominic Scelzi also has two victories, and he is only 18 points out of the lead, two ahead of Willie Croft and 10 ahead of Bud Kaeding in a close championship battle. The season has been unpredictable, as witnessed by the first career win for Sean Watts in Stockton two weeks ago. Rico Abreu also counts himself among the winners so far this year. A field of roughly 18 to 22 competitors is anticipated for Saturday's show.
Mitch Machado is leading the Lumberjacks Restaurant Super Stock championship battle. The reigning champion has picked up five victories aboard the Baker Motorsports entry. Machado is being chased by two-time division champion Steve Studebaker, who has finished second in most of the Main Event but does have one DNF. Two-time champion Matt While has picked up a pair of third place finishes in the last two races as he and Manny Avila keep it close behind Studebaker. Shawn McCoy has finished as high as second as the past division champion looks to get his first win of the season. Other drivers to watch for include Paul Hanley, Gary Adams, Tim O'Hara and Austin Ohlinger.
The Jake's Performance Hobbies Mini Stock division is turning into a battle between teammates Jeremy Tjensvold and Tom Brown. Brown is the reigning champion and is looking to become the first driver to win two championships in this division in over a decade. Though Tjensvold won the first four races of the season, Brown won a thrilling photo finish victory over his teammate at the most recent race. It's still very close in the point battle between these two hard chargers. Bill Manzoni has looked good in recent races with a pair of Top 5 efforts. He'll be one of the drivers hoping to beat the Pintos of Tjensvold and Brown, and other drivers to watch for include Sophie Shelly, Roy Deering, Danny Manzoni and Jason Grover.
The last time we saw the Redwood Dwarf Cars, they were hosting the Dwarf Car Nationals a few weeks ago. Over 70 of the best Dwarf Car competitors from the Western United States came to town to do battle. The local effort was very well represented by relative newcomer Michael Affonso in the Sportsman class that weekend. Affonso scored a double victory in the Preliminary Feature and the Main Event. He'll be looking to get the win against his fellow Redwood Dwarf Car regulars.
Mark Hanson was the winner of the most recent regular show, and past champion Chad Mathias and reigning Hunt Series champion Shawn Jones also count themselves among the winners this year. There is a fast group of racers looking to get the glory this Saturday night, led by reigning champion Scooter Gomes, past champion John Peters, Darren Fridolfs, Carroll Mendenhall, Brandon Gentry, Matt Hagermann and Marcus Hardina.
Saturday's show will offer lots of thrills and spills on the 3/8 mile adobe oval for the fans to enjoy. For further information, go to www.petaluma-speedway.com.
Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds Highlight Friday Night Action At Ocean Speedway
Watsonville, CA...Racing returns to Ocean Speedway after the one-week holiday break with an exciting lineup. The Taco Bravo Sprint Cars will be heating up the quarter-mile clay oval. Also competing will be the IMCA Modifieds, Four Bangers, South Bay Dwarf Cars and Police N Pursuit cars.
When factoring in the two-race throwaway rule, Bud Kaeding is now listed as the point leader in the Taco Bravo Sprint Car Series. Kaeding has missed a pair of races, but he has three victories and recently finished second once again. The standings now show the talented third-generation leadfoot leading three -time reigning champion Brad Furr by 59 points. Furr is still looking for his first win of the season, but he does have four Top 5 finishes.
Just six points behind Furr is James Ringo, who has four Top 5 efforts and is also looking for his first win. Ringo held holds a 21 point lead over Jeremy Chisum, who has topped the division with seven Top 10 efforts. Prior to the throwaways being calculated, the standings showed Ringo and leading Chisum. 2018 point runner-up Koen Shaw was also in that battle, but he skipped the recent race to participate in the 600 Micro Sprint Speedweek Series. Kurt Nelson is currently shown as fifth in the standings and has one victory to his credit so far.
One of the interesting storylines of the most recent race was longtime Ocean Speedway competitor Jerry Bonnema. Bonnema started deep in the pack and managed to work his way to a third place finish. It was one of his best efforts in recent years. Some of the racers to watch for this week include Mike Andreotti, Jayson Bright, two-time winner Justin Sanders, Kyler Shaw and Jason Chisum.
Last time out, Merced Speedway IMCA Modified point leader Troy Foulger came to town and drove the Bowers Racing Modified to an impressive victory. Still getting to the finish line with a fifth place finish was Cody Burke. However, with brother Austin Burke finishing third, it put them in a tie for the lead. Austin is still searching for his first win of the season, while Cody has two.
Not to be counted out in the battle is past Watsonville champion Jim Pettit II. With one feature win to his credit, Pettit trails by 10 points and is nine ahead of the surprising Anthony Copeland. These four are anticipated this weekend, and others to watch for include Jeff Decker, Robert Marsh, Brian Cass, rookie Anthony Giuliani and Raymond Keldsen Jr.
The Beardsley battle continues in the Four Banger division this week. Reigning champion Kate Beardsley and Nicole Beardsley haven't won yet this season, but they are letting consistency lead the way as both have seven Top 5 efforts. Kate leads Nicole by just one point, while 2017 champion Bill Beardsley is 31 points out in third. Rookie John Grilli has done well this year with two wins and is only four points behind Bill Beardsley in a close race for third. Ryan McClelland has a win and is just 10 points behind Beardsley.
Dakota Keldsen has had some bad luck throw him out of the championship chase, but he is still making things interesting with a pair of victories in a Lloyd Keldsen Jr Special. More recently, it was brother and past division champion DJ Keldsen winning in the #3 car. Dakota is certainly a threat to win this Friday night, and other racers to watch for include Tony Gullo, Jeff Finsand and Roy Iler.
Iler is one of the racers in the Police N Pursuit class, and he represents the San Benito Sheriff's Office. He's currently third in a close battle for second. California Highway Patrolman Justin Rhodes holds second, two points ahead of Iler and four ahead of Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Representative Steven Fernandes. With two victories, however, Scotts Valley Police Department competitor John Hohmann is the point leader. These four are anticipated this week in what is sure to be an exciting race. Others to watch for include Adam Rikalo, Tony Weir, Jessie Mueller and Cliff Sloma. Mueller and Sloma are also one-time winners this season.
Mark Biscardi is on a quest to collect his second South Bay Dwarf Car championship. He put himself in a good position by rattling off three consecutive wins to start the season. However, past South Bay and NorCal champion Shawn Jones returned to snap the win streak. Jones has won the last two races. Reigning champion Gene "Punky" Pires will be hoping to get back into the winner's circle this week as he, Ryan Amlen and Eric Weisler are very much in the battle. Other racers to watch for include Barry Waddell, Eddie Claesson and Trafton Chandler.
Sprint Cars will be busy for the rest of the month at Ocean Speedway as they also have the upcoming Howard Kaeding Classic on July 19th and 20th, which will feature a Taco Bravo vs Civil War Series event on the 19th and a King of the West/NARC Sprint Car event the following night. In the meantime, Friday's Taco Bravo Sprint Car race will be a nice warm up show for the coming big event. Add in IMCA Modifieds and the other classes, and this will be a great night of racing from start to finish. For further information, go to www.racepmg.com.
Ryland, Irwin, DePriest Win Fireworks Spectacular
At Merced Speedway
Merced, CA...June 6...Fred Ryland scored a thrilling victory in the 25 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event Saturday night at Merced Speedway. The point leader became the fourth different winner in five races. The night featured a thrilling Fireworks Display, and all of the fans who came to watch the show got in for free. This was made possible thanks to sponsorship from Margie Mejia
Because of his high point average, Ryland found himself having to start back in the sixth row, and Chris Falkenberg raced into the early lead. IMCA State point leader Guy Ahlwardt also made his way to the front. Eventually, Ryland raced past Ahlwardt and began to challenge Falkenberg. On the final lap, Ryland made his winning pass and scored the victory with Falkenberg settling for second. Ahlwardt finished third, followed by Kevin Johnson, KC Keller, Chase Thomas, Kelly Wilkinson, Todd Gomez, Jack Aguiar and Tony Peffer.
There were 25 competitors, and the four eight lap heat race wins went to reigning champion Jeremy Hoff, Falkenberg, Ahlwardt and Keller. Gomez won the first of two 12 lap B Mains ahead of Chase Thomas and Tony Peffer. Chuck Weir outran Tyler Thomas to win the second B Main with Aguilar making the transfer in third.
Bakersfield's Kevin Irwin won the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. Irwin shared the front row with championship contender Michael Shearer, and the two drivers battled at the front of the pack. Nicholas Johnson was soon in the mix and took second from Shearer. However, Irwin went on to score the victory ahead of Johnson, Shearer, Allen Neal, Raul Rodriguez Sr, Cody Smiley, Austin Van Hoff, point leader Shannon Nelson, Donnie Shearer and Race Shelton. The eight lap heat race wins went to Rodriguez, Johnson and Neal. Timmy Crews won the 10 lap B Main ahead of Kristie Shearer and Robbie Loquaci.
Shawn DePriest won his second 15 lap Mini Stock Main Event. Much like Irwin, DePriest took full advantage of a front row starting position and charged into the lead. Lucy Falkenberg came from the seventh starting position to second, but DePriest collected the winner's prize money which was donated in memory of Eddie Ragsdale. The father of championship hopeful Lee Ragsdale, Eddie Ragsdale passed away during the week. Lee Ragsdale managed to score a third place finish, followed by rookie Tyler Post, Jennifer Rodgers, Leonard Burnett, Jerry Tubbs, Austin Sprague, Leann Tatum and Gene Glover. Glover and Falkenberg won their respective eight lap heat races.
Point leader Timmy Crews scored his fourth California Sharp Mini Late Model Main Event win of the season. Championship contender Logan Clay raced into the lead from his front row starting position. Clay was looking for his first win of the season, but Crews made his way from the third row to take the lead. Crews sped to victory with Clay settling for second ahead of Carson Guthrie, Jeremiah Enriquez, Kennzzie Brown, Ian Shearer, Kaylin Lopez and Riley Jeppeson. Guthrie won the eight lap heat race.
Racing will return on July 20th with a special appearance by the Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series. Also competing will be the IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and California Sharp Mini Late Models. For further information, go to www.mercedspeedway.net.
Sanders, Stone, Pahule Win At Dixon Speedway
Dixon, CA...July 6...Rickey Sanders won the 25 lap Super 600 Micro Sprint Main Event Saturday night at Dixon Speedway. Sanders started back in the fourth position as polesitter Jessica McManus set the early pace ahead Ethan Lesser. Reigning champion Kyle Mentch held third until making a pass on Lesser for second on lap 10. Sanders made his charge in the latter stages of the race. He settled into the third position on lap 15 and took second from Mentch on lap 19. A lap later, Sanders charged past McManus and went on to score the victory. McManus settled for second. Mentch finished third, followed by Lesser, Cody Gray, Frank Camacho II, Todd Job, Mike Rich, Jason Chapman and Hayden Saitch.
Blaine Baxter was the quickest of 18 competitors in qualifying as he turned the 1/5 mile dirt oval with a lap of 10.297. Mentch was second quick at 10.387. Sanders and Gray won their respective eight lap heat races, and McManus won the six lap Trophy Dash.
Austin Stone won the 25 lap Wingless Micro Sprint Main Event. Stone had the pole for the race and would lead the entire distance in victory. Brandon Shaw had second for the first 12 laps, but he faded during the second half of the race as Chad Laughton took over the position. Laughton chased Stone the rest of the way to finish second. Austin Torgerson was a close third, followed by Randy Sims, Harlee Aguilera, point leader Blake McGourty, Brandon Shaw, Travis Sullivan, Ethan Lanfri and Justin Adiego.
There were 24 Wingless Micro Sprint competitors, and Stone set the quickest lap of 11.382, beating the 11.505 of Lanfri. The 10 lap heat race wins were earned by Laughton, Shaw and Aguilera. Stone won the eight lap Trophy Dash.
Jeffrey Pahule won another 20 lap Restricted Micro Sprint Main Event and increased his point lead in the process. Pahule and Devon Courtnier shared the front row of the race and ran first and second the entire distance. Brandon Rivera started sixth on the grid and had fourth by the third lap. Riveira made a lap 16 pass on Hailey Wood to grab the third place finish. Wood settled for fourth, followed by Bryant Bell, Austin Wood, Matthew Tatoole, Logan Penman, Sage Bordenave and Rylee Whitehouse. Courtnier set the quickest lap of 13 competitors with a 10.991. Bell and Austin Wood were the 10 lap heat race winners, and Pahule won the six lap Trophy Dash.
Makayla Tatoole won the 20 lap Junior Sprint Main Event. Tatoole led the entire distance. Hayden Stepps started fifth, moved into third on the fifth lap and took second from Brody Rubio on lap 14. Rubio settled for third, followed by Logan Taylor and Payton Whitehouse. Tatoole set the quickest lap of 13.467. Rubio won the 10 lap heat race and the four lap Trophy Dash.
Racing will continue on Saturday, July 20th with a full complement of Micro Sprint divisions. For further information, go to www.dixonspeedway.net.
Porterville Racers Entertain Alameda Fair-goers
With Figure 8 Racing
Pleasanton, CA...July 5-7...For the fifth straight year, the Rodeo Arena Figure 8 returned to the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. These races are held just before the Destruction Derby, and again a small, but dedicated group from Porterville made the trek up north to put on a show to the delight of the fans.
The Figure 8 competitors drive basic Four Cylinder race cars, often referred to as Four Bangers or Hornets, on a very small racing surface. The format calls for one Figure 8 per evening. The entries included Clinton Massey, Shawn Schwartzenberger, Paul Schwartzenberger, Kit Murphy, Andy Boydstun and Jeff Lloyd.
On Friday night, all six of the competitors were able to take the green flag, and Shawn Schwartzenberger managed to lead a lap before Massey went by in Turn 2 take over. Murphy settled into third. Working the 14th lap, Massey was hit in the X as Shawn Schwartzenberger gained the lead over Murphy. Massey recovered in third and took second from Murphy on lap 17. Murphy was caught up in a Turn 4 crash as Boydstun retired from the race. Shawn Schwartzenberger went on to win ahead of Massey, Murphy, Lloyd, Paul Schwartzenberger and Boydstun.
With Lloyd scratching for the rest of the weekend, there were five starters for the Saturday night race. Murphy led a lap before Massey went by with an inside pass in Turn 3. Shawn Schwartzenberger settled into third a lap later. Massey stalled in Turn 4 for for a couple of laps as Boydstun and Paul Schwartzenberger had a good race going for third. As they worked the 13th lap, contact between Shawn Schwartzenberger and Massey sent Massey spinning in the second turn. By then, Boydstun had taken over third. Shawn Schwartzenberger led the rest of the way with Massey still a lead lap second ahead of Boydstun, Paul Schwartzenberger and Murphy.
On Sunday, the guys turned over their cars to the ladies for a special 20 lap race, won by Mary Massey. Driver changes were made on the track for the final race of the weekend. Clinton Massey led early ahead of Andy Boydstun. Boydstun moved into the lead on lap five. Massey was still holding on to second until he lost control of his car and hit the wall on lap eight. Boydstun led Shawn Schwartzenberger at that point. Boydstun would lead the rest of the way to win the finale, followed by Shawn Schwartzenberger, Kit Murphy, Massey and Paul Schwartzenberger.
The Arena Figure 8 proved to be very popular with the capacity crowd once again. All of the competitors had fun, and they look forward to the opportunity to do this again in 2020.
Central Valley Mini Stocks Set To Invade Madera Speedway
Madera, CA...The Central Valley Mini Stocks have a special event planned for this Saturday night. The series, which is sponsored by House of JuJu in Clovis and Morro Bay, will be invading the pavement at Madera Speedway this Saturday night. It offers the racers a different challenge than they get at the dirt tracks in Lemoore and Hanford, where they usually compete.
The House of JuJu Mini Stock Series drivers are competing for $5,000 in championship point fund money, which will be distributed among the Top 10 competitors. This makes it the highest paying Mini Stock Series in the state of California. So far, the group has competed in Hanford three times and Lemoore once, losing another scheduled date at Lemoore due to rain.
The past two events have taken place at Hanford with fields in excess of 20 cars in attendance. Victories have gone to series point leader Dan Myrick and Jason Cook, who has picked up two wins this year so far. It's not too much of a surprise to see Myrick leading the standings by 50 points ahead of Darren Wilson. Wilson picked up an impressive victory in the season opener at Lemoore.
Wilson finds himself in a closer battle for second in the standings as he leads Clinton Massey by nine points. Massey competes at several different tracks during the course of the year and is known as one of the top racers in the Central Valley. He is holding down third by 22 points ahead of Jeff Durant. Gene Glover holds fifth in the standings, nine points behind Durant.
At one time within the last 10 years, Madera tried unsuccessfully to create a Four Banger division with a rules package similar to that used by the Central Valley Mini Stocks. This race here is an opportunity for the drivers to show what these cars can do on a paved oval. It's sure to be a great race. A field of anywhere from a dozen to 20 competitors is anticipated for this event, which is the only Central Valley Mini Stock show for the month of July. For further information, go to www.centralvalleyministocks.com.
Golobic, Jones Win Salute To Leroy Van Conett
At Stockton Dirt Track
Stockton, CA...July 6...Shane Golobic won the 30 lap Salute To Leroy Van Conett Winged 360 Sprint Car race Saturday night at the Stockton Dirt Track. This was his second win on the Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour, which is presented by Abreu Vineyards. Golobic drives the Matt Wood Racing Sprint Car, and he also picked up a win on the 4th of July for the team at Placerville Speedway.
Golobic set himself up in a good position by outrunning Tim Kaeding to win the four lap Trophy Dash. This put Golobic on the pole for the feature race, and he proceeded to lead all 30 laps for the victory. Tony Gualda was back after a hard crash at Placerville two nights earlier and ran second for a lap before being overtaken by Tim Kaeding. Kaeding held second until being overtaken by Cole Macedo on lap 13. Macedo took up pursuit of Golobic during the second half of the race. However, Golobic would prevail. Kaeding settled for third, followed by Sean Becker, Gualda, Kyle Offill, point leader Kyle Hirst, Alec Justeson, Zane Blanchard and Colby Copeland.
Golobic was the quickest of 15 qualifiers with a lap of 13.707, beating the 13.973 of Kaeding. The first 10 lap heat race win went to Copeland ahead of Kaeding. Gualda outran Macedo to win the other heat race.
Shawn Jones won the 25 lap Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event. Jones is the reigning series champion. Scott Chapetta led the first four laps of the race with Jones an early second. Jones made his move past Chapetta for the lead on lap five with championship contender Jake Morgan following into second. During the final 20 laps, Jones continued to stretch his advantage to about half a lap ahead of Morgan by the time the checkered flag waved. Cody Findley settled for third, followed by Matt Stewart, three-time series champion Terry Schank Jr, Boy Moniz, Troy Degaton, Chapetta, Cody Spencer and Tim Sherman Jr
Jones was the quickest of 16 qualifiers with a lap of 16.998, beating the 17.089 of Schank. The first eight lap heat race win went to Chapetta in a good battle with Jones. Josh Young won another close race with Spencer to win the second heat race.
Racing continues this Saturday night with the third event of the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series. Also competing will be the B Modifieds, Bombers and Basically Four Cylinders. For further information, go to www.stocktondirttrack.com.
Santa Maria Raceway Unofficial Race Results July , 2019
Race #6 - Doug Fort Memorial
CRA/USAC Sprint Cars
Results are not official
1 #91R Brody Roa
2 #5X Tommy Malcom
4 #92 Austin Williams
5 #8M TJ Smith
6 #98 Verne Sweeney
7 #44 Cody Williams
8 #4 Damion Gardner
9 #28M Matt McCarthy
10 #57 Steve Hix
11 #12B Joel Rayborne
12 #51 Austin Ervine
13 #4G Chris Gansen
14 #8 Danny Faria Jr
15 #0K Kenny Perkins
16 #83 Austin Liggett
17 #5J James Herrera
18 #51T Eddie Tafoya
IMCA Modifieds
Dylan Thornton
Cody Burke
Austin Burke
Clay Daly
Andy Obertello
Trevor Fitzgibbon
Anthony Giuliani
Jeff Elrod
Bill Wilker
Justin Dunn
Chris Crompe DNS
Dwarf Cars
Nick Velasquez
Tommy Velasquez
Joe Barkett
Jessica Swanson
Brandon Wylie
Jeff Brink
Thomas Velasquez
Brian Barnhill
Mitch Caldwell
Kobe Kerns
Korey Cowan DNS
Mini Stocks
Levi Burgett
Butch Headrick
Bill Barnhill
David Kavanagh
Megan Burgett
Justin Gangolff
Zach Chavez
Chris McElreath
Jarod Pack
Ally Thornton
Ventura Raceway Unofficial Race Results July 6, 2019
POWRi California Lightning Sprints
Jarrett Kramer
Doug Nunes
A. J. Bender
Aiden Lange
Eric Greco
Cody Nigh
Bruce Douglass
Gage Cheek
Dominic Del Monte
Jason Arnolde
Bobby Michnowicz
James Heling
Jonathon Conley
Pat Kelley
Greg Sandling
Jeff Dyer
Wink Schweitzer
Jon Robertson
VRA Sprint Cars
Jeff Fillingame
Rick Hendrix
Chris Meredith
Wally Pankratz
Brent Owens
Gage Rucker
Mike Cook
Mike English
Mark Sheppard
Geoffrey Strole
WMR Midgets
David Prickett
Brody Fuson
Randi Pankratz
Keoni Texeira
Tim Foy
Tres Van Dyne
Blake Hendricks
Brennan Rogers
Tyler Slay
VRA Hobby Stocks
Results are not official
1 #31 Alyssa Smith
2 #17 Ryan Changus
3 #16 Tom Stephens Jr
4 #6 Mike Stanford
5 #11 Ricky Lewis
Dixon Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 6, 2019
Super 600 Micros
Rickey Sanders
Jessica McManus
Kyle Mentch
Ethan Lesser
Cody Gray
Frank Camacho II
Todd Job
Mike Rich
Jason Chapman
Hayden Saich
Anthony Lewis
Jackie Whiteson Jr
Michael Torres
Blaine Baxter DQ
Lee Brewer DNS
Blake Bower DNS
Christian Harris DNS
Steve Kaiser DNS
Wingless Micros
Austin Stone
Chad Laughton
Austin Torgerson
Randy Sims
Harlee Aguilera
Blake McGourty
Brandon Shaw
Travis Sullivan
Eathan Lanfri
Justin Adiego
Taylor DeCarlo
Norman Harley Rose
Kyle Grissom
Matt Santana
Derrick Patterson
Tucker LaCaze
Ashton Torgerson
Jeremy Chapman
Louie Laspina
Chuck Patterson
Isak Johnson
Matthew Kaiser
Restricted
Jeffrey Pahule
Devon Courtnier
Brandon Riveira
Hailey Wood
Bryant Bell
Austin Wood
Matthew Tatoole
Logan Penman
Sage Bordenave
Rylee Whitehouse
Ashton Torgerson
David Camacho
Austin Taborski
Jr Sprints
Makayla Tatoole
Hayden Stepps
Brody Rubio
Logan Taylor
Peyton Whitehouse
Madera Raceway Unofficial Race Results July 6, 2019
Late Models
Austin Herzog
Tyler Herzog
Matt Erickson
Joey Iest
Elliott Stjerne
Jay Juleson
Trevor Schlundt
Mike Shapiro
Del McIntosh
Eloy Bazan
Loren Kutz
Matt Kutz
Kent Cam
Henk Gaalswyk Jr
Jeff Mead
Jeremy Davis
Shelden Cooper
Greg Lowhorn
Aaron Mullins
Will Martyn
Nathan Casillas DNS
MST's
Kyle Labrie
Patrick Geiger
Shaun Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
Bert Stephens
Dennis Brannon
Toyota Sedans
Jason Lawton
Kurt Davidson Jr
Andrew Parr
Hobby Stocks
Steve Schermerhorn
Manny Gonzales Jr
Stockton Dirt Track Unofficial Race Results July 6, 2019
Salute To LeRoy Van Conett
Elk Grove Ford Sprint Car Challenge Tour Presented By Abreu Vineyards
Shane Golobic
Cole Macedo
Tim Kaeding
Sean Becker
Tony Gualda
Kyle Offill
Kyle Hirst
Alec Justeson
Zane Blanchard
Colby Copeland
Geoff Ensign
Chelsea Blevins
Bret Barney
Chris Masters
Dustin Freitas
Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series
Shawn Jones
Jake Morgan
Cody Fendley
Matt Stewart
Terry Schank Jr
Boy Moniz
Troy DeGaton
Scott Chapeta
Cody Spencer
Tim Sherman Jr
Angelique Bell
Tony Bernard
Ryon Siverling
Alan Miranda
Scott Clough
Stockton 99 Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 3, 2019
Ron Strmiska Memorial
Late Models
Justin Philpott
Guy Guibor
Eric Nasimento Jr
Gary Shafer Jr
Arron Shankle
Kyle Gottula
Larry Tankersley
Justin Lovelace
Ross Strmiska
Tim Spurgeon
Brandon Jones
Johny Cardoza Jr
Blaine Rocha
Dominic Lopez
Ty Carlson
John Moore
Greg Potts
Carl Pierce
B Main
Carl Pierce
Johny Cardoza Jr
Roberto Magania
Dennis Byers
Anthony Wellborn
Danny DeVore
John Perras
Kimberly Rouse
Steve Cabral
Josh Smiley
Bombers
Harrison Stone
Ben Lewis II
Justin Scantlin
Kyle Singleton
Robert Oliver
Rodney Oliver
AJ Ryder
Joey Stearns
Dave Anderson
Brandon Diede
Perry Reeder
Joey Serifan
Troy Walz
Mikala Stearns
Jeana Ramos
Bobby Simpson Jr
Rodney Tripp
Dave Deni
Barrett Sugden
Darren Addler
Allen Ryder
Basically 4 Cylinders
Joe Flowers
Josh Cross
Dave Kong
Andy Rumsey
Garland Powell
Dave Locke
Bryon Bishop
Matt Richardson
Frank Brown
Jeffery Harris
Cathy Bishop
Josh Brown
AJ Flowers
Bill Bryan
Ethan Rumsey
Andrea Rumsey
Mini Cups
Wyatt Sansom
Aiden Phillips
Coupe Allen
Rebecca Dubie
Evan Laires
Molly Laires
Nicholas Lenord
Merced Speedway Unofficial Race Results July 6, 2019
Firework Spectacular Free Grandstands
IMCA Sport Modifieds
Fred Ryland
Chris Falkenberg
Guy Ahlwardt
Kevin Johnson
KC Keller
Chase Thomas
Kelly Wilkinson
Todd Gomez
Jack Aguiar
Tony Peffer
Patti Ryland
Nick Tucker
Mark Squadrito
Tyler Thomas
Kodie Dean
Chuck Weir
Tim Elias
Jeremy Hoff
B Main
Todd Gomez
Chase Thomas
Tony Peffer
Tim Ragsdale
Haley Gomez
Marisa Odgers
Frank Cefaliello Jr
Jakob Ebersole DNS
B Main
Chuck Weir
Tyler Thomas
Jack Aguiar
Dwayne Short
Tanner Thomas
Tony Hornyack
Hobby Stocks
A Main
Kevin Irwin
Nicholas Johnson
Michael Shearer
Allen Neal
Raul Rodriguez Sr
Cody Smiley
Austin Van Hoff
Shannon Nelson
Donnie Shearer
Race Shelton
Josh Hensley
Timmy Crews
Jeff Lacy
Kristie Shearer
Dexter Long
Craig Tatum
Tyler Guzman
B Main
Timmy Crews
Kristie Shearer
Robbie Loquaci
Jacob Owens
Stephen Johnson
California Sharp Mini Late Models
Timmy Crews
Logan Clay
Carson Guthrie
Jeremiah Enriquez
Kennzzie Brown
Ian Shearer
Kaylin Lopez
Riley Jeppesen
Mini Stocks
Shawn DePriest
Lucy Falkenberg
Lee Ragsdale
Tyler Post
Jennifer Rodgers
Leonard Burnett
Jerry Tubbs
Austin Sprague
Leann Tatum
Gene Glover
Shayla Gould
The Editor's Viewpoint
I'm sitting up in the R Charles Snyder Memorial Press Box on a Friday afternoon before I will be announcing the races at the little track. Obviously, there have been some interesting developments happening in the sport over the past couple of days. Fourth of July weekend means more racing and lots of Fireworks Display events. To my knowledge, there were at least six races happening on the 4th of July on the West Coast. Probably more than that.
In Yreka, it looks like they ended up having a really nice show on Thursday. Kevin Barba was fine-tuning everything until the last minute. It wasn't just about the racing they were going to have, but also a Fireworks Display and a live band. There were plenty of details to be worked out. Kevin has been scrambling to fine-tune his schedule and get the most out of each date. I think as he understands more, it is causing him to look at different things.
It looks like the Dwarf Car event they thought they might have on July 8th with the Winged 360 Sprint Car Speedweek show isn't happening. The Dwarf Cars didn't even have it on their schedule as they were thinking they would be at the track on July 13th. The Dwarf Car group contacted Southern Oregon Speedway about a month or so ago to see if they might be able to get a date there. Originally, the speedway wanted them, but they ended up going in another direction and booking the Calculated Comfort Outlaw Pro Stocks to headline the July 13th event there.
Interestingly enough, Barba put the word out to the Pro Stock association that they could be added to the Monday Sprint Car show if they delivered a minimum of six drivers. The association put that out to the membership. It would be a non point event, but it was an opportunity for the racers to get more track time. Barba is keenly interested in putting as many vehicles on the track as he can. As I've been saying, it helps for the back gate and it also entices fans to come watch when they know they're seeing more cars.
The 4th of July show was a laid-back affair. Because you do have live music and fireworks, the racing itself doesn't carry the entire load. What you do want is a good enough race to keep the fans entertained before the curtain comes down with the big Fireworks Display. For the first time this year, they had a double-digit local driver turnout in the IMCA Sport Modifieds with 13 total competitors, 10 Mini Stocks and the four Jefferson State Jalopies. The Jalopies can be plugged in just about anywhere as JJ Smith and Karl Bernstein are keenly interested in racing.
The Mini Stock division has been interesting because new drivers are emerging at the front of the pack. The point racing is close, and you never know who might win on any given week. The Mini Stocks would not just be running on the 4th but the 8th as well. 2015 champion and reigning Medford champion David Steele returned and picked up his third win of the season there. Steele enjoys racing at the Yreka track and he was chased across the line by another new front-runner, Kassidy Wilkinson. Even fellow Medford racer Kristopher Mix enjoyed some good results with a Trophy Dash win and a third in the feature.
However, Merissa Henson was the driver of the hour. This young lady has blossomed into quite a racer, and she is an excellent ambassador for the sport. Furthermore, she's only 17 years old. Merissa has competed in Outlaw Karts for several years, and she was a frontrunner in both Mini Stocks and Sprint Cars in Medford. The Sprint Car has been sold, and Henson got an opportunity many racers dream of. Donny Bottoms offered her the seat in his championship-winning car. Racers love to go racing on somebody else's budget when possible, and everything about this combination is a winner.
Bottoms, who is a past champion at the speedway himself, wrapped the car in Henson's colors and #17m. She won a Main Event a few weeks back, but she really stole the show this time around by coming from the fourth row to get the win over championship contender Ryder Boswell. It was a popular victory for Henson, and it rounded out a good night for the speedway. Obviously, as I write this, Barba is working on last minute details and preparations for the big Sprint Car show, and I'm hearing that he is attempting to add Sport Modifieds at the last minute.
Southern Oregon Speedway is entering into a doubleheader weekend as I write this column. The little track has had to adjust for the fact that Outlaw Kart numbers are down. The speedway wishes to continue the program, but because of lack of support, the 500 Open Class has been dropped for the remainder of the season. Personally, I have mixed feelings about this as I liked having the open door policy for these racers to come on any given week. It's already known that they do not get a purse until they put four Karts on the track for the Main Event, so having those Karts show up and race didn't hurt. On the other hand, if the racers want it bad enough, they can get together as a group and approach management for a race or two before the season is over. I've done what I can, and I see it as the ball being in their court.
The youngest kids in the Kart program are secure as the track continues to nurture the Beginners, Box Stock and 250 Kart classes. This continues to be the case, but the two-wheel and three-wheel classes in addition to Quads have helped give new life to the 1/8 mile dirt oval. What I am noticing about the group of Kart racers still supporting the show is that they want to be there and aren't interested in traveling miles down the road when they have a track in their own backyard. Also, the Bike, Trike and Quad classes have racers who want to compete so badly that they're willing to travel from out of the state to be here. This is all good for the track, and it's showing the potential for something big in 2020.
Speaking of big, the Late Models are gathering momentum, and something huge may be on the horizon for the class at Southern Oregon Speedway. Last time out, there were 16 competitors. As I write this, word is there will be at least a couple of top name drivers from out of town coming to do battle. We're already seeing a couple of drivers coming down from Northern Oregon to be a part of this show. To think, there was no Late Model class at the speedway in 2015, and now everybody wants to be a part of this show. Mike McCann had the vision, and it seems to be coming to fruition.
Likewise, the speedway did not have a regular Sprint Car show in 2015, and this division continues to grow. What is interesting is that drivers have seen the expenses in the 500 Open Kart class rise to such an extent that they are parking those vehicles and going racing in a Sprint Car. The budget, from what I'm hearing, isn't all that much different. Also, many of the Sprint Car racers are younger, which bodes well for the future as the track establishes this class.
Though it's nice be to see the progress happening at Southern Oregon Speedway in the fourth year under Mike McCann as promoter, I'm always looking at the roadblocks and speed bumps in the way. I have found that it's better to start looking at worst case scenario situations so that you're prepared. People are for the most part supportive of what's going on as they see that even though there was resistance in the beginning, it's not really so bad. Management tries to run a drama-free program with consistency, and drivers know what to expect when they race.
I know the big thing I'm hearing in the back ground is people who are pushing for a Street Stock division. I've sort of given up on that idea at Southern Oregon Speedway, not because I don't want that, but rather because I don't see this as something that Mike will sign off on. He's more likely to book a big Street Stock event of some sort in 2020, but less likely to start a class of his own. As the IMCA Sport Modified division is blossoming and the IMCA Modifieds are doing well, not to mention the good turnout in the Dwarf Cars and continued support in the other Four Cylinder classes, things seem to be okay. There's always room to fine-tune the schedule in 2020, but things are okay.
I repeat my observations from last week in regards to the Hobby Stock/Street Stock division. Yreka is the place to pursue something of that nature. Kevin Barba needs a class, and while I think he should also take the IMCA Modified division and do a little more with a guaranteed purse, I think there's still something that can be done with Hobby Stocks. Or, if he really wants to roll the dice, IMCA Stock Cars may be the way to do that. That will just be something to keep an eye on in the future as I've heard no word that anything is happening in that area in Yreka. Kevin, like I said, is fine-tuning the schedule this year to get the most out of each of the scheduled dates.
Getting back to the Fourth of July theme, Antioch Speedway is racing on Saturday night. Up until a year or two ago, John Soares had removed the holiday races, which included Labor Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July. His reasoning was that numbers went down in the stands and pits as people went on vacation. Because he's trying to make rent and get the most out of the track, he has relented and started racing on these weekends. I can't say I blame him for doing what he needs to do, but I still wish there would be some cooperation between promoters so that people could get the most out of what they book. Antioch has a tendency to lose out on these deals more than they win lately.
As for the Fourth of July, the track put its best foot forward. Larry Adams and I have been communicating since almost a year ago about the possibility of Antioch Speedway being a part of the parade. The idea kind of morphed from Adams proposing an Antioch Speedway parade from City Hall to the race track. It ended up being Antioch Speedway returning as part of the Antioch Fourth of July Parade. The speedway used to be represented until the Wild Irishman got a little bit too wild, causing the track to be disinvited. This is something Larry found out in his discussions, and they put certain stipulations on the track being a part of the deal again.
Once John heard that Larry had success, he did what he always does in these situations. He upped the ante. John paid for ten entries into the car show at the fairgrounds, and from the looks of it, there were at least four competitors who left the show with trophies. More importantly, several kids got to sit in race cars and get their pictures taken. Racers brought candy and other goodies that were handed out along the parade route and also at the car show.
Exposure is the name of the game. Back in the day, we accomplished this with posters in business windows and by getting good coverage in the newspapers. In my opinion, these two things are still a part of that, but you need to use everything at your disposal. Antioch has a more active social media presence, which I am currently overseeing. Having the track be a part of the parade and car show only served to let people know that there is a race track.
Those of us who go to a Speedway, whether it's in Antioch, Yreka, Merced or what have you, know that there's a race track. We assume everybody should know, but they don't. You would be surprised at how unaware people are of a track, and further surprised to realize that some of the people who don't know will come to a race. As we fight declining attendance numbers, we need to work on race track awareness. This is a constant battle. It really never ends as there are people who don't know there is a race track.
One of the easiest solutions is giving away free tickets. Some promoters grimace at the idea of giving away anything, but they shouldn't. If you have 1,500 empty seats in your grandstands, and usually there's more than that, what does it hurt to give tickets away to fill some of those seats? Many of those people will go to your concession stands and souvenir booth and give you money there. If they like the show you gave them, they'll pay for a ticket next time. I know Kevin Barba in Yreka has used the free ticket idea. Rick Faeth at Petaluma Speedway has another way of doing it.
What Rick does is gives tickets to some of the businesses who sponsor the track, including McLea's Tire Service. They sell those tickets at a reduced rate. So, if a fan goes to that business and buys their ticket, rather than the track, they get in cheaper. Rick is constantly trying different things like this. Judging from the pictures I see of the grandstands there, it works. The point is, you create race track awareness and continue to do things to get people in the stands.
Getting back to Antioch Speedway, I think everybody involved in that parade should feel good about themselves and what they have done. They made a difference. Larry Adams deserves praise for initiating this move. Believe me, there are more ideas going through his mind that will help that race track if given a chance. I also give John credit for taking the idea and making it even bigger by entering several racers into the car show. Rick Panfili, Mike Salazar, Angela Brown and Chester Kniss all won awards at the car show. Panfili actually won two. By all accounts, it was a good day for Antioch Speedway, and they're already working on plans to make it better next year.
Another track seizing on the opportunity to gain more exposure for the Fourth of July weekend is Merced Speedway. It was the late Chuck Griffin who first introduced the idea of free admission into the grandstands to watch races and fireworks. The early part of the 2000s saw Griffin securing sponsorship to make it happen. The concept went away for a few years, but it returned when Ed Parker became promoter. S&S Motorsports has continued this tradition this year. I was wondering who came in and sponsored this deal this year as I saw no mention. This is because the person doing it is more about trying to help that track than taking credit for herself. So, I just wanted to mention and give a little appreciation to Margie Mejia, who continues to go above and beyond to support racing at Merced Speedway in many different ways.
What makes it interesting is Merced Speedway often gets a good turnout on Fireworks Night, and this has been the case for many years. However, a free admission into the stands gives people more incentive to come to the track to watch the races and potentially get hooked. As mentioned, you may let them come in and watch for free, but often times they are going to buy concessions and souvenirs. If they enjoy what they see, which is likely to be the case for some, they come back next time and pay to get in. Again, this comes down to the fact that you have empty seats in the grandstands that nobody's paying for, so if you fill some of them for free, you have a chance to make money off of them in other ways. It's good promoting.
We're coming up on the Alameda County Fair Arena Figure 8 as I write this. This is a small Figure 8. You are probably talking track size that's not even as big as the infield of a track like Antioch Speedway, and they have put as many as eight Hornet race cars on their track for 20 laps of Figure 8 insanity. This is a three-day event that started at the 2015 Alameda County Fair and has continued every year since, even with new promoters handling the show.
Moondog Motorsports, much like Sunnyside Promotions before them, is a Destruction Derby promoter, but they also look into other attractions to enhance the already popular derbies. If you look at crowd reaction, this little Figure 8 has gone over very well. There is no actual race track at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, but this makeshift arena track serves the purpose. In this case, most of the competitors have been coming up from Porterville thanks to incentives. They are paid to come participate and allowed access to the fair. The only thing they actually win on race night is trophies.
By my way of thinking, there are other fairs that should entertain a little race like this. When you go to big fairgrounds tracks such as Antioch, Merced and others, you already have a regular racing program. But, there are those fairgrounds that don't have an actual auto racing program, such as Los Banos, Woodland, Sonora, Turlock, San Jose, Chowchilla and you get the picture. Most of these places have a Derby during the fair, and an Arena 8 would be just the ticket to make it that much more fun. Perhaps it's time for an enterprising Mini Stock enthusiast or somebody promoting the Derby at multiple venues to look into expanding this beyond Alameda.
I have a working idea in my mind that is likely to never come to fruition. I'm going to keep bouncing the thought process around in my head. My dream would be to see a second venue in Contra Costa County, which is where I come from. I think you need to look at certain regulations and ordinances to see what is possible, but I'm struck by something that was tried in Sacramento when the car racing program began to take shape in the 1990s at the oval track next to the drag strip. To get around regulations through a loophole, they called the track a Stadium Oval. It was still basically a Stock Car program. Wording sometimes can make a big difference in legalese.
One place I would look at would be Martinez, possibly on the dump property as was being explored by Pat Bisio some 20 years ago. Another possibility would be Brentwood, though it's not as centrally located in the county as I would like. My concept would be to have a property with a track that could ultimately be 1/5 mile and have enough space to park a modest field of competitors, such as 60 or so. Maybe space could be compared to what they have in Newman at Hills Ferry Raceway? It's not a place that would run huge Stock Car racing events, but a humble venue that could have a Big Show of 60 cars and a good attendance at 800 or so fans. We're talking small venue here, but intimate enough that if there is big support one night, it really looks like a happening.
I am stuck on the idea of doing something with Hornets, and starting with a track that might just be 1/8 of a mile, such as Delta Speedway was back when the Mini Stocks ran there in the 1990s. This would include an oval with a Figure 8. Other competitive vehicles would include Karts of varying types, Micros, Quads, Flat Track Bikes and Trikes. Not exclusionary, but inclusionary. Dwarf Cars, Mini Late Models and things of that nature might be considered, but nothing too big.
I want a Hornet show to be featured there so many times a year that would have both oval and 8 racing. Possibly even a Four Cylinder Destruction Derby, and my mind is brainstorming the possibilities. This is the beginning of an idea, and I will be bouncing the idea back to a friend who knows some of the ins and outs of dealing with city officials. The thought I have right now is basically, could this be possible? I'm not talking about having the money to do anything, but if the money were there, could this be possible? Could we put a new venue into Contra Costa County somewhere?
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Bear in mind, I understand the odds are long that something like this would ever happen. Secondly, when I say I want to put a track there, I don't want people misunderstanding me. In no way, shape or form would I even consider doing something that would ultimately harm Antioch Speedway. As Antioch Speedway is the Saturday night venue, I would not be starting something that ran racing on Saturday nights. Therefore, Friday nights or Sunday afternoons would be the chosen dates for anything with cars so as not to compete with the bigger track. I like the idea of Friday, and there's a reason for that.
When Delta Speedway was alive and booming with their Mini Sprint, Mini Stock and Dwarf Car program, there were many racers who ran Late Models at Stockton 99 Speedway or other divisions there who had a car that they ran for fun at the little track. I believe there would be people who would want to do this. If you did it with Karts, or Hornets, which is my primary goal. You would have racers building Hornets for the specific purpose of wanting to race a fun, not too intense style. I know there are a few Figure 8 enthusiasts who might scoff at the size of the track, but I'm willing to bet that wouldn't stop them from building cars.
Understand, there are lots of hurdles that would present themselves if I ever were to begin to attempt this. The first idea I want to know is, can this happen. I mean, legally, can this happen? Then, you start figuring out the things you would need to do to make the basic facility a reality. Would such a thing ever come to fruition? I know it's unlikely, but I'm curious. Having watched what they do with the Farmer 500 Arena Race at Salinas and the Alameda Arena Figure 8, I'm just enamored with this concept. There are reasons I think it would be possible to slip this past the naysayers.
One final point in an already long column still concerns Antioch Speedway. Having consulted with several people, we are about ready to release a list of 12 inductees into the 2019 Antioch Speedway Hall of Fame. This has been a process that's taken about a month, but I think we've come up with a good list. Next up will be the announcement and securing the awards, which I will personally see to one way or the other. We will make sure the people inducted or their family members know when and where, because I want to do everything I can to make sure there's 100% representation for all who are being inducted.
I don't know yet if I'm going to be there. The next goal is announcing the inductees and making sure the awards will be there for the date, which will be October 5th at the Donna Soares Memorial race. I chose that date ultimately because John Myers will be in town and would be able to handle MC duties if I don't make it. Or, he will co-host with me as he knows about these great racers from the past as well. One way or the other, we're having a Hall of Fame at Antioch Speedway. This will be fine-tuned and improved in the future so that I won't be the main instigator in making it happen.
As is always the case when you induct people into a Hall of Fame, there will be critics wondering why this person or that person didn't get in. Believe me, I understand it. I look at Hall of Fame's and ask the same question. What were they thinking? This person got in before that person did? Give me a break. The thing about the Hall of Fame at Antioch Speedway is it will be a yearly thing if the community embraces it and keeps it alive, and there are well over 100 people who deserve to be inducted. That's without me thinking too hard on the subject.
I can sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and in a matter of minutes have 100 names on the list in all aspects, driver, car owner, official, sponsor and what have you. Every single one of those names deserves to be in the Hall of Fame eventually, and it just so happens that the class that gets announced this year are the ones getting in now. We are talking about the history and tradition of a great racing institution that goes back 59 seasons. We want to continue to create awareness of the legacy and history of this track, and Hall of Fame Night is another way to achieve that.
Racing season ends at Southern Oregon Speedway on September 14th. Ideally, my intentions are to get on a train to Antioch on September 16th or 17th, once I have the funds secured to get on a train and I'm sure that I have a place to stay. I would then be in Antioch from the Chet Thompson Memorial race on September 21st, which isn't long after my birthday, and I would remain in Antioch through the big $12,000 to win A Modified race on October 12th. Those are the plans.
So basically, I will be announcing a list of inductees sometime within the next week, coming up with the price tag on the awards and ordering them and then making my reservations. There won't be much time for me to rest once the season gets done here, but I am excited about coming back home to make sure this happens. But whether I make it down there or not, Antioch Speedway will have a Hall of Fame induction ceremony this year, and efforts will be made to build the infrastructure that will continue this tradition for years to come.
I could let this column stand as it was written on Friday, but I won't. There won't be a Viewpoint column on the Jefferson blog this week as I finish up my thought process here.
For the first time since the season started at Southern Oregon Speedway, the night ended with me feeling pretty darn good about the way things went. Granted, this was not a big car count night. We had 50 total competitors, which did include 16 Late Models. Something's happening with this division, which didn't even exist at the track in 2015, as I explained above. But the lower car count situation and fan turn out still afforded us an opportunity to get our house in order.
I'm going to be vague here, though you're likely to read more in-depth thoughts on some of these matters in my upcoming book. I feel like we made progress in areas that should help the program flow, but until you have one of those bigger car count nights, you never really know. Granted, you can have everything in order, and then something still gets away from you and the night goes longer. Every track deals with these types of situations. It's the kind of thing that prevents me from feeling good about nights that I probably should feel good about.
The track has made progress in a couple of areas that have been slowing the program down, and track prep guru Jim Rodgers scored a victory in his battle with track conditions. The situation regarding the poor clay that we were given a couple of years ago will make it so that Jim will be fighting this battle for the remainder of the season. But I feel we had a good track two weeks ago, and last week was even better.
It was a really hooked up race track. the fans saw a good show, people seemed to have a good time and we ended before 10. Those are all positives in my book. Those are all things that we strive for every week. After filing off a story to the local media outlets and enjoying an adult beverage or two, it was back to work for me. Last week was last week. I think this week should go smoothly, but there are definitely challenges to be faced in making it that way.
In Yreka, Kevin had his Sprint Car show on Monday. Results weren't made available as I'm writing this for the two local classes, but they pulled in 21 Sprint Cars. It looks like they got a good attendance and the fans saw a good race from all reports. Kevin had to be feeling pretty good about himself. I'm not sure how the local Mini Stock count went, but they pulled in eight Sport Modifieds for a non point race. This was a nice one to go into the one-week break with.
I find it curious that the Sport Modified racers are all bitching and complaining about the driver who won his first career Main Event. They say he's illegal and want to know how the driver makes it through tech. Traditionally, race tracks don't usually tech more than the Top 3 or 4 drivers at the end of the night, and this driver hasn't been finishing there. I find it laughable that people complaining about this driver don't even race with him as they run at other tracks. It's this simple. If you feel strongly about it, take your car to Yreka and at the end of the night, file a protest.
It's amusing to me that there seems to be some racers who aren't happy unless they have to go through a lengthy tech process every week. What happened to going out there and racing and having fun? I do believe in tech at the end of the night. You do need to keep the racers honest. But if you believe every driver out there in the pits is 100% legal, I've got ocean front property to sell you in Arizona. A guy gets his first win in four years, and people who have won 20 times as many races as he has are complaining about him cheating. I wonder if they've looked in the mirror lately?
I get the idea of having rules enforced. I like the idea of having rules that keep a division competitive and affordable. I strive for such things as it's the little guy that's going to keep your show alive. Generally speaking, you have a few people who are willing or able to spend a bunch of money on their cars, but it's a little guy that makes your field big. Run them off because they feel they can't compete, and the division has a way of dying on you. This has been witnessed and repeated many times through the years.
The Pro Stock group has a challenge on their hands, in my opinion. The Nevada and Oregon groups are trying to unite all of the groups that call themselves Pro Stocks, but it seems that a few of the California divisions are going to be deemed illegal for this effort. I'm beginning to wonder if the effort being undertaken by the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series is a little bit bigger than even they can handle.
Granted, I like the idea. I think they've done well so far, and I think there's a future in what they're doing. I was told there were Antioch racers willing to go to Stockton, which isn't that far. You might have seen three or four of those drivers show up Saturday, but they've been told to stay home because they are not legal.
What's interesting about Antioch is a Limited Late Model is not a Late Model in Antioch Speedway's eyes. That is to say the drivers competing in Limited Late Models would get lapped a few times in a non-stop race against the Late Models that run there. There are Late Models in that field that happen to run with the Street Stock effort at Marysville and Chico. There are Pure Stocks that run in Placerville that are bumped up to Limited Late Models at Antioch. The rules have gotten out of hand, because tracks make rules in a way that keep the drivers pinned to their place. This is what created the situation that the Nevada and Oregon drivers are trying to address.
I hear the Bakersfield drivers are on board with this too, but I'm curious about that as I believe those drivers could come to Antioch and beat the racers who aren't legal to run at Stockton. And the driver leading the Pro Stock Series right now could certainly win at Antioch against cars that aren't illegal. The guy in second has won races in Antioch against The Limited Late Models. Bear in mind, these are my observations.
I like the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge idea, and I agree if they feel these cars are illegal, they shouldn't let them come. I just hate the fact that the gate to Stockton is being closed to some of the racers who are the closest to that track. That's not a recipe for success. So, unless the drivers are willing to tow from a long ways away, I have trouble believing they'll have more than a dozen cars. Then again, a dozen cars is more than Stockton had otherwise, and a dozen cars would certainly help the program that they have booked for this weekend as none of the classes scheduled may have a huge car count. Make no mistake, I wish them success, and I'm pulling for a big car count to show up.
The Arena Figure 8 went well by all accounts. Six drivers made the trek from Porterville to Alameda for the fifth annual event. They were there to open the show for the Destruction Derby on each of the three nights, and judging from the reaction I heard from the crowd, they were well received. One of my Figure 8 competitor friends had remarked at one time that the arena was just too small to do any racing, but it looked like they were racing to me. It looked like there was full contact, and the drivers were certainly pushing their cars to the limit. It added to the show.
To be honest, I'm not even sure what size you would classify the arena. The Kart track at which I announce is an eighth of a mile dirt oval, and that Alameda arena is smaller then that. 1/10? 1/12? I'm not really sure. I think it works for this Fairtime event, and I would encourage them to roll with it. There are other venues that don't offer regular racing that have fairs, and they have arenas that are a little bit bigger. I still see this as an attraction that should be considered at those places.
For the vision that I have mapped out in my mind, I would look at a track possibly a little bit bigger than this arena. The 1/8 mile oval that I announce at features Karts and those sorts of things, and I've been wanting to put the Hornet division on there since I got here. The track isn't that much different than Delta Speedway was when they had Mini Stocks, and several of the local Hornet racers are interested in running a race there. So, this might be the size I would start with in my proposed Arena Racing program. Obviously, it would have an oval and an X for a Figure 8.
You have to have a show to entertain the fans. Were the fans entertained in Alameda with this Arena Figure 8? Listen to their reactions in the videos made available this year or any of the years, and you tell me? It sounded like they enjoyed it to me. In this case, they are giving the fans a little taste before the Destruction Derby, but a venue that featured this type of racing would have more competitors and have a longer program. Because of the size of the venue, a 20 car field is a full program as the Main Event couldn't start 20 cars and would be challenged to start 10.
But the beauty of that is that the fans see that you have to compete to make it into the Main Event. You don't show up and automatically punch your ticket into the show. It could be that way for both the oval and the 8. As I said, it's a working idea. When I see successful things like the Salinas Arena oval or this Alameda event, I know it's possible. Watching the three races from this past weekend just serves to reaffirm my belief in this matter.
I think I've said enough in this column. That's all for now. Until next time...
