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DeCarlo, Newton Share Antioch Speedway Winner's Circle
Antioch, CA...April 6...Reigning champion Nick DeCarlo has sent a message to his fellow All Star Series A Modified competitors at Antioch Speedway. He intends to hold on to the #1 position in the standings. On Saturday night, DeCarlo won his second-straight 20 lap Main Event on the 3/8 mile clay oval. Buddy Kniss led the early laps before being overtaken by DeCarlo. DeCarlo would lead the rest of the way for the victory. Kniss settled for a career-best second ahead of rookie Cameron Swank, David Zeiter and Gregg Allen McElhaney. John McDougall and Danny Wagner were eight lap heat race winners.
Shannon Newton got his season started off right with a 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event victory. The race started off with a red flag when Kevin Box slammed the Turn 2 wall and rolled. When the race got going, Newton raced into the lead ahead of ageless veteran Roy Fisher and longtime Spec Sprint competitor Rick Panfili. The lead three ran that way through a pair of yellow flags all the way to the checkered flag. Mackenzie Newton finished fourth ahead of rookie Troy Ferry. Shannon Newton and Fisher were the eight lap heat race winners.
Jim Freethy returned and won the 20 lap Limited Late Model Main Event. Freethy is the 2013 champion, and he ran behind Mike Walko for the first 14 laps before making his move on the inside down the front stretch to take the lead. Freethy led the rest of the way to win with Walko and 2017 champion Kimo Oreta right behind him. Newcomer Mario Passantino settled for fourth ahead of Michael Burch. Freethy also won the eight lap heat race.
Scott Dahlgren emerged with the victory in an eventful 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. A few yellow flags and a red flag marred the action. Jack Haverty has suffered some of his hardest crashes in his visits to Antioch Speedway, and it happened to him again. After David Rosa led the first eight laps, Haverty took the lead in Turn 4. Haverty was leading the way and appeared as if he might be heading for victory when he encountered a spun car in Turn 3 on lap 15. Haverty made contact and flipped hard to end his race along with previous winner Danny Wagner. Devan Kammermann had the lead at that point. Travis Dutra made a late move around both Kammermann and Dahlgren for what would have been the lead, but Kammermann spun in Turn 4 to bring out the yellow and checkered flags. Scoring reverted back a lap, putting Dahlgren in the Winner's Circle ahead of Dutra, Troy Stevenson Jr, Chris Becker and Michael Curry. Kammermann and Wagner were eight lap heat race winners.
An adjusted schedule for this Saturday night will find the All Star Series program featuring Wingless Spec Sprints, A Modifieds, B Modifieds and Hobby Stocks. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Unofficial Race Results
All Star Series Antioch Speedway
A Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-John McDougall, Danny Wagner. Main Event (20 Laps)-Nick DeCarlo, Buddy Kniss, Cameron Swank, David Zeiter, Gregg Allen McElhaney.
Wingless Spec Sprints
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Shannon Newton, Roy Fisher. Main Event (20 Laps)-Shannon Newton, Roy Fisher, Rick Panfili, Mackenzie Newton, Troy Ferry.
Limited Late Models
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Jim Freethy. Main Event (20 Laps)-Jim Freethy, Mike Walko, Kimo Oreta, Mario Passantino Michael Burch.
Dwarf Cars
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Devan Kammermann, Danny Wagner. Main Event (20 Laps)-Scott Dahlgren, Travis Dutra, Troy Stevenson Jr, Chris Becker, Michael Curry.
Foulger, Champlin Win Merced Speedway Opener
Merced, CA...April 6...Troy Foulger has been traveling so much in the past few years that he is a threat to win wherever he goes. Saturday night, he drove the Bill Bowers owned Modified to victory in the 25 lap IMCA Modified Main Event. All of the drivers were excited about the opportunity to compete on the newly reshaped quarter-mile clay oval, which has more banking than ever before.
Foulger and Bobby Hogge IV enjoyed another of their classic battles at the front of the pack. When the checkered flag waved, it was Foulger prevailing. Ethan Dotson made a charge from 10th starting to finish third, followed by Duane Cleveland, two-time track champion Randy Brown, Robby Sawyer, Cody Burke, Kellen Chadwick, Trevor Fitz and Paul Stone.
The Modifieds produced a big 28 car field for the show with eight lap heat race wins being scored by Cleveland, Dotson, Ryan Porter and Hogge. The first of two 12 lap B Main wins went to Austin Burke ahead of Ramie Stone and Ryan Larimer. Sawyer won the other B Main in front of Paul Stone and Cody Burke.
The IMCA RaceSaver 305 Sprint Cars visit several California tracks, and this was their first Merced appearance of the year. Scott Champlin and reigning series champion Grant Duinkerken shared the front row for their 25 lap Main Event. The duo enjoyed a good battle with Champlin beating Duinkerken back to the checkered flag for the victory. Kyle Rasmussen grabbed the final podium position as Rob Solomon, Brendan Warmerdam, Ryan Delisle, Monte Ferreira, Brandon Emmett, Mauro Simone and Lance Jackson rounded out the Top 10. Warmerdam and Michael Pombo won their respective eight lap heat races.
The Mini Stocks had an intense four car battle at the front of the pack in their 15 lap feature race. Gene Glover emerged as the apparent winner, only to be disqualified in post-race tech. This elevated second place finisher Jennifer Rodgers to her first career feature victory. Shawn DePriest was second, followed by multi-time champion Chris Corder, Lee Ragsdale, Clinton Massey, Shayla Gould, Jennifer Corder, Lucy Falkenberg, Austin Sprague and Tyler Post. Falkenberg and Massey won their six lap heat races.
The Valley Sportsman division 20 lap Main Event saw second row starters Chris Birdsong and Chris Corder battle it out at the front of the pack with Birdsong looking impressive in victory. Corder settled for his division best second place finish ahead of Rick Elliott, Mike Friesen, heat race winner Eric Seeley, Jeff West, Gary Hildebrand and reigning champion Jerry Cecil.
Next weekend, Merced Speedway will host the Western States Dwarf Car Nationals. This is a two-day event that will attract some of the best Dwarf Car drivers on the West Coast. The Friday portion of the show will also include IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds. On Saturday night, the Dwarf Cars will be joined by the IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and California Sharp Mini Late Models. For further information, go to www.mercedspeedway.net.
Ross, Richards, Ruiz Win At Orland Raceway
Orland, CA...April 6...Keith Ross is off to an impressive start at Orland Raceway this season. The reigning Mini Truck champion has switched over to Pure Stocks and backed up his season-opening victory with another 20 lap feature win last Saturday night. Ross made it a perfect evening by also winning his heat race. Phil Spencer finished second ahead of 2018 Marysville champion Shannon Collins and 2016 champion Steve Martin, who also won his heat race. Collins and Cody Bundy had been enjoying a side by side battle for third before motor issues ended the race for Bundy.
After suffering mechanical issues while leading his heat race in the opener, Tony Richards bounced back with a 20 lap Wingless Sprint Car Main Event victory. Richards also had a perfect evening as he scored a win in his heat race. Denny McNary finished second in the Main Event as Paul Stephens won a close battle with Jerry Douglas for third. RJ Baker finished fifth and won his heat race.
The California Hardtops made their first of three scheduled appearances, and Ron Ruiz won their Main Event. Ruiz came from the back of the pack and led local ace Mario Romano for the 1-2 finish. The race got close as the two came up to lap a slower car. Ruiz made a quick move to the inside while Romono got slowed just a bit on the outside. Joe Hopp finished third ahead of Joe Shenefield and Ken Clifford. Romano also won the heat race.
Kevin Pendergrass returned to action and won the 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event. Pendergrass also won his heat race ahead of season opener winner Thomas Davis. In the Main Event, it was Jeremy Langenderfer chasing Pendergrass across the line for the second place finish as past champion John Kirkpatrick finished third.
Reigning 250 Micro champion Pax Gonzalez won their Main Event, while Alex Fowler won the heat race.
Racing returns on April 20th with the first ever appearance of the Winged Crate Sprint Car class. Wingless Sprint Cars will also be there for this open-wheel special, along with Pure Stocks, Mini Trucks and 250 Micros. For further information, check the Orland Raceway Facebook page.
Dominic Scelzi Goes Flag To Flag for Victory
In King Of The West Race At Kern Raceway
Bakersfield, CA...April 6...Taking advantage of his front row starting position, Dominic Scelzi opened the NARC/King Of The West Fujitsu Winged 410 Sprint Car season with a 30 lap Main Event victory Saturday night at Kern Raceway. His win came aboard the Roth Motorsports owned entry.
Scelzi set himself up in a good position for victory by outrunning Shane Golobic to win the six lap Trophy Dash. This put Scelzi and Golobic on the front row for the feature, and they settled into the 1-2 positions at the start. Ryan Bernal settled into third, and a yellow flag slowed things up on lap three. Scelzi continued to lead Golobic and Bernal on the restart with DJ Netto and Chase Johnson running in the Top 5. Johnson took fourth from Netto on lap 20, and he gained third from Bernal on lap 22 as Scelzi and Golobic ran closely at the front. A lap 26 caution flag bunched the field for the final time. However, Dominic Scelzi would not be denied as he won ahead of Golobic, Johnson, Bernal, Netto, Giovanni Scelzi, Bud Kaeding, Kyle Offill, Geoff Ensign and Scott Parker.
There were 23 Sprint Cars for the opener, and Willie Croft had the fast time as the only driver to break into the 13-second bracket at 13.857. Netto was second quick at 14.110, nipping the 14.111 effort of Bernal. Golobic won the first of three 10 lap heat races ahead of Mitchell Faccinto. The second heat race win went to Sean Watts ahead of Netto, and Giovanni Scelzi outran Nathan Rolfe to win the final heat. Dominic Scelzi bested Shane Golobic to win the six lap Trophy Dash.
James Bradburn won the 20 lap Bakersfield Hardtop Main Event. Kelly Mason set the early pace ahead of Bradburn and Jason Denman. A caution flag flew on lap three, and Mason led just one more lap before Bradburn raced past for the lead. Richard Souza moved in to challenge Mason for second and grabbed the position on lap 10. During the final half of the race, Bradburn and Souza ran closely with Bradburn prevailing at the checkered flag. Mason settled for third, followed by Tom Dugan, Thomas Sommerfeld, Tyler Weeks, Brad Pescheck, Jason Stanphill, Denman and Brandon Stanphill. The 12 Hardtops ran two eight lap heat races, and Bradburn won the first one going away ahead of Dugan. Souza won a closer battle with Denman in the second heat and then captured the special $200 AMA Homes Dash For Cash four lap win ahead of Bradburn by the closest margin of the night.
On May 3rd, the BCRA/POWRi Midgets return to the Kern Raceway Dirt Track along with the Western Pro Stocks, 305 Sprint Cars and American Stocks. For further information, go to www.kernraceway.com.
Worth Wins USAC Western Midget Season Opener
At Bakersfield Speedway
Bakersfield, CA...April 6...After leading the early stages of the USAC Western States Midget Main Event, Ben Worth made a late charge to regain the lead and scored the victory in the 30 lap race.
Worth drew the pole for the feature race and set the early pace ahead of Michael Faccinto and Jake Swanson. Austin Liggett slipped past Swanson for third on lap five, and a caution flag slowed the pace on lap eight. Faccinto charged past Worth for the lead on the restart, and Swanson, Liggett, Shannon McQueen and Robert Dalby shuffled Worth out of the Top 5. A red flag waved on lap 10 as Mike Leach Jr flipped. Faccinto continued to lead Swanson on the restart. Worth moved back into the Top 5 on lap 18 with a pass on David Prickett. A yellow flag waved on lap 20. Swanson grabbed the lead from Faccinto on the restart with Worth charging into third. A lap later, Worth made an impressive move around both Swanson and Faccinto to take the lead. From there, Worth led the rest of the way for the impressive victory. Swanson settled for second, followed by Faccinto, Liggett, Prickett, Cory Elliott, Alex Schutte, McQueen, CJ Sarna and Kyle Beilman.
Swanson topped the 23 car field in qualifying with a lap of 12.972, beating a 12.996 of McQueen. There were three 10 lap heat races with Liggett out-running Swanson in a close race for the first heat victory. Elliott scored an impressive win ahead of Sarna in the second heat, while Faccinto beat Jake Swanson to claim the third heat race win.
Jason Nation won a crash-shortened 14 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event. Nick Spainhoward had just taken the lead from Nation when the final yellow flag of the race negated the pass. The race was marred by five yellow flags, and Gary Dutton led through the first 11 laps. Gavyn Manning settled into second on lap two in front of Cale Kanke. Kanke and Nation both passed Manning for second and third on a lap six restart, and Nation grabbed second on lap eight. Nation gained the lead when Dutton's run at the front ended on lap 11. Spainhoward was second and began pressuring Nation. The apparent winning pass on lap 15 by Spainhoward was negated by the yellow and checkered flags. Nation got the win, followed by Spainhoward, Kanke, Tina Pounds, Guy Ahlwardt, Manning, Keith Brown Jr, Cory McDonald, David Pearson and Brandon Jennings.
The 22 car field ran four eight lap qualifying heat races with Wayne Dotson winning the first ahead of Chris McKellar. The second heat race win went to Garrett Jernagan in front of Kevin Johnson. Michael Johnson outran Nation to win the third heat, and the final heat race win was scored by Dutton in front of Manning.
Zack Forster continued his dominance of the Mod Lites division with another 20 lap Main Event win. Kaden Cochrun took the lead from Cheyenne Flippo on a lap two restart with Jeff Thompson in second. Forster was in third on lap three and took second from Thompson on lap four. A lap later, Forster gained the lead, Anthony Belcazar took over second on lap ten. JD Brown settled into fifth on lap four. Brown raced past Thompson for fourth on lap six and put the moves on Cochrun for third on lap 11. As Forster built a decent lead, Brown gained on Balcazar in the battle for second. Brown made a last lap pass on Balcazar as Forester won ahead of Brown, Balcazar, Kaden Cochrun, Roy Maynard, Jeff Thompson, Tim Varney, Kenny Cochrun, Jakob Karey and Tristan Kanthack. Thompson won his eight lap heat race in front of Balcazar, and Maynard outran Brown to win the other heat.
Porterville's Raymond Noland Jr bested a 16 car field to win the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. Trevor Baker finished second, followed by Kenny Irwin, Jerry Flippo, Don Mead, Steven Johnson, James Cornelius, Kevin Collier, Joe Baker and Jack Roberts.
Racing returns next Saturday night with IMCA Modifieds back in action along with IMCA Stock Cars, American Stocks, Mini Stocks and NMRA TQ Midgets. For further information, go to www.bakersfieldspeedway.com.
Modifieds Lead The Charge
At Antioch Speedway Saturday Night
Antioch, CA...Antioch Speedway Promoter John M Soares made a schedule adjustment leading into this Saturday night. With special Dwarf Car and Winged 360 Sprint Car shows being offered elsewhere, he removed both divisions from this Saturday night's schedule to allow drivers to go support those shows. He has added the All.Star Series A Modifieds and the Wingless Spec Sprints along with the B Modifieds and Hobby Stocks. With better weather forecast for Saturday night, numbers are expected to improve across the board.
Nick DeCarlo has found the going pretty smooth at the front of the pack. The second-generation racer posted back-to-back wins as he begins his A Modified title defense. At this stage, one of his toughest challengers is the youngest driver in the field, Buddy Kniss. Kniss finished a career-best second last week after leading the early laps. Danny Wagner has also thrown his hat into the ring as a potential title contender, though he didn't finish last week's race. Kellen Chadwick has said he will be back for this race, and other drivers to watch for include David Zeiter, Gregg Allen McElhaney, Frank Furtado and John McDougall.
Shannon Newton got his season going in the right direction with an impressive Wingless Spec Sprint feature win last week. Newton firmly puts his name atop the list as the driver to beat this year. The oldest driver in the field, Roy Fisher, and the driver who has raced in this division the longest, Rick Panfili, would seem to be the toughest challengers for Newton. Some new drivers have joined the ranks this season, led by Dustin Maibes, Troy Ferry and Jeff Scotto. Mackenzie Newton is out to improve on what was a respectable rookie season last year.
Tommy Fraser kicked off his season a couple of weeks ago with an impressive B Modified Main Event victory. Fraser has taken steps to improve his program and the win shows just how far he has come. The competition level has risen with the addition of last season's Limited Late Model champion Mark Garner, who got a fifth in the opener. Trevor Clymens can expect some stiff competition if he is to earn his third championship in this class. Some of the many stars to watch for this week include Kevin Brown, Cameron Swank, Tommy Clymens Jr and Keith Steinmetz. Brent Curran has said that he plans to race locally this year, which makes him a driver to contend with in the championship battle as well.
Second-year Hobby Stock competitors Josh Leach, Anthony Welborn and Breanna Troen all made their presence known at the front of the pack in the season opener. Troen spun from the lead before eventually finishing third, and Welborn unfortunately was disqualified in post-race tech from a Top 5 finish. Leach, however, picked up an impressive win. Chasing him across the line was reigning champion Chris Sorensen, who has a knack for getting Top 3 finishes. Sorensen will prove to be tough to beat this year, but the competition level has risen. There are some newer faces in the field, including Philip Oreta, Ken Johns, Travis Tabucchi, Ricky Foster and Luke Brignoli. The Hobby Stocks always provide some exciting, slam-bang action.
The four division All Star Series program should provide plenty of thrills for the fans from start to finish. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Dwarf Car Nationals Back At Merced Speedway
Merced, CA...For the third straight year, the Western States Dwarf Car Association Dwarf Car Nationals, hosted by the South Bay Dwarf Car Association, returns to Merced Speedway. This special two day event brings some of the best Dwarf Car drivers from the West Coast together in the spirit of good competition. It's also one of those rare occasions in which the Dwarf Cars are the headline act. On Friday night, the Dwarf Cars will be joined by the IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Modifieds. On Saturday night, the IMCA Sport Modifieds return along with the Hobby Stocks and California Sharp Mini Late Models.
The Nationals event was the brainchild of longtime NorCal Dwarf Car racer Frank Munroe. This season, Merced Speedway hosts the second of six scheduled Nationals shows, the last of which takes place at Marysville Raceway. Marysville had the first Nationals event back in the 1990's where over 100 competitors filled the pits. The format breaks the Dwarf Cars down into three different groups from the Pros to the older Veterans class and the new drivers of the Sportsman group.
A who's who of California stars should include such heavy hitters as Ryan Winter, Michael "Spanky" Grenert, Gene "Punky" Pires, Kevin Miraglio, Ryan Diatte, Darren Brown, Kevin Bender, Jonathan Henry and Matt Sargent. Last season, Ryan Diatte picked up the Pro feature win at Merced ahead of Jonathan Henry and Tony Steffensmeier. Arizona racer Steven Kapaun won the Veterans feature ahead of Mark Biscardi and Tim Fitzpatrick. The Sportsman race went to Shawn Whitney in front of Joseph Sanders and Mike Clark. A field of roughly 60 competitors is anticipated this weekend.
Last week, Merced officials were anticipating a good showing of IMCA Modifieds. What they got was an amazing 28 car field with some of the best drivers in the state tackling the newly reshaped surface. Randy Brown appears to have thrown his hat into the ring once again as a championship contender. Brown won back-to-back championships before running a lighter schedule last season. He finished fifth in the Main Event that was won by Troy Foulger ahead of Bobby Hogge IV. The local contingent includes multi-time champions Paul Stone and Ramie Stone, Ryan Porter, Ryan Larimer and DJ Shannon.
The IMCA Sport Modified racers are thrilled to be a part of both nights of this Dwarf Car spectacular. Last season, the Sport Modified racers had a knock-down, drag-out fight for the championship that was won by Jeremy Hoff by just three points over Danny Roe and eight ahead of Bruce "Bubba" Nelson. Of the three, Nelson was the only driver with feature wins, and he had two to his credit. Hoff and Roe are hoping to change that this year.
Tanner Thomas was a three-time winner last season and seems poised to make a serious bid for the championship. Brother Chase Thomas was a winner last year as well and both were Top 5 in the standings. These five drivers should be at the forefront of the battle, and others to watch for include Kelly Wilkinson, Cody Parker, Chris Falkenberg, Jarrod Mounce and Mark Squadrito.. It should be a good turnout for the Sport Modified class.
Kodie Dean was able to win his second straight Hobby Stock championship last season. He still needed his ninth win of the season to defeat the consistent Shannon Nelson by just seven points in the final rundown. Nelson was very consistent and also a one-time winner. The Shearer team always has a strong presence, and that should again be the case this year with Kristie Shearer and husband Michael Shearer. The team has other cars, and at times you'll see people like two-time champion Bubba Nelson in a Hobby Stock. Austin Van Hoff would love to join fellow Chowchilla resident Dean as a champion. He won twice last season to rank fourth in the standings and should be fast again this year. Other drivers to watch for include Donnie Shearer, John Hensley, Mike Germait, Robbie Loquaci and Kalob Shelton.
The California Sharp Mini Late Models are offering the young drivers an opportunity to race on the quarter-mile clay oval. Last season, Timmy Crews won the championship on the strength of four feature wins. Crews would seem to be the driver to beat this year, but others such as Carson Guthrie, Riley Jeppesen, Ian Shearer and Logan Clay will be hoping to say something about that.
All of the rain in Merced has forced too many cancellations, and fans flocked to the speedway to watch the opener last week. This two race weekend will give people plenty of action to check out. It will be a show that you won't want to miss. For further information, go to www.mercedspeedway.net.
All Systems Go For Petaluma Speedway Opener
On Saturday Night
Petaluma, CA...Rain claimed both practice days and the first two scheduled races of the season at Petaluma Speedway. However, forecasts call for sunny skies and racing on the 3/8 mile adobe oval this Saturday night. Promoter Rick Faeth has booked a lineup that will include the PitStopUSA.com Wingless Spec Sprints, Lumberjacks Restaurant Super Stocks, McLea's Tires IMCA Modifieds and the Santa Rosa Auto Body 600 Micros.
Leading the charge in the PitStopUSA.com Wingless Spec Sprints this Saturday night should be reigning champion Shayna Sylvia and previous champion Ryon Siverling. Both drivers competed in the Hunt Series opener at Placerville last Saturday night. Past Winged 360 Sprint Car champion Bradley Terrell did more Wingless racing last season and scored three wins to finish second in the standings. If not for missing a pair of races, it's just possible that Terrell could have challenged Sylvia for the title. He would seem to be a threat this year if he runs for points. Other drivers to watch for include Scott Chapeta, Eden McCormick, second-generation racer Dennis Furia Jr, Bob Davis, Terry Schank Jr and Angelique Bell.
The Lumberjacks Restaurant Super Stocks has drivers within its ranks that have been racing at the speedway continuously for several years. Mitch Machado isn't known for racing for points, but he turned in a dominant performance in holding off multi-time champion Steve Studebaker for last season's honors. These two are leading the charge this year, but division "Iron Man" Shawn McCoy, Jim "Woody" Woodward and two-time champion Matt While would also seem to be drivers to keep an eye on in the battle. Newer drivers have been joining the field, and this includes such notables as last season's fifth-ranked competitor, Snazzy Duckworth, Tim O'Hara and Austin Ohlinger. The Super Stocks always put on a good show at the speedway.
The IMCA Modified battle usually comes down to either Michael Paul Jr or Oreste Gonella by the time the season comes to an end. Both drivers are multi-time champions with Gonella winning last season's title. However, there are some others hoping to stake a claim on the #1 position, led by Jeffrey Faulkner, Tim Yeager Jr, Chris Sieweke, David Spriggs and Mitch Machado.
The Santa Rosa Auto Body 600 Micros deliver consistent car counts and exciting races whenever they are on the schedule. Last season, David Engstrom picked up three wins to hold off young gun Cody Gray for the championship. Gray already has a win at Orland this season and would love to get one at Petaluma. Nick Robfogel and Jim Beck are other notables among the field, and other drivers to watch include George Nielsen, Jenna Perkins, Scott McIntosh, Brian Slubik and Justin Adiego.
Finally, racing can get started at Petaluma Speedway. This four division lineup offers something for everybody and should be a thriller from start to finish. For further information, go to www.petaluma-speedway.com or check out the Petaluma Speedway Facebook page.
Ocean Speedway Prepares To Start 60th Season Friday Night
Watsonville, CA...Ocean Speedway at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds is preparing for a milestone year. This is the 60th season of championship racing at the quarter-mile clay oval. It all started with the Hardtop Claimer Cars back in 1960. Hap Barber won the inaugural championship. There was only one championship division competing back then. This year, there are eight classes.
Promoter John Prentice has booked an exciting lineup on Friday night that will be headlined by the Ocean Sprint Cars, Presented by Taco Bravo. IMCA Modifieds will be there along with IMCA Sport Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks. After a string of rainouts, the racers are anxious to get the new season started.
Last season, Brad Furr took a step into elite territory in becoming the first three-time Sprint Car champion in speedway history. To do it, he had to beat Koen Shaw. Shaw enjoyed a great season as well in finishing a career best second. Last season, Furr and 2015 champion Justin Sanders topped the field with four feature wins each. The Winged Sprint Cars are the fastest division at the track and provide close racing and sometimes very spectacular moments. In addition to the three stars mentioned above, other racers to watch for include Jeremy Chisum, Jason Chisum, Kurt Nelson, Richard Fajardo and long time racer Jerry Bonnema. Some of the top drivers in the state will show up from week to week to make things that much more interesting.
The IMCA Modifieds are back for their 30th championship season. Last season Cody Burke won the title in a close battle with 2015 State champion Alex Wilson. Both drivers were two-time winners in the competitive field. Multi-time champion Bobby Hogge IV will likely be seen on several occasions and becomes the driver to beat on any night in which he's there. He led the division with six wins last season. Other drivers to watch for include past champion Robert Marsh, Raymond Keldsen Jr, Austin Burke, Kyle Wilson and Todd Hermosillo. After finishing second in Sport Modified points last season, Anthony Giuliani is moving up to the Modifieds this season.
Jim DiGiovanni held off Giuliani to win his second IMCA Sport Modified championship last season. Though DiGiovanni led the class with 11 Top 5 finishes, he was held without a feature win. He'll be hoping to change that this year. Past Four Banger champion Adriane Frost did get a win last year and figures to be a tough competitor this season. Two-time champion Matthew Hagio, Austin Williams, Justin McPherson, Charlie Hunter and Igor Gradzuk are other drivers to watch for. Kelly Campanile has made the move up from Four Bangers to race Sport Mods this season.
The Hobby Stocks bring the fans some exciting, fendered Stock Car racing with a competitive field of racers. Matt Kile won a good battle with JC Elrod and Rob Gallaher to claim his second championship last season. All three drivers were five-time feature winners, and they made it very challenging for anybody else to get a win. Past Four Banger champion DJ Keldsen and Jerry Skelton were both winners last season, and they will be looking to make it into the winner's column again this season. Others to watch for include ageless veteran Tony Oliveira, Terry Traub, Joe Gallaher and Chris McCabe.
Not to be forgotten in the mix are the entry level Four Bangers. The Beardsley family fields three cars, and it was Kate Beardsley winning the championship in last season's finale. She had to contend with fellow feature winner Abigail Kennedy to win the title. Kennedy lost by just one point. Dakota Keldsen was only nine points back in third in what was last season's closest championship race. Other drivers to watch for include 2017 champion Bill Beardsley, Nicole Beardsley, Tom Summers, Justin Williams and division veteran Ray Bunn.
Friday night has a great lineup of five exciting divisions. For further information, go to www.racepmg.com or the Ocean Speedway Facebook page.
Dixon Speedway Prepares For Saturday Night Season Opener
Dixon, CA...After the rains came in and washed away the scheduled March playday, Dixon Speedway is getting ready for Saturday night's season opener. Promoter Jeremy Prince has booked a full season of 16 Micro Sprint events for this season on the fast one-fifth mile dirt oval. The program offers a lineup of Super 600s, Wingless 600s, Restricted 600s and Jr Sprints and serves as a launching pad for the career of young racers. Saturday will be the first event of the year.
Two big highlights of the season are the opening night of California Speedweek on Tuesday, June 25th. This as a series that pits some of the best California racers against each other and also has events at Stockton Delta Speedway, Lemoore Raceway and Plaza Park. Though the point season concludes on October 12th, it's really the big show that draws the curtain on the season. This would be the 7th Annual Lonnie Kaiser Memorial Race on October 18th and 19th. Kaiser was a respected Hardtop and Super Modified racer at the old Vallejo Speedway.
The Mentch family raced Hardtops at Vallejo Speedway for many years, and Steve Mentch was Top 10 on the track's point list for the 1960's. When Steve retired from racing, his son Eric "Fireball" Mentch took the wheel in Modifieds and Wingless Spec Sprints. It is likely that his son, Kyle Mentch, will be in a Spec Sprinter eventually. The talented third-generation racer added his name to Dixon's honor roll of champions as last season's Super 600 champion.
Kyle beat Dillen Horsley and Jeff Rosas among a talented group of racers. Mentch succeeded Jessica McMannus, who won championship honors in 2017. Among the talent filled field of racers last season were Keith Nance, Blake McGourty, John Bordenave, Vince Fernandes, Blake Bower and Adam Driver.
The Wingless 600 division seems to be the most heavily supported class. It takes a different discipline to drive these cars compared to their winged counterparts. Kelvin Lewis won the 2017 championship, and Danny Carroll rose to the occasion to claim the honors last season ahead of George Nielson and Angelina Dempsey. Some of the many talented racers in last year's group include Chad Laughton, JJ Bright, Anthony Valerio, Blake McGourty, Nate Wait and Isak Johnson.
Isak Johnson was the 2017 Restricted 600 champion before going winlgess last season. The Restricted 600s have rules designed the to cut costs just a little bit, and last season Brandon Riveira won the championship in a battle with Matthew Tatoole and Sage Bordenave. As with the other classes, there were some tough competitors in this group last season, including Thomas Vo, Izaak Sharp, Brodie Petrie, Jackson Kohler, Jeffrey Pahule and Isabelle Barnes.
The Micro Sprints can turn laps on the one-fifth mile dirt oval in the low 12 second bracket and will break into the high 11's on occasion. They are fast, and the racing is very entertaining. You get a nice mixture of some of the rising young stars of Northern California racing and some older drivers who can still get it done on the race track. Saturday's show should be another good one. For further information, go to www.dixonspeedway.net or go to the Dixon Speedway Facebook page.
Merced Speedway Unofficial Race Redsults April 6, 2019
IMCA RaceSaver 305 Sprint Cars
Grant Champlin
Grant Duinkerken
Kyle Rasmussen
Rob Soloman
Brendan Warmerdam
Ryan Delisle
Monty Ferriera
Brandon Emmett
Mauro Simone
Lance Jackson
Michael Pombo
Brandon Burd
Ben Catron
Brooklyn Holland DNS
IMCA Modifieds
A Main
Troy Foulger
Bobby Hogge IV
Ethan Dotson
Dwayne Cleveland
Randy Brown
Robby Sawyer
Cody Burke
Kellen Chadwick
Trevor Fitz
Paul Stone
Ramie Stone
D.J. Shannon
Anthony Giuliani
Ryan Porter
Ryan Larimer
Dylan Thornton
Ryan McDaniel
Austin Burke
B Main 1
Austin Burke
Ramie Stone
Ryan Larimer
Shane DeVolder
Danny Cavanagh
Harley Turner
John Osgood
Jesse Burks
B Main 2
Robby Sawyer
Paul Stone
Cody Burke
Mike White
Oreste Gonella
Vincent Depalma
Ricky Thatcher
Steve Streeter
Mini Stock
Jennifer Rodgers
Shawn DePriest
Chris Corder
Lee Ragsdale
Clinton Massey
Shayla Gould
Jennifer Corder
Lucy Falkenberg
Austin Sprague
Tyler Post
Jerry Tubbs
Gene Glover DQ
Valley Sportsman
Chris Birdsong
Chris Corder
Rick Elliot
Mike Freisen
Eric Seely
Jeff West
Gary Hildebrand
Jerry Cecil
Bakersfield Speedway Unofficial Race Results April 6, 2018
USAC Western States Midgets
Ben Worth
Jake Swanson
Michael Faccinto
Austin Liggett
David Prickett
Cory Elliott
Alex Schutte
Shannon McQueen
CJ Sarna
Kyle Beilman
Dylan Ito
Ricky Lewis
Bryan Drollinger
Randi Pankratz
Cody Swanson
Terry Nichols
Mike Leach
Robert Dalby
Kyle Heckman
Mod Lites
Zack Forster
J.D. Brown
Anthony Balcazar
Kaden Cochrun
Roy Maynard
Kenny Cochrun
Jeff Thompson
Tim Varney
Jakob Carey
Tristan Kanthack
Cheyenne Flippo
Candi Varney
IMCA Sport Modifieds
Jason Nation
Nick Spainhoward
Cale Kanke
Tina Pounds
Guy Ahlwardt
Gavyn Manning
Keith Brown Jr
Cory McDonald
David Pearson
Brandon Jennings
Daniel West
Chris McKellar
Gary Dutton
Kyle Wood
James Cecil
Matthew Mayo
Garrett Jernagan
Robby Claborn
Tyler Blankenship
Michael Johnson
Kevin Johnson
Wayne Dotson
Stockton 99 Speedway Unofficial Race Results April 6, 2019
Late Models
Justin Philpott
Gary Shafer Jr
Arron Shankel
Larry Tankersley
Chad Holman
Brandon Jones
Johnny Cardoza Jr
Steve Cabral
Lance Ward
Danny Devore
Ty Carlson
Dominic Lopez
Josh Smiley
Bombers
Ben Lewis II
Rodney Tripp
Joey Stearns
Allen Rider
Rodney Oliver
Barrett Sugden
Harrison Stone
Tyler Guzman
Jeanna Ramos
AJ Rider
Bobby Simpson Jr
Mikala Stearns
Roy Luft
Troy Walz
B4
Josh Cross
Dave Kong
Joe Flowers
Andy Rumsey
Ethan Rumsey
Garland Powell
Billy Rodrigues
Mathew Richardson
Rodney Previtali
Dave Lock
Joshua Brown
Mini Cup/Bandoleros
Coupe Allen
Rebecca Dubie
Wyatt Sansom
Nicholas Lynard
Kash Holman
GAM
Mike Regelman
Sam Solari
Chris Lyon
Eddie Wilcox
Madera Raceway Unofficial Race Results April 6, 2019
Nut Up Pro Late Models
Austin Herzog
Matt Erickson
Jacob Gomes
Christian Roche
Ryan Hart
Dylan Zampa
Jason Aguirre
Carlos Vieira
Glen Cook
Tyler Herzog
Toni Breindenger
Rick Thompson
Tyler Favozzi
Kolby Berry
Tim Skoglund
Aaron Haley
Ross Strmiska
Erik Woods
Shelden Cooper
Victor Machado
Tim Furin
Tanner Reif DNF
Jr Late Late Models
Joey Iest
Tanner Reif
Seth Wise
Jay Juleson
Tyler Reif
Olivia Manke
Kabe McClenny
Jake Bollman
Kale McClenny
Hailey Liles
Patrick Mullins
Kyler Berry
Austin Edwards
Calvin Hegje
Robbie Kennealy
Kercie Jung
Lilly Mead
Jaden Walbridge
Kasey Kleyn
MST
Bert Stephens
Dennis Brannon
Kyle Labrie
Dave Lander
Ryan Reynolds DQ
Shaun Reynolds DQ
Mini Cups/Bandoleros
Ethan Nascimento
Dylan Baptista
Nathaniel Edwards
JJ Mullins
Aiden Phillips
Riley Massey
Hank Hall
Trenton Eurto
Kenna Mitchell
Joey Kennealy
Toyota Sedans
Jason Lawton
J.J Brandsen
Andrew Parr
Kern Raceway Unofficial Race Results April 6, 2019
NARC/King Of The West Fujitsu 410 Winged Sprint Cars
Dominic Scelzi
Shane Gollbic
Chase Johnson
Ryan Bernal
DJ Netto
Giovanni Scelzi
Bud Kaeding
Kyle Offill
Geoff Ensign
Scott Parker
Sean Watts
Jase Vanderweerd
Willie Croft
Landon Hurst
Nathan Rolfe
Jeremy Chisum
Tim Estenson
Mark Barroso
Kenny Allen
Mitchell Faccinto
JJ Ringo
Jenna Fraizer
Stephen Ingraham
Bakersfield Hardtops
James Bradburn
Richard Souza
Kelly Mason
Thomas Sommerfeld
Tyler Weeks
Brad Pescheck
Jason Stanphill
Jason Denman
Brandon Stanphill
Jesse Dobbins DNS
Adam Medovitch DNS
The Editor's Viewpoint
Well, you know it can't keep raining forever. Last weekend, Watsonville, Chico and Petaluma once again had to cancel because of the rains that happened during the week. The forecast leading into the week made it look like we'd be seeing some heavy rains on Friday night with clearing on Saturday. This meant that promoters were watching very closely and gambling that the rain wouldn't be that heavy at all on Friday.
You can be left in a very difficult position as a promoter. Do you go ahead and cancel and save yourself the trouble, or do you ride it out and see what you're looking at on the morning of the race? What's interesting is that all the tracks that adopted a wait-and-see attitude had a clear window to go racing on Saturday. Patience paid off in terms of getting the races into the books.
You can still debate whether the threatening skies and the bad weather in the days leading up to the show affected crowd count or car count negatively. It didn't seem to be that big of a deal regarding car count at either Placerville or Marysville, from what I can see. Whether the attendance numbers were down, I couldn't tell you.
The fact is, you're not going to get 100% idealistic weather for every race you have scheduled. Sometimes it's going to be too cold and cloudy and other times it's going to be too damn hot. What do you do? Actually, some tracks even cancel on very hot days, but others just go with It. You just brace for impact when weather is too extreme one way or the other and hope it doesn't affect your bottom line through the gates. Sometimes you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. The bottom line, however, is people want to go racing.
Antioch Speedway has a few critics right now in regards to the fact that the shows get done quicker and you have to pay $7 to park. I wrote quite a bit in last week's Viewpoint column that I ended up editing out. I wasn't sure how much insider information I should pass on. The bottom line, however, is the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds now has their hands in a few cookie jars regarding that race track that makes it more difficult on the promoter. I think there are some experienced promoters around the state shaking their heads at what John is dealing with.
The bad news in all of this is that the promoter following John will have to deal with the same sort of nonsense. My personal conclusion that I expressed in the material that was edited out last week is that the fairgrounds is going to have to lower their demands on that race track in order to help business along. It kind of puts the promoter in a bad position. If they don't rethink some of the things they're doing, the fair board may be the cause for when the gates are ultimately closed for good.
I've talked about San Jose Speedway and the threat they had of that amphitheater that never came along. They shut the race track down, and because there was no business being done in racing there anymore, it was easy to come in and knock down some very nice grandstands. Had racing continued early on in the 2000s, you might still be seeing racing there to this day. Then again, there were also certain demands that were put on that race track that made it easier for the promoter at that time to walk away. It was difficult to do business there too.
Right now, you have John willing to cut the checks and keep the business going at Antioch. He knows the cost factors that he's dealing with, and that has affected how many races he books and all of that. I think I questioned last week about the amount of races, but the bottom line is they race so many times because that's the way John is making rent. Personally, I agree with with what John expressed to me when we spoke last October. Less is more. He'd probably get more cars and more fans if he had fewer races. He was talking about 20, rather than the 27 that he ultimately scheduled.
I don't want to get into things any more than that, but suffice it to say that the 10:00 pm curfew at the track and the $7 parking fee were both initiated by the fair board. John will probably get cursed by people on both counts, but it's not his fault. When you look at other race tracks, such as Ventura Raceway, Ocean Speedway and Petaluma Speedway, they are also facing an earlier curfew. You just have to adapt and keep business going until it becomes so difficult that you can no longer accomplish that.
John decided to run four divisions per race early in the season, and I think one of the motivating factors was the idea that he wanted to make sure he could get done when they wanted him to. This isn't a problem. The thing I was worried about was car count average and dropping one of the divisions. The good part about only running four instead of five is it gives divisions nights off that might not otherwise get one. Hobby Stocks have been booked to death for the past couple of years, so I know there are drivers that were happy that they had last week off and get other weeks off as well. In theory, this should help divisions with their car count average.
However, there are things that can be done to enhance the show, in my humble opinion. I would strongly suggest that management take a look at the possibility of adding Trophy Dash events once again. Give the fans a little bit more for their buck. Time really isn't an issue. You could do what Southern Oregon Speedway does and take the Top 4 finishers from the previous feature and run them in the Trophy Dash. Therefore, you can start the night with Trophy Dashes. Or, just do it the way people saw it before. Top finishers from the heat races into the Dashes. Or, you could always qualify them again. I think it would probably end up being the second choice, if Dashes were brought back.
When you're trying to make the program more attractive to fans, little touches like this can make a difference and give the fans another race to watch that has some stakes to it. Drivers win these races and get an award. You can do post race interviews if you want. Back in the day, fans used to be able to come out on the track and get their pictures taken with the drivers during Trophy Dash presentations. Little things like this can help enhance a program, and they don't cost anything more then the plaque or trophy you give to the driver.
I am beginning to believe that sanctioning should be pursued at Antioch Speedway again. There are only two real choices in my mind. The first is NASCAR. There are four NASCAR sanctioned short tracks in California, all of them pavement. One Oregon track is dirt. This would be a "full circle" scenario for Antioch as John was the one that brought Antioch out of NASCAR prior to the 1998 season, which would make him the promoter to bring it back, if it happened. For the record, I completely endorsed his decision back in 1998, and it led to some good things in the immediate years that followed.
The plus is you are part of a national sanctioning body and there is point fund money to be divided among your Top 5 racers in each of the chosen four classes. Your premier class gets a $3,000 championship at last check and also gets a shot at some of the state point fund monies. Your second class gets a $1,000 championship. At last check, your third class gets $750 in your fourth gets $500. Again, the Top 5 drivers in each class get point fund money.
The thing that has been pointed out to me is that the track itself is generally putting the money into the point fund, not so much NASCAR. The track gives NASCAR the money and then NASCAR gives them the money back. It's still a good thing. Plus, NASCAR gives you a few other things. There are contingencies, such as paint and new signal lights for the track. I'm probably the oddball here because I lean towards NASCAR.
Of course, it would be pointed out to me that most of the racers would probably prefer an IMCA sanctioning. The tracks in the surrounding area run that for their Modifieds and Sport Modifieds. It means that that license is good everywhere. The point fund money doesn't really compare, but what you lack in that you make up for in universal rules and drivers able to go back and forth and know they have legal cars.
I think something will be considered for next year, or at least it should be. If you bring in NASCAR, you've got four divisions running for extra point fund money. If you bring in IMCA, you have the two Modified divisions covered. I still feel that given the close proximity between Antioch and Petaluma, something should be worked out between the two tracks in the divisions that they have in common. It would only benefit both places in the long run. I also think this would be a positive when it comes to car count.
Promoters don't generally like to change schedules around once they release them. You know that the drivers have already taken your schedule and made their yearly plans around it. So when you adjust a date, you leave drivers having to change plans. I watched this alter the course of the 2017 Hobby Stock point race. it's never fun to watch somebody race a full season and have to give up a championship because they had a vacation already planned and paid for prior to the date being moved.
During the span of about a week, this coming Saturday's program was altered twice at Antioch Speedway. When John noticed that the Dwarf Car Nationals was happening at Merced Speedway and some of his racers wanted to support that show, he decided to remove Dwarf Cars and replace them with the A Modifieds. Here is where you affect somebody's schedule. Danny Wagner came into the season making a commitment to run for the Modified championship at Antioch, but he wanted to run some Dwarf Car Nationals shows. Merced penciled-in nicely until the Antioch schedule was adjusted by replacing the Dwarf Cars with the A Modifieds. It will be interesting to see where Danny ends up racing this Saturday night.
The Asparagus Cup race in Stockton is probably the biggest Winged 360 Sprint Car show of the year. They pay $10,000 to win on Friday and $15,000 to win on Saturday. Anybody fortunate to make the Main Event on either night gets a minimum of $800 to start each race. Damn good money. When John realized he had booked his Winged Sprint Car class against it, he made the decision to replace them with Wingless Spec Sprints. Again, I get it. John was simply trying to work with two different tracks, which is something people say he doesn't do. Now that he has, people are complaining about that too.
In the case of the Winged Sprint Car show, I highly doubt that any of the Antioch regulars were heading to Stockton. They aren't what you would call heavy travelers and high dollar teams, which is what Stockton will have. They would have a challenge just being one of those $800 Main Event starters. Antioch was also set up as the only alternative to Stockton for anybody who didn't want to go to the big show. I had my doubts about whether Antioch would do well, but thinking about it, a dozen or so Winged 360 Sprint Cars would have been possible. Did John do the wrong thing? Nope. You are damned if you do and your damned if you don't, but his decision to change the schedule was made for the right reasons.
Merced Speedway had a pretty darn good week last week. General Manager Doug Lockwood finally got to open the gates and put cars on the track on Thursday night. It was a practice day, and they ran later into the evening. You generally don't turn on your lights on a practice date as you're trying to save money. However, Lockwood and his track prep crew gained valuable information on how drivers handled that newly resurfaced race track as conditions changed. The practice might have affected racing conditions for Saturday night. I'm not in a position to really comment on that.
What I can say is that they pulled in 28 cars for the IMCA Modified program. They had about 15 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, a dozen or so Mini Stocks and eight Sportsman cars. All in all, it was a nice opening night heading into the big two-day show for the Dwarf Car Nationals. They have loaded programs on both Friday and Saturday, which should ensure packed pit areas and cars probably having to park out in the parking lot. Fans love to see cars, and they certainly will this week.
Fans are wanting to see more cars at Siskiyou Golden Speedway this year, and I think the opener, if weather lets it happen, will be a good night. New promoter Kevin Barba has booked IMCA Modifieds for the first few races as neighboring Southern Oregon Speedway isn't open yet. In addition to the Calculated Comfort Outlaw Pro Stocks, IMCA Sport Modifieds and Mini Stocks, this should be one of the bigger car counts of the season.
One of Kevin's main goals this season is to increase the attendance in the stands. To that end, he has several fan-friendly promotions and will be handing out tickets. He's got a number in mind of 500 people per show, which I feel is ambitious. It is attainable, but they'll have to do a lot of work. One of the things that gets the fans out there and keeps them there is more cars on the race track. I think Yreka is still in need of cultivating third and fourth in-house racing divisions. What divisions would that be, I don't know. The building blocks are there, and it will be interesting to see how things develop going forward.
It's pretty neat to see the gates start opening at other places. Mountain Valley Raceway in Hayfork had a practice last week that had at least a dozen cars. If the weather lets it happen, and it probably will, they will open on Saturday night. Hobby Stocks and Mini Stocks are the staple classes, they've got an entertaining Enduro class and they're trying to join the ranks of the B Modified tracks. This can be a challenge to do way up in northwestern California, but you have to start somewhere.
It is very nice to see more seasons getting ready to open. They'll be racing at Ocean Speedway and Petaluma Speedway this weekend. It's a shame that the Sacramento area tracks, Marysville, Placerville and Chico, were not scheduled this week as they all would have had races as well. Orland Raceway has had back-to-back races, and things seem to be going well there so far.
I got my eyes on Coos Bay Speedway, where NASCAR Whelen All American Series racing will kick off on Saturday night, if the weather allows. The Super Late Model division could see a few new names in the pits this week. I've been wondering where the support has been in this class given the fact that they compete for point fund money that could exceed $5,000 for the track champion. I'm hearing names that haven't been at that track as regulars in a few years planning to come back. There seems to be a little bit of activity in the different classes out there, so I'm curious where the numbers will fall this week.
Southern Oregon Speedway is hoping to have a better year for Late Models and some things have been in the works. Still haven't heard how all of that is going, but I am hearing of new drivers getting into the Late Models. The problem is the rotation deal. Drivers are coming in, but others appear to be leaving. This is the case in both the Late Model and Sprint Car classes, so I'm not sure where the numbers will end up. They should at least maintain, but we'll have to wait and see what happens when the season get going for both classes. There was a practice planned for this Saturday, but weather doesn't look like it will be cooperative. It may have a better shot on April 27th before the opener comes on May 4th. We'll just have to wait and see.
In the continuing saga that is Reno Fontana out at Chandler, Indiana Speedway, he continues to talk up the fact that his Movieland Speedpark dream is going to become reality. I've been hearing this rumor of a very important court date in June that could decide his whole bankruptcy ploy. I'm no legal expert, and all I can say about that is I was stunned, as were many, that he stopped the scheduled auction of the facility on March 20th. What sort of work is being done to groom the facility and get the track ready, I couldn't tell you. General Manager Summer Taylor had a work party a couple of weeks ago, and a few little things were done.
Reno now claims that the practice day will be on April 27th, and the season opener should be happening the following week. It's really the damnedest thing the way he's come into that place, disrupted the program that was still going before he came in and claimed to be buying the place and then ended up being the reason why nothing happened in 2018. A lot of skeptics don't think anything's going to happen this year, so I'm very curious what will happen on April 27th when it comes to his newly rescheduled practice. I'm hoping for ideal weather, because I really have to see if it's more BS or not.
To me, it's almost like somebody coming in from outside and claiming to be taking over Altamont Raceway and having a season scheduled. They're talking about all of these grand improvements they're going to make and how it's going to be so glorious. They even have some new name for the place. In reality, they have no money, no background in racing and a long line of BS. And yet somehow a few breaks go their way and the gates might actually open.
To me, it's almost looking like an interesting made-for-tv movie. Knowing the way Reno talks, I think he'd appreciate that analogy. The line of BS that Reno has fed the people in Chandler has been amazing. You'd have to read his posts on Facebook to believe he even said some of this stuff. Given his background, it wouldn't be that much of a surprise.
As a few things happen, suddenly there's a glimmer of hope that the gates are going to open. To me, if this guy manages to open the track, even for a couple of races before he gets shut down, what a story it would be. Unfortunate for the people in Chandler, but an interesting story nonetheless.
Personally, I am inclined to believe that if he does open the gates at all, it won't last. I think his claim of ownership of the facility is shaky at best. The stuff happened in March so quickly that legally they were kind of forced to stop the auction. Why? What if his claim was true?
We might look at it and say there's no way, but legally they need to make sure before they just auction a place that could be his. I don't believe it really is his place as it had been seized by the bank to be auctioned. He and Harold Baker just attempted a back door deal to prevent all of this.
If there's this court date looming in June, and it's one that's looking over his bankruptcy claim and whether he can even legally make that claim, we could be finding out that he indeed never did own the track when that day comes. Who knows? Anything is possible in this crazy story. All I can say is stay tuned.
In any event, I think I'll end this column. Racing season is just gathering momentum, and there's a lot of excitement ahead. Until next time...
