Antioch, CA — Caden Sarale of Stockton won the 30 lap BCRA Midgets Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The race was sponsored by Delta Scrap and Salvage and presented by Ken Graundstadt. It was the second win of the season for Sarale, who is the current point leader.
The race started on a rough note when Nikko Panella of Stockton tangled with Terry Nichols of Delano and Peter Paulson of Woodland and flipped end over end. He was shaken up but otherwise okay. On the restart, Sarale bolted into the lead ahead of Bryant Bell of Oakley and Jake Andreotti of Castro Valley. Andreotti made a low pass in Turn 4 of the fourth lap to take second from Bell. Sarale had built a good lead, but Andreotti reeled him in and made it close.
Meanwhile, a battle developed between Bell and Santa Maria’s Brandon Wiley. Wiley made a low move in Turn 3 of the 22nd lap to take third from Bell. Sarale made a couple of good moves in traffic late and brought it home to a satisfying win ahead of Andreotti, Wiley and final lead lap finisher Bell. Dale Johnston of Olivehurst was a lap down in fifth.
DJ Johnson of Stockton won the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event. Johnson is a two-time Antioch champion and the reigning Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series champion.
As two-time champion Shannon Newton of Elk Grove pitted after taking the green flag, Bob Newberry at Brentwood set the early pace ahead of Jacob Tuttle of Oakley. Johnson made an outside pass to move into third on Lap 2, and a low pass in Turn 4 of the third lap gained Tuttle the lead. Johnson made a move around Newberry for second on Lap 8. Johnson went low in Turn 3 of the ninth lap to take the lead temporarily, but Tuttle went low exiting the fourth turn to regain the position.
Johnson had the momentum heading down the back stretch on Lap 10 and again took the lead from Tuttle. David DeKeyser of Kelseyville moved around Newberry for third on a Lap 11 restart. Johnson and Tuttle battled closely the rest of the way, but Johnson prevailed in the end. DeKeyser crossed the line in third, only to come up light at the scales. This elevated Bob Newberry into third, followed by and Dylan Newberry of Brentwood and Steve Bruno of San Jose.
Mike Learn of Petaluma won the 20 lap Super Stock Main Event. The reigning champion and current Petaluma Speedway point leader took advantage of a late race restart to steal the lead and victory from Ryan Cherezian of Bethal Island. The division was racing for an increased purse thanks to the efforts of Joey Ridgeway, who brought in the sponsorship.
Corey Hall of Sutter took the early lead ahead of Cherezian and Learn. An inside move down the back stretch of the fourth lap put Cherezian into the lead as Hall had his hands full with Learn in a good race for second. By the seventh lap, Cherezian held a straightaway advantage over Hall. Halfway through the race, Cherezian was lapping slower cars, and Learn made a low pass in Turn 2 of the 10th lap to take second from Hall. A yellow flag waved for a Turn 2 tangle involving Buddy Kniss of Oakley and Paul Hanley of Emerald Hills on Lap 15.
Cherezian continued to lead Learn on the restart, but another yellow flag waved when Shawn McCoy of Petaluma spun in Turn 4 on Lap 16. Learn made a big run on the restart and by the time they exited Turn 4 to complete the lap he had made an inside move to take command. Learn was leading Cherezian when Hanley and Jim Freethy of Danville tangled in Turn 4 for a Lap 19 yellow flag. That didn’t stop Learn as he led the restart and brought it home to victory ahead of Cherezian, Antonio Aragon of Reno, Nevada, McCoy and Hall.
Joel Hannagan of San Jose won of the 15 lap Hardtop Main Event. This was the second win of this season for the reigning champion aboard the Doug Broderick owned Junkyard Dog Hardtop.
Merced Speedway Sportsman point leader Mike Gillard of Atwater raced into the lead at the start ahead of Hannagan and Dexter Long of Ballico. A yellow flag waved on Lap 3 for a slowing Les Warkentin of Atwater. On the restart, Hannagan bolted into the lead ahead of Gillard. The lead duo began to pull away from the pack and were lapping slower cars by the 11th circuit. Hannagan went on to victory ahead of Gillard and final lead lap finisher Long. Joe Shenfield of Modesto and Don Slaney of Martinez completed the Top 5.
Tom Davis of Los Molinos won the 15 lap Mini Stock Main Event. This was the third win of the season for the reigning division champion, but he still trails Tom Brown of Santa Rosa by four points in the standings. It was also his 14th career win at Antioch, making him the all-time win later in this division.
Davis bolted into the lead at the start ahead of Brown. They ran closely for the first few laps, and David Dupuis of Danville spun in Turn 2 for a yellow flag on Lap 7. On the restart, Brown began pressuring Davis. The race remained close between the lead duo for the remaining circuits, but Davis prevailed at the checkered flag ahead of Brown, Tony Quinonez a Corning and Dupuis.
David Rosa of Antioch won the 15 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. This was the 60th Main Event win of his career. Rosa bolted ahead of point leader Travis Day of Concord from the start and held a five-car lead for the first dozen laps. Day pushed too high exiting Turn 2 on Lap 12 and fell a straightaway behind Rosa. Rosa went on to win ahead of Day and Joe Leduc of Tracy.
After a week off, racing resumes on July 13th with the Third Annual Dean Cline Classic, featuring the Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks. The Figure 8 will be back along with the IMCA Stock Cars, Mini Stocks and 600 Micro Sprints. For further information, go to http://www.raceantiochspeedway.com.
Race Results
Wingless Spec Sprints
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jacob Tuttle, Dylan Newberry. Main Event (20 Laps)-DJ Johnson, Jacob Tuttle, Bob Newberry, Dylan Newberry, Anthony Bruno, Zack Acheson, Chris Geilfuss, Joe McCoy, Josh Wooten, Ryon Siverling.
BCRA Midgets
Fast Time-Caden Sarale 14.387. Trophy Dash-Bryant Bell. Heat Winners-Caden Sarale, Jake Andreotti. Main Event-Caden Sarale, Jake Andreotti, Brandon Wiley, Bryant Bell, Dale Johnston, Peter Paulson, Floyd Alvis, Terry Nichols, Nikko Panella.
Super Stocks
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Mike Learn, Ryan Cherezian. Main Event (20 Laps)-Mike Learn, Ryan Cherezian, Antonio Aragon, Shawn McCoy, Corey Hall, Paul Hanley, Buddy Kniss, Chester Kniss, Jim Freethy DQ, Mike Walko DNS.
Hardtops
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Mike Gillard. Main Event (15 Laps)-Joel Hannagan, Mike Gillard, Dexter Long, Joe Shenfield, Don Slaney, Les Warkentin.
Mini Stocks
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Tom Davis. Main Event (15 Laps)-Tom Davis, Tom Brown, Tony Quinonez, Dave Dupuis.
Dwarf Cars
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-David Rosa. Main Event (15 Laps)-David Rosa, Travis Day, Joe Leduc.
600 Micro Sprints
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Devon Zuffa. Main Event (15 Laps)-Ken Carter, Charlie Kight DNS, Devon Zuffa DNS.
Previous Races
- June 25 – Hart Outduels Holbrook for Antioch Speedway Win
- June 18 – Chiaramonte Collects First Sprint Car Challenge Win At Antioch Speedway
- June 4 – Foulger, Ryland, Robles, Holbrook Win At Antioch Speedway
- May 28 – Slaney Wins Eighth Annual Larry Damitz Memorial at Antioch Speedway
- May 21 – Antioch Speedway Treats Fairgoers to Two Nights of Racing
- May 14 – Sanders Prevails In NARC Sprint Car Feature at Antioch Speedway
- March 22 – Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series Comes To Antioch Speedway
