Antioch, CA — Taking the lead on the sixth lap, Bakersfield’s Steven Johnson won the 25 lap Pacific Coast Hobby Stock Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the Fifth Annual Dean Cline Classic, paying tribute to the Antioch Speedway Hall of Famer, and the win for Johnson paid $1,000. As the weekend Antioch-Watsonville Series champion, Johnson also pocketed an additional $500.
Josh Appelbaum of Antioch took the early lead ahead of Oakley’s Buddy Kniss. The yellow flag waved on the third lap for Taylor DeCarlo of Martinez in Turn 2. As Appelbaum led the restart, Johnson made a high pass in Turn 4 to take second from Kniss. A low move in Turn 4 of the sixth lap put Johnson into the lead, and he began to pull away from the pack. Appelbaum also got past Kniss, but Aidan Ponciano of Oakley joined the two in a spirited duel for second place.
Chris Long of Antioch had moved into fifth by the ninth lap and took fourth from Ponciano a lap later. Long got past Kniss on the backstretch on Lap 11 for third. By that time, Johnson held a straightaway advantage over Appelbaum, but a yellow flag slowed the pace on Lap 13. Johnson led the restart with Ponciano and Long moving past Appelbaum for second and third.
As Ponciano ran closely with Johnson, a high-pass in Turn 4 of the 20th lap gained Nicholas Johnson of Bakersfield third from Long. Long pitted a lap later. Steven Johnson would score the satisfying win ahead of Ponciano, Nicholas Johnson, Andrew Pearce of Oakley and Les Friend of Galt.
Tyler Browne of Antioch won the 20 lap IMCA Modified Main Event. This was the first career victory for Browne, who moved into third in the standings.
Browne jumped into the lead at the start, followed closely by heat race winner Troy Foulger and previous feature winner Andrew Pearce, both of Oakley. Foulger provided constant pressure to Browne in the race-long battle for the lead as Pearce ran closely in third. Every time Foulger made a move, Browne managed to keep him behind by the time the lap was completed.
An inside pass on the frontstretch on Lap 15 put Pearce into second. Foulger pitted moments later. Pearce chased Browne closely the rest of the way, but Browne prevailed at the checkered flag. Doug Hagio of Prunedale settled for third, followed by Antioch’s Carl Berendsen II and Foulger.
Fred Ryland of Brentwood enjoyed double success on the evening and increased his point lead in both the IMCA Sport Modified and Stock Car divisions by winning both 20 lap Main Events. It was his fourth win of the year in the Sport Modifieds and his third in the Stock Cars. He now has 91 combined career feature victories at Antioch Speedway, giving him a share of the all-time win record with Troy Foulger.
In the IMCA Sport Modified Main Event, Kelly Campanile of Oakley led the opening lap before a yellow flag waved for Ethan Johnson of Bakersfield in Turn 2. Campanile led current State point leader Jeff Bentancourt and Trevor Clymens, both of Brentwood, on the restart. However, an inside move on the frontstretch on Lap 3 gained Bentancourt the lead. Several drivers engaged in a wide-open battle for second with Clymens grabbing the position on Lap 6.
A yellow flag waved for Colby Ward of Bakersfield and James Graessle of Antioch on Lap 6. Bentancourt continued to lead the restart with Ryland and Al Johnson of Antioch moving into second and third. A low pass in Turn 4 of the 10th lap gained Ryland the lead. Ryland steadily pulled away from the pack and won comfortably ahead of Bentancourt. Al Johnson settled for third ahead of Danny Wagner of Bay Point and Tanner Thomas of Atwater.
In the IMCA Stock Car feature, Ryland took the lead from the start, followed by Nick DeCarlo of Martinez and State point leader Justin Villanueva of Atwater. Heat race winner of Troy Foulger of Oakley made an inside pass on the frontstretch on Lap 4 to grab third, and Ryland had his hands full with DeCarlo at the front of the pack.
As Ryland pulled away just a bit, Foulger moved in to challenge DeCarlo for second. However, Foulger spun for a yellow flag on Lap 17. Ryland led DeCarlo and Villanueva on the restart, and they finished in that order as Scott Foster of Oakley and Foulger rounded out the Top 5.
The evening’s sponsor for the Hobby Stock race, Finish First Race Bodies, put up $100 for an IMCA Stock Car Dash For Cash. It proved to be an intense, three-car battle to the end with DeCarlo prevailing by .001 ahead of Villanueva at the checkered flag.
Danny Wagner of Bay Point increased his Dwarf Car point lead with his seventh Main Event victory.
Wagner pulled ahead of heat race winner Travis Day of Concord at the start. Nathan Schleth of Petaluma and Andrew Krey of Discovery Bay spun for yellow flags on Laps 3 and 4, but Wagner maintained the lead on the restart. Day headed to the pits with motor issues on Lap 9, and Wagner took the checkered flag by a lap ahead of Schleth. Schleth didn’t go to tech, moving Day to second ahead of Krey.
Racing resumes next Saturday night with the final appearance of the BCRA/WMR Midgets Super Series. The Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks will be back along with the IMCA sanctioned Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars, Mini Stocks and the Hardtop/Sportsman division. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.
Race Results
Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Aidan Ponciano, Les Friend. Main Event (25 Laps)-Steven Johnson, Aidan Ponciano, Nicholas Johnson, Andrew Pearce, Les Friend, Taylor DeCarlo, Nicholas Garner, Trevor Clymens, Josh Appelbaum, Jesse Paladino.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Troy Foulger. Main Event (20 Laps)-Tyler Browne, Andrew Pearce, Doug Hagio, Carl Berendsen II, Troy Foulger, Clay Daly.
IMCA Sport Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Trevor Clymens, Jeff Bentancourt. Main Event (20 Laps)-Fred Ryland, Jeff Bentancourt, Al Johnson, Danny Wagner, Tanner Thomas, Trevor Clymens, Kelly Campanile, James Graessle, Alfred Johnson, Ethan Johnson.
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Troy Foulger. Dash-Nick DeCarlo. Main Event (20 Laps)-Fred Ryland, Nick DeCarlo, Justin Villaneuva, Scott Foster, Troy Foulger, Jake Archibald, Dave Hill DNS, Rob Gallaher DNS.
Dwarf Cars
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Travis Day. Main Event (20 Laps)-Danny Wagner, Travis Day, Andrew Krey, Nathan Schleth DQ.
Previous
- Aug 4, 2026 – Pearce, Ponciano, Ryland, Foulger, Zuffa Win at Antioch Speedway
- July 28, 2026 – Tuttle Scores Hunt Series Victory at Antioch Speedway
- July 21, 2026 – Baca, Archibald, Wagner, Carlson Share Antioch Speedway Winner’s Circle
- June 30, 2026 – McDaniel, Baca, Ryland, Wagner, Freethy Win Soares Memorial Races at Antioch Speedway
- June 16, 2026 – Kenneth Robles Dedicates Win To Tom Fraser, Hammett, Clymens, Mentch, Foulger Other Winners At Antioch Speedway
- June 9 –Speir Wins Graunstadt Memorial at Antioch Speedway
- June 2, 2026 – Crandall Takes $1300 Bounty, Hogge Wins 25 Lap Larry Damitz Memorial at Antioch Speedway
- May 5, 2026 – Jerry Stewart Wins Tri State Pro Stock Main Event, Five New Winners at Antioch Speedway
- April 28 – Blake Bower Wins Randy Larson Memorial Race at Antioch Speedway
- April 7, 2026 – Foulger, Ponciano, Ryland, Gray, Wagner Score Season Opening Wins at Antioch Speedway
