Four in a Row – Champions Troy Foulger, left, and Billy Bowers, right have entered the record book with four straight modified championships at Antioch Speedway.

Troy Foulger of Martinez, Calif. was honored for an unprecedented fourth straight championship at the 2013 Antioch Speedway Awards Banquet. Champions and Rookies of the Year in the speedway’s eight divisions were applauded at the Contra Costa Fairgrounds on Saturday night (11/23).

Foulger, 22, who drove a car owned by Billy Bowers of Oakley, scored five wins and 13 top five finishes in the highly competitive International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) modified stock car division. He heads to Lincoln, Nebraska this week to be honored by the organization.

Foulger praised the work of Bowers and his crew.

“They worked on the cars every night of the week, all season long,” said Foulger. “We sometimes raced both cars, back to back, and it isn’t easy to maintain and race two cars. Their dedication to preparation made the difference.”

Rookie of the Year in the IMCA modified division is Antioch’s David Michael Rosa. He’s hoping to end Foulger’s streak.

“When I started out in the modifieds this year, it was my goal to be rookie of the year,” said Rosa. “My next goal is to win a championship.”

In the IMCA sanctioned SportMod division, champ Jeremy Hoff towed his car from the hills of Copperopolis, just to compete at the delta high-banked 3/8-mile oval.

IMCA SportMod champ Jeremy Hoff and Alishia Rae.

“I was new at Antioch Speedway and everyone made me feel welcome,” he said. “In fact, if it weren’t for the Bowers crew, I might not have been champ. They fixed my car in time for the feature after a crash in a qualifying race late in the season.”

Hoff held off Megan Ponciano of Oakley, who finished second in the point battle. Ponciano was named Rookie of the Year.

Wingless Sprint Car champion Gary Nelson, Jr., of San Jose, never finished out of the top five.

“If anyone told me four years ago that I would be champion of this division this year, I would think they were crazy,” said Nelson. “I have to thank my dad. He believed in me from day one.”

Wingless Champ Gary Nelson, Jr.  and Gary Nelson

Jim Freethy of Danville won the Super Stock championship by four points  after fighting off veteran driver Larry Damitz of Vallejo. He thanked crew chief Jack Jonkers and his dedicated team.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this championship. Championships are hard to come by,” Freethy said. “It was an honor to race with Larry (Damitz).”

Hobby Stock champion Kimo “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Oreta of Vacaville gave a passionate speech after receiving his award.

“When you have strong competition, as I did, winning a championship feels even better,” Oreta said. “Number one is what we shot for at the beginning of the season, and number one is what we got.”

Kimo “The Flyin Hawaiian” Oreta addresses the crowd.

Nick Baldwin of Oakley made forward progress through the season to become one of the Hobby Stock division’s top drivers and its Rookie of the Year.

“A year earlier I was sitting in the stands and thinking I would like to do this,” Baldwin said. “I never raced before. I can’t believe I’m rookie of the year.”

Another four-point championship went to Jimmy Robbins of Concord, who topped Brentwood’s Gene Haney in Super Hobby Stocks. Robbins was offered a ride in Steve and Natalie Perry’s car early in the season.

Jimmy Robbins, Super Hobby Champ

“It was a very interesting season,” Robbins said. “Natalie told me to drive the wheels off of the car. Steve told me to pace myself, and I would do better. The combination of advice worked.”

Mitch Locicero of Martinez was named Rookie of the Year in the Super Hobby Stock division.

“I raced on two wheels (motorcycles) for years, and switched to four wheels this year,” Locicero said. “And I had more fun this year than I ever had before.”

Ken Radabaugh of Brentwood, champion in the four-cylinder “Four Banger” division, thanked his fiancé, Shawna Vannucchi for her support.

Four Banger champ Radabaugh and fiance Shawna Vannucchi

“She was always there, scraping mud, helping every night,” Radabaugh said. “It’s our first championship. It’s an amazing feeling.”

Brent Curran, 21, of Antioch, who received the Rookie of the Year in the “Four-Banger” division, didn’t expect he would win. He worked two jobs just to support his racing.

“My goal was to just race and have fun,” Curran said. “I watched my dad and grandfather race here, and I wanted to be a third generation racer.”

Jim Freethy and Jack Jonkers, Super Stock champions.

Dwarf Car division champion Danny Wagner of Bay Point made a remarkable comeback after breaking vertebrae in his back and being hospitalized after a 2012 crash.

Danny Wagner and Jordan Franklin.

“I have to thank my parents, Celeste and Dan, and my girlfriend Jordan Franklin for forgiving me for the grease in the house and the mud in the driveway.”

Antioch Speedway’s 2014 season will begin in February. The 2014 schedule will be released next week.

Antioch Speedway Super Stock Champion Jim Freethy (99) gets an inside lane challenge from Fred Ryland, who finished second. (Mike Adaskaveg Photo)

Visiting drivers dominated the six stock car divisions racing in the season finale at Merced Speedway Saturday night. Dubbed “Sibling Rivalry”, the races challenged drivers from sister track Antioch Speedway to race against the locals. Drivers from Antioch, Modesto, Marysville and Watsonville swept the main events.

“The racing should have been close, we use the same gear (sizes) at both tracks,” said Antioch Super Stock Champion Jim Freethy of Danville after he won his division’s main event.

Freethy’s closest competition came from fellow Antioch competitor Fred Ryland of Brentwood. The first Merced regular across the line was third place Donnie Shearer.

“More importantly, everyone is friendly here,” added Freethy. “It is fun to race with the Merced drivers.”

The battle in the modified stock car main event was between three drivers from Salinas. Cody Burke out ran continuous pass attempts from his brother Austin. Robert Marsh was right behind the two brothers, who raced side-by-side most of the feature event.

Cody Burke (20) puts the move on his brother during a side by side war in the modified feature event. (Mike Adaskaveg Photo)

“We still race each other in video games like we did years ago as kids,” Cody Burke said in victory lane. “I know what he (Austin) is going to do, so I race him harder.”

Though the two brought the crowd to their feet, there was never contact in the 20-lap battle.

“If there was an accident between us, it would be a long ride home,” Cody Burke added. “We were racing to test our cars out before the big race in Las Vegas.”

The West’s last big race event is traditionally held in November at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Many drivers are already preparing for that event.

Antioch driver Mitch Enos was fourth in the modified main, followed by Chet Reeves of Bakersfield. Sixth went to Antioch’s Ed Davies. Atwater’s Bill Egleston was the first local across the line as he finished seventh.

Keith Brown, Jr. of Pittsburg, a third-generation Antioch driver, won the SportMod feature event handily once he got by Merced regular Shawn Bryant of Los Banos. Locals Tim Elias of Los Banos and Alex Odisho of Merced nailed down third and fourth, followed by Bakersfield’s Matt Mayo.

Keith Brown, Jr. a third-generation Antioch Speedway driver, is slaying “crates” – engines bought ready to race from GM – with his built engine. (Mike Adaskaveg Photo)

“All it took was to leave the door open one time,” Bryant said to Brown in victory lane.

“We worked hard to get to where we are today,” Brown said. “We’re ready to race in Las Vegas now.”

The Antioch Dwarf Car division made its second appearance of the season in Merced, with Jeremy Blackshere of Marysville beating his teammate Scott Dahlgren. A lapped car slowed Dahlgren down, and Blackshere used the opportunity to make the winning pass.

Dwarfcar team mates Jeremy Blackshere (48) and Scott Dahlgren battle it out. (Mike Adaskaveg Photo)

Only two cars competed in the Valley Sportsman Division. Tim Prothro of Merced topped Michael Shearer of Los Banos.

A thrilling Hobby Stock main event saw Watsonville’s Billy Nelson fight off several challenges by Antioch champ Brad Myers of Brentwood. Josh Hensley of Atwater was the fist local across the line.

“I almost lost it when a lapped car got in the way,” Nelson said in victory lane. “This is only the second time I have raced in Merced – it was three years ago the first time.”

Myers, who was fender to door with Nelson, couldn’t pass him despite an incredible effort.

Billy Nelson (11) had Antioch Champ Brad Myers on the inside, lap after lap. (Mike Adaskaveg Photo)

“I had my foot to the floor all the way around the track,” Myers said. “I never lifted. The track was really hooked up to be able to drive that way. I just couldn’t pass him.”

Brian Corder of Modesto beat his father Chris in the Mini-Stock main event. It was the younger Corder’s third race ever.

“I had to beat him,” he kidded his dad in victory lane. “I’m the up and coming driver – I have to take over for him.”

Oval Motorsports, Inc. will announce awards banquet information for each track later this week. The 2014 schedule for each track will be announced in January.