Arriaga Wins Spec Sprint Race At Antioch Speedway

By Candice Martin 

Antioch, CA…May 6…Shawn Arriaga of Antioch won the 25 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the 25th season opener for the division, and Arriaga had won the Hunt Series race a couple of weeks ago. In both cases, the third-generation racer was piloting the Dave Johnson owned car.

 

Prior to Main Event action, several drivers took to the track in a memorial lap for Wingless Spec Sprint division original Rick Panfili, who recently lost his battle with cancer. Division original Eric Mentch was piloting the Panfili car at the head of the pack for the lap.

 

After winning his heat race and setting fast time, Arriaga rode his front row start into the lead ahead of Jarrett Soares of Gilroy. A yellow flag waved on Lap 8 for debris on the track, and fifth place Roy Fisher of Antioch spun to avoid a slower car on the back stretch. Arriaga continued to lead Soares and Dylan Newberry of Brentwood on the restart. The rest of the race ran in rapid fashion, and Arriaga continued to stretch his advantage to a comfortable margin by the time the checkered flag flew. Soares settled for second ahead of Newberry, James East of Oakley and Kevin Box and Bethel Island.

 

Grayson Baca won the 20 lap Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock Main Event. This was the second-straight win for the Brentwood driver, who currently leads the point standings after three events.

 

Baca had the outside front row starting position and bolted into the immediate lead ahead of heat winner Lori Brown of Antioch. A low pass in Turn 2 of the second lap moved Jess Paladino of Brentwood into the second position with Jared Baugh of Pittsburgh up to third a lap later. An inside pass on the back stretch on the fourth circuit moved Baugh into second, but Baca held a commanding lead by then. A yellow flag waved for Jake Archibald of Oakley on Lap 7. Baca continued to lead Baugh on the restart. Baugh began to have a handling issue and was passed by Kevin Brown of Oakley on Lap 11. As Baugh fell out, George Silva of Merced settled into third. Despite a slowdown on Lap 15, Baca resumed command on the restart and cruised to victory ahead of Brown, Silva, Michaela Taylor of Oakley and Ken Johns of Antioch.

 

Chance Russell of Antioch won the Delta Dwarf Car Main Event. This was his very first win, and his grandmother happened to be in attendance to see it happen. 

 

Antioch’s David Michael Rosa set the early pace ahead of Russell, but Russell used a low pass in Turn 4 of the fourth lap to take over. A yellow flag waved after six laps for an Aaron Mosier of Shingle Springs spin in Turn 4. Russell continued to lead with Devan Kammermann of Dublin moving into second. A red flag waved on Lap 10 when Pete Piantanida and Rosa got together on the front stretch, collecting Mosier, who rolled. He was uninjured. Russell continued to lead on the restart, and when Kammermann nearly spun in Turn 2 on Lap 15, Russell stretched his advantage. Russell cruised to victory ahead of Kammerman, Travis Day of Concord, Joe LeDuc of Tracy and Tom VanTuyl of Forest Hill.

 

Mike Learn of Petaluma won the 20 lap Super Stock Main Event. The past Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series champion made a low pass in Turn 4 of the second lap to take the lead from early leader Chad Hammer of Antioch. Jim Freethy broke an axle for a yellow flag on Lap 3. Learn continued to lead Hammer on the restart. As Randy Miramontes of Santa Rosa battled Hammer for second, Learn was setting a rapid pace. Learn closed in on the second place battle with five laps to go. Learn lapped Miramontes on Lap 18 and Hammer on the last lap as he won ahead of Hammer, Miramontes and Freethy.

 

Tom Davis of Los Molinos won the 20 lap Print Club Mini Stock Main Event. Davis is a multi-time champion at Orland Raceway, and it was his second-straight win. He bolted into the lead at the start in the non-stop event and was never seriously handed on

his way to victory. Dana Gardner of San Bruno returned after missing a race. He was a race-long second. Gardner had earlier won the eight lap heat race. Reigning champion Tom Brown of Santa Rosa ended up third ahead of Tyler Applebaum of Antioch and Eddie Humphrey III of Torrance.

 

Racing resumes next Saturday night with the Larry Damitz Memorial race, featuring the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series and the West Coast Hobby Stock Tour. Also competing will be the IMCA Sport Modifieds and Hardtops. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.