Nick Larson #24n picked up his first Wingless Spec Sprint win of the season. Photo by Katrina Kniss
By Candice Martin
Antioch, CA…June 24…Nick Larson of Vallejo won the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. It was his first win of the year and also his first win since his father, Randy Larson, passed away last year.
The race saw a yellow flag wave before a lap could be completed after Roy Greer of Murphys spun in Turn 4 and was clipped by Antioch’s Roy Fisher. In Turn 1, Antioch’s Shawn Arriaga hit the wall to end his race. Larson led the restart ahead of point leader Jarrett Soares of Gilroy and Brentwood’s Bob Newberry. A yellow flag flew for Soares in Turn 2 on Lap 3. Larson led Newberry and Fisher on the restart. They ran in that order until a yellow flag flew for Greer in Turn 4 on Lap 10. As Larsen led Newberry on the restart, Soares moved back into third. Larson caught slower traffic in the final few laps, and Newberry made it close before settling for second. Soares ended up third, followed by Fisher and James East of Oakley.
DJ Keldsen #01 continues to be the man to beat with his second Figure 8 victory. Pictured left is second place Jimmy Robbins and right is third place Chris Long. Photo by Katrina Kniss
DJ Keldsen of Newman won the 20 lap Figure 8 Main Event. This was his second win and he left with the championship belt that will go with the driver who wins each race.
It was Dennis Keldsen of Newman taking the early lead ahead of David Rosa of Antioch. A low pass in Turn 4 of the second lap put DJ Keldsen into second, and he soon started battling his father for the lead. DJ went low on Dennis in Turn 3 of the fifth lap to take the lead. Dennis came back strong in Turn 4 a lap later to reclaim first, but his son was back in front in Turn 2 a lap later. Dakota Keldsen of Watsonville brought out a Lap 9 yellow flag. DJ Keldsen led Dennis Keldsen and Jimmy Robbins of Concord on the restart. They ran that way until Robbins slipped past Dennis Keldsen for second on Lap 15. A fire under the hood of the Rosa car forced a Lap 16 red flag. DJ Keldsen led Robbins and Dennis Keldsen on the restart. Dennis Keldsen made a big move on Jimmy Robbins in Turn 4 on Lap 18, but he got out of shape in Turn 1, allowing Robbins and Chris Long of Antioch to get by. DJ Keldsen went on to win ahead of Robbins, Long, Dennis Keldsen and Rosa.
Grayson Baca #31b maintained the Hobby Stock point lead with his third win of the year. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Point leader Grayson Baca of Brentwood won his third 20 lap Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock Main Event. Kevin Brown of Oakley raced into the early lead ahead of Colten Haney of Brentwood. A low pass in Turn 4 of the third lap gained Jewell Crandall of Antioch second briefly, but Haney went by on the outside a lap later to regain the position. An outside pass on the front stretch of the sixth lap put Haney into the lead. Aidan Ponciano of Oakley settled into third on Lap 7, but Crandall went around the outside on Lap 9 to take third. Baca was up to fourth, and he gained third with a low pass in Turn 2 on Lap 15. Crandall spun in Turn 4 for a yellow flag. On the restart, a strong inside move put Baca into the lead. Baca led Haney the rest of the way for the victory. Ponciano settled for third ahead of Brown and Cameron Swank of Antioch.
Point leader Troy Foulger #49 collected his fifth IMCA Stock Car win of the season. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Troy Foulger of Oakley won the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car Main Event. This was the fifth win of the season for the current point leader. Jason Robles of Rio Vista set the early pace before Foulger made an inside pass on the back stretch on Lap 4 to take over. Foulger begin to pull away from the pack from there for the impressive win. Robles settled for second ahead of Jeff Bentancourt of Brentwood, Scott Foster of Oakley and San Francisco’s Dave Hill.
IMCA Modified point leader Troy Foulger #49 put Bowers Motorsports in the winner’s circle for the second time this year. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Later, Foulger returned and won his second 20 lap IMCA Modified Main Event. The Modified point leader jumped into the lead by the time the opening lap was completed. Nick DeCarlo of Martinez was an early second, but a low pass in Turn 4 of the eighth lap enabled Andrew Pearce of Oakley to move into second. Following a Lap 10 yellow flag for Jeff Browne of Oakley, the battle raged for the lead. Foulger maintained the lead when the green flag waved with Pearce in close pursuit. As they worked the 16th lap down the back stretch, there was contact between the two cars with Pearce getting into the back wall. Both drivers maintained speed, and Foulger led Pearce back to the checkered flag in victory. DeCarlo settled for third ahead of Tim Yeager of Belmont and Browne.
Dakota Albright #35 took the BCRA Lightning Sprint point lead with his third win of the year. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Dakota Albright of Waterford won the 20 lap BCRA Lightning Sprint Main Event. Reigning series champion Matt Land of Elk Grove led the opening two tours before Albright got by. The red flag waved after three laps for a Cody Meyer of Placerville flip in Turn 2. Yellow flags quickly followed the next two restart attempts before Albright continued to lead the way ahead of Greg Dennett of Livermore. They ran in that order the rest of the way. However, Dennett was disqualified in post-race tech. Land was elevated to second ahead of Chris Crowder of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Hunter Kinney of Citrus Heights and Jason Schostag of Diamond Springs.
Racing continues next Saturday night with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour making their lone appearance of the season, joined by the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Antioch Speedway Race Results
Wingless Spec Sprints
FT Shawn Arriaga 14.287. Heat Winners Round 1 (8 laps)-Shawn Arriaga, Jarrett Soares. Heat Winners Round 2 (8 laps)-Nick Larson, Jarrett Soares. Main Event (20 laps)-Nick Larson, Bob Newberry, Jarrett Soares, Roy Fisher, James East, Steve Maionchi, Roy Greer, Shawn Arriaga, Scott Chapeta, Anthony Bruno.
Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Jewell Crandall, Jess Paladino, Aidan Ponciano. Main Event (20 laps)-Grayson Baca, Colten Haney, Aidan Ponciano, Kevin Brown, Cameron Swank, Ken Johns, Jewell Crandall, Jon Haney, Anthony Vigna, Jess Paladino.
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Troy Foulger. Main Event (20 laps)-Troy Foulger, Jason Robles, Jeff Bentancourt, Scott Foster, Dave Hill, Terry DeCarlo Sr DNS, Travis Dutra DNS.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Troy Foulger. Main Event (20 laps)-Troy Foulger, Andrew Pearce, Nick DeCarlo, Jeff Browne, Tim Yeager.
BCRA Lightning Sprints
FT Matt Land 15.251. Heat Winners (8 laps)-Dakota Albright, Greg Dennett. Main Event (20 laps)-Dakota Albright, Matt Land, Chris Crowder, Hunter Kinney, Jason Schostag, Mike Rich, Cody Meyer, Greg Dennett DQ.
Unofficial Figure 8
Main Event (20 laps)-DJ Keldsen, Jimmy Robbins, Chris Long, Dennis Keldsen, David Rosa, Anthony Vigna, Dakota Keldsen, Angela Brown, Mike Conley Jr
