By Candice Martin
Antioch, CA…June 10…Anthony Pope of Roseburg, Oregon won the 30 lap Pro Division Dwarf Car Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the second night of the WSDCA Dwarf Car Nationals, hosted by the Delta Dwarf Car Association. Over 60 competitors from throughout the West Coast came to compete.
Camarillo’s Nick Velasquez raced into the early lead ahead of Danny Wagner of Bay Point. Pope settled into second on a Lap 6 restart behind leader Velasquez, but an inside pass on the back stretch of the 12th lap gained Pope the lead. Wagner set his sights on Velasquez in the battle for second as Pope pulled away for several laps in the lead. Wagner finally made his move on the back stretch of the 27th lap to take second from Velasquez, and a yellow flag waved moments later for a tangle in Turn 4, involving Ellie Russo of Bay Point. The first restart attempt saw Dylan Shrum of Lincoln and Velasquez tangle in Turn 2. Pope continued to lead Wagner and B Main winner Michael “Spanky” Grenert of Fairfield on the restart, and they would finish in that order with Chad Mathias of Petaluma and Dylan Shrum of Lincoln rounding out the Top 5.
Eric Weisler of Campbell won the 20 lap Veterans Dwarf Car Main Event. Following his fast dash win, Las Vegas driver Ronnie Williams set the early pace ahead of Kevin Bender of Rocklin and Mark Biscardi of San Jose. Biscardi got around Bender on the seventh lap and set his sights on Williams. Biscardi put the moves on Williams for the lead on the 10th circuit. Weisler got around Williams for second on Lap 14, and the battle was on as the lead duo pulled away from the pack. Weisler made a Turn 1 pass on the 18th lap to take the lead from Biscardti and brought it home to victory. Biscardi settled for second ahead of Pete Priantinida of Discovery Bay, Frankie Polltelli of Aliso Viejo and Williams.
Daniel Peters of Camarillo won the 20 lap Sportsman Dwarf Car Main Event. Friday night preliminary winner Marek Pipe had a pole position start after winning the 10 lap fast dash, and the Greeley, Colorado driver took the early lead ahead of Peters. Tyler Fulcher of Ojai slipped past Peters for second on Lap 3. Pipe quickly came up on slower cars, and two cars spun in Turn 2, collecting him for a Lap 6 yellow flag. Track officials restored Pipe to the lead, but Peters moved into the lead on the restart. Fulcher made a big move in Turn 4 of the eighth lap to get by Peters as Pipe had an infield excursion. The battle was between Peters and Fulcher down the stretch, but Peters had just enough momentum to go on to victory. Isaak Geil of Auburn was third, followed by Kylee Johnson of Santa Rosa and Brenden Shrum of Lincoln.
Justin Crockett of Arroyo Grande won the 25 lap Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series Main Event. This was the third win on the circuit for the 2021 series champion.
Crockett settled into the lead at the start ahead of heat race winner Mike Learn of Petaluma and Richard Brace Jr of Grass Valley. Brace slipped past Learn for second on the fourth lap, and a Turn 4 pass on Lap 9 gained Fallon, Nevada’s Travis White third. A yellow flag waved On Lap 15, and White began to put serious pressure on Brace for second before making the move on the 18th lap. Despite a series of yellow flags resetting the lineup, Crockett stayed cool on each restart and would hold off White for the victory. Brent Lawrence of Grass Valley made a late surge to end up third, followed by Brentwood’s Joey Ridgeway and Brace.
Andrew Pearce of Oakley won his second 20 lap IMCA Modified Main Event. Pearce took the lead at the start ahead of Nick DeCarlo of Martinez and point leader Troy Foulger of Oakley. Foulger moved into second on Lap 2. He ran closely with Pearce for the next few laps, but Pearce began to pull away as the race wore on. Pearce went on to collect the win as Foulger settled for second ahead of DeCarlo, Randy Shafer of Vacaville and Danny Malfatti of Hayward.
Tom Davis of Los Molinos returned and won his third Print Club Mini Stock Main Event of the season. The multi-time Orland Raceway champion had to battle back from a mishap early in the race. Chris Corder of Modesto set the early pace ahead of Dana Gardner of San Bruno. Following a yellow flag for Tom Brown of Santa Rosa and Don Abitz of Pittsburg on Lap 3, Gardner took the lead on the restart. Davis slipped past Corder for second on the seventh lap, and the battle was on for the lead. Davis made an aggressive move inside Turn 4 on the 12th circuit and emerged with the lead. Corder had mechanical issues late. Davis held off Gardner for the win as Daniel Bond of Oakdale finished third ahead of Abitz and Brown.
Racing resumes on Saturday night with the second running of the Dean Cline Classic for the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks, joined by the Delta Dwarf Cars, the Print Club Mini Stocks, the Hardtops and the 600 Micro Sprints. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Antioch Speedway Race Results
Pro Dwarf Car
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Dylan Shrum, Travis Gergel. Fast Dash (10 laps)-Nick Velasquez. B Main (15 laps)-Michael Grenert, Dave Brune, Chance Russell. Main Event (30 laps)-Anthony Pope, Danny Wagner, Michael Grenert, Chad Matthias, Dylan Shrum, Cody Shrum, Chance Russell, Nick Velasquez, Toby Brown, Shawn Whitney.
Veteran Dwarf Car
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Tom Morley. Fast Dash (10 laps)-Ronnie Williams. Main Event (20 laps)-Eric Weisler, Mark Biscardi, Pete Piantinida, Frankie Politelli, Ronnie Williams, Kevin Bender, Kevin Miraglio, Denny Hannel, Glenn Schiarani, Tommy Velasquez.
Sportsman Dwarf Car
Heat winners (8 laps)-Branden Shrum, Teagan Fischer. Fast Dash (10 laps)-Marek Pipe. Main Event (20 laps)-Daniel Peters, Tyler Fulcher, Isaak Geil, Kylee Johnson, Branden Shrum, Teagan Fischer, Marek Pipe, Ryan Caldwell, Ian Velasquez, Dewey Myers.
IMCA Modified
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Troy Foulger,. Main Event (20 laps)-Andrew Pearce, Troy Foulger, Nick DeCarlo, Randy Shafer, Danny Malfatti.
Print Club Mini Stock
Heat winner (8 laps)-Tom Davis. Main Event (20 laps)-Tom Davis, Dana Gardner, Daniel Bond, Don Abitz, Tom Brown, Chris Corder, David Carson, Tony Quinines.
Tri State Pro Stock Series
FT Travis White 16.136. Heat Winners (8 laps)-Richard Brace Jr, Mike Learn. Main Event (25 laps)-Justin Crockett, Travis White, Brent Lawrence, Joey Ridgeway, Richard Brace Jr, Michael Smith, Phil Marino, Peter Coberly, Michael Burch, Mike Learn.
