Top Modified IMCA Riders Kellen Chadwick #83, Nick DeCarlo #17 and Bobby Motts Jr #u81 battle it out. Photo by Katrina Kniss
By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing Media
The marathon season at Antioch Speedway ends this Saturday night, November 26. Over 40 events took place on the Contra Costa Event Center (Fair) track this year. Originally it was going to be a two-race weekend, but it was condensed to just one.
IMCA-sanctioned Modifieds, Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars will be on hand, as well as Wingless Spec Sprints, Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks and Super Stocks. This will be the last opportunity to see races here until next year.
The championship season for modified IMCAs ended in a tie. In fact, the IMCA did an official audit when originally Kellen Chadwick of Oakley led by one point over Nick DeCarlo of Martinez. It was determined that the tie that the track had calculated between the two drivers was in fact the correct one.
DeCarlo will win the championship based on beating Chadwick, four wins to three wins. Bobby Motts Jr will finish third in the final downhill ahead of this year’s top rookie Trevor Clymens of Brentwood and Terry DeCarlo Jr of Martinez.
Bill Bowers Memorial winner Kenny Shrader #188, Fred Ryland #7j, Kelly Campanile #2 and Tyler Browne #325 jockey for position in IMCA Sport Modifieds. Photo by Katrina Kniss
The IMCA Sport Modified battle went to the wire. Oakley’s Andrew Pearce looked good until mechanical issues in the third to last race in the lead sent him to the pits. Brentwood’s Fred Ryland has four wins this season and beat Pearce by eight points for the championship. Pearce ended up winning three races that season for a solid second place, followed by IMCA State Champion Jacob Mallet Jr of Oakley, Kenny Shrader of Pacheco and Chuck Golden of Pittsburg.
Concord’s Travis Dutra ended up winning the IMCA Stock Car Championship 20 points ahead of Rio Vista’s Jason Robles. This is the second championship in a row for Dutra, who finally earned his first win in the season finale. He has only missed the Top 5 once in 12 starts. Jason Jennings of Pittsburgh was third in the standings and top rookie honors followed by Dave Hill of San Francisco and Dave Gonderman of Antioch.
Misty Welborn kicked off the Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock season with three wins in the first four races. The Castro Valley resident won the championship, while Oakley’s Michaela Taylor beat Pittsburgh’s Jared Baugh by just four points in the race for second place. Top rookie Taylor DeCarlo of Martinez finished fourth ahead of Jewell Crandall of Antioch.
Shannon Newton #2, Steve Maionchi #25 and James East #71 run hard in the wingless sprints. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Elk Grove’s Shannon Newton hadn’t planned on racing for points this year, but the four-time winner ended up claiming his second Wingless Spec Sprint Championship 17 points ahead of Oakley’s James East. Steve Maionchi of Sonora finished third ahead of MacKenzie Newton of Elk Grove and Zack Neeley of Tulare.
In Super Stock competition, Danville’s Jim Freethy captured his third championship. He picked up four victories along the way and his title was never in doubt. Brentwood’s Joey Ridgeway beat Concord’s Jimmy Robbins by just eight points to finish second in the standings. 2020 champion Mike Walko of Knightsen and two-time title winner Mike Gustafson of Concord finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Mike Walko #13a, Michael Burch #03, Memorial winner Larry Damitz, and Wayne Trimble #71 vie for position in the Super Stock competition. Photo by Katrina Kniss
At this point, it’s all about bragging rights and purse money when these six divisions come to face off this Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Gates will open at 4:00 a.m. and the first race will start at 6:00 a.m.
Adult tickets are $20, senior/military $15, children (5-12) $15, and children four and under free.
For more information, visit www.antiochspeedway.com.
