Antioch, CA — Billy Aton came through when the pressure was on for a championship clinching 25 lap Winged 360 Main Event victory Saturday night at Antioch Speedway.
Aton won his heat race and then set about winning his third Main Event of the season. With three time Marysville champion Brent Dothage in the hunt, it wasn’t easy. Dothage was looking to join a long winner’s list, but Aton drove a great race for the important victory. Dothage settled for his second runnerup finish in three visits. Art McCarthy wasn’t far behind in third as Burt Foland Jr. and heat race winner Ryan Timmons completed the Top 5 at the finish. Marissa Polizzi saw her night end early after she flipped in her heat race.
Troy Foulger won a thrilling battle for the 20 lap A Modified Main Event win. The four time champion had been winless so far this season, but he finally broke through for the victory in the Bill Bowers owned car. Foulger had to hold off some serious pressure from 2004 champion Aaron Crowell, but he prevailed at Bob Kempf’s checkered flag. Scott Busby maintained second in the standings with a solid third place finish ahead of Nick DeCarlo, Josh Combs and point leader Carl Berendsen II.
Jim Perry Jr. pretty much assured himself of his second Wingless Spec Sprint championship following his fourth 20 lap feature win of he season. On this night, Perry had Roy Fisher pressuring him. The 70 something year old Fisher won his heat race and was looking for his second win of the season. However, Fisher was was no match for the flying Perry. Shannon Newton held off point runnerup Marcus Smith for a third place finish, and Peter Carlotto made his first start of the season in fifth.
Al Johnson #43j won his first career B Modified Main Event to keep his championship hopes alive with two races remaining. Photo By Paul Gould
Al Johnson has had several second place finishes, but he finally scored his first career 20 lap B Modified Main Event victory. The current point runnerup also kept himself in the championship hunt after also winning his heat race. Two time winner K.C. Keller also won a heat race and gave it a good effort before settling for a strong second place finish. Kevin Brown enjoyed his best career finish in third. Past Hobby Stock champion Megan Ponciano drove to a season best fourth place finish ahead of Chuck Golden.
Larry Damitz continued his drive towards his fifth championship in six years with his sixth 20 lap victory. Damitz also won a heat race in yet another stellar performance for the 87 year old veteran of over 60 years of racing. Kimo Oreta scored a season best second place finish as he continues to fight for second in the standings. It remains close after heat race winner Mark Garner came from last to finish third in the Main Event. Fourth went to Mike Gustafson as Placerville visitor Jay Bryant finished fifth.
Two time Hobby Stock champion Melissa Myers #33 rode the last lap on a flat tire and still won her second Main Event of the season. Photo By Paul Gould
Melissa Myers returned to action and won the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. Myers is running a limited schedule as family has kept her busy, but this was her second win of the season. The two time Hobby Stock champion had a flat right rear tire for the last lap and had rookie Anthony Vigna chasing her, but she sped to the checkered flag.
Vigna crossed the line second after earlier winning a heat race, but he and apparent third place finisher Cameron Swank were both disqualified in post race tech. This shuffled the finishing order and put 2010 champion Chris Sorensen into the second position. Chris Long was third ahead of Frank Furtado and Rob Waldrop.
Racing returns on Saturday, October 8th with the John Soares Sr. Memorial Top Dog Race featuring big money races for DIRTcar Late Models, A Modifieds, B Modifieds and Hobby Stocks. The Late Models and A Modifieds race for $1500 to win that night, while the B Modifieds and Hobby Stocks race for a $850 first prize.
Promoter John M. Soares announced that due to two rain outs earlier this season, this race and an October 22nd race will be for championship points as well. On the schedule for the final October race will be DIRTcar Late Models, A Modifieds, B Modifieds, Wingless Spec Sprints, Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Unofficial Race Results September 24
Winged 360 Sprint Car
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Billy Aton, Ryan Timmons. Main Event (25 Laps)-Aton, Brent Dothage, Art McCarthy, Burt Foland Jr., Timmons, Jenna Frazier, Craig Frandsen, John Sullivan, Dan Gonderman, Aaron Miller, Shawn Laeber, Marissa Polizzi (DNS).
Wingless Spec Sprint
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Brandon Burd, Roy Fisher. Main Event (20 Laps)-Jim Perry Jr., Fisher, Shannon Newton, Marcus Smith, Peter Carlotto, Jack Clark, Billy Macedo, Rick Panfili, Burd (DNS).
A Modified
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Anthony Slaney, Aaron Crowell. Main Event (20 Laps)-Troy Foulger, Crowell, Scott Busby, Nick DeCarlo, Josh Combs, Carl Berendsen II, John MacDougall, Bobby Montalvo, Sean O’Gara, Slaney, Bobby Motts Jr., Gary Hetrick, Norman Boeck.
B Modified
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Al Johnson, K.C. Keller. Main Event (20 Laps)-Johnson, Keller, Kevin Brown, Megan Ponciano, Chuck Golden, Trevor Clymens, Tim Hammett, Mike Mates.
Limited Late Model
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Larry Damitz, Mark Garner. Main Event (20 Laps)-Damitz, Kimo Oreta, M. Garner, Mike Gustafson, Jay Byant, Billy Garner, Lori Brown, Chet Hammer (DNS), John Keith (DNS).
Hobby Stock
Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Guy Ahlwardt, Melissa Myers. Main Event (20 Laps)-Myers, Chris Sorensen, Chris Long, Frank Furtado, Rob Waldrop, Natalie Perry, Jordan Swank, Lindsey Buirch, Ahlwardt, Robert Niven, Anthony Vigna (DQ), Cameron Swank (DQ).
