Antioch, CA — Larry McKinzie Jr won the 20 lap Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the first running of the Dean Cline Classic, which pays tribute to the Hall of Fame racer. This was the first win of the season for him after winning the 2021 championship.
Grayson Baca started on the front row and took the early lead ahead of McKinzie and the red hot Clarence Holbrook III. Baca held off every advance of McKinzie throughout the first 15 laps of the race. After a pair of yellow flags, McKinzie bolted into the lead on the back stretch on Lap 17. Bobby Motts Jr briefly gained second, but he ended up tangling with Holbrook in Turn 4 for Lap 18 yellow flag. McKinzie led the final restart and the remaining laps ahead of Watsonville star Adriane Frost. However, Frost was later disqualified, moving Charlie Bryant into second ahead of Jared Baugh, James Graessle and Trevor Clymens.
Sprint Car and Stock Car star Dan Gonderman #87 brought the house down with his $1,000 Figure 8 win. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Dan Gonderman won the wild 20 lap Figure 8. The Top 5 IMCA Stock Car driver collected $1,000 for his effort. After Steve Perry led a lap, it was Dennis Keldsen moving into the lead ahead of John Keldsen and Jimmy Robbins. They ran that way for eight laps before Robbins, Trevor Clymens and John Keldsen all spun. Gonderman moved into second, and Robbins quickly regained third. Robbins moved into second on Lap 10, only to be hit in the X by Trevor Clymens, ending the race for Robbins. Dennis Keldsen continued to lead at that point with Gonderman back in second ahead of John Keldsen. Dennis Keldsen hit a slower car on Lap 18 and ended up with a right front flat tire. Gonderman moved in and made a Turn 2 pass, only to get passed in Turn 4. As the leaders came into the X for the white flag, Keldsen hit a big tractor tire and Gonderman got by. Gonderman won ahead of John Keldsen, Dennis Keldsen, Larry McKinzie Jr and Trevor Clymens.
Troy Foulger outdueled Bobby Hogge IV in a classic battle for his sixth 20 lap IMCA Modified Main Event win. Foulger was once again piloting the Bowers Motorsports Modified. Danny Malfatti led a lap before being passed by Brian Pearce. Foulger quickly moved into second on Lap 4 and made an outside pass on Pearce on Lap 6 to grab the lead. Hogge quickly followed into second, and the battle was on. Hogge tried high and low, but Foulger made his car wide and scored the impressive win. Malfatti settled for third ahead of Brian Pearce and Paul Guglielmoni
IMCA Sport Modified runner-up Andrew Pearce #15p won his third Main Event of the season. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Andrew Pearce went flag to flag in winning the IMCA Sport Modified 20 lap Main Event. The 2022 championship runner-up set the early pace ahead of Kenny Shrader. Though Shrader kept it close, he was no match for Pearce in the end. Joseph Pato ran third for 17 laps before being overtaken by 2022 champion Fred Ryland. Pato settled for fourth ahead of Todd Gomez.
Racing continues next Saturday night with the Dwarf Car Mania event along with the Chet Thomson Memorial Hardtop race. Also competing will be the Super Stocks for their point finale, Wingless Spec Sprints and Mini Stocks.
For further information, go to www.antochspeedway.com
Antioch Speedway — Unofficial Race Results
Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Clarence Holbrook III, Charlie Bryant, Joe Gallaher, Larry McKinzie Jr. Trophy Dash (4 laps)-Clarence Holbrook III. B Main (15 laps)-Colten Haney, Bobby Gallaher, Jewell Crandall. Main Event (20 laps)-Larry McKinzie Jr, Charlie Bryant, Jared Baugh, James Graessle, Trevor Clymens, Michaela Taylor, Kevin Brown, Bobby Gallaher, Bobby Motts Jr, Clarence Holbrook III.
Figure 8
Main Event (20 laps)-Dan Gonderman, John Keldsen, Dennis Keldsen, Larry McKenzie Jr, Trevor Clymens, Steve Perry, Jimmy Robbins, Angela Brown, Ken Winland, Charlie Bryant.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Brian Pearce, Troy Foulger. Main Event (20 laps)-Troy Foulger, Bobby Hogge IV, Danny Malfatti, Brian Pearce, Paul Guglielmoni, Dave Duste Jr, Andrew Pearce, Buddy Kniss, Chester Kniss.
IMCA Sport Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 laps)-Todd Gomez, Kenny Shrader. Main Event (20 laps)-Andrew Pearce, Kenny Shrader, Fred Ryland, Joseph Pato, Todd Gomez, Jason Ryan Jr, Jason Pugh, Trevor Clymens, Al Johnson.
