By Ben Deatherage
ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 10) – Two IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing divisions returned to Antioch Speedway on Saturday, marking the fourth IMCA Modified and fifth Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod events of 2021 at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds facility.
The IMCA Modified main event was predominantly green to checkered. Only one caution took place and there was a total of three lead changes. Josh Combs beat the field to the line to be the leader of the opening circuit. Combs inhabited first place until lap three when Buddy Kniss got around him.
Kniss stayed in front much of the race. Martinez regular Nick DeCarlo tried to get around him but with no success. After the lone caution, Salinas veteran Bobby Hogge brought the Paul Gugliemoni-owned entry into the mix and went side-by-side with Kniss and eventually DeCarlo joined the party.
Kniss managed to keep back both Hogge and DeCarlo with seven to go. Hogge mounted one last charge to the front. He maneuvered his way to the front on lap 28 and remained there for the last two laps to become the third different winner in four races at Antioch.
Kniss was second followed by DeCarlo in third. The rest of the top five was made up of Troy Foulger and Jim Pettit II.
Tyer Browne was the driver to beat in the early goings of the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main. After a lap seven restart a three-car battle unfolded in which Trevor Clymens and Tommy Fraser tried to overtake Browne.
Browne got sideways while trying to hold off contenders and resulted in a caution. That would give the lead to defending track champion Clymens. Clymens was by no means out of the woods as he had his hands full with both Fraser and Guy Ahlwardt.
Fraser was able to get around Clymens in the main event with two laps to go. Fraser, who started tenth, held off all challengers to become the fourth different winner in as many Northern SportMod races this year at Antioch.
Pacheco’s Kenny Shrader charged late to earn second place while Ahlwardt got third. Clymens ended the race fourth and Kc Keller was scored fifth.