Bill Bowers Memorial checkers fly for Pearce

Andrew Pearce wrapped up a perfect weekend with his $1,500 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win during the Bill Bowers Memorial at Antioch Speedway. (Photo by Katrina Kniss) 

By Candice Martin

ANTIOCH, Calif. (Oct. 5, 2024) – Andrew Pearce won the 49-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event Saturday at Antioch Speedway.

The occasion was the fifth annual Bill Bowers Memorial. The win was worth $1,500, plus Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility and a special winner’s flannel jacket in memory of Bowers.

Pearce had won Friday night feature as well. 

Bobby Hogge IV started on the front row and was looking for his career second win in this event. He charged into the early lead ahead of Pearce and defending race winner Troy Foulger.

An outside pass on the front stretch gained Foulger second on lap eight. The yellow flag waved moments later for a Chris Long spin. Hogge continued to lead the restart with Pearce moving back into second.

Hogge slowed as Pearce and Foulger raced by. The yellow flag ended up waving on lap nine for Hogge.

Pearce led Foulger and Kellen Chadwick on the restart. Following a yellow flag on lap 16 for Randy Shafer, Chadwick moved past Foulger for second on the restart.

However, Pearce was running a smooth race up front.

A yellow flag waved for the final time on lap 23 for Clark Gugliemoni. Pearce continued to lead with Chadwick and Foulger not too far behind him. Running close was one thing, but Chadwick and Foulger couldn’t find the way around the consistent Pearce, who brought it home ahead of Chadwick, Foulger, Nick DeCarlo and Cody Burke.

Jason Ryan Jr. of Oakley won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event.

The win was worth $1,000 and made it a clean sweep of the Bowers Memorial weekend events for the 2024 championship runner-up.

After the heat races, Ryan thought he discovered a major motor issue that would force him to borrow a car for the feature. However, Modified racer Tyler Browne found the solution and Ryan drove his own car.

Tanner Thomas set the early pace with Trevor Clymens making a pass on Brent Curran to grab second on lap two.

Clymens made an outside pass on the backstretch on the third circuit to take the lead. Most of the drivers were running the outside line and a yellow flag waved for James Graessle, who spun right in front of Clymens on the 10th lap.

The restart lap saw Thomas break a right front suspension part and hit the turn one wall for a yellow flag.

On the restart, Clymens led Ryan and Danny Wagner. Ryan went to work on Clymans in his effort to take the lead before making an inside pass on lap 13.

A final yellow flag flew on lap 17.

However, Ryan wouldn’t let that slow him down as he maintained command and brought it home to victory. Wagner made an inside pass on Lap 19 to take second as Clymens settled for third ahead of Matthew Hagio and Buddy Kniss. 

Jason Ryan Jr. impressed with his Saturday Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod win in the Bill Bowers Memorial at Antioch Speedway. (Photo by Katrina Kniss) 

Foulger won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature and $400.

Terry DeCarlo Jr. led the opening lap before Foulger went inside on the frontstretch on the fourth lap to take the lead. DeCarlo came back strong a lap later to regain the point.

However, a high move on the sixth lap settled the matter in favor of Foulger, who stretched his advantage to a straightaway in the non-stop event.

DeCarlo settled for second with Carl Barlow the final lead lap finisher in third. Clarence Holbrook III and Dan Gonderman completed the top five.

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