antiochspeedway Archives

Pearce prevails at Antioch’s Hetrick Memorial

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 17, 2024) – A driver with a knack for coming up big at big events did just that again Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Andrew Pearce won the 29-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Antioch’s ninth annual Hetrick Memorial, earning $1,500. The checkers flew ahead of Bobby Hogge IV and Kellen Chadwick. Pearce had a front row start and bolted into the lead at the green flag ahead of Andrew Peckham and Hogge. Pearce build a comfortable lead as Hogge and Peckham battled fiercely for second. Hogge grabbed the position on the fourth circuit. The yellow flag waved on lap 12. Pearce continued to lead Hogge and Peckham on the restart. Peckham gave Hogge some serious pressure for the next few circuits, but Hogge kept his cool and held the position. Chadwick made an inside pass in turn two on lap 21 to gain third. Pearce had built a straightaway advantage by the time the checkered flag flew on his impressive victory. He was already Fast Shafts All-Star [Read More]

Foulger is double winner at Antioch’s Fan Appreciation Night

By Candace Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 3, 2024) – There was plenty of excitement in the air Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the second annual Fan Appreciation Night, and fans got to see the show and all the other excitement during the evening for just $5. It was the biggest crowd for a regular race all season. Kids got an opportunity to win free bikes and other goodies throughout the evening. During intermission, drivers pulled into the infield for a meet and greet with the fans. This was the track’s way of saying thank you to the fans and it was also an invitation to new fans to see what the track is all about. Reigning Friesen Performance IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car track champion Troy Foulger scored a double as he won both division’s main events. Foulger has reduced his schedule this year but remains a force to be reckoned with every time he’s in action. In the Stock Car race, Foulger started in the second row and made a [Read More]

Connelly wires IMCA Northern SportMod main at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (July 27, 2024) – Hometown driver Dylan Connelly won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature in flag-to-flag fashion Saturday at Antioch Speedway. When the green flag waved, Connelly charged into the lead ahead of Tommy Clymens. Championship hopeful Jason Ryan Jr. quickly moved into third and set his sights on the consistent Clymens. Clymens was hitting all of his marks on the bottom groove as Connelly led the way. Ryan’s attempts to get by Clymens continued to be thwarted before a yellow flag waved on the 12th circuit. This might have been Ryan’s opportunity to get past Clymens, but Connelly continued to lead Clymens and Ryan on the restart. On the 18th circuit, Ryan went around the outside of Clymens in the fourth turn to grab second. Clymens spun in the same turn a lap later without a yellow flag. Connelly sped home to victory ahead of Ryan, Kenny Shrader, Kelly Campanile and Trevor Clymens.

Antioch win is IMCA first for Jennings

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (July 13, 2024) – Jason Jennings won his first career IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event Saturday at Antioch Speedway. The Class Too Tough To Tame was also given a Polar Bear Rolled Ice Cream Trophy Dash. Title contender Jason Robles won that four-lap race after his son Kenneth Robles made his season debut with an eight-lap heat race triumph. Scott Foster and Jennings started on the front row and battled early. Jennings would win that battle with Jason Robles getting around Foster to take up pursuit of the leader. In the end, Jennings made all the right moves and came home with a well-earned first career victory over Robles, Foster, Jeff Bentancourt and Mitch Machado.

Ryland outruns Northern SportMod foes at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (June 22, 2024) – Fred Ryland was back in victory lane Saturday night, following his second Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win of 2024 at Antioch Speedway. Dylan Connelly jumped into the early lead ahead of Haley Gomez and Ryland. They ran that way until Gomez pushed too high in turn two of the fifth lap, allowing Ryland to race by for second. Connelly had a huge lead, but it whittled away to nothing when they come upon lapped traffic on the ninth circuit. A low move in turn two of the 10th lap temporarily gained Ryland the lead, but Connelly came back strong to pace the lap. Ryland again raced around Connelly on the 11th lap to take the lead. Following a yellow flag for a three-car tangle, Ryland led reigning champion Kenny Shrader and Jason Ryan Jr on the restart. Ryland set a good pace the rest of the way to collect the win, followed by Shrader, Ryan, Trevor Clymens and Chuck Golden.

Jasons Ryan, Robles are IMCA aces at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (June 15, 2024) – Jason Ryan Jr. and Jason Robles were IMCA feature winners Saturday at Antioch Speedway. Ryan won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature while Robles collected the checkers in the 15-lapper for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Kelly Campanile set the early pace ahead of Al Johnson in the Northern SportMod show. A low pass in turn four of the second lap put Ryan into second, and Ryan made a similar move a lap later to take the lead. Ryan began to stretch his advantage, leaving Campanile to battle Ken Shrader for the second position. By the 17th lap, Ryan held a half-lap advantage over Campanile, but a yellow flag waved for Haley Gomez. Ryan resumed command on the restart. Shrader tried to get a run on the inside, but Campanile kept her cool on the outside to maintain second. As Ryan brought it home to the satisfying win, Campanile was a career-best second, followed by Shrader, Tommy Clymens Jr. and Trevor Clymens. Robles’ Stock Car [Read More]

Foulger, Ryland, Robles all win at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (June 1, 2024) – Troy Foulger won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event Saturday at Antioch Speedway. This was the first win of the season for the multi-time and reigning track champion. Foulger bolted into the lead at the start ahead of Randy Shafer. Andrew Pearce slipped into third on the fifth lap and Foulger had a straightaway advantage by then. Foulger caught slower traffic as Shafer and Pearce battled for second. A yellow flag waved on lap 10. Foulger led Pearce and Shafer on the restart but the yellow flag was out after 12 laps for a backstretch crash involving two cars. Foulger maintained the lead on the restart with Bobby Hogge IV moving into second, but another yellow flag waved on lap 14. Kellen Chadwick got past Pearce for third on the ensuing restart and took second from Hogge on a lap 17 restart. However, Foulger was dialed in and drove a flawless race for victory. Chadwick settled for second ahead of Hogge, Pearce and Shafer. [Read More]

County fair checkers are IMCA first for Connelly

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 18, 2024) – Antioch Speedway fans were treated to two nights of racing during the annual Contra Costa County Fair with Saturday offered a trio of exciting IMCA sanctioned races. This included the first win for Dylan Connelly in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event, Kellen Chadwick in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Travis Dutra in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Connelly had come close on multiple occasions during the previous two IMCA SportMod seasons. On Saturday, he refused to let any of the yellow flag situations cost him a well-earned win. Connelly took the lead from Kelly Campanile with a turn four pass on the second lap. Jason Ryan Jr. quickly settled into second. Fred Ryland settled into third on the fourth lap but he spun for a lap six yellow flag. Connelly continued to set the pace ahead of Ryan on the restart, and a yellow flag waved for Joseph Pato on lap 16. Connelly kept his poise on the restart and surged ahead [Read More]

Chadwick, Diaz, Bannister are best in opener for Central California Clash

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 20, 2024) – Kellen Chadwick scored the victory in the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified race Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the opening race of the six-race Central California Clash. The win paid Chadwick $1,000 and made him eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Chadwick had the outside front row for the start and bolted into the lead at the green flag, followed by Bobby Hogge IV and Troy Foulger. Foulger slipped past Hogge for second on a lap three restart with Andrew Pearce settling into third. After a lap nine caution, the race had a good run of green flag racing with Chadwick pulling away from Foulger. A yellow flag with three laps to go bunched the field but Chadwick bolted ahead and brought it home to a satisfying win. Foulger settled for second ahead of Pearce, Hogge and Cody Burke. Rick Diaz won the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event. He led all the way and held off a furious challenge [Read More]

Racing returns to Antioch after two straight rainouts

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 3, 2024) – The weather has not been kind to Antioch Speedway thus far in 2024. After two consecutive practices were rained out, the speedway has lost three of its first four races due to inclement weather. Making matters worse is the fact that it only rained a little bit on Friday night for the past couple of weeks, but that was enough to soak the pits and make racing impossible for the weekend. However, there’s good news. This Saturday, April 6 will see exciting racing on the 3/8 mile clay oval at the Contra Costa County Event Center in the form of the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. When it comes to the MVP divisions on the Antioch Speedway roster, it’s hard to find a division with a bigger impact in recent years than the IMCA Northern SportMods. At the opener, Kenny Shrader of Pacheco showed why he is the reigning champion after winning a battle with last season’s point runner-up, Jason Ryan Jr. of Oakley. While that [Read More]