antiochspeedway Archives

Hogge, Fraser park it at Antioch

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 [Read More]

Antioch Speedway signs on for new IMCA Stock Car sanction in California

ANTIOCH, Calif. – Watching IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars in action at other tracks gave promoter Chad Chadwick a pretty good idea they’d be just as entertaining at his Antioch Speedway. Two races last fall confirmed that and the division joins IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods on select Saturday night race programs at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds venue this season. “We had watched them race in the Midwest. IMCA Stock Cars put on good racing,” Chadwick said, “and we thought they’d be a good class to have here. This is a division that’s going to grow every year.” IMCA Stock Cars ran both nights of Antioch’s Bill Bowers Memorial last October, and again at the 2021 season opener on Jan. 2. Drivers and fans alike were much impressed by the class at each show. “We’ve had a real good response to the announcement that we would sanction Stock Cars with IMCA,” said Chadwick. “There’s been a lot of people talking about it and what they like are the rules. They know they can [Read More]

Pettit aces IMCA Modified feature in Antioch opener

ANTIOCH, Calif. (Jan. 2) – Jim Pettit II came up big in the first IMCA Modified feature of the season Saturday at Antioch Speedway. Pettit started on the pole and led all 30 laps for the win, holding off a series of challengers for the $1,000, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying victory on a perfectly prepared fast, multi-groove oval. Up to the task following each of three restarts, Pettit led the 17th starting Nick DeCarlo, Troy Foulger, Kellen Chadwick and Bobby Hogge IV to the checkers. Todd Gomez and Cody Johnson also raced their way to Antioch’s victory lane on Saturday, in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main events, respectively. Trevor Clymens paced the first 14 laps of the 25-lap Northern SportMod feature before Gomez, another local, grabbed the top spot from ninth starting. His foes swapped spots behind him but none could catch Gomez before the $500 checkers flew. Clymens, Guy Ahlwardt, Adriane Frost and Andrew Pearce completed the top five. Renn Bane led the first trio of laps [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods to open new season Jan. 2 at Antioch Speedway

ANTIOCH, Calif. – The track Where Action Is The Attraction opens for 2021 with three IMCA divisions on the Saturday, Jan. 2 card. Antioch Speedway hosts IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods in its first show of the new season, with IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and KMJ Performance California State points to be awarded. Pit gates open at noon and hot laps are at 3 p.m. with racing to follow. Pit passes are $50 and face masks must be worn any time drivers or crew members are outside their pit area. No grandstand seating will be sold. The race night program will be broadcast by AntiochSpeedway.TV. More information is available by calling promoter Chad Chadwick at 925 584-1527 and on Facebook.

Hobscheidt drives old ride to IMCA Modified checkers at Antioch’s Bill Bowers Memorial

ANTIOCH, Calif. (Oct. 2-3) – Jacob Hobscheidt was feeling a twinge of seller’s remorse Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Behind the wheel of the 2017 GRT he’d sold to Sean Wilson two years ago, the Plattsmouth, Neb., driver led all but two laps of the inaugural Bill Bowers main event for IMCA Modifieds in racing to a career-best $5,000 payday. “I would gladly take that car back now,” said the new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. “I didn’t expect to win but everything worked out pretty good for us.” Hobscheidt had started from the pole and led the first 29 times around the track. Troy Foulger, who’d swept the weekend IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features at Antioch, led the next two circuits before Hobscheidt got the front spot back and stayed there until the end of the 40-lapper. The feature was slowed by just two cautions and Hobscheidt put some distance ahead of the second-running Foulger following the lap 36 restart. “Antioch is one of a kind. I haven’t been on a bullring like [Read More]

Antioch’s Bill Bowers Memorial pays $5,000 to IMCA Modified winner

ANTIOCH, Calif. – IMCA Modifieds are in the running for a $5,000 top check at Antioch Speedway’s Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2 and 3 Bill Bowers Memorial. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier pays $2,500 for second, $1,250 for third and a minimum of $200 to start. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods race for $2,500 to win and a minimum of $150 to start, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100. Qualifying starts Friday night; last-chance races and the main events fill the Saturday card. Entry for car and driver for both the Modifieds and Northern SportMods is $200 and $50 each night for Stock Cars. No spectators will be allowed in the grandstand and drivers and crew members must wear face masks when outside their pit area. Gates open at noon both days with racing to follow 5 p.m. hot laps. Pit passes for crew members are $50 and $25 for kids ages 12 and under. Both nights of the Bill Bowers Memorial will be broadcast by FLO [Read More]

DeCarlo dominates Modified main at Antioch, Jernagan continues IMCA Speedweek streak

By Stephanie Deatherage ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 12) – Nick DeCarlo became a first-time winner while the Garrett Jernagan show kept rolling on night three of California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports at Antioch Speedway. DeCarlo’s $1,000 IMCA Modified checkers put him on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot while Jernagan banked a third straight $750 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod winner’s check. Robby Sawyer set the tone early in the Modified main, quick out of the box but getting company up front as the long green flag run developed. DeCarlo hunted down Sawyer, caught him on lap six and took off from there. DeCarlo pulled away from the lead pack after each of three restarts. Bobby Hogge IV gave chase but couldn’t quite catch the leader as DeCarlo, who lined up third on the initial grid, went on to become the third different winner in as many nights of Speedweek. Robby Sawyer ended the race third, Danny Wagner was fourth and Jerry Flippo fifth. Guy Ahlwardt took charge of the Karl Kustoms Northern [Read More]

Six tracks host California IMCA Speedweek shows

MERCED, Calif. – California is the place Modified and Northern SportMod drivers will want to be, for the inaugural California IMCA Speedweek Aug. 10-15. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying features while Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods chase $750 top checks each night. The inaugural California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports opens next Monday at Placerville Speedway, then travels to Petaluma Speedway on Aug. 11; to Antioch Speedway on Aug. 12; to Merced Speedway on Aug. 13; to Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford on Aug. 14; and to Bakersfield Speedway for the Aug. 15 finale. All events are draw/redraw. Modified features pay $100 to start, Northern SportMod features $75, with IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Shaw Race Cars Western Region and KMJ Performance State points, in addition to series points at stake. Top five drivers in standings for each division receive point fund shares, in increments of $1,000, $400, $200, $100 and $100 for the Modifieds and $700, $300, $200, $100 and $100 for the Northern [Read More]

Inaugural California IMCA Modified Speedweek dates announced

By Ben Deatherage MERCED, Calif. – Something exciting is around the bend in the California IMCA Modified scene. Doug Lockwood, promoter at Merced Speedway, has put together the first-ever Modified Speedweek in the State of California. The series will race from Monday, Aug. 10 to Saturday, Aug. 15 at six different racetracks in as many nights. The racing extravaganza will be open to both IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. Each race will feature a 20-car main event for $1,000 to win and $50 to start for the Modifieds while SportMods will race for $600 to the winner and $40 to start. Modified features are Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events. Point funds will be up for grabs in both divisions, with $1,000-$400-$200-$100-$100 shares being paid in the Modifieds and $600-$300-$200-$100-$100 shares paid in the SportMods. The whole party kicks off at Placerville Speedway on Aug. 10, before the tour travels west to Petaluma Speedway on Tuesday. Wednesday will be spent at Antioch Speedway while the Thursday date is reserved for Merced Speedway. The series continues its southern [Read More]

Lucky and good, Winebarger sweeps holiday weekend IMCA Modified features at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 23-24) – A driver who says he’d rather be lucky than good was both Sunday at Antioch Speedway. Collen Winebarger three-wheeled his way to the $2,200 IMCA Modified checkers, completing a sweep of the Covid 19 special/George Steitz Memorial despite a tie rod broken in an early-race dustup with an infield tire. “I was super embarrassed because I thought I’d given it away. I was lucky that was all that broke,” said Winebarger, from Oregon and making just his career second visit to the California speedplant. “I had no steering on the left side at all but was fortunate the yellows that came out late got lapped traffic out of the way.” He’d started from the pole and got too close to that tire about seven circuits in. Ryan Porter, Darrell Hughes, Troy Foulger and Trevor Fitz-Gibbon rounded out the top five. There were fewer anxious moments before Winebarger put his name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot with Saturday’s $1,000 win. He started fourth and was in the lead before [Read More]