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Morgan Wins Hunt Series Race, Baca, Dennett, Durden, Learn, Gentry Other Winners

Antioch, CA...April 26...Jake Morgan of Fair Oaks won the 25 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the first of four races scheduled at Antioch and their third race on the circuit this season. For Morgan, it was his second win in three starts.

Rookie Bryant Bell of Oakley was scheduled to start on the outside front row, but he had mechanical issues, allowing Morgan to move up to the outside a front row. Morgan jumped out to the lead at the green flag, followed by Heath Holdsclaw of Loomis and Brentwood's Bob Newberry. It didn't take Morgan long to have a straightaway advantage or to catch slower traffic, but a yellow flag on Lap 8 for Josh Wooten of Yuba City bunched the field. Morgan continued to lead Holdsclaw and Newberry on the restart, but he would again pull away.

An intense battle developed for second as the drivers caught slower traffic. There was contact between Holdsclaw, Newberry and Antioch's Shawn Arriaga, leaving Arriaga with a flat tire on the front straight away as a yellow flag waved on Lap 14. Roseville's Josh Young made it around the melee into second. The rest of the race would go without incident, and Morgan led Young and Newberry when the green flag waved. Young shadowed Morgan's every move, but Morgan made the right choices in traffic and would bring it home to victory. Young settled for second ahead of Newberry, Brent Steck of Roseville and Eathon Lanfri of Milpitas.

Brentwood's Grayson Baca rebounded from mechanical issues a week earlier to win the 20 lap Pacific Coast Hobby Stock Main Event. The race appeared to be won by Bakersfield's Chad Johnson, but he was disqualified in post race tech, handing the win to Baca.

Previous winner Aidan Ponciano of Oakley led the opening lap before mechanical issues saw him get into the Turn 2 wall for a yellow flag. Reigning IMCA Modified State champion Jacob Mallet Jr of Oakley jumped into the Michaela Taylor car and found himself leading Oakley's Charlie Bryant on the restart. A yellow flag waved after six laps when Jason Ryan Jr of Oakley lost his hood on the front straightaway.

On the restart lap, there was contact on the back straightaway between Mallet and Baca, allowing Johnson to race past both for the lead. Mallet headed for the infield and Baca still held onto second at that point. A broken driveline on the front straightaway ended the Top 5 run for Antioch's Chris Long on Lap 16. Johnson continued to lead Baca and incoming point leader Charlie Bryant of Oakley on the restart, and they would take the checkered flag in that order.

Following the Johnson disqualification, Baca got the win, followed by Bryant, Larry McKenzie Jr of Discovery Bay, Brodie Garner of Antioch and Brentwood's Jesse Paladino.

Greg Dennett of Livermore won the 20 lap BCRA Lightning Sprint Main Event. This was the second win of the season for the reigning series champion.

Dennett led Jason Schostag of Hangtown at the start with Dakota Albright of Waterford settling into third. Dennett was working slower traffic by the sixth lap as he set a rapid pace out front. On the 11th lap, rookie Kindal Barstow of Denair flipped in the fourth turn for a red flag. She was okay but unable to continue as Dennett led Schostag and Albright on the restart.

During the final few laps, Dennett had built nearly a straightaway advantage over Schostag as he scored an impressive victory. Schostag started smoking and slowed dramatically at the start/finish line, allowing Albright to steal a second place finish. Josef Ferolito of Modesto and Placerville's Bradley Schmidt rounded out the Top 5.

Chris Durden of Hollister won the 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. Durden burst ahead of the pack at the green flag and led all the way, holding off a last ditch effort of Sean Catucci of Brentwood for the win. It was a perfect weekend for Durden, who also picked up the win at Watsonville on Friday.

Durden took the green flag ahead of Catucci and Brentwood's David Hays. Within a few laps, Durden had built a half straightaway lead over Catucci. Justin Bingman of San Jose settled into third with a low pass in Turn 4. During the second half of the race, Catucci closed in on Durden and made a last lap challenge in traffic. However, Durden kept his cool and picked up the win, followed by Catucci, Bingman, Hays and Travis Day of Concord.

Mike Learn of Petaluma won the 15 lap Super Stock Main Event. Learn won the recent Main Event at Petaluma and is a champion at both Antioch and Petaluma.

Multi-time track champion Kimo Oreta of Vacaville was on hand for the first time in three years, but he scratched after heat race problems as Learn took the early lead ahead of Randy Miramontez of Santa Rosa and Fred Ryland of Brentwood. Though it was a short field of competitors, the battle between Learn and Miramontez for the lead was intense all the way through. Miramontez tried to make a move on the inside in Turn 2 on the final lap, but Learn held him off and would go on to victory. Miramontez settled for second head of Ryland and Austin Lodin of Santa Rosa.

Peyton Gentry of Santa Rosa won the 15 lap 600 Micro Sprint Main Event. This was his first win at Antioch and it came ahead of Kyle Mentch of Alameda, who won the season opener.

Gentry led from the outset ahead of Mentch and San Jose's Buddy Chappell. The race saw a red flag after four laps when Antioch's Roberto Monroy flipped in Turn 4. He wasn't injured, but his race was over. Ryan Dotson of Fremont lost power during the caution period to end his race. Gentry maintained command on the restart. Mentch took a couple of looks inside in his bid to get around him, but Gentry was just too quick as he pulled away for the victory. Chappell took the checkered flag in third.

Racing resumes next to Saturday night with the 10th Annual Soares Memorial race. The IMCA Modifieds will be back in action along with the IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks, Late Models and Mini Stocks. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.

Race Results
Hunt Wingless Spec Sprints
FT-Shawn Arriaga 14.098. Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Bryant Bell, Brent Steck Bob Newberry.
Main Event (25 Laps)-Jake Morgan, Josh Young, Bob Newberry, Brent Steck, Eathon Lanfri, Heath Holdsclaw, Shannon Newton, Daniel Dekeyser, Kevin Box, Paul Vandenberg.

Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Grayson Baca, Chris Long, Larry McKinzie Jr. Main Event (20 Laps)-Grayson Baca, Charlie Bryant, Larry McKinzie Jr, Brodie Garner, Jesse Paladino, Jewell Crandall, John Keith, Ryan Smith, Maddie Motts, Gavin Griffiths.

BCRA Lightning Sprints
FT-Greg Dennett 14.355.
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Dakota Albright, Josef Ferolito. Main Event (20 Laps)-Greg Dennett, Dakota Albright, Jason Schostag, Josef Ferolito, Bradley Schmidt, Kaleb Ferolito, Cody Dayton, Matt Land, Kindal Barstow, Hunter Kinney DNS.

Dwarf Cars
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Sean Catucci, Chris Durden. Main Event (20 Laps)-Chris Durden, Sean Catucci, Justin Bingman, David Hays, Travis Day, Brandon Aylesworth, Scott Chapeta, Mark Biscardi, David Rosa, Sammi Rivera DNS.

Super Stocks
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Randy Miramontez. Main Event (20 Laps)-Mike Learn, Randy Miramontez, Fred Ryland, Austin Lodin, Kimo Oreta DNS.

600 Micro Sprints
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Kyle Mentch. Main Event (15 Laps)-Payton Gentry, Kyle Mentch, Buddy Chappell, Ryan Dotson, Roberto Monroy, Charlie Kight DNS.

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