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Foulger, Ponciano, Ryland, Gray, Wagner Score Season Opening Wins At Antioch Speedway

Antioch, CA...April 4...Troy Foulger of Oakley opened the 2026 season at Antioch Speedway by winning both the IMCA Modified and Stock Car Main Events Saturday night. He ended the evening with the track's all-time record of 87 combined career feature victories.

The night was also the annual Easter Eggstravaganza in which the kids were treated to an Easter Egg Candy Hunt in the infield during intermission.

Having won the season opener at Bakersfield Speedway earlier this year, Oakley's Andrew Pearce jumped into the early lead in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature, followed by Matt Kampfraat of Granit Bay. Foulger slipped past Kampfraat for second on the fifth lap, just as heat race winner Tyler Browne of Antioch spun in Turn 2. Browne got going without a yellow flag, and Pearce quickly closed in on Kate Robertson of Reno, Nevada. However, Pearce was having a problem getting around Robertson to put her down a lap, allowing Foulger to close the gap quickly.

Foulger made an inside pass in Turn 4 of the ninth lap to grab the lead. He spent the next few laps trying to get around Robertson as Pearce pressured him, but Foulger was able to make that move. Unfortunately, Pearce saw his race end with mechanical issues in Turn 4 on Lap 15. Foulger took command from there and scored the victory ahead of Kampfraat, Browne, Matt Micheli of Live Oak and Robertson.

In the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car Main Event, Foulger bolted into the lead at the start, followed closely by heat race winner Jason Robles of Rio Vista. For much of the first half of the race, the lead duo ran closely and pulled away from the pack. Reigning champion Fred Ryland of Brentwood was battling Dave Hill of South San Francisco for several laps before finally making an inside pass on the backstretch on Lap 7 to grab third. However, he trailed the lead duo by a straightaway at that point. Foulger pulled away a little bit on Robles for the victory with Ryland settling for third, followed by Hill and Todd Gomez of Antioch.

As the last 20 lap Main Event of the evening, the Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks were destined to go without a yellow flag. Taking advantage of his front row start following his heat race win earlier in the evening, third-generation racer Aidan Ponciano of Oakley would go flag to flag for the victory.

Hunter Hammett of Oakley settled into an early second with James Thomson of Pittsburgh moving into third on Lap 2. By the fifth lap, the leaders began passing slower cars. This made things interesting as Ponciano needed to make quick moves to keep the persistent Hammett at bay.

With heavy traffic still a factor in the final half dozen circuits, Hammett attempted to use traffic to make an outside pas on Ponciano. Ponciano kept his cool under pressure and scored the well-earned victory with Hammett a strong second. Thomson settled for third, followed by Daniel Braudrick of Vacaville and heat race winner Brodie Garner of Oakley.

Three-time IMCA Sport Modified champion Fred Ryland of Brentwood posted the victory in their 15 lap Main Event. This was his 85th career win at the speedway and his division-leading 44th career Sport Modified victory.

The Sport Modified race was marred by numerous yellow flags, including two caution flags before a lap was even completed. Recent Merced Speedway winner Tanner Thomas of Atwater took the early lead in front of Ryland. Following a yellow flag for James Graessle of Antioch on Lap 2. Thomas continued to lead Ryland and Jeff Bentancourt of Brentwood on the restart. Ryland made an inside pass on the frontstretch on Lap 4 to take the lead from Thomas before a yellow flag waved for Bay Point's Danny Wagner.

Ryland continued to lead Thomas and Bentancourt on the ensuing restart, but the race never really got much momentum with several more yellow flags waving over the next 10 circuits. After a yellow flag waved with 15 laps in the books, officials declared that the race had reached its time limit with Ryland the winner, followed by Thomas, Bentancourt, Trevor Clymens of Brentwood and Al Johnson of Antioch.

Cody Gray of Auburn won the 15th lap WMR Midgets Main Event. This was the second win of the season for Gray, who won the season opener at Watsonville two weeks earlier.

A heat race win put Gray on the front row with fellow heat race winner Terry Nichols of Delano. When the green flag unfurled, Gray charged into the lead in front of Nichols. A Lap 1 yellow flag flew for a three-car crash in Turn 2, involving reigning champion Logan Mitchell and Nathan Moore, both of Santa Cruz, and Glenn Bryan of Capitola. Gray bolted ahead on the restart ahead of Nichols and Nick Leonard Jr of San Jose.

Gray and Nichols pulled away from the pack, leaving the battle for third. Mitchell quickly moved back into fourth and made a low pass in Turn 1 of the seventh lap to grab third. However, the best he could do was close the gap a little bit on second place finisher Nichols as Gray brought it home to victory. Leonard settled for fourth ahead of Moore.

Danny Wagner of Bay Point scored the victory in the 15 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. The three-time champion had earlier picked up the heat race victory.

Wagner took the lead at the start, followed closely by three-time reigning champion Travis Day of Concord and David Hays of Brentwood. Despite a sputtering motor following motor issues he had at Watsonville a night earlier, Wagner managed to keep his car in front of Day for the entire distance to pick up the victory. Hays settled for third ahead of Travis's brother Trevor Day of Concord, who was making his debut.

Racing continues next week with the Seventh Annual Bill Bowers Memorial race, featuring the IMCA Modifieds. Also in action will be the IMCA Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars, Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks, Mini Stocks and the Hardtops and Valley Sportsman cars. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.

Race Results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Tyler Browne. Main Event (20 Laps)-Troy Foulger, Matt Kampfraat, Tyler Browne, Matt Micheli, Kate Robertson, Paul Guglielmoni, Andrew Pearce, Randy Shafer.

Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Brodie Garner, Aidan Ponciano, Jon Haney. Main Event (20 Laps)-Aidan Ponciano, Hunter Hammett, James Thomson, Daniel Braudrick, Brodie Garner, Jewell Crandall, Jesse Paladino, Haley Gomez, Maddie Motts, Nicky Skidmore.

IMCA Sport Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jason Ryan Jr, Fred Ryland. Main Event (15 Laps)-Fred Ryland, Tanner Thomas, Jeff Bentancourt, Trevor Clymens, Al Johnson, Trent Golden, Phil Marino, Danny Wagner, Jason Ryan Jr, Kelly Campanile.

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Jason Robles. Main Event (15 Laps)-Troy Foulger, Jason Robles, Fred Ryland, Dave Hill, Todd Gomez, Scott Foster.

WMR Midgets
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Terry Nichols, Cody Gray. Main Event (15 Laps)-Cody Gray, Terry Nichols, Logan Mitchell, Nick Leonard Jr, Nathan Moore, Isak Johnson, Dalton Wright, Glenn Bryan, Marvin Mitchell, Jason McIntosh DNS.

Dwarf Cars
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Danny Wagner. Main Event (15 Laps)-Danny Wagner, Travis Day, David Hays, Trevor Day.

Picture Info:
Troy Foulger #49 made the IMCA Modified season opener his 87th career Antioch Speedway victory. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Aidan Ponciano #225 drove a flawless race to win the Pacific Coast Hobby Stock season opener. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Three-time IMCA Sport Modified champ Fred Ryland #7j survived to grab his 85th career Antioch Speedway win. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Troy Foulger #49 turned in a dominant performance to win the IMCA Stock Car Main Event. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Cody Gray #11 backed up his season opening win at Watsonville with another WMR Midgets feature triumph at Antioch Speedway. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Danny Wagner #11d won the season opener for the Dwarf Cars. Photo by Katrina Kniss

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