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Jerry Stewart Wins Tri State Pro Stock Main Event, Five New Winners At Antioch Speedway

Antioch, CA...May 2...Jerry Stewart of Bakersfield won the 25 lap Tri State Pro Stock Series Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Stewart took the lead on an early restart and went on to collect his first victory with the group. After everybody had signed in to the pits in Santa Maria last week, the race was rained out, making this the season opener for the Tri State Series.

Reigning Tri State and Antioch champion Mike Learn of Petaluma had the pole for the race, which was restarted after a three-car crash. Learn led Stewart and Buddy Kniss of Oakley on the restart with another yellow flag quickly flying for Joey Ridgeway of Brentwood and Ryan Smith of Coalinga. Contact sent Austin Lodin of Santa Rosa into the front wall on the next restart attempt, putting Lodin on the sidelines.

Stewart raced around the outside of Learn on the restart lap to grab the lead with Antonio Aragon of Reno, Nevada settling into third. By the fifth lap, Stewart had a big lead, but it was wiped out by a Jim Freethy of Danville spin in Turn 1. On the restart, Stewart continued to lead Learn and Aragon. Aragon made an outside pass on the back stretch on Lap 7 for second. A yellow flag waved on Lap 11 for debris, and Stewart resumed command ahead of Aragon and Learn on the restart.

A low move in Turn 2 of the 14th lap put Learn into second with Kniss following into third. Aragon lost a left front wheel for a Lap 16 red flag. Stewart led Learn and Kniss on the restart. Trying to make an outside pass on Learn for second, Kniss ended up spinning in Turn 4 for the final yellow flag on Lap 20. Stewart led the restart over Learn, and they finished in that order with Matt Micheli of Live Oak finishing third ahead of Freethy and Ridgeway.

Hunter Hammett of Oakley won a time limit shortened 10 lap Pacific Coast Hobby Stock Main Event. This was his first career win, and it moved him into the point lead. Hammett won his heat race earlier in the evening and benefited from the pole position start, which kept him ahead of the crashes.

Hammett took control at the start ahead of heat race winner Jesse Paladino of Brentwood and Oakley's Kevin Brown. However, Paladino spun in Turn 4, resulting in a pile up that forced a red flag after two laps. Paladino and Ryan Smith of Roseville were eliminated, and after a failed restart attempt due to another crash, Hammett continued to lead Brown and James Thomson of Pittsburg when the green flag waved. A Phil Wilkins of Roseville spin in Turn 4 brought out a yellow flag after four laps. Hammett led the next restart, and the pace was slowed for a Rick Rogers spin in Turn 4.

On the next restart lap, Thomson made an inside pass on the front stretch to take second from Brown. Brown and Watsonville's Lily Mead tangled in Turn 3 for a Lap 7 yellow flag. At lap 10, Hammett was leading Thomson and Aidan Ponciano of Brentwood, who was driving the Todd Gomez car. When the yellow flag waved yet again, the time limit expired with Hammett winning ahead of Thomson, Ponciano, Maddie Motts of San Pablo and James East of Oakley.

Anthony Bruno of San Jose won the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event. The win was Bruno's first in this division and put him into the point lead. Bruno is also currently third in the Hunt Magnetos Wingless Spec Sprint Series.

A hard crash eliminated Concord's Ryon Siverling in the heat race, and Antioch's Roberto Monroy retired on the pace lap of the feature race as Bruno led Brentwood's Jeff Scotto. Bruno, Scotto and Colin Kirby of Pleasant Hill ran close early on, but Bruno began to hit his stride by the midpoint of the race. Scotto had his hands full with Kirby, who eventually made a pass on the inside down the front straightaway to claim second on Lap 15. Bruno caught slower traffic, but his big lead allowed him to be cautious at the end. Bruno won with a rapidly closing Kirby in second, followed by Scotto, Steve Maionchi of Sonora and Roy Fisher of Antioch.

Trevor Rodriguez of Rohnert Park won the 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event. Rodriguez also competes at Petaluma Speedway, and this was his first feature win.

Rodriguez charged into the early lead ahead of teammate Kassidy Cagle of Petaluma and Randy Miramontez of Santa Rosa. A low pass in Turn 2 of the fifth lap put Miramontez into second, but Rodriguez had a half[-straightaway advantage at that point. Miramontez slowed with a flat tire for a Lap 8 yellow flag. Previous winner Tom Brown of Santa Rosa was an early retiree.

Rodriguez led Cagle and Matt Wirth of Oakland on the restart, but Miramontez made an inside pass on the back stretch on Lap 11 to grab third. An inside pass on the back stretch two laps later gained Miramontez second. However, Rodriguez had a decent advantage as he scored the victory ahead of Miramontez, Kimberly Ramirez of Petaluma, Josh Thorp of Sebastopol and Ryder Holmen of Antioch.

Buddy Chappell of San Jose won the 15 lap 600 Micro Sprint Main Event. This was his first win in the division. Last season, Chappell tied for the point lead, but he settled for second in the championship race after the tiebreaker was factored in.

Heat race winner Devin Zuffa of Oakley jumped into the early lead ahead of Chappell and Aniyah Scott of Brentwood. Zuffa was setting a good pace up front, but that came to an end when he lost power for a Lap 6 yellow flag. Suddenly, Chappell was the new leader, and Garrett Hawkins of Petaluma settled into second ahead of Charlie Kight on the restart. Chappell ran smooth and consistent laps to score the victory ahead of Hawkins, Kight, rookie Gabriel Monroy of Antioch and Zuffa.

Danny Wagner of Bay Point won the 15 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. It was another perfect night for the point leader, who also won the eight lap heat race. This was the third-straight win for Wagner.

Wagner led from the outset ahead of fellow three-time Dwarf Car champion Travis Day of Concord. A yellow flag waved on the fifth lap for Toby Brown of Pleasanton and David Hays of Brentwood. Both drivers were eliminated at that point, and Wagner led Day and newcomer Todd West of Tracy on the restart. They would finish in that order.

Next Saturday's Mother's Day Weekend special will feature the IMCA sanctioned Modifieds, Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars along with Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks and 600 Micro Sprints. There will also be a Ladies Race for women with no racing experience. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.

Race Results
Tri State Pro Stocks
Fast Time-Mike Learn 15.884. Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Mike Learn, Randy Miramontez. Main Event (25 Laps)-Jerry Stewart, Mike Learn, Matt Micheli, Jim Freethy, Joey Ridgway, Paul Hanley, Buddy Kniss, Antonio Aragon, Randy Miramontez, Austin Lodin.

Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Hunter Hammett, Jesse Paladino, Kevin Brown. Main Event (20 Laps)-Hunter Hammett, James Thomson, Aidan Ponciano, Maddie Motts, James East, Nicky Skidmore, Phil Wilkins,James Graessle, Wyatt Monks, Rick Rogers.

Wingless Spec Sprints
Fast Time-Anthony Bruno 14.581. Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Anthony Bruno. Main Event (20 Laps)-Anthony Bruno, Colin Kirby, Jeff Scotto, Steve Maionchi, Roy Fisher, Stephen Hooker, Roberto Monroy, Ryon Siverling DNS.

600 Micro Sprints
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Devon Zuffa. Main Event (15 Laps)-Buddy Chappell, Garrett Hawkins, Charlie Kight, Gabriel Monroy, Devon Zuffa, Aniyah Scott, Ryan Dotson, Matthew Linde DNS.

Mini Stocks
Heat Winner-Trevor Rodriguez. Main Event (20 Laps)-Trevor Rodriguez, Randy Miramontez, Kimberly Ramirez, Josh Thorp, Ryder Holmen, Matt Wirth, Kassidy Cagle, Tom Brown.

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

Picture Information:
Jerry Stewart #4 won the season opener for the Tri State Pro Stock Series. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Hunter Hammett #55h won his first ever Pacific Coast Hobby Stock Main Event. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Anthony Bruno #9 claimed his first win in the Wingless Spec Sprint feature. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Buddy Chappell #99 kicked off the 600 Micro Sprint season with his first feature triumph. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Trevor Rodriguez #2t claimed his first Mini Stock Main Event victory. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Point leader Danny Wagner #11 won his third-straight Dwarf Car Main Event. Photo by Katrina Kniss

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