antiochspeedway Archives

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]

IMCA Central California Clash kicks off Saturday at Antioch Speedway

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (March 28, 2024) – Rain put a damper on the festivities last week, but the facility will dry off and the action will heat up at Antioch Speedway this Saturday night, March 30. This is the first big event of the season. The track is kicking off fifth annual IMCA Central California Clash. Featured divisions will include the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Joining them this Saturday night and in all six rounds of the series will be the West Coast Hobby Stocks. This is also the track’s annual Easter Extravaganza. During the intermission, there will be an Easter egg hunt in the infield along with kids bicycle and Easter basket giveaways. It’s all part of the family fun offered at the speedway. Merced Speedway Promoter Doug Lockwood created the California Speedweek in 2020. Drivers in all four IMCA divisions will be competing for increased purse money, including $1,000 to win for the Modifieds in their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying event [Read More]

Hogge opens 64th Antioch season with IMCA Modified checkers

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (March 16, 2024) – Bobby Hogge IV kicked off the 64th championship season of auto racing at Antioch Speedway with the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win, his career 106th in the division. Rookie Jacob Mallet Jr. set the early pace. On the fifth lap, Hogge put it up on the outside In turn two and emerged with the lead. Kellen Chadwick swept into the second position and held it until mechanical issues sidelined him on lap 15. Hogge led Mallet and reigning State champion Andrew Pearce on a lap 16 restart but Mallet faded on the last lap as Pearce moved into second. Hogge picked up the satisfying win ahead of Pearce, Timothy Allerdings, Keith Brown Jr. of Greenbrier, Ark., and Mallet. Hogge is the all-time main event win leader in the track’s history and a two-time track champion. Reigning champion Kenny Shrader won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event. He led from the outset for the impressive win. Buddy Kniss and Jason Ryan Jr. had a good [Read More]

Foulger, DeCarlo, win Hall Of Fame Night features at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Sept. 15, 2023) – Troy Foulger won the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature Friday night at Antioch Speedway. The win in the Bowers Motorsports-owned entry clinched Foulger his third IMCA Modified track championship. This was also his fifth win of the season. Andrew Pearce bolted into the lead from the outside position ahead of Foulger and Anthony Slaney. Foulger pressured Pearce during the first half of the race with Slaney a solid third until he headed pit side on the 14th lap. Foulger made a move around Pearce on the backstretch on lap 17 to briefly gain the lead, but Pearce beat him back to the line to lead that lap. However, Foulger made a high pass in turn two on the 18th lap to take command. When Buddy Kniss fell out of third on lap 20, that briefly gave the position to Terry DeCarlo Sr. before Tim Balding made a move in turn four to grab third. Foulger built a half-straightaway advantage over Pearce by the time the [Read More]

Shrader clinches track title with Antioch checkers

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Sept. 16, 2023) – Kenny Shrader won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was his fourth win of the season and he earned the track championship over Jason Ryan Jr. by just two points. Shrader bolted into the immediate lead ahead of Ryan and Mark Garner. The race ran 13 laps before a yellow flag slowed the action. Shrader continued to lead the restart ahead of Ryan and Tommy Fraser. After another yellow flag a lap later, Shrader resumed command. Ryan gave it everything he had but Shrader prevailed for the championship-clinching victory. Fraser settled for third ahead of Garner and Dylan Connelly. During intermission, past promoter Brynda Bockover, past sportsman racer Gene Dothage, Mike Conley Sr. and Wingless Spec Sprint founder Don O’Keefe Jr were inducted into the Hall of Fame.