10/30/2024
Antioch Speedway
Antioch Speedway Set To Wrap Up The 2024 Season With Fourth Annual Hobby Stock Nationals Saturday Night
Antioch, CA...The curtain comes down on the 2024 season at Antioch Speedway this Saturday night with the biggest paying event of the year. It's the Fourth Annual Pacific Coast Hobby Stock Nationals, and it's the biggest race for the division anywhere on the West Coast. Joining them will be the IMCA Sport Modifieds and the Figure 8.
Pacific Coast General Engineering, the title sponsor for the track's Hobby Stock division, is also sponsoring this big race once again. The winner will receive $3,000, while second pockets $1,200 and third $1,000. Just taking the green flag in the Main Event will assure the driver a $300 payday. In addition to that, there are other contingency cash prizes, including top heat race point earner, fastest lap and hard charger.
In the previous three seasons, this has been a two-day event. However, it was decided to do it all in one night this year. The format will call for two sets of heat races for the drivers with points being added up and the top drivers running a special Trophy Dash to determine the first five rows of the Main Event.
Non-qualifiers will have an opportunity to earn starting births at the back of the pack via the B Main, and then it's time for 50 laps of exciting Main Event action.
Last season, 2019 Modified champion Buddy Kniss of Oakley drove Dave Baca's car to the biggest win of his career. The third generation racer has competed in several different divisions at Antioch Speedway, and this year has seen him pick up two wins in the IMCA Sport Modifieds and last week's win in the Limited Late model race.
Buddy's win last year came ahead of Jared Baugh of Pittsburg and Merced champion Lance Hurst of Madera. In the previous two seasons, it was Bakersfield's Dylan Wilson impressing with both wins. Wilson has since moved up to the IMCA Sport Modified division, but we're expecting to see a few visitors from the Bakersfield area this year.
Wilson's win in the 2022 race came ahead of Andrew Pearce of Oakley and 2021 track champion Larry McKinzie Jr of Discovery Bay, while he outpaced Nick Johnson of Bakersfield and Brian Cooper of Yuba City in 2021.
Antioch Speedway champion Ryan Hart of Dos Palos is hoping to stake his claim on the victory this week. A strong local contingent should include this year's runner up and five-time feature winner Clarence Holbrook III of Galt, 2020 champion James Thomson of Pittsburg, Oakley's Aidan Ponciano and Rick Rogers of San Pablo.
In 2022, Oakley's Michaela Taylor, Jewell Crandall of Antioch and Taylor DeCarlo of Martinez were all Top 5 ranked in the standings, and all three are anticipated this week. Crandall was a feature winner this year for the first time, and she finished fourth in this race last season.
Colten Haney of Brentwood was also a first-time winner this year. He and his Petaluma Speedway champion father Jon Haney are anticipated this week along with Maddie Motts of San Pablo, Frank Furtado of Martinez, Logan Brown of Pittsburg, Nikki Skidmore of Benicia and 2023 champion Grayson Baca of Brentwood.
Members of the Gallaher family of San Jose are anticipated. Rob Gallaher and father Joe Gallaher have each won several Watsonville Hobby Stock titles, and Rob is also the 2014 Antioch Speedway Sport Modified champion. His son Bobby has been rapidly climbing up the point ladder in Watsonville. Past Watsonville Mini Stock and Sport Modified champion Adriane Frost of Watsonville is also anticipated.
There have been many inquiries from drivers from throughout California and even Nevada as they consider making a run for the money at Antioch Speedway. Winning the top prize will be a season maker for whoever achieves victory, and the race should be very entertaining.
The IMCA Sport Modifieds have been given another $1,000 to win opportunity, and that could also bring drivers from out of town in the quest for glory. Jason Ryan Jr of Oakley has picked up wins in the last three Antioch races, including the Bill Bowers Memorial and JD Willis Salute.
Ryan may be the driver to beat, but he can expect stiff competition from the likes of two-time IMCA State champion Trevor Clymens of Brentwood, Tommy Clymens Jr of Oakley, State champion Chuck Golden of Pittsburg and Al Johnson of Antioch.
The evening's action will end with the Third Annual Mike Conley Salute Figure 8 race. Conley was a Top 5 Stock Car driver in the 1970s at Antioch and one of the biggest supporters of Figure 8 racing in the 1980s. He is a member of the Antioch Speedway Hall of Fame.
Mike's son Mike Conley Jr of Antioch currently sits third in the Mini Series standings, 12 points out of the lead. A championship belt is on the line for the winner of this series, and this will be a battle between Brandon Carpenter of Galt and David Rosa of Antioch.
Clarence Holbrook III of Galt picked up the $1,000 victory during the County Fair, while Carpenter won the next race. Rosa seemed headed for victory that night when he was hit by another car entering the X. Carpenter leads Rosa by just two points.
If you like Hobby Stocks, this is a race you won't want to miss. The best drivers the division has to offer will compete for the biggest purse of the season. Add the IMCA Sport Modifieds and Figure 8, and it will be a great night of racing to wrap up the 64th season at the track.
The gates will open at 4:00 with the first race starting at 6:00.
Adult tickets are $15, Senior/Military $15, Kids (5-12) $15 and kids four and under free.
For further information, go to http://www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.
Article Credit: Candice Martin, Photos by Katrina Kniss
Submitted By: Wylie Wade
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