"COWBOY" CRAIG SMITH TAKES SPRINT CAR FEATURE; GRENERT FLIES IN DWARF CAR MAIN; WAGNER TOP DOG IN TRUX
by Mike Adaskaveg

         Reigning track champ “Cowboy” Craig Smith of San Martin, Calif. fought off a late charge by Nick Green of San Jose, Calf. to win a non-stop 360 Winged Sprint Car feature Saturday night at Antioch Speedway.

        “The track was real racey tonight. Nick (Green) was impressive,” Smith said in victory lane. “He came from pavement racing and it’s his first year in winged sprints. I thought he was gong to catch me.”

        Third went to Ryan Rusconi.

        Danny Wagner is still the top dog in the “Mini-Trux” division. The 18 year old from Bay Point, Calif. was challenged late in the event by Jon Haney of Brentwood, Calf.

         A thrilling finish saw a spinning truck on the checkered flag lap have the two going high and low to avoid collision, but Wagner managed to maintain his lead over Haney. Ron Mayberry finished third.

        Justin Silveira ran away with the “Four-Banger” main event. The battle of the race was between Shawna Vannucchi and Phil McClellen, who  raced side by side until the finish for second place. Vannucchi, of Antioch edged McClellen for second in the best finish of her rookie season.

        “My car was overheating, but no way was I going to stop,” she said. McClellen, of Martinez, first raced in the division in 2005.

        “What a race!” he said. “That was fun.”

        The third time was a charm for Dave Betancourt of Brentwood in the Hobby Stock main event.

        “We were going great - just like in the first two features this year - but this time the win finally came,” Betancourt said. He got stuck in traffic in the first race of the season had a flat while leading in the second race. Brad Myers was second, followed by Nick Viscussi.

        Fabrication Flight Chief “Spanky” Grenert from Travis Air Force Base flew to his win in the Dwarf Car main event. Mark Ramirez of Petaluma and Nick Squatritto of San Jose rounded out the top three.


Antioch Speedway Results 5/14/2011
Hobby Stocks:
Heat 1
1.-7 Patti Ryland
2.-99 Jim Freethy
3.-24 Dave Bettencourt
4.-10 Devon DelDossa
5.-5 Dana Andresen
6.-14 John Mulder

Heat 2
1.-03 Phillip Gibber
2.-43 Jeff Bettencourt
3.-26 Brian Beard II
4.-33 Brad Myers
5.-13 Nick Viscussi
6.-37 Garrett Mayberry

A Main Event
1.-24 Dave Bettencourt
2.-33 Brad Myers
3.-13 Nick Viscussi
4.-43 Jeff Bettencourt
5.-26B Brian Beard II
6.-7 Patti Ryland
7.-10 Devon DelDosso
8.-5 Dana Andresen
9.-99 Jim Freethy
10.-03 Phillip Gibber

“Four Bangers”:
Heat 1
1.-25 Justin Silveira
2.-19 Matt Larsen
3.-99 Phil McClellen
4.-74 Shawna Vannucchi
5.-14W Robbie Waldrop
6.-66 Carlos Gonzalez


Main Event
1.-25 Justin Silveira
2.-74 Shawna Vannucchi
3.-99 Phil McClellen
4.-76X Mike Felt
5.-14W Robbie Waldrop
6.-66 Carlos Gonzalez
7.-19 Matt Larsen

“Mini-Trux”:
Heat 1
1.-11D Danny Wagner
2.-45J Jon Haney
3.-73 Ron Mayberry
4.-66 Pete Paulsen
5.-50 Dean Cline
6.-11 Ken Radabaugh
7.-66X Jessica Jones
8.-51 Mike Harmon Sr.

A Main
1.-11D Danny Wagner
2.-45J Jon Haney
3.-73 Ron Mayberry
4.-66X Jessica Jones
5.-50 Dean Cline
6.-51 Mike Harmon Sr.
7.-66 Pete Paulsen
8.-11 Ken Radabaugh

Dwarf Cars:
Heat 1
1.-12N Michael Grenert
2.-30 Joel Osias
3.-22 Travis Dutra
4.-00 Mike Corsaro
5.-42 Rich Klinetobe
6.-34 Pat Urdahl
7.-08 Sam Westhorpe
8.-55 Jerry Doty
9.-47 Tom Gladwill

Heat 2
1.-45 Ricardo Rivera
2.-96 Nick Squatritto
3.-52N Chuck Conover
4.-13 Mark Ramirez
5.-0 Charlie Correia
6.-3 Duane Jordan
7.-12 Butch Liston
8.-4 Joe Trammel

Trophy Dash
1.-12N Michael Grenert
2.-96 Nick Squatritto
3.-45 Ricardo Rivera
4.-30 Joel Osias

A Main Event
1.-12N Michael Grenert
2.-13 Mark Ramirez
3.-96 Nick Squatritto
4.-22 Travis Dutra
5.-45 Ricardo Rivera
6.-00 Mike Corsaro
7.-52N Chuck Conover
8.-30 Joel Osias
9.-55 Jerry Doty
10.-42 Rich Klinetobe
11.-34 Pat Urdahl
12.-08 Sam Westhorpe
13.-3 Duane Jordan
14.-12 Butch Liston
15.-0 Charlie Correia
16.-4 Joe Trammel
17.-47 Tom Gladwill

360 Winged Sprint Cars:
Heat 1
1.-39 Craig Smith
2.-98 Ryan Rusconi
3.-14 Nick Green
4.-11 Nick Rescino
5.-19 Art McCarthy
6.-10 Keith Collins
7.-68 Chase Wood
8.-72W Kurt Nelson

A Main
1.-39 Craig Smith
2.-14 Nick Green
3.-98 Ryan Rusconi
4.-72W Kurt Nelson
5.-19 Art McCarthy
6.-11 Nick Rescino
7.-68 Chase Wood
8.-10 Keith Collins  
 

$1500 to WIN!!!!!!
360 WINGED SPRINTS
SAT. MAY 14, 2011
Hobby Stocks
"Mini Trux"
"Four Bangers"
Dwarf Cars
Gates open at 5 p.m.
Qualifying starts 6:00 p.m.

VISIT OUR SISTER ON SUNDAY:
Merced Speedway

Grab a GRAND - DIRTcar West Modifieds
"Four-Bangers", Hobby Stocks, Super Stocks
Sunday, May 15, racing starts at 5 p.m.
www.racemerced.com