Antioch Speedway
July 9, 2011
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MICHAEL PAUL, JR. SCORES FIRST WIN IN DIRTcar MODIFIEDS

Mike Adaskaveg
Antioch, Calif. – With pressure from Michael Salazar and Scott Busby, Michael Paul, Jr.’s first win at Antioch Speedway did not come easy Saturday night during a DIRTcar West modified stock car thriller.

“This is awesome,” an excited Paul said in victory lane. “Especially to beat Scott Busby. He raced me clean, he gave me room, and he actually showed me the way.”

Busby, who knows the way around the high-banked 3/8-mile oval better than anyone because of his decades of experience, chose the very low groove to pass Paul with five laps to go. Then it was Paul, of Petaluma, who took the low grove and passed Busby, of Martinez, with Michael Salazar of Antioch getting alongside Busby.

Salazar’s late charge was thrilling. Earlier in the feature, he spun in turns three and four, lessening his chance to top Paul.

“I tried hard to catch him,” Salazar said. “I screwed up by spinning - and then I ran out of time.”

Busby was all smiles in victory lane, satisfied with a good race.

“I miss-called it. My guys can chew me out,” he said. “I told them how to set up the car. The track went dry-slick and I was not set up for that. I did everything I could to catch them (Salazar and Paul) but they had the bite coming out of the corner.”

Danny Wagner of Bay Point continued his winning ways in the “Mini-Trux”, grabbing his fourth feature event of the season after a close battle with Jon Haney of Brentwood.

“I just make sure my truck is ready during the week and I drive it as fast as I can on Saturday,” Wagner explained in victory lane.

Hobby Stock ace Jim Freethy of Danville credited his win to the crew.

“Dirt track racing is 50 per cent crew, 50 per cent driver,” he said in victory lane. “My crew set up the car to win.”

Brad Myers and his fiancé and co-pilot Melissa Hansen, both of Brentwood, came from the back to finish second.

Student Nick Squatritto of San Jose returned to winning in Dwarf Car competition after missing the last event because he had to visit a college he wishes to attend. Top runners Jerry Doty and Travis Dutra were second and third.

The Freddie Ryland and Larry Damitz show continued in the Limited Late Model main event. With two laps to go, a spin-out brought out the caution putting lapped cars on the outside row as Ryland led Damitz on the inside. On the restart, another spinout put Damitz and Ryland side by side, but the flagman ended the race with a yellow-checkered flag, giving Ryland the win.

“I wouldn’t have minded a re-start,” Ryland said alongside Damitz in victory lane.

“There is no telling what would have happened,” Damitz said. “But,It’s the flagman’s call.”

07/09/11 Antioch Speedway Results:

DIRTcar Modifieds

Heat 1
1.-29 Mike Salazar
2.-73 Scott Busby
3.-80 John Pierce
4.-68x Jeremy Crebbs
5.-82 Sean O'Gara
6.-66 Kevin Fitzgerald
7.-U81 Bobby Motts

Heat 2
1.-99 Kenny Neu
2.-16 Michael Paul SR.
3.-28 Chester Kniss
4.-01 Karry Kaiser
5.-7s Matt Sargent
6.-7 Sean Wilson

Heat 3
1.-50 Michael Paul JR.
2.-74s Chris Slewere
3.-68x Jeremy Crebs
4.-92  Jay Bryant

Main Event
1.-50 Michael Paul JR.
2.-29 Mike Salazar
3.-73 Scott Busby
4.-82 Sean O'Gara
5.-U81 Bobby Motts Jr
6.-7S Matt Sargent
7.-68 Norm Beck
8.-7 Sean Wilson
9.-74 Chris Sieweke
10.-68X Jeremy Crebs
11.-17 Terry Decarlo
12.-28 Chester Kniss
13.-99 Kenny Neu
14.-16 Michael Paul Sr
15.-66 Kevin Fitzgerald
16.-92 Jay Bryant
17.-80 John Pierce
18.-49 Troy Foulger

Mini Trux

Main Event
1-11d Danny Wagner
2-45j Jon Haney
3-4 Ray Bunn
4-39 Junior Garcia
5-66x Jessica Jones
6-51 Mike  Hartman
7-11 Ken Radabaugh
8-66 Pete Paulsen

Limited Late Models

Main Event
1.-7 Fred Ryland
2.-15 Larry Damitz
3.-2 Mike Gustafson
4.-65 Lori Brown
5.-33 Melissa Hansen
6.-05 Mike Hynes
7.-83 Michelle Newman
8.-99j Jack Jonker
9.-33b Jim Lunsford

Dwarf Cars

Main Event
1.-96 Nick Squatritto
2.-55 Jerry Doty
3.-22 Travis Dutra
4.-34 Pat Urdahl
5.-64 Tom Brown
6.-3s Chuck Golden
7.-52n Chuck Conover
8.-3 Duane Jordan
9.-4 Joe Trammel
10.-08 Sam Westhorpe
11.-2j Jack Haverty

Hobby Stocks

Main Event
1.-99 Jim Freethy
2.-33 Brad Meyers
3.-26b Bryan Beard
4.-13 Nick Viscusi
5.-7 Patti Ryland
6.-04 Dan Smith
7.-4 Ken Rhoades
8.-14 Paul Mulder
9.-5 Dana Anderson
10.-10 Devon DelDosso