Antioch Speedway
June 7, 2014
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ANTIOCH’S MICHAEL SALAZAR BACK IN IMCA VICTORY LANE; NICK BALDWIN STEALS WIN FROM KIMO ORETA IN HOBBY STOCKS



Oval Motorsports
ANTIOCH, Calif. (June 7)– Hometown driver Michael Salazar returned to victory lane for the first time in two years Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Taking the lead early in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) modified stock car main event, Salazar never looked back.

“I’m worn out from that drive,” Salazar said after emerging from his car on a 90-degree night. “I did not know how close the second place car was, so I just drove as fast as I could and hung on.”

That second place driver was Sean O’Gara of Fairfield, who had his best showing to date at the 3/8-mile high-banked oval.

“It was tricky getting though traffic,” O’Gara said. “I got into the clear and did everything I could to catch Mike (Salazar).”

Third place Carl Berendsen of Antioch spun out and worked his way back to the top. Fourth place Terry Kaiser of Fairfield also had his personal best finish, despite a spectacular front-stretch crash at the start of the race.

Kaiser, who began his career at the old Vallejo Speedway more than 30 years ago, glanced the wall and then was crashed into by Jake Dewsbury of Pittsburg.

“All I could see was a big tire coming at me through the window,” said Kaiser of the impact that caused Dewsbury’s car to climb atop his. “The car was mangled but still race able. Coming back after that was a blast.”

Macedo Scores Third Win of the Year in Sprint Cars

Billy Macedo was lying in wait during most of the Northern All Star Wingless Sprint Car main event. As the cars spread out, he picked them off, one by one.

On the white flag lap, young Kyle Bakkie of Citrus Heights thought he was in route to his first win. Suddenly, Macedo challenged him for the lead in the first turn.

“I screwed up,” is all Bakkie said of his first turn move that opened the door for Macedo to pass him and win. Second was Bakkie’s best finish ever.

“He (Bakkie) did a great job driving - his best tonight,” Macedo said. “What can I say? I took my time. The track was slick and fast. I knew I had to get my car earlier into the turn to beat him. Once I did, I let the car do its stuff.”

A pair of Antioch drivers, Rick Panfilli and Roy Fisher crossed the line in third and fourth.

Baldwin Surprises Oreta in Hobby Stocks

Oakley’s Nick Baldwin dropped to second with eight laps to go in the Hobby Stock feature, as Kimo “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Oreta of Vacaville looked to be the guaranteed winner.

If you blinked your eye, you missed the surprise outcome of the race.

In the fourth turn, with the checkered flag flying, Oreta saw two lapped cars come together right in front of him.

“I was cruising, and I thought I was going to get into them,” Oreta said. “I almost turned my car sideways to avoid crashing. I salvaged it. But, before I straightened out, Nick (Baldwin) was there.

Baldwin drove through the spinning cars and onto the win.

“After a couple of bad weeks, it felt really good to have a good week,” Baldwin said in victory lane. “Catching Kimo (Oreta) is hard to do. Catching him in traffic is what I hoped for.”

Oreta’s rival for the championship, Patti Ryland of Brentwood, finished third. However, second place Oreta gained no ground on her because of Ryland’s topping him in the qualifying race.

Wagner Challenged by Haverty in Dwarf Cars

Third place finisher Jack Haverty of Cupertino had a lot to say about his battle with winner Danny Wagner of Bay Point and second place finisher Kevin Miraglio of Pleasanton. Haverty was challenging Wagner for the lead when he spun out on the backstretch.

“It was so much fun – that is what racing is supposed to be like,” Haverty said. “I almost had Danny (Wagner).”
Wagner, too, was all smiles.

“Jack was fast, and I mean really fast,” said Wagner. “He was right there, window to window with me. That’s exciting.”

Learning Experience

Mike Learn of Petaluma won for the second time this season in the Limited Late Model Division. The feature had a field of top-notch cars and experienced drivers.

Looking to make a move on Learn at the finish were two of the most experienced drivers at the track. Concord’s Mike Gustafson and Vallejo’s Larry Damitz put the pressure on Learn, who is a relative newcomer to the Contra Costa Fairgrounds oval.

“Wining this race is awesome. It’s a dream night for me,” Learn said in victory lane. “To beat that field – with all those experienced drivers, really means something.”

Learn had no crew chief at Antioch, and used his cell phone just prior to the race to set the car up for the track’s smooth, slick conditions.

“We hit the set-up for tonight’s race by cell phone,” he laughed. “That’s a first.”

Antioch Speedway
June 7, 2014 Results

Limited Late Models

A-Main
1 11H Mike Learn
2 2 Mike Gustafson
3 15 Larry Damitz
4 76A Mark Garner
5 5 Mike Hynes
6 313 Peggy Sue Jarred
7 67 Cecil Henry
8 99 Jim Freethy
9 48 John Evans
10 0 Jerry Bartlett
11 10X Ron Brown
12 56 John Bellando
13 1C Chad Widener
14 26 Cody Frades

Heat #1
1 15 Larry Damitz
2 11H Mike Learn
3 5 Mike Hynes
4 1C Chad Widener
5 48 John Evans
6 313 Peggy Sue Jarred
7 56 John Bellando

Heat #2
1 76A Mark Garner
2 0 Jerry Bartlett
3 99 Jim Freethy
4 67 Cecil Henry
5 2 Mike Gustafson
6 26 Cody Frades
7 10X Ron Brown


IMCA Modifieds

A-Main
1 29 Mike Salazar
2 82 Sean Ogara
3 88 Carl Berendsen
4 1 Terry Kaiser
5 74 Chris Elby
6 68M John Macdougall
7 2JD Jake Dewsbury
8 93 Johnny Curtis

Heat #1
1 88 Carl Berendsen
2 29 Mike Salazar
3 74 Chris Elby
4 1 Terry Kaiser

Heat #2
1 68M John Macdougall
2 93 Johnny Curtis
3 2JD Jake Dewsbury
4 82 Sean Ogara


Wingless Sprints

A-Main
1 M1 Billy Macedo
2 19 Kyle Bakkie
3 44 Rick Panfili
4 21 Roy Fisher
5 77X Ryon Sieverling
6 63 Steve Mannina
7 98 Jeff Lee
8 77 Eric Rossi
9 23 Tyler Henriquez

Heat #1
1 21 Roy Fisher
2 23 Tyler Henriquez
3 98 Jeff Lee
4 44 Rick Panfili
5 77 Eric Rossi

Heat #2
1 M1 Billy Macedo
2 19 Kyle Bakkie
3 77X Ryon Sieverling
4 63 Steve Mannina


Hobby Stocks

A-Main
1 17 Nick Baldwin
2 3 Kimo Oreta
3 7 Patti Ryland
4 57 Michael Cooper
5 6 Robert Sharp
6 24 Mitchell Locicere
7 11 Christopher Brown
8 4 Dan Smith
9 24A Frank Furtado
10 69Z Robert Niven
11 1 Dan Jones
12 5 Raul Rodriguez Jr.

Heat #1
1 24 Mitchell Locicere
2 6 Robert Sharp
3 11 Christopher Brown
4 5 Raul Rodriguez Jr.
5 24A Frank Furtado
6 69Z Robert Niven

Heat #2
1 7 Patti Ryland
2 3 Kimo Oreta
3 17 Nick Baldwin
4 4 Dan Smith
5 57 Michael Cooper
6 1 Dan Jones


Dwarf Cars

A-Main
1 11D Danny Wagner
2 40 Kevin Miraglio
3 2J Jack Haverty
4 67 Pat Urdahl
5 4 Brian Tilseth
6 68 David Rosa
7 0 Charlie Correia
8 00X Shawn Steele
9 0 Mike Corsaro
10 55C Kurtis Craig
11 3 Duane Jordan

Heat #1
1 2J Jack Haverty
2 11D Danny Wagner
3 0 Charlie Correia
4 4 Brian Tilseth
5 68 David Rosa
6 00X Shawn Steele

Heat #2
1 0 Mike Corsaro
2 3 Duane Jordan
3 55C Kurtis Craig
4 67 Pat Urdahl
5 40 Kevin Miraglio