Purse For Larry Damitz Memorial Race
At Antioch Speedway Announced

Antioch, CA...Everybody already knows the Larry Damitz Memorial Race is happening at Antioch Speedway on May 13th. What wasn't known was the purse money. Promoter John M. Soares and sponsorship from three other sponsors has helped make the DIRTcar Late Model race $3000 to win and a minimum of $300 to start. Paul & Betty Guglielmoni's Vaca Valley Excavating and Trucking and the Matt Micheli family have contributed to the purse. Henner Truck Lines will pay $200 for the winner of a special Trophy Dash race. Furthermore, Soares has announced that the entry fee will be just $50 for the car and driver.

Prior to the start of the season, the racing community was saddened to learn of the passing of Larry Damitz. The 87 year old veteran of over 60 years of racing had just won his fifth Limited Late Model title in the last six years. It was also the 17th career championship for the man who had won over 150 Main Events throughout his Hall Of Fame career. "The race is open to any and all Late Models in the West, " said Guglielmoni. "We are hoping to build on this first race, and have more special shows for the Late Model division in Larry’s honor."

The week before the playday, Soares had a special memorial marker placed in Damitz's pit stall. Roughly sixty of his wins came at Antioch Speedway through the years, and it was a track he was fond of. This year, Kimo Oreta is taking the wheel of Damitz's #15 Limited Late Model and driving the team's Late Model in a quest for "Rookie Of The Year" honors. Larry saw something special in Oreta and had taken him under his wing in recent years.

The prize money is sure to attract some big names, and most likely to lead that charge is Bobby Hogge IV. Bobby won two Late Model races at Antioch last year, is a three time Dirt Modified champion at the track and ranks a close third on the track's all time win list. Another past Antioch champion anticipated is Andy Obertello. His championship at the track came in the Late Models, and he's always a threat to win when he's there. Another Late Model champion anticipated is Clay Daly. Daly has become one of the more respected car builders on the West Coast. He may not be the only Bakersfield and Santa Maria racer to show as both tracks are dark to Late Models on May 13th.

While we anticipate who might come from other tracks, we know two time Antioch Late Model champions Richard Papenhausen and Jeff Decker will be there. The two had a good battle throughout the first half of the most recent race before Decker prevailed. Another driver who is a threat to win when he's there is four time Antioch Dirt Modified champion Troy Foulger. Foulger has picked up a few Late Model wins aboard the Bowers Racing entry in recent years. Shawn DeForest was second last time out and should not be counted out in this race.

Another driver to watch for is Chester Kniss. Kniss is coming off of a third place finish in the opener, while 2016 "Rookie Of The Year" Mike Hynes finished fifth. Gugliemoni is a two time Petaluma champion who has won races at Antioch. Teammate Terry Kuntz should be there as well. Other drivers to watch for include Dennis Souza, David Newquist, Danny Malfatti and Rob Norris. There may just be a few drivers coming from the Placerville Limited Late Model division as the division is off that night.

Though no extra purse was announced for Larry's division of choice these past seven seasons, the Limited Late Models, drivers may want to be a part of it because it's the Larry Damitz Memorial Race. The Petaluma and Marysville's divisions are dark on that night. We do know Oreta, Mark Garner, Mike Gustafson, John Evans, Jim Freethy, Ryan Cherezian, Buddy Kniss and Jeff Kendrick are some of the drivers anticipated.

The Larry Damitz Memorial will be a special race, and it's a race that the track hopes to build on in the years ahead. For more information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Antioch Speedway
DIRTcar Late Model Schedule
May 13
June 24
July 1
July 15
July 22
August 12
September 9
September 16
September 30

Past Late Model Stock Car Champions
1967-Chuck Choate
1968-Wayne Price
1969-Rich Oagle
1970-J.D. Willis
1971-J.D. Willis
1972-Mitch West
1973-Richard Johnson
1974-Don Robbins
1975-Willie Myatt
1976-Chuck Dyer
1977-Richard Johnson
1978-Bob Meeker
1979-Dean Cline
1981-Bruce Curl Sr.
1982-Dave Byrd
1983-Dave Byrd
1984-J.D. Willis
1985-Bobby Hogge III
1986-Ed Sans Jr.
1987-Jim Pettit II
1988-Jim Pettit II
1989-Bobby Hogge III
1990-Jeff Silva
1991-Jim Pettit II
1992-Steve Hendren
1993-Steve Hendren
1994-No Points
1998-Ed Sans Jr.
2007-Jeff Decker
2008-Andy Obertello
2014-Richard Papenhausen
2015-Jeff Decker
2016-Richard Papenhausen

Previous 30 Late Model Feature Winners
April 29, 2017: Jeff Decker
October 24, 2016: Bobby Hogge IV
October 10, 2016: Richard Papenhausen
September 17, 2016: Jeff Decker
August 13, 2016: Richard Papenhausen
July 23, 2016 Andy Obertello
July 9, 2016: Bobby Hogge IV
June 18, 2016: Jeff Decker
April 30, 2016: Clay Daly
April 16, 2016: Richard Papenhausen
March 26, 2016: Bobby Hogge IV
September 19, 2015: Andy Obertello
August 22, 2015: Jeff Decker
August 8, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
July 25, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
July 11 2015: Troy Foulger
June 27, 2015: Bobby Hogge IV
June 20, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
June 13, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
May 11, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
April 25, 2015: Troy Foulger
April 11, 2015: Paul Guglielmoni
March 21, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
March 14, 2015: Jeff Decker
January 2, 2015: Richard Papenhausen
August 16, 2014: Troy Foulger
July 26, 2014: Bobby Hogge IV
July 19, 2014: Bobby Hogge IV
June 14, 2014: A.J. Kirkpatrick
May 10, 2014: Richard Papenhausen