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Panfili To Be Remembered At Antioch Speedway Saturday Night

By Candice Martin
 
Antioch, CA...The Wingless Spec Sprint division will kick off their 25th season of racing at Antioch Speedway this Saturday night. The track launched the carbureted Sprint Car division as an alternative to get new drivers into open wheel racing.
 
One driver had competed in the class every year since it started. He's Rick Panfili. He had been diagnosed with cancer in 2019. He lost that brave battle two weeks ago. He leaves behind wife Diana and his family.
 

Panfili had raced with the NCMA Modifieds for

The speedway lost a 25-year veteran of Wingless Spec Sprint racing, Rick Panfili #44. Saturday, we will remember him. Photo by Katrina Kniss

five years prior to joining this class in its infancy. Statistics will show that he finished second and third in the points and finished as high as second in the Main Event on multiple occasions. What they don't show is how well respected he was within the community.

 
If Rick could help somebody with a part or a moment of his time, he did. He always had time to meet with fans and if the track called on him for something, he was usually right there to do it. 
 
This year, he received a Lifetime Achievement award from DCRR Racing Media and he was the first inductee into Antioch Speedway's 2023 Hall of Fame.
 
On Saturday night, Rick's car will be at the track leading a special memorial lap in his memory. Though he was at the track as part of the DNF crew at the season opener, he will not take a green flag in a Wingless Spec Sprint race for the first season in the 25-year run of the class. 
 
For his fellow racers, It will be a sad thing to note. Whatever the car count, his #44 car was usually in the field supporting the class.
 
Saturday's lineup will include the Wingless Spec Sprints, Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks, Delta Dwarf Cars, Super Stocks and Print Club Mini Stocks.
 
Last season, Shannon Newton wasn't expecting to run for points. After chalking up four-straight wins, he overtook season runner-up James East for his second Spec Sprint division championship. Newton and East are both anticipated for this event along with last year's third ranked driver, Steve Maionchi, MacKenzie Newton, Bob Newberry and Roy Fisher.

Jared Baugh #07 is one of the early Hobby Stock championship contenders as expected. Photo by Katrina Kniss

The Hobby Stocks will be in action for the third time this season. Jared Baugh is off to a good start with a pair of Top 5 finishes. Previous winner Grayson Baca leads Jared by just two points with Michaela Taylor eight points back following her third place finish last time out. Others anticipated this week include Ken Johns, Kevin Brown and double division racer Danny Wagner.
 
Wagner will be busy. The three-time reigning Delta Dwarf Car champion will be competing in that class as well. Engine issues sidelined him from a potential win at the season opener, but he rebounded last week with the win.
 
Finishing third in his best run to date was Pete Piantanida. Last year's top rookie is just six points behind Wagner and two ahead of season opener winner David Michael Rosa in the early point battle.

Pete Piantanida #96 has gotten off to a good start in the Delta Dwarf Cars. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Other hard chargers, such as 2020 champion Travis Day, Ellie Russo and last season's runner-up, Devan Kammermann, are anticipated as well.
 
The Super Stock division finally kicks off their season, and it's a tune-up race for May 13th Larry Damitz Memorial for the Tri State Pro Stocks. Jim Freethy won his third championship last season.
 
He is one of two drivers able to dethrone Larry in his strong seven-year run at the end of his career. Larry had won five championships during that span, finishing second to Jim in one of the seasons he didn't win.

Jim Freethy #99 may be the driver to beat again this year in Super Stocks competition. Photo by Katrina Knis

Joey Ridgeway finished second last season and is anticipated this week along with 2020 champion Mike Walko, Chad Hammer, Ryan Cherezian and Jay Bryant.
 
Reigning Print Club Mini Stock champion Tom Brown started this season with a backup car while his motor was being freshened in his primary vehicle. However, the Bob Davis owned Pinto should be ready, which is bad news for the competition. Brown had picked up a pair of second place finishes to start the season and will be in the hunt for a win this week. As it is, Brown holds the point lead over Don Abitz.
 
Abitz had a good night last time around as he won the Best Appearing Car contest and finished third in the Main Event. He's hoping to make a better run in the point chase. Last season he finished fifth despite missing some races, and he finished third in his rookie season.
 
Other drivers to watch for this week include season opening winner Dana Gardner, Laina Bales, David Carson and Eddie Humphrey III.

Last time out, Don Abitz #23 won Best Appearing Car honors and ran third in Mini Stock Main Event action. Photo by Katrina Kniss

On the Wednesday leading up to this event, the track is set to host the first round of the Central California Clash for the IMCA Modifieds, Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars. This is the fourth year for this special series that competes at several Central California tracks. Antioch had been off the schedule for a year, but has the honor of getting this year's festivities started.
 
The series brings together some of the best drivers in the state and will also compete at Merced, Hanford, Tulare and Bakersfield during the five-day span. There are championship point funds for all three classes, including a $1,000 title for the Modifieds and $750 for the other two classes. That is also the to win money for each Main Event on the circuit.
 
Championships last season were won by Cody Laney in IMCA Modifieds, Tyler Bannister in IMCA Sport Modifieds and Steven Johnson in IMCA Stock Cars.

 

The gates will open at 4:00 with the first race starting at 6:00.

Adult tickets are $20, Senior/Military $15, Kids (5-12) $15 and kids five and under free.

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