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Larry Damitz Memorial Set For Saturday Night At Antioch Speedway

By Candice Martin 
 
Antioch, CA...This Saturday night will be a night in which fendered Stock Car racing will take center stage at Antioch Speedway. It's also a night in which Bay Area racing legend Larry Damitz will be remembered once again.
 
For over 60 years, the man known as the Sun Drop Kid competed at Antioch Speedway and other venues throughout the state. Well into his '80s, he was still winning Main Events and championships. In fact, he won seven championships after turning 80 years old, five at Antioch and two at Merced.
 
The highly decorated champion is a member of several Hall of Fame's, including Antioch Speedway, Bay Cities Racing Association and the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame
 
Larry was the reigning Super Stock champion as the 2017 season was about to start, and his intentions were to race again when he passed away peacefully at home. 
 
The local Super Stock competitors will go head to head with the Tri State Pro Stock Challenge Series regulars on Saturday with a winner's prize of $1,000 and a championship belt on the line.
 
Other competing divisions include the new West Coast Hobby Stock Series, the IMCA Sport Modifieds and the Hardtops.
 

2020 Larry Damitz Memorial winner Mike Walko #13a and defending race champion Michael Burch #03 do battle in a race last season. Photo by Katrina Kniss

Last season, the race was put back on the schedule at the last minute in October. Long time racer Michael Burch won his first career Main Event on that occasion. The win was notable for Burch, who has Parkinson's disease. He led all 20 laps and held off the advances of 2020 race winner and track champion Mike Walko.

 
Drivers from throughout California, Nevada and Oregon are anticipated for this race, including such notables as Richard Brace Jr of Grass Valley, Mitch Machado of Petaluma, last week's winner and past Tri-State champion Mike Learn of Petaluma and past champion Justin Crockett of Arroyo Grand. 
 
Travis White of Fallon, Nevada won the most recent Tri State race at Placerville, while Crockett won the season opener in Hanford. The series fielded over 20 cars at both races this year.
 
The local contingent will be headed up by three-time reigning track champion Jim Freethy of Danville, Antioch's Chad Hammer, Jimmy Robbins of Concord and Joey Ridgeway of Brentwood.
 

Michaela Taylor #71a was runner up in Hobby Stock points last year and is one of the local stars to watch in the big West Coast Hobby Stock race this week. Photo by Katrina Kniss

During the off-season, a new Hobby Stock Series was put together in the spirit of the way the Tri State Series was launched a few years back. The series was the brainchild of Brian Cooper and Jerry Bartlett, two drivers who have won multiple championships at the tracks in Marysville, Chico and Orland.

 
The rules for this new series allow for slightly different Hobby Stock divisions from throughout the state to go head-to-head. This means drivers from several tracks, including Marysville, Merced, Bakersfield, Antioch and Watsonville, will be in action. 
 
A few weeks ago, the series launched at Merced Speedway, and 45 drivers came to compete on that occasion. The record shows that Bakersfield standout Nick Johnson picked up the win ahead of three-time Watsonville champion Rob Gallaher of San Jose and past Merced champion Ryan Hart of Dos Palos.
 
Hobby Stock enthusiasts will get some top notch racing on Saturday night. Leading the local charge will be point leader Grayson Baca of Antioch, 2021 title winner Larry McKinzie Jr of Discovery Bay, Jared Baugh Pittsburgh and Michaela Taylor of Oakley. 
 
Baca has won the last two Main Events and leads the local standings early on ahead of Taylor and Kevin Brown of Antioch, who finished second in the most recent race. Taylor finished second in the standings last season.
 

Kenny Shrader #188 had an IMCA Sport Modified Main Event win a couple of weeks ago. Photo by Katrina Kniss

The IMCA Sport Modifieds are back for their third race of the season, and the record shows that reigning champion Fred Ryland of Brentwood, Pacheco's Kenny Shrader and Bakersfield Tyler Bannister have the wins so far.

 
Ryland and fellow three-time champion Trevor Clymens of Brentwood are currently tied for the lead, four tallies ahead of Mark Garner of Antioch and six in front of Shrader.  These four drivers will be at the head of the pack in the quest for victory.
 
Damitz raced Hardtops for 20 years from 1954 through 1974 and won several Main Events and multiple championships during that time. He first started competing at the now defunct Contra Costa Speedway in Pacheco and Vallejo Speedway, which is also long since closed. He won his first championship at Vallejo in the 1960s.
 

Brad Coelho will be piloting the Tommy Thomson #39 Hardtop, a car that originally competed at Vallejo Speedway in the 1970s. Photo by Katrina Kniss

At the first Antioch Hardtop race of the year, San Jose's Joel Hannagan drove the Doug Braudrick owned car to the victory, and he leads Oakley's Brad Coelho by four points. These two are anticipated for this race along with Ronnie Ruiz of West Sacramento, Joe Shenefield of Modesto and Ken Clifford of Rescue. Don Slaney of Martinez is scheduled to make his return on Saturday.

 

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.

For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.

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