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Third Annual Dean Cline Classic On Tap At Antioch Speedway Saturday Night

Antioch, CA...After a week off, racing resumes at Antioch Speedway this Saturday night with another special event. Saturday's show on the 3/8 mile clay oval will pay tribute to Antioch Speedway Hall of Famer Dean "The Blinker" Cline. The Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks are a featured division along with the Figure 8, IMCA Stock Cars, Mini Stocks and 600 Micro Sprints.

Dean got the nickname The Blinker for the red light that he put on the roof of his race car. When his foot was all the way on the gas pedal, the light lit up. It meant he was making his way up towards the front of the pack. Dean competed in various different divisions throughout his illustrious career and was a Main Event winner in most of them.

By the time he retired, he had won over 40 Main Events. He was the 1979 Stock Car champion, though titles were not something he pursued. Twice, he sold his race car while leading the standings in the later part of the season. Dean built fast race cars, and the people who bought them would win with them.

In fact, his son Lance Cline picked up the knack for building fast race cars and built up quite a reputation for himself in the 1990s and early 2000s. Lance built the last Hobby Stock in which Dean was a Main Event winner. Dean was inducted into the Antioch Speedway Hall of Fame in 2019. He passed away not long after that.

At the moment, Clarence Holbrook III of Galt and Ryan Hart of Dos Palos are in a close battle for the Hobby Stock point lead. Both drivers have won a pair of Main Events in what has been a good battle throughout the first half of the season. 2020 champion James Thomson is a solid third in the standings, just 30 tallies behind Hart.

San Pablo's Rick Rogers is back after taking a few years off. The past Dwarf Car champion is currently ranked fourth in the standings, 22 points ahead of rookie Brandon Carpenter of Galt. Carpenter only has an eight-point advantage over sixth place Maddie Motts of San Pablo. A field of 20 competitors or more is anticipated, and all of them will be gunning for the honor of winning the prize in the Dean Cline Classic.

The fans already know that the Figure 8 offers an exciting brand of racing in which anything can happen. It can get crazy as the drivers negotiate the intersection, known as the X, twice per lap. The increased prize money is an enticement for new drivers to give it a shot. During the County Fair, Holbrook made his very first Figure 8 start and walked away with the $1,000 first prize.

While the traffic was busy at times in the intersection, the action was more about the battle for the lead. A four-car race took place during the final circuits before Holbrook picked up the win ahead of David Rosa of Antioch. Rosa's finish was worth $500. Carpenter ended up third in the County Fair race, followed by Michaela Taylor of Brentwood and Bob Brown of Susanville.

Like reigning champion Jimmy Robbins of Concord, Brown raced the Figure 8 in the 1980s. He was the 1989 point runner-up. He's also the father of the one organizing the sponsorship for this race, Angela Brown of Antioch. Angela is planning to race with her father once again. The Figure 8 is sure to please the crowd. In addition to the prize money, there will be a nice trophy for the winner.

The IMCA Stock Car division has an interesting battle at the top. After missing last season, 2020 Rookie of the Year Jason Jennings of Pittsburg is leading Fred Ryland of Brentwood in the standings by 14 points. Ryland had been leading, but he missed the most recent event competing at a race in Yreka. He happened to win both the IMCA Sport Modified and Stock Car features that night.

Ryland only has a 7 point lead over 2022-23 runner-up Jason Robles of Rio Vista. 11 points behind Robles is current State point leader Scott Foster of Oakley. Foster led most of the distance at the previous race before being overtaken by Robles. 28 points behind Foster in fifth is reigning champion Troy Foulger of Oakley. Though the IMCA Stock Cars may not have a huge field, you can bet the battle for victory will be intense.

Due to multiple problems among several of the competitors, the Mini Stock car count has been a bit low so far this year. However, there is still a close battle for the division championship between reigning champion Tom Davis of Los Molinos and two-time title winner Tom Brown of Santa Rosa. Brown is currently leading the Petaluma point race and he leads Davis by four points at Antioch. Tony Quinonez of Corning is a solid third with 154 points.

After three races, Ken Carter of Santa Rosa leads the 600 Micro Sprints. He's won two Main Events, while reigning champion Don McLeister of Stockton won the season opener. Other drivers to watch for include Ryan Dotson of Stockton, Charlie Knight of Antioch and Devin McLeister of Stockton.

The Dean Cline Classic is a special occasion, and all of the drivers want to get the win on Saturday night. The Hobby Stock and Figure 8 battles are sure to be thrilling. Add in the IMCA Stock Cars, Mini Stocks and 600 Micro Sprints, and this is a show you won't want to miss.

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 four and under free. Tickets can be purchased on MyRacePass until midnight, Friday, July 12, 2024

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