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Sarale, Gillard, Learn Wrap Up September With Antioch Speedway Main Event Wins

By Candice Martin
Antioch, CA...September 28...Caden Sarale of Stockton won the 25 lap BCRA Midget Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The win earned him a $1,500 paycheck as the group was saluting their longtime Publicity Director Floyd Busby. This was his third win of the season as he wrapped up his second-consecutive division championship.

Brandon Wiley of Santa Maria was a heat race winner earlier in the evening, and he charged into the lead at the start ahead of Peter Paulson of Woodland and Sarale. Sarale went low in Turn 2 of the third lap to grab second and set his sights on Wiley, who had a decent lead at that point. An inside move on the frontstretch on Lap 7 gained Dane Culver of Sacramento the third position. Sarale erased Wiley's lead by the 10th lap, but Wiley maintained command. As they worked the 14th lap, Wiley got into the front wall and flipped. He was not injured, but his race was over. Sarale led Culver and Paulson on the restart, and they ran that way to the checkered flag. Dale Johnston of Olivehurst and Kyle Hawse of Las Vegas, Nevada completed the Top 5.

Mike Gillard of Atwater won the 20 lap Hardtop Main Event. This was the third running of the Butch Althar Memorial race and his second-straight win at Antioch Speedway. The win gave him the point lead with one race left to go. Gillard is the Merced Speedway Sportsman point leader.

Heat race winners Gillard and Rick Elliott of Merced had the front row for the feature, and Gillard charged out to a big lead at the start. Incoming point leader Joel Hannagan of San Jose quickly gained second ahead of Elliott. The leaders caught slower traffic by the seventh lap, and Hannagan was making his presence known in his bid for the lead. However, Hannagan spun in Turn 2 for a Lap 12 yellow flag. The restart lap saw a Turn 2 spin by Elliott, collecting Joe Shenefield of Roseville.

Suddenly, Hannagan's car began smoking, and he was out at that point. Gillard led fellow Sportsman racers Gary Hildebrand of Turlock and Elliott on the restart, and they were the only lead lap competitors. Gillard quickly built a big lead, and Elliott made a high pass in Turn 4 of the 19th lap for second. By that point, Gillard was in command as he won by a half-lap ahead of Elliott and Hildebrand. Johnny Walsh of Placerville and Matt Collins of Turlock rounded out the Top 5.

Mike Learn of Petaluma won the 25 lap Super Stock Main Event. The win paid $1,000 thanks to the sponsorship of Red's Mobile Welding Service, and he becomes the third different winner in as many races for the division. Learn is the reigning champion at Antioch and the current Petaluma Speedway champion.

Heat race winners Learn and Jim Freethy of Danville had the front row for the start, and Learn bolted ahead of Freethy at the green flag. Previous winner Ryan Cherezian of Knightsen quickly gained third. There was a three-car battle for second as Learn held command. A low pass in Turn 4 of the fifth lap gained Chris Smith of Trona second. Cherezian quickly struck to third and used a low pass in Turn 4 of the 11th lap to take second. The yellow flag waved for a Rob Grace of Fallon, Nevada spin in Turn 2. Learn continued to lead the way as Smith regained second. Learn brought it home to an impressive victory ahead of Smith, Cherezian, Freethy and Mike Walko of Knightsen.

Greg Dennett of Livermore won the 20 lap BCRA Lightning Sprint Main Event. It was his third win of the season, and he used it to increase his lead in the championship standings.

Past champion Scott Kinney of Citrus Heights led the opening lap before championship contender Hunter Kinney of Citrus Heights stalled on the front straightaway for a yellow flag. Both drivers ended up retiring and Dennett led the restart ahead of Seth Schostag of Hangtown and Matt Land of Elk Grove. Schostag had picked up the heat race win earlier in the evening, but Dennett had everybody's number has he led the rest of the way for the victory. Schostag was a season-best second ahead of Land.

Sean Catucci of Brentwood won the 15 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. This was his second-straight win, and he suffered a mechanical issue as he was taking the checkered flag. Travis Day of Concord wrapped up his second division championship with a third place finish.

Heat race winner David Rosa of Antioch brought the field to the green flag ahead of Brandon Aylesworth of Benicia. Catucci was an early third, and Aylesworth used an inside move on the backstretch on the fourth lap to take the lead. Catucci went low in Turn 2 a lap later to grab second. Catucci was providing the pressure on Aylesworth before making a low pass in Turn 4 on Lap 9 to take the lead. Day had moved into third by then. Catucci started smoking on the last lap, but he took the checkered flag in victory, just before the real mechanical gremlins struck. Aylesworth settled for second ahead of Day and Rosa.

Kyle Mentch of Alameda won the 20 lap Micro Sprint Main Event. Mentch is a past Dixon Speedway champion, and this was his first Antioch start in the class. Ken Carter of Santa Rosa wrapped up the division championship with his sixth place finish.

Heat race winner Ryan Holden of Lodi led the opening lap ahead of championship hopeful Ryan Dotson of Fremont. Unfortunately, Dotson stalled on the frontstretch for a Lap 2 yellow flag, ending his championship hopes. Holden led Mentch and Peyton Gentry of Santa Rosa on the restart. Mentch was giving Holden plenty of pressure before making a Turn 1 pass on Lap 7 to take command. Mentch led the rest of the way for the well-earned victory, followed by Holden, Gentry, past champion Don McLeister of Stockton and Buddy Chappell of Stockton.

Racing continues next Friday and Saturday nights with the Fifth Annual Bill Bowers Memorial race, paying tribute to the Antioch Speedway Hall of Famer. IMCA Modifieds, Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars compete on both nights in the event that will feature an increased purse. The Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks will also be part of the Saturday night show. The Friday night portion will salute living legend JD Willis, a winner of 72 Antioch Speedway Main Events and five championships. Many of his accomplishments came with he and Bowers teaming up together. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com.

Race Results
BCRA Midgets
Fast Time-Caden Sarale 14.252. Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Brandon Wiley, Peter Paulson. Main Event (25 Laps)-Caden Sarale, Dane Culver, Peter Paulson, Dale Johnston, Kyle Hawse, Terry Nichols, Hailey Lambert, Marvin Mitchell, Brandon Wiley, Floyd Alvis DNS.

Super Stocks
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Mike Learn, Jim Freethy. Main Event (25 Laps)-Mike Learn, Chris Smith, Ryan Cherezian, Jim Freethy, Mike Walko, Michael Burch, Robert Grace, Jimmy Robbins, Paul Hanley DNS.

Hardtops
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Mike Gillard, Rick Elliott. Main Event (20 Laps)-Mike Gillard, Rick Elliott, Gary Hildebrand, Jonny Walsh, Matt Collins, Joe Shenefield, Ken Clifford, Joel Hannagan, Don Slaney.

600 Micro Sprints
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Ryan Dotson, Ryan Holden. Main Event (20 Laps)-Kyle Mentch, Ryan Holden, Payton Gentry, Don McLeister, Buddy Chappell, Ken Carter, Ryan Dotson, Devon Zuffa DNS, Charlie Kight DNS.

Dwarf Cars
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-David Rosa. Main Event (20 Laps)-Sean Catucci, Brandon Aylesworth, Travis Day, David Rosa, David Michael Rosa DNS, Russ Sieber DNS.

BCRA Lightning Sprints
Fast Time-Greg Dennett 14.399. Heat 1 (8 Laps)-Jason Schostag. Main Event (20 Laps)-Greg Dennett, Jason Schostag, Matt Land, Scott Kinney, Hunter Kinney.

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