8/4/2025
Antioch Speedway
Workman 50 Tri State Pro Stock Race Scheduled For Saturday Night At Antioch Speedwa
Antioch, CA...After a week off, racing resumes at Antioch Speedway this Saturday night. The first of three exciting August races at the 3/8 mile clay oval will feature the Workman Communications 50 for the Tri State Pro Stock Series. Joining the Pro Stocks will be the Wingless Spec Sprints, Dwarf Cars, 600 Micro Sprints and Hardtops.
This isn't just a Pro Stock race, but rather the biggest Pro Stock race of the year on the West Coast. With the sponsorship of Richard Workman, the 50 lap Main Event this week will pay $3,000 to the winner. Even second place receives a nice $1,000 payday, and drivers get a minimum of $150 to take the green flag. At the halfway point of the extra distance race, the leader will pocket an additional $500.
The Tri State Series has breathed new life into Pro Stock/Super Stock racing. The over 70 races the group has promoted since 2019 have always featured more prize money than these drivers usually receive at a regular show. This is also their third and final Antioch appearance of the season.
The group kicked things off at Marysville back in March with a race won by Cory Hall of Sutter ahead of Petaluma's Mike Learn and Randy Miramontez of Santa Rosa. The Larry Damitz Memorial at Antioch at the end of May saw Coalinga's Ryan Smith win a thrilling battle with Jerry Stewart of Bakersfield, while Phil Marino of Chico finished third.
Smith also won the June Antioch race ahead of Brentwood's Fred Ryland and Marino, with Learn picking up the win at Petaluma last month, followed by Steve Studebaker of Novato and Miramontez.
Learn is currently leading Ryland by two points at Antioch and also leads Woody Woodward by 17 points at Petaluma in another close championship race. Petaluma boasts one of the strongest Super Stock shows on the West Coast with several drivers who have supported the division for years. It's anticipated that a few of those drivers will be joining Learn and Miramontez at Antioch this Saturday night.
However, Bakersfield and Santa Maria Speedway Late Model veteran Jerry Stewart and 2024 Tri State champion Chris Smith of Coalinga are confirmed for Saturday night and have already positioned themselves as two of the drivers to beat.
With Marysville dark for a few weeks, Wingless Crate Sprint championship contender Jacob Johnson of Yuba City has a ride for this race. Johnson has three Top 5 seasons in Crate Sprints and was the 2021 Marysville Hobby Stock champion. Others anticipated for this Saturday night include Brent Lawrence of Grass Valley, Concord's Jimmy Robbins, Paul Hanley of Emerald Hills and Pete Coberley of Atwater
In the Wingless Spec Sprint division, Brentwood's Bob Newberry continues to enjoy one of his best seasons. On the Hunt Series tour, Newberry has earned three second place feature finishes and ranks third in a close battle for second. At Antioch, however, he's leading the charge to become the first three-time champion in the history of the division at the track. He's won twice and ties San Jose's Anthony Bruno with three Top 5 finishes so far this season. Bruno is keeping it close, trailing Newberry by just six markers.
A little further back is a close race for third, led by MacKenzie Newton of Elk Grove. She's trailed by Sonora's Steve Maionchi by just four points, while her father Shannon Newton of Elk Grove is 11 points back in third. Shannon Newton is also a two-time champion at Antioch.
Rookie Daniel Dekeyser of Kelseyville is in the battle for third, 22 points behind MacKenzie Newton, while Kevin Box of Bethel Island, two-time winner Josh Young of Roseville, Brentwood's Jeff Scotto and second ranked Hunt Series competitor Eathon Lanfri of Milpitas make up the balance of the Top 10 coming into the night.
Sean Catucci of Brentwood continues to lead the Dwarf Car battle, but the previous race saw he and the rest of the field surprised by the return of multi-time champion Danny Wagner of Bay Point. Wagner showed up so late that he missed hot laps, but he still scored the Main Event victory.
Reigning champion Travis Day of Concord had a season-best second place finish that night ahead of Catucci, and that moved Day to within four points of rookie David Hays of Brentwood for second in the standings. However, on the strength of four victories, Catucci leads Day by 36 points in the championship battle.
In the Micro Sprint race, San Jose's Buddy Chappell has taken it up a notch with back-to-back second place finishes. His recent runner-up finish behind the returning Kyle Mentch of Alameda moved him into the point lead by 24 ahead of Ryan Dotson of Fremont. Mentch is just six points behind Dotson and six ahead of Santa Rosa's Payton Gentry.
Gentry is a two-time winner this year, but the Petaluma point leader missed the recent race to fall to fourth, 36 markers ahead of Roberto Monroy of Antioch. However, Oakley's Devon Zuffa is closing in on Monroy for fifth.
While long time Antioch Speedway competitor Brad Coelho of Oakley continues to work on his new Hardtop, Joel Hannagan of San Jose leads the group into their fifth race this week. With three-straight wins to his credit, Hannagan leads Don Slaney of Martinez by 16 points. Slaney has kept it close on the strength of four second place finishes, while Joe Shenefield of Roseville continues to hold third in the standings.
With a strong lineup of Pro Stocks anticipated for the big money race this week and the Wingless Spec Sprints expecting a solid lineup of competitors, Saturday's show should be a good one. It's the start of a three-week run of exciting racing that will include the Dean Cline Classic for the Hobby Stocks on the 16th and the JD Willis Salute for the IMCA classes and Hobby Stocks on the 23rd.
The gates will open at 5:00 with the first race starting at 6:00.
Adult tickets are $15, Senior/Military $15, Kids (5-12) $15 and kids four and under free.
For further information, go to http://www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.
Picture Info
Ryan Smith #3d and Jerry Stewart #4 battling for the lead at the Larry Damitz Memorial Pro Stock race. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Wingless Spec Sprint racers Ryon Siverling #77, Shannon Newton #2n and MacKenzie Newton #17n. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Dwarf Car point leader Sean Catucci #43 reigning champion Travis Day #88, David Hays #9n and David Michael Rosa #2d. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Micro Sprint point leader Buddy Chappell #99, Ryan Dotson #67 and reigning champion Ken Carter #84. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Hardtop point leader Joel Hannagan #16 Joe Shenefield 15 and Don Slaney #4ud. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Article Credit: Candice Martin, Photos by Katrina Kniss
Submitted By: Wylie Wade
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