Racing resumes Friday and Saturday night with annual Western States Dwarf Car Nationals

By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing Media 

Antioch, CA…June 3…Troy Foulger won the 20 lap IMCA Modified Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The Oakley driver is the current point leader in the Bowers Motorsports entry, and this was his first win of the season. He is also in the hunt for an unprecedented sixth division championship.

Looking for a second-straight win, IMCA National rookie point leader Andrew Pearce of Oakley set the early pace, but a Turn 4 pass on the second lap put Foulger into the lead. Foulger led Pearce through a pair of yellow flags in the first 12 laps as Buddy Kniss of Oakley ran third. Martinez drivers Nick DeCarlo and Anthony Slaney dueled fiercely for the fourth position before Slaney moved ahead. Slaney got around Kniss for third with a Turn 4 pass on Lap 15. Foulger had a good lead on Pearce and picked up the impressive win. Slaney ended up third ahead of DeCarlo and Randy Shafer a Vacaville.

Later, Foulger came back and won his third 20 lap IMCA Stock Car Main Event. Rob Gallaher of San Jose led early with Foulger making an inside pass on Travis Dutra of Concord on Lap 2 to take second. Foulger went low in Turn 4 on the third lap to grab the lead front Gallaher. From there, he pulled away in the non-stop affair to a straightaway advantage. Dutra went inside down the front stretch on Lap 4 to grab second. Gallaher battled with Scott Foster of Oakley for the third spot until Foster took the position on Lap 9. Foulger won ahead of Dutra, Foster, Gallaher and Jason Robles of Rio Vista.

Live Oak’s Matt Michelli won the 20 lap Xtreme Late Model Main Event. Micheli is a 10-time champion across multiple divisions at tracks in Placerville, Marysville and Chico.

Paul Guglielmoni of Vacaville charged into the lead at the start ahead of Les Friend of Galt. Micheli moved into second on Lap 2 and made a low pass in Turn 2 of the fifth lap to take the lead from Guglielmoni. On the seventh lap, Rod Oliver of Yuba City slipped past Guglielmoni for second, and a yellow flag waved moments later. Micheli continued to lead Oliver on the restart, but reigning  champion Dan Brown Jr of Lincoln made a Turn 2 pass on Lap 12 to take second. Clark Guglielmoni of Vacaville quickly settled into third. Micheli set a good pace In the closing laps and picked up the victory ahead of Brown, Guglielmoni, Oliver and Chester Kniss of Antioch.

Jason Ryan Jr of Oakley won the 20 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event. This was his second win of the season as moved into the point lead. Ryan bolted into the immediate lead ahead of Jacob Mallet Jr of Oakley and Kelly Campanile of Oakley. Pacheco’s Kenny Shrader slipped past Campanile for third on the sixth lap and set his sights on Ryan and Mallet. Following a yellow flag on Lap 8 for Tyler Browne, Ryan continued to lead Mallet and Shrader on the restart. Ryan ran a smooth race for the remaining distance and collected the victory. Mallet settled for second ahead of Shrader, Campanile and Chuck Golden of Pittsburg.

Danny Wagner won the 20 lap Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock Main Event. This wrapped up a clean sweep of Dash, heat and and feature race for the Bay Point driver. Wagner is a three-time Dwarf Car champion.

Chris Long of Antioch bolted into the early lead ahead of Colten Haney of Brentwood. Wagner slipped into second on the third lap with Jared Baugh Pittsburgh running in third. Wagner made an inside pass on Lap 6 to take the lead from Long. Baugh gained second on the Lap 7 restart, but he spun in Turn 4 on the 11th lap, collecting Long. Wagner led Les Friend of Galt on the restart, but Friend was involved in a tangle on the 13th lap. At that point, Wagner led Kevin Brown of Oakley and Ken Johns of Antioch. Aidan Ponciano of Oakley moved into third on Lap 16 and dueled Brown over the remaining laps. Wagner went on to victory ahead of Brown, Ponciano, Baugh and Johns.

DJ Saenz of Manteca won the 15 lap California Sharp Mini Late Model Main Event. This race was scheduled two days prior. Manteca’s Mitch Enos took the early lead over Saenz and Dan Zuger of San Jose. Zuger headed for the infield on the seventh lap, and a Lap 9 pass gained Saenz the lead from Enos. Enos kept it close, but Saenz prevailed in the end. Cayden Foster ended up third with Zuger rounding out the finishing order.

Racing resumes this Friday and Saturday night with the annual Western States Dwarf Car Nationals, hosted by the local Delta Dwarf Car group. Some of the best drivers on the West Coast will be there. On Friday, the Wingless Spec Sprints and IMCA Stock Cars will be competing. Saturday night will also include the IMCA Modifieds, Tri State Pro Stocks and Print Club Mini Stocks. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Antioch Speedway Race Results – June 3, 2023

IMCA Modifieds 

Heat Winners (8 laps)-Troy Foulger, Buddy Kniss. Main Event (20 laps)-Troy Foulger, Andrew Pearce, Anthony Slaney, Nick DeCarlo, Randy Shafer, Buddy Kniss, Chris Sieweke, Bobby Motts Jr, Dave Duste Jr, Tim Yeager Jr.

Xtreme Late Models 

Heat Winners (8 laps)-Anthony Slaney, Clark Guglielmoni. Main Event (20 laps)-Matt Micheli, Dan Brown Jr, Clark Guglielmoni, Rod Oliver, Chester Kniss, Shawn DeForest, Les Friend, Justin Yeager, Wayne Trimble, Paul Guglielmoni. 

IMCA Sport Modifieds 

Heat Winners (8 laps)-Tyler Browne, Kenny Shrader. Main Event (20 laps)-Jason Ryan Jr, Jacob Mallet Jr, Kenny Shrader, Kelly Campanile, Chuck Golden, Trevor Clymens, Joseph Pato, Tyler Browne, Mark Garner, Tommy Clymens Jr.

Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks 

Heat Winners (8 laps)-Danny Wagner, Chris Long, Jared Baugh, Colten Haney. B Main (12 laps)-James Thomson, Bobby Gallaher, Michaela Taylor. Main Event (20 lap)- Danny Wagner, Kevin Brown, Aidan Ponciano, Jared Baugh, Ken Johns, James Thomson, Jon Haney, Colten Haney, Jess Paladino, Trevor Clymens.

IMCA Stock Car 

Heat Winner (8 laps)-Troy Foulger. Main Event (20 laps)-Troy Foulger, Travis Dutra, Scott Foster, Rob Gallaher, Jason Robles, Kenneth Robles, Nick DeCarlo DNS.

California Sharp Mini Late Models

Heat Winner (8 laps)-Mitch Enos. Main Event (15 laps)-DJ Saenz, Mitch Enos, Cayden Foster, Dan Zuger.

Monica’s Riverview is located on the pier at One I (eye) Street in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown. For more information see www.visitmonicas.com.

By Jimmy Lee, PIO, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston announced that a coroner’s jury reached a finding Friday, June 3, 2023 in the January 3, 2023 in-custody death of 31-year-old Brian Love Pence, Jr. of Antioch. The finding of the jury is that the manner of death is natural.

Pence was arrested on December 31, 2022, by Antioch police for misdemeanor spousal battery. Upon entering Intake, he tested positive for COVID and was assigned to a module on quarantine status and housed alone. He was screened by County Health Services and cleared for incarceration by medical and mental health staff.

On Jan. 3, 2023, at approximately 1:22 p.m., deputies conducted a room check and observed no movement from the inmate. Deputies made entry and called for jail medical staff to respond. Life-saving measures were attempted by deputies, medical staff and paramedics. He was later pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no immediate signs of trauma or anything suspicious. (See related article)

The coroner’s jury reached the verdict in the inquest after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by hearing officer Matt Guichard.

A coroner’s inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving law enforcement personnel, is a public hearing during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding:  Accident, Suicide, Natural Causes or At the hands of another person, other than by accident.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

2023 Graduation Schedule:

Tuesday, June 6 – 7:00 p.m. – Prospects High School

Wednesday, June 7 – 7:00 p.m. – Bidwell High School

Wednesday, June 7 – 7:00 p.m. – Live Oak High School

Thursday, June 8 – 8:00 p.m. – Dozier-Libbey Medical High School

Friday, June 9 – 9:00 a.m. – Antioch High School

Friday, June 9 – 9:00 a.m. – Deer Valley High School

For more information visit www.antiochschools.net.

Entertaining times are returning to the Antioch Historical Museum this June. Recalling the rollicking Roaring Twenties fun time at the pre-Covid “Funeral for a Gangster,” put on by Caught in the Act Theater in September, 2019, the Museum is bringing back the theater with their western themed mystery to solve, “Death Near Dead Man’s Holler.” Ticket holders will gather on Saturday evening at 5:00 until 9:00 p.m., June 17, 2023, in the Museum’s Riverview Room, dressed in their western finest, ready to dine on western BBQ vittles at 6:00, then solve the mystery. A no-host bar will be in the Saloon Room. There will be prizes for the best costumes and best detectives.

The early-bird ticket price of $65 ends June 4, 2023, before going up to $75. Tickets are available through Eventbrite, or by mailing a check for reservations to the Museum, 1500 W. 4th St., Antioch, CA, 94509. For further information, please call the Museum at 925-757-1326.

Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.