Obertello, Gonderman, Clymens Share Antioch Speedway Spotli

Antioch, CA...July 23...Andy Obertello returned to Antioch Speedway and held off a challenge from Troy Foulger to win the 25 lap DIRTcar Late Model Main Event Saturday night. Dan Gonderman battled teammate Marcus Smith to collect his second 20 lap All Star Series Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event victory. Trevor Clymens gained more ground in his bid for the B Modified championship with his fourth feature win of the season. Mark Garner held off point leader Larry Damitz for his third 20 lap Limited Late Model win. David Teves scored a sentimental victory in the 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event, while Danny Jones battled Chris Long for his third 20 lap Hobby Stock feature triumph.


Andy Obertello won a hard fought battle for the 25 lap DIRTcar Late Model feature victory. 2008 champion Obertello set the early pace ahead of point leader Richard Papenhausen and Troy Foulger, and a yellow flag flew early for a Dennis Souza spin. A lap later, Dirt Modified veteran Ed Davies hit the back wall in the House Car for another yellow flag. Obertello continued to lead the restart as Foulger moved into second. Jeff Decker took third from Papenhausen on lap six, and Souza stalled on the front stretch for a lap 11 caution flag. A lap 23 caution flag flew for Mike Hynes, giving Foulger one more shot at Obertello. However, Obertello was too much to handle as he scored a hard fought victory over Foulger. Decker earned a third place finish ahead of Papenhausen and Rob Norris.


Dan Gonderman won his second 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event of the season. Two time champion Gonderman raced into the early lead, and a yellow flag flew early for a spin by rookie Kevin Box. Gonderman continued to set the pace ahead of teammate Marcus Smith and point leader Jim Perry Jr. Smith was coming off of his second win of the season last week, while Perry has been trying to sort out some motor issues in recent weeks. Perry won his heat race earlier in the evening. Despite Smith's best efforts behind the wheel of the Richard Basden owned car, Gonderman stayed smooth and collected a satisfying victory. Perry came home third, followed by Rick Panfili, Jack Clark and Brandon Burd.


Trevor Clymens scored his fourth 20 lap B Modified feature victory, and in the process chipped away a little more at point leader Al Johnson's lead. Johnson set the early pace ahead of Clymens. Early spins by last week's winner K.C. Keller and Ron Brown brought out a pair of yellow flags. The yellow was out for a third time after Anthony Giuliani and Joel Hannagan tangled, collecting Nick Tucker in the incident. Johnson continued to lead, but he could feel the pressure of Clymens behind him. Midway through the race, Clymens slipped by for the lead, and a Tucker spin forced a lap 12 caution flag. Giuliani made a nice recovery from his early crash as he moved into second, but it was Clymens scoring a well earned victory. Heat race winner Shane DeVolder reached the podium once again in third as Hannagan, Johnson and Danny Jones followed.


Danny Jones won an eventful 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. It was his third win of the season and will enable him to gain some ground in the championship battle. The race was led early by Rob Waldrop ahead of Chris Long. Spins by Chris Sorensen and point leader Guy Ahlwardt punctuated the first ten laps with two yellow flags as Waldrop surrendered the lead to Long. By midway through the race, previous winner Jones passed Long for the lead. On lap 16, Michael Cooper spun for a yellow flag, giving Long one more shot at the lead. However, Jones led the single file restart and maintained his cool for his second straight win. Long settled for second, while Sorensen charged back to a third place finish. Two time Super Hobby Stock champion Gene Haney finished fourth ahead of Waldrop and Bob Brown.


Mark Garner scored the victory in the 20 lap Limited Late Model Main Event. Coming off of a bad night last week, Garner needed to come up with a big night to put his title hopes back on track. He got just what he needed as he won the heat race and then scored his third Main Event win of the season. The win didn't come easy as rookie Kimo Oreta led the way in a quest for his first win of the season. Just past the midway point of the race, Garner found his opening on a restart and beat Oreta into Turn 1 for the lead. Larry Damitz would get by for second and take up the chase of Garner. However, Garner was not to be denied as he scored the much needed victory. Point leader Damitz settled for second ahead of Oreta and John Evans.


Reigning Dwarf Car champion David Teves won the 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. Driving the #4 car that he is setting up for it's new owner, Chris Becker, Teves scored his second feature win of the season. The car has sentimental meaning to Becker as it belonged to good friend Brian Tilseth, who died unexpectedly while working on it. Teves agreed to repair the car and get it up and running provided he could drive it a couple times. Teves is currently leading the SBDCA Dwarf Car point standings and runs a relaxed schedule at Antioch this season. Point leader Kevin Miraglio maintained his championship effort with another second place finish ahead of Joey Dale. Heat winner Jenna Frazier and Toby Brown rounded out the Top 5 at the checkered flag. Third ranked Tim Reeder provided the excitement early in the race when he flipped. He was not injured, but he was done for the night.


Racing continues next Saturday night with Winged 360 Sprint Cars, A Modifieds, Limited Late Models, Dwarf Cars, B Modifieds and Hobby Stocks all in action. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Unofficial Race Results, July 23rd


Wingless Spec Sprints

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jeremy Newberry, Jim Perry Jr. Main Event (20 Laps)-Dan Gonderman, Marcus Smith, Perry, Rick Panfili, Jack Clark.


DIRTcar Late Models

Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Jeff Decker. Main Event (20 Laps)-Andy Obertello, Troy Foulger, Decker, Richard Papenhausen, Rob Norris.


B Modifieds

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Shane DeVolder, Al Johnson. Main Event (20 Laps)-Trevor Clymens, Anthony Giuliani, DeVolder, Joel Hannagan, Johnson.


Dwarf Cars

Heat Winners (8 laps)-David Teves, Kevin Miraglio, Jenna Frazier. Main Event (20 Laps)-Teves, Miraglio, Joey Dale, Frazier, Toby Brown.


Limited Late Models

Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Mark Garner. Main Event (20 Laps)-Garner, Larry Damitz, Kimo Oreta, John Evans.


Hobby Stocks

Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jeremy Jennings, Danny Jones. Main Event (20 Laps)-Jones, Chris Long, Chris Sorensen, Gene Haney, Rob Waldrop.