Antioch, CA...June 15...Braden Chiaramonte of El Cajon scored an impressive 35 lap win in the Winged 360 Sprint Car Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the only appearance of the Sprint Car Challenge Tour at the track this year, and Chiaramonte is a 16-year-old rookie on the circuit. He came into the night ranked third in points, and his first win will move him into the lead.
Austin Wood of Sacramento charged into the lead at the start ahead of Colby Johnson of Penngrove. Sean Becker of Roseville settled into third early on, and a yellow flag waved for Steve Jaquith of Chowchilla on Lap 4. Wood continued to lead Johnson on the restart. A Lap 8 yellow flag waved for Connor Mewhirter of Redding. On the restart, Becker made a big charge to take the lead from Wood. Jaquith spun for a Lap 10 yellow flag, ending his race. Becker continued to lead with Johnson running second ahead of Michael Faccinto of Hanford. Chiaramonte had started back in 17th, but his outside groove effort moved him into fifth by the 10th circuit.
Chiaramonte drove around Faccinto for third on Lap 13. Faccinto spun for a Lap 14 yellow flag. Becker led Johnson and Chiaramonte on the restart. Chiaramonte rode the outside around Johnson for second on the 19th lap and began looking for a way around Becker. A high move in the fourth turn of the 23rd circuit put Chiaramonte into the lead. Becker and Wood had a brief battle for second, but Becker maintained his hold on the position. Jake Haulot of Cotati made a front stretch pass on Wood for third on Lap 32. Chiaramonte pulled away for the popular victory with Becker settling for second ahead of Haulot, Luke Hayes of Dunnigan and Wood.
Jason Ryan Jr of Oakley won the 20 lap IMCA Sport Modified Main Event. The win gave him sole possession of the point lead by two over reigning champion Kenny Shrader at Pacheco.
Kelly Campanile of Oakley set the early pace ahead of Al Johnson of Antioch. A low pass in Turn 4 of the second lap put Ryan into second, and Ryan made a similar move a lap later to take the lead from Campanile. Ryan began to stretch his advantage, leaving Campanile to battle Shrader for the second position. By the 17th lap, Ryan held a half-lap advantage over Campanile, but a yellow flag waved for Haley Gomez of Antioch. Ryan resumed command on the restart. Shrader tried to get a run on the inside, but Campanile kept her cool on the outside to maintain second. As Ryan brought it home to the satisfying win, Campanile was a career best second, followed by Shrader, Tommy Clymens Jr of Oakley and Trevor Clymens of Brentwood.
Tom Davis of Los Molinos won the 20 lap Mini Stock Main Event. it was the first win of the season for the reigning division champion in the Delbert Rios owned entry.
Davis took the lead from the start ahead of previous winner Tom Brown of Santa Rosa. Tony Quinonez of Corning and Dennis Cosens III of Mentmore, New Mexico were having a back and forth battle for third in the early laps. Cosens took the third position from Quinonez on a Lap 5 restart, but the tenacious Quinonez regained the position on the eighth circuit. The lead duo hit slower traffic on Lap 9. Davis made the right moves to keep Brown behind him, and Cosens fell off the pace and headed for the pits. Davis went on to victory ahead of Brown, Quininez, David Dupuis of Danville and Cosens.
Jason Robles of Rio Vista won the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car Main Event. This was his second-straight win. Scott Foster of Oakley jumped into the lead at the start ahead of new point leader Jason Jennings of Pittsburgh and Robles. However, Jennings got sideways exiting Turn 2 on the second lap with Robles going by for second. For the rest of the race, Robles kept the pressure on Foster. Robles made an inside move on Foster on the backstretch on Lap 9 to briefly take the lead, but Foster came back strong on the front stretch to complete the lap ahead. As they raced to the white flag, Robles made an inside move exiting the fourth turn to grab the lead. Robles held off Foster on the final circuit to grab the victory. Jennings settled for third.
Racing resumes next Saturday night with the Wingless Spec Sprints back in action along with the Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks, IMCA Sport Modifieds and Mini Stocks. For further information, go to http://www.raceantiochspeedway.com.
Race Results
Sprint Car Challenge Tour
Fast Time-Jake Haulot 12.733. Trophy Dash (6 Laps)-Austin Wood. Heat Winners (10 Laps)-Michael Faccinto, Austin Wood, Sean Becker. Main Event (35 Laps)-Braden Chiaramonte, Sean Becker, Jake Haulot, Luke Hayes, Austin Wood, Colby Johnson, Michael Faccinto, Brad Bumgarner, Chance Grasty, Travis Labat.
IMCA Sport Modifieds
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Kenny Shrader, Jason Ryan Jr. Main Event (20 Laps)-Jason Ryan Jr, Kelly Campanile, Kenny Shrader, Tommy Clymens Jr, Trevor Clymens, Chuck Golden, James Graessle, Haley Gomez, Al Johnson.
Mini Stocks
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Tom Brown. Main Event (20 Laps)-Tom Davis, Tom Brown, Tony Quinonez, Dave Dupuis, Dennis Cosens III, Tom Carse, Jackie Price.
IMCA Stock Car
Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jason Jennings. Main Event (15 Laps)-Jason Robles, Scott Foster, Jason Jennings.
- Wylie Wade on Jun 18, 2024
- Article Date: 6/17/2024 by Candice Martin, Photos by Katrina Kniss