NEU WINNER IN DIRTcar WEST MODIFIED STOCK CARS; FREETHY FIRST-TIME WINNER IN LIMITED LATE MODELS; SILVEIRA TOPS DOWNEY IN “FOUR BANGERS”; RIVERA BACK IN DWARFS


xc	NEU WINNER IN DIRTcar WEST MODIFIED STOCK CARS; FREETHY FIRST-TIME WINNER IN LIMITED LATE MODELS; SILVEIRA TOPS DOWNEY IN “FOUR BANGERS”; RIVERA BACK IN DWARFS Photo by Mike Adaskaveg Mike Adaskaveg Aug.07.2011 Antioch, Calif. - There was a “Neu” winner Saturday night in the DIRTcar West modified stock car feature event - Kenny Neu - who ended a year long drought with a surpise-ending victory. “It has been a long time - it seems like forever,” Neu said in victory lane. “I’m just glad to be back.” The Oakley driver is an Antioch Speedway veteran. He’s been competing at the track since 1994. The surprise ending came when a caution flag flew with three laps to go in the main event. Rob Norris of Pleasanton had led the feature from the green, in one of his best all-time efforts. Chasing him most of the way was Shawn Deforest, also having an impressive night. Deforest suffered a broken front end and Norris had a rapidly deflating tire after the restart. When the final green flag flew, it was Neu and Nick Decarlo of Martinez who forged into the top two spots, with Troy Foulger chasing. DeCarlo, who has had three wins at other tracks, also had his best run of the season at Antioch Speedway. Jim Freethy of Danville topped a stout field of Limited Late Models for his first win in that division. “I was praying for a top five finish, and I got a win,” Freethy said in victory lane. “I never thought I would get a main event in this division. I’m racing with legends - guys like Freddie Ryland, Larry Damitz, Mike Gustafson - what a great feeling it is to win with them racing against me.” Jim Rhoades of El Sobrante, with 13 years of Antioch racing under his belt, was second. Ryland and Damitz put the pressure on the top two to the checkered flag. Rhoades was racing the first time since the season opener, when he blew an engine in his car. Ryland, of Brentwood, almost snatched second away from him. “It was my first race with the new motor. It was running great,” he said. “I saw him (Ryland) coming, I didn’t want to cut him off and I didn’t want to give my position away.” Ryland was coming on strong. “I got caught in traffic. It took a while to reel in the leaders. I could have used a couple of more laps,” Ryland said. Freethy thanked friend Ryland and crew man Jack Jonker, who helps both teams, for helping him rise to the top. “Fred is always there with advice and to help set-up the cars,” Freethy said. “The guys are all about good racing, and half the credit goes to the crews that set up the cars.” Justin Silveira of Antioch took advantage of traffic to pass of all-feature leader Dan Downey of San Jose with two laps to go in the “Four-Banger” main event. Ken Radabaugh went low to try to pass them both, bringing the fans to their feet. “I didn’t think I would ever catch Downey,” said Silveira. “Lapped traffic helped me, but also almost cost me when Ken (Radabaugh) took the low groove. That was a fun finish.” Dwarf car dominator Ricardo Rivera of Hollister was back in victory lane with division nemesis Nick Squatritto of San Jose trying every trick in the book to pass him at the finish. “I heard him coming,” Rivera said. “He’s an awesome racer. I thought he would beat me. First or second - it’s all good.” Squatritto had a loss of power. “The car was overheating,” he explained. “And, in the middle of the race we started to lose air in the right rear tire.” Rookie Pat Urdahl of Concord had his best finish of the year in finishing third. Larry Damitz of Vallejo topped Dan Williams in a vintage “hard top” event. Racing action continues next Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. All Star Wingless Sprints, Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks, Mini-Trux and Dwarf cars are on the schedule. 8/6/11 Antioch DIRTcar West Modifieds Heat 1 1.-4 Shawn Deforest 2.-99 Kenny Neu 3.-1 Randy Mcdaniel 4.-68 Norm Beck 5.-U81 Bobby Motts 6.-55 Dan Mclean Heat 2 1.-71 Rob Norris 2.-49 Troy Foulger 3.-2A Andy Angelo 4.-28 Chester Kniss 5.-01 Terry Kaiser 6.-92 Jay Bryant Heat 3 1.-17 Nick Decarlo 2.-73 Scott Busby 3.-10 Ryan McDaniel 4.-09 Mitch Enos 5.-82 Sean O'Gara 6.-29 Mike Salazar Main Event: 1.-99 Kenny Neu 2.-17 Nick Decarlo 3.-49 Troy Foulger 4.-1 Randy McDaniel 5.-73 Scott Busby 6.-10 Ryan McDaniel 7.-2A Andy Angelo 8.-09 Mitch Enos 9.-68 Norm Beck 10.-71 Rob Norris 11.-01 Terry Kaiser 12.-82 Sean O'Gara 13.-28 Chester Kniss 14.-29 Mike Salazar 15.-4 Shawn Deforest 16.-55 Dan Mclean 17.-92 Jay Bryant 18.-U81 Bobby Motts 8/6/11 Antioch Dwarf Cars Heat 1 1.-22 Travis Dutra 2.-08 Sam Westhorpe 3.-96 Nick Squatritto 4.-00 Mike Corsaro 5.-0 Charlie Correia 6.-44 Mike Ronald 7.-55 Jerry Doty Heat 2 1.-64 Tom Brown 2.-45 Riccardo Rivera 3.-52N George Conover 4.-3 Duane Jordan 5.-34X Pat Urdahl 6.-12 Butch Liston 7.-4 Joe Trammel Dash 1.-45 Ricardo Rivera 2.-64 Tom Brown 3.-22 Travis Dutra 4.-08 Sam Westhorpe Main Event: 1.-45 Ricardo Rivera 2.-96 Nick Squatritto 3.-34X Pat Urdahl 4.-3 Duane Jordan 5.-00 Mike Corsaro 6.-4 Joe Trammel 7.-12 Butch Liston 8.-08 Sam Westhorpe 9.-52N Geroge Conover 10.-44 Mike Ronald 11.-64 Tom Brown 12.-0 Charlie Correia 13.-55 Jerry Doty 14.-22 Travis Dutra 8/6/11 Antioch Four Bangers Heat 1 1.-56 Dan Downey 2.-25 Justin Silviera 3.-76X Mike Felt 4.-74 Shawna Vannuchi 5.-3 Fred Radabaugh 6.-45 Laura Crabtree 7.-14W Robbie Shapiro Heat 2 1.-99 Phil Mcclelland 2.-16 Frank Furtado 3.-66 Carlos Gonzales 4.-0 Corkey Ganely Main Event: 1.-25 Justin Silviera 2.-56 Dan Downey 3.-19B Ken Radabaugh 4.-806 Mike Shapiro 5.-74 Shawna Vannuchi 6.-99 Phil Mcclelland 7.-66 Carlos Gonzales 8.-3 Fred Radabaugh 9.-76x Mike Felt 10.-45 Laura Crabtree 11.-9 Tom Frenilina 12.-16 Frank Furtado 8/6/11 Antioch Limited Late Models Heat 1 1.-7 Fred Ryland 2.-88 Eric Berendsen 3.-33B Chester Kniss 4.-33 Melissa Hansen 5.-4R Ken Rhoades 6.-05 Mike Hynes Heat 2 1.-15 Larry Damitz 2.-3 Danny Mendes 3.-65 Lori Brown 4.-2 Mike Gustafson 5.-99 Jim Freethy Main Event 1.-99 Jim Freethy 2.-4R Ken Rhoades 3.-7 Fred Ryland 4.-15 Larry Damitz 5.-65 Lori Brown 6.-33 Melissa Hansen 7.-2 Mike Gustafson 8.-3 Danny Mendes 9.-05 Mike Hynes 10.-88 Eric Berendsen 11.-33B Chester Kniss 8/6/11 Antioch Vintage Hardtops Heat 1 1.-100 Larry Damitz 2.-39 Terry Decarlo 3.-70 George Conner 4.-6 Dan Williams 5.-4 Bob Filippi 6.-5 Mike Mcclure 7.-66 Pete Paulsen Main 1.-100 Larry Damitz 2.-6 Dan Williams 3.-70 George Conner 4.-5 Mike Mcclure 5.-39 Terry Decarlo 6.-4 Bob Filippi Click here to go to the website