ANTIOCH, CA -- Fighting off the pressure from point leader Dan Gonderman and Rick Brophy III, Don O'Keefe Jr. scored his first 20 lap All Pro Series Wingless Spec Sprint feature victory of the season Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The win came on double point night for O'Keefe, a driving for in helping Promoter John Soares Jr. get the division started this season at Antioch. O'Keefe collected $500 for the victory aboard his LOK Enterprises sponsored Sprinter as Gonderman was second ahead of Andy Archer.
Larry Teixeira and O'Keefe drew front row starts for the Wingless Spec Sprint feature. Teixeira led the first lap ahead of O'Keefe and Jim Perry Jr. before hitting the Turn 1 wall and flipping without injury. Perry pitted during the caution, and O'Keefe led Gonderman and Brophy on the single file restart. Travis Berryhill passed Eric Mentch for fourth and quickly reeled in the lead trio. O'Keefe worked the inside groove like a pro as Gonderman kept attempting outside passes and Brophy tried Gonderman on the inside in this exciting battle. The leaders came up on lapped traffic by lap ten, and O'Keefe was able to get by one car that was in his line on the front stretch just as Gonderman was getting a run on him. The slower car ended up in Gonderman's line, and O'Keefe continued to lead. The caution flag flew on lap 17 for Eric Ferreira. O'Keefe led Gonderman and Brophy on the restart. Dueling for third in Turn 2 of the 19th lap, Brophy and Berryhill got together, allowing 13th starter Archer to race by for third. With Gonderman still right behind him, O'Keefe kept his cool and brought it home to a well earned victory. Behind O'Keefe and Gonderman at the finish were Archer, Berryhill, Brophy, Gary Beattie Mentch and Terry DeCarlo Sr., all on the lead lap.
The Wingless Spec Sprints ran three qualifying heats, and Gonderman made a lap four pass around Phil Pedlar to win his heat. O'Keefe won his eight lap heat race ahead of Perry, and Duane Rogers held off a fast closing Richard Panfili to score his first career heat race victory. The Santomauro racing Products of San Jose $50 certificate for the "Hard Luck" driver of the night went to Teixeira. The night also saw the Wingless Spec Sprint debuts of Jeff Pike and Keith Shipherd. Pike finished a lead lap ninth in the main event. Wingless Spec Sprints return to Antioch on July 24 and then on Friday July 30.
RACE RESULTS
WINGLESS SPEC SPRINTS
H 1-Dan Gonderman, Phil Pedlar, Rick Brophy III, Eric Ferreira, Terry DeCarlo Sr.
H 2-Don O'Keefe Jr., Jim Perry Jr., Travis Berryhill, Andy Archer, Eric Mentch.
H 3-Duane Rogers, Richard Panfili, Larry Teixeira, Dalton DeOrnellas, Rich Butler.
MAIN EVENT-O'Keefe, Gonderman, Archer, Berryhill, Brophy, Gary Beattie, Mentch, DeCarlo, Jeff Pike, Rogers, Panfili, Ferreira, Keith Shipherd, Perry, Teixeira, DeOrnellas, Pedlar, Butler (DNS).
