ANTIOCH, California -- Taking the lead early on and then winning a duel with two time champion Don Shelton, Richard Mueller scored a much needed victory in the 20 lap All Pro Series Dirt Modified main event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. It was the second win of the season for Mueller in his Larkins Modified, and he closed in on Keith Brown Sr. and Mike Salazar in the close battle for second in points. Shelton was second in the double point event with Gary Durbin a career best third. David Hays Jr. won an ugly 15 lap Dwarf Car main event ahead of runaway point leader Jim Barton and Paul Friant.
The Dirt Modifieds ran two eight lap qualifying heats with Keith Brown Sr. and Shelton scoring the victories. Brown also won the four lap Trophy Dash. Robert Norris paced the opening lap of the main event before suffering a flat tire, and Durbin led Steve Repp and Mueller back to a lap two caution for a Joel Hannagan spin in Turn 2. Mueller raced around Durbin on the outside on the restart lap to take over the lead. 12th starter Shelton settled into third on lap five as a yellow flag flew for Salazar. Mueller continued to lead on the restart as Shelton took second from Durbin. A low move in the fourth turn of the tenth lap gained Shelton the lead from Mueller, and the battle for third between Durbin, Hannagan and point leader Brian Curran was heating up when a caution flag flew on lap 16. Mueller raced by Shelton to regain the lead on the restart. Despite one more restart, Mueller held off Shelton and scored a well earned victory. Durbin held off the onslaught of fourth place finisher Hannagan and fifth place Curran for the third place finish.
A season high 21 car field turned out for the Dwarf Car action, and David Barton used an inside pass around Martin Whittingham on lap seven to take the victory in their eight lap heat race. Ray Etherton and Hays won the other heats, and Whittingham rebounded to win the five lap Trophy Dash. Polesitter Friant set the early main event pace ahead of Ricardo Rivera and J. Barton. Rookie Jason Milton slowed in the middle of the front straightaway for a lap three caution flag. Left with nowhere to go, fifth place John Soares Jr. clobbered him at speed. Friant continued to lead Rivera and J. Barton on the restart as Hays was now fifth behind Curt Jordan. Leland Iverson spun in Turn 4 of the sixth lap and was hit hard by Christian Rezentes. Friant stayed with the inside on the restart and continued to lead J. Barton and Hays. Hays raced past J. Barton for second on lap eight before another caution flag fell for a multi car crash exiting Turn 2. Hays took the lead from Friant on the restart, and J. Barton took second from Friant on a lap ten restart. A lap 15 caution flag brought the time limit and a yellow-checkered finish as Hays won ahead of J. Barton, Friant, Mark Tillinger and Rivera.
RACE RESULTS
H 1-David Barton, Martin Whittingham, Sparky Floris.
H 2-Ray Etherton, Curt Jordan, John Soares Jr.
H 3-David Hayes Jr., Jim Barton, Bill Baughman.
DASH-Whittingham, J. Barton, Etherton.
MAIN EVENT-Hayes, J. Barton, Paul Friant, Mark Tillinger, Ricardo Rivera, Etherton, Baughman, D. Barton, John Barker, Floris, Bill Emmerson, Dan Williams, Christian Rezentes, Jordan, Whittingham.
H 1-Don Shelton, Brad Coehlo, Richard Mueller.
H 2-Keith Brown Sr., Brian Curran, Mike Salazar.
DASH-Brown, Coehlo, Shelton.
MAIN EVENT-Mueller, Shelton, Gary Durbin, Joel Hannagan, Brown, Curran, John Sutherland, Coehlo, Brian Pearce, Salazar, Daniel Buck, Debbie Clymens, Steve Repp, Rob Norris.
