ANTIOCH, California -- After a poor heat race effort left him in the B Main, point leader Darrell Hanestad finished second in that race and charged from the back to win the Fourth Annual Darryl Shirk Memorial 30 lap Wingless Spec Sprint main event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. Hanestad made a late pass on defending race champion David Goodwill to score the $1,000 victory. Goodwill held on for second, just ahead of Trophy Dash winner Jim Perry Jr. The night also included the dedication of the new Family Section in memory of future Hall Of Famer Harvey Mason.
A 28 car field appeared for this event, but Mike Johnson, Doug Machado and Barry Pries Jr. were all done early after crashing into the Turn 1 wall on the wet track in hot laps. Brian Gray, Bob Newberry and Terry Tarditi led flag to flag for their eight lap qualifying heat race victories. The most exciting heat was the fourth one as Perry Jr. made a last lap pass on Daryl Moore for the victory. Perry Jr. also won the four lap Trophy Dash as Tarditi's night ended with motor problems. Scott Merrell won a star filled 14 lap B Main ahead of Hanestad, 1999 track champion Dan Gonderman, third ranked Billy Fraser and John Hendrickson.
For the big main event, Brandi Ford and Goodwill shared the front row as Perry Jr. started ninth and Hanestad 14th. The race had to be restarted after a back stretch tangle that eliminated Merrell and Jimmy Perry III. Ford led the complete restart ahead of Goodwill and Bill Wallace Jr. A lap four caution flew for Kraig Collins and Chris Magoon in Turn 4. Ford led Goodwill and Wallace on the restart, and Gray rejoined the field after losing laps in the pits. As Ford was trying to put another lap on Gray, Goodwill made an inside pass in Turn 4 of the eighth lap to take the lead. Ford spun from second in Turn 4 for a lap nine caution flag. Goodwill had the lapped Gray between he and Wallace on the restart as Perry Jr. was now third. A lap 12 caution flag slowed the pace. Goodwill continued to lead the restart, and Wallace got sideways trying to get around Gray. Hanestad went underneath Wallace for second in Turn 2 as Perry went by for third on the outside. Eighth starter Chris DeRuyter passed Wallace for fourth on lap 14. A fierce battle began between Goodwill, Hanestad and Perry for the lead, DeRuyter ran smooth in fourth and Wallace was in a battle with 16th starter Fraser for fifth. On lap 28, Fraser finally grabbed third from the steady Wallace, and a lap later, Hanestad made an inside pass in Turn 4 to take the lead from Goodwill. From there, Hanestad brought it home to a well earned victory ahead of Goodwill, Perry Jr., DeRuyter, Fraser, Wallace, 20th starter Magoon, 19th starter Gonderman, Ford and John Buccellato, all on the lead lap.
H 1-Brian Gray, Chris DeRuyter, John Buccellato, Scott Merrell, Chris Magoon.
H 2-Terry Tarditi, Don Van Dyke, Bill Wallace Jr., Roy Fisher, Jeff Rose.
H 3-Bob Newberry, Jimmy Perry III, David Goodwill, Darrell Hanestad, Kraig Collins.
H 4-Jim Perry Jr., Daryl Moore, Brandi Ford, Brian Lokmor, Joey Santos.
DASH-Perry Jr., Newberry, Gray.
B MAIN-Merrell, Hanestad, Dan Gonderman, Billy Fraser, John Hendrickson, Santos, Lokmor, Collins, Magoon, Rick Panfili.
A MAIN-Hanestad, Goodwill, Perry Jr., DeRuyter, Fraser, Wallace, Magoon, Gonderman, Ford, Buccellato, Newberry, Hendrickson, Gray, Moore, Collins, Lokmor, Van Dyke, Santos, Perry III, Merrell.
