InsideGroove - Race Report

ANTONETTI BEATS BIG MODIFIED TURNOUT IN BAKERSFIELD

Bakersfield, CA --

Bolstered by several new drivers and a few out of town visitors, the season opener for the IMCA Modifieds at Bakersfield Speedway Park drew an impressive 27 car field and Santa Cruz charger Joe Antonetti led the final 9 laps to win the 20 lap feature. Antonetti won three times at the track in limited 2001 appearances and he plans to run about 1/2 of the track's races in 2002. Ventura Raceway regular Chris Tonoli ran second with Mike Corwin battling forward from 13th starting to finish third. In his modified debut, super stock veteran Rick Childress missed his heat race, ran 8th in the B Main then battled from 20th starting to place 4th in the 20 lap A Main. The 15 lap American Stock season opener featured a father-son duel with father Perry VanScoy passing son Jeremiah VanScoy on the last lap to post the win. Clyde Benson ran third and Matt Wankum lost a fourth place finish when he failed to go to the tech area after the checkered flag.

The 27 IMCA Modifieds were split into three heat races. Jeff Miller's night ended early with a broken motor in hot laps. Matt Barrett won the first heat over Gary Dutton. Antonetti won heat 2 from fifth starting with Mike Scott second. Jason Selvidge won heat 3 from an outside front row start with Scott Pounds coming from fifth to place 2nd. Visitor Andy Obertello broke in the heat race and did not start the B Main that produced the final 10 spots in the 22 car feature grid. Having already raced several times in 2002 at Imperial, Lee Jenson took the lead from visitor Rick Grimes on lap 3 and won the 13 lap B Main over Petaluma Speedway champion Nick Perivolaris and Corwin. Grimes was fourth ahead of Troy Morris Jr, who started in the rear after missing his heat. The 12 heat race transfers drew for their starting order in the 20 lap A Main with Tonoli and Dutton drawing the front row. Antonetti and Selvidge were in row 2.

A tap sent front row starter Dutton spinning as he raced down to the green flag. Over a dozen of the cars were involved in the huge tangle with the night over for Dutton, Grimes, Scott Pounds and Brad Pounds. Tonoli led the first 6 laps with Selvidge into second over Antonetti. Tommy Gregory spun for a lap 5 yellow and fifth place Matt Barrett pitted. Perivolaris and Doug Thornton raced into the 4-5 slots on the restart and both Selvidge and Antonetti got around Tonoli on lap 7. Antonetti used an inside pass in turn 2 to take the lead from Selvidge on lap 12. Corwin and Childress raced into the 4-5 slots on lap 15 and Thornton stalled for a final yellow on lap 16. Selvidge faded late as Tonoli and Corwin gained the 2-3 slots on lap 19. Antonetti won ahead of Tonoli, Corwin, Childress, Perivolaris, Rodney Jennings, Selvidge, Jim Deines and Bill Stevens.

There were 19 American Stocks and Ricky Spicer, Amy Hedden and Wankum won heat races. The feature lineup was an invert 8 off the heat race results. Paul Weeden pitted before the green flag in the 15 lap feature. Benson led the first 7 laps. J VanScoy and Wankum both passed Robert Smith for the 2-3 slots on lap 6. Debris forced a caution flag and J VanScoy took the lead from Benson on lap 8. P VanScoy was second a lap later with Wankum pitting from third on a lap 10 yellow flag. Jesse Bowles had a flat tire and P VanScoy made his winning pass around his son on the last lap. Benson ran third and Wankum battled back to 4th only to lose the spot when he failed to go to tech. This gave fourth to Don Mead ahead of Roy DeGeer Sr, Richie McGowen and Robert Smith.

Summary American Stock Heat 1-Ricky Spicer, Danny Gott, Robert Smith, Mark Hogue, Richie McGowen. Heat 2-Amy Hedden, Jeremiah VanScoy, Clyde Benson, Perry VanScoy, Roy DeGeer Sr. Heat 3-Matt Wankum, Craig Houk, Don Mead, Chris Aldridge, Christy Carl. Main-P VanScoy, J VanScoy, Benson, Mead, DeGeer Sr, McGowen, Smith, Hedden, Roy DeGeer Jr, Houk, Hogue, Aldridge, Jesse Bowles, Carl, Steve McKinley, R Spicer, Gott, Kyle Spicer, Paul Weeden. IMCA Modified Heat 1-Matt Barrett, Gary Dutton, Bill Gates, Chris Tonoli, Rick Grimes. Heat 2-Joe Antonetti, Mike Scott, Lin Deines, Brad Pounds, Lee Jenson. Heat 3-Jason Selvidge, Scott Pounds, Rick Jenkins, Doug Thornton, Bill Saltzman. B Main-Jenson, Nick Perivolaris, Mike Corwin, Grimes, Troy Morris Jr, Rodney Jennings, Jim Deines, Rick Childress, Bill Stevens, Tommy Gregory, Saltzman, Doug Robinson. A Main-Antonetti, Tonoli, Corwin, Childress, Perivolaris, Jennings, Selvidge, J Deines, Stevens, Morris, Gates, Jenson, Thornton, L Deines, Jenkins, Barrett, Scott, Gregory, B Pounds, S Pounds, Grimes, Dutton.

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