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Photo by Johns Racing Photos
Tim Kaeding wins in Antioch
By Gary Thomas
Antioch, CA - July 7, 2007...San Jose’s Tim Kaeding & Chico’s Jonathan Allard gave the Antioch Speedway crowd something to cheer about as the pair put on an exciting wheel to wheel battle over the last 10 laps of the Golden State Challenge Series feature on Saturday night. In the end Kaeding won out and picked up his second straight GSC feature aboard the Tom Rolfe Trucking, JF McCray Plastering, Platinum Powder Coating No. 10.
Allard started from the pole of the feature after winning his first dash of the season in the Williams Motorsports, K & N Filters, Karsten Homes No. 0. The defending GSC champ jumped into the lead at the waving of the green flag and Fairmont, Ind’s Brandon Wimmer moved into second from his third starting position. Through the first handful of laps it looked like the battle would be between Allard and Wimmer, but during a lap five restart following a caution for Cameron Mendes, Wimmer looped the HR Cattle No. 83jr in turn one to bring out a yellow.
When the green came back out, Allard continued to lead, but he had some fast company in the form of Oroville’s Sean Becker & Kaeding. Becker closed right up to the rear bumper of Allard as Kaeding did the same to him. Around lap seven TK made a beautiful move to take over the runner-up position and set his sights on Allard. Allard and Kaeding ran nose to tail over the next several laps and while the pair were battling through traffic on lap 20, Kaeding made the move to the high side in turns three & four to take the lead with a sweet move around both Allard and a lap car.
Allard stayed stuck to his bumper, however, and on lap 24 he re-took the top spot from Kaeding as the two went three wide with a lap car stuck in the middle. It didn’t end there though as the next lap around saw TK motor back by Allard and now the 10 machine was back in front. A caution then appeared on lap 28 to give everyone a few moments to catch their breath as the action was extremely intense on the 1/4 mile bullring.
With a clear track ahead on the restart, Kaeding had no issues and drove on to pick up his third win of the season with the series and 31st of his GSC career. Allard hung on for a very respectable second and Becker rounded out the podium in the Fisher/Main Motorsports, Cherry St. Mini Storage, Rolling Hills Reality No. 35m. Becker lurked behind the leaders for many laps and had anything happened to them, he was right their to pounce.
Aussi Trevor Green picked up his third top five of the season with a fourth place effort in the Adrad Radiator, McCroskey Auto Dealers, Wynns No. 11au. Green rebounded from a heat race flip to score a good finish, which was nice to see as the two-time and defending Parramatta City Raceway track champ has had nothing but bad luck this season in California. Salinas veteran Ronnie Day is another driver who’s had some rough luck this season and he also rebounded from a heat race crash in Antioch to score a fifth place finish aboard the Ridgeline Framing, Elite Landscaping, Primerica Financial No. 1.
Scotts Valleys Evan Suggs came home sixth in the Suggs Racing No. 33e, GSC point leader Brent Kaeding of Campbell was seventh in the Al’s Roofing Supply No. 69, Sacramento’s Willie Croft finished eighth in the Holey Smokes BBQ No. 29, San Jose’s Jason Statler was ninth in the DF Rios No. 00 and Wimmer rounded out the top 10 after the early race spin.
The dash was won by Allard and the three 10 lap heats were picked off by Becker, Suggs and T. Kaeding. Fast time was set by Willie Croft for the fourth time this season with a lap of 11.719 around Antioch’s 1/4 mile.
Next weekend will see the Golden State Challenge Series head to Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway on Saturday. Don’t forget about Friday’s point race at Silver Dollar which will feature many of the same names you’ll see on Saturday. Come on out to Chico and make a weekend of it as there are only three more weeks of GSC action left.
Fast Track wings will also be giving away some goodies during this coming Saturday’s race. Saturday’s A-main winner will receive a free HRP top wing valued at $620. HRP nose wings will also be given to the quick qualifier, B-main winner and 2nd place in the A-main. An HRP Engine Service tray will be given to 3rd place in the A-main valued at $80. In addition to all this they will also be adding $600 to the purse and will be tossing new Fast Track wings T-shirts into the grand stands. Fast Track Wings generosity is definitely appreciated and should make for a great night of racing on Saturday night July 14 as the Golden State Challenge Sprints invade Silver Dollar Speedway.
For full results from Antioch log onto http://www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com
Photo by Davy Thomas
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