10/14/2025
Antioch Speedway
Fifth Annual $3,000 To Win Hobby Stock Nationals Set For Saturday Night At Antioch Speedway
Antioch, CA...Coming off of the successful Open Wheel Octoberfest event last week, Antioch Speedway has another special race set for this Saturday night. It's the Fifth Annual Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stock Nationals. This race has been established as the biggest Hobby Stock race on the West Coast.
In addition to that, the track has added a $1,000 to win IMCA Stock Car race, which is also the biggest event of the season for them. The Mini Stocks had been scheduled all along for their final point race, but extra incentive has been added with a $400 first prize to the winner.
The race started as an idea in the mind of Larry Adams. Adams saw the numbers in the Hobby Stock division and inquired about creating something special for the division that he enjoyed the most. He was tasked with finding the sponsorship to make it happen, and that's exactly what Adams did. He brought in thousands of dollars in sponsorship to run the first two events in 2021 and 2022.
When Adams relocated to Oregon, Pacific Coast General Engineering wanted to keep this race alive and signed on to be both the sponsor of the event and the title sponsor for the division itself. The race would go from the two-day event that Adams envisioned to a sleeker, faster-paced one-night affair. There were questions about whether the race could make it, but the 58 drivers who supported last year's event was a clear indication that the answer was yes.
As has been the case all along, the race for the money will be a 50 lap affair once again. In order to earn their way into the show, the drivers will have to earn points through two sets of heat races. Those who don't will still get an opportunity to make it in via the B Mains. It promises to be a very competitive night from the moment the first green flag waves on the opening heat race until the final checkered flag falls.
As mentioned above, the first two events were two-day shows, meaning some of the drivers earned a starting birth based on how they did on Friday. In Main Event action, it was Dylan Wilson of Bakersfield going back to back with victories in 2021 and 2022. Wilson dominated in 2021 by leading all the way ahead of fellow Bakersfield resident Nicholas Johnson and 2024 winner Brian Cooper of Yuba City.
Wilson led most of the way again in 2022, but this time he had to hold off the efforts of IMCA Modified star Andrew Pearce of Oakley in the waning laps to secure the win as Larry McKinzie Jr of Bethel Island finished third. A competitive and slightly chaotic race in 2023 saw Oakley's Buddy Kniss gain the lead aboard Dave Baca's car on lap 35 and go on to post the victory ahead of Jared Baugh of Pittsburg and Madera's Lance Hurst. Last season's race saw Cooper lead all the way in victory ahead of Ryan Hart of Dos Palos and Nicholas Johnson.
Whether he's in an IMCA Sport Modified or a Hobby Stock, Cooper always seems to be in the hunt for victory wherever he goes. In Chico and Marysville, he had seven Hobby Stock wins this season, including a $1,000 victory recently at Chico. Hart, meanwhile, followed up his Antioch championship last season with a Watsonville title this year. In 2023, he was the Merced Hobby Stock champion, making him the only driver to win Hobby Stock championships at all three tracks.
The competition level at Antioch Speedway is high as it is. Hard chargers such as two-time track champion Grayson Baca of Brentwood, three-time winner Aidan Ponciano of Oakley, 2020 champion James Thomson of Pittsburg, this season's championship runner-up Jewel Crandall of Antioch and Oakley's Charlie Bryant are worthy contenders for the big victory. When you add in the drivers anticipated from other tracks in the area, this will be a race that you don't want to miss.
Topping the list of potential winners of the IMCA Stock Car $1,000 to win Main Event prize are the three drivers currently at the top of the division's all time win list, Troy Foulger of Oakley, Brentwood's Fred Ryland and Jason Robles of Rio Vista. Foulger won the point season finale and has over 20 victories in this division at Antioch. Ryland was a five-time winner this season and succeeded Foulger as this year's champion, while Robles is a two-time championship runner-up in the class.
The numbers in this division have ticked upward slightly, and a few drivers have even gotten cars to join the action. When the track saw that there was interest, this division was added to an already exciting night of racing. Manteca's Mitch Enos finished second in the standings this year and was a feature winner along the way. State champion Austin Van Hoff of Chowchilla, Kenneth Robles of Rio Vista, top rookie Jared Baugh and Mitch Machado of Rohnert Park are some of the drivers who could be on hand this week along with a few visitors from outside the area.
Despite this being a point race for the Mini Stock division, Santa Rosa's Tom Brown used his seventh win at the most recent race to clinch his fourth Antioch championship. Likewise, Antioch's Ryder Holmen has wrapped up runner-up honors as well as the Rookie of the Year award. Oakland's Matt Wirth has also officially clinched third in the standings. However, all of the drivers will have their eyes on the $400 first prize and the extra purse money on the line.
Brown would seem a likely candidate to score the win, but he knows he can expect a stiff challenge from Santa Rosa's Jason Higgins. With four wins at Petaluma this year, Higgins ended up third in the standings and is fourth at Antioch. Higgins' biggest career win occurred at Petaluma most recently with the $1,500 victory in the Big Bear Open. He won that race ahead of two-time Petaluma winner and track champion Michael Valente of Penngrove, who could be making an appearance in his Pinto Wagon.
For fans of fendered Stock Car racing, it doesn't get any bigger than this Saturday's Hobby Stock Nationals. The best of the best will be in town to make a challenge for the $3,000 first prize. With the IMCA Stock Cars racing for good money and the Mini Stocks also on the bill, it's going to be non-stop, fender-bending action from the moment racing begins.
The gates will open at 5:00 with the first race starting at 6:00.
Adult tickets are $15, Senior/Military $15, Kids (5-12) $15 and kids four and under free.
For further information, go to http://www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.
Picture Info
Hobby Stock racers Anthony Vigna #54, Maddie Motts #13 and Andrew Peckham #75. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Hobby Stock Rookie of the Year Daniel Braudrick #19, Brodie Garner #976, Jewell Crandall #3jc and Jared Baugh #07. Photo by Katrina Kniss
IMCA Stock Car champion Fred Ryland #7j, rookie Clarence Holbrook III #2h and Scott Foster #22s. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Mini Stock racers Matt Wirth #27 and this season's Rookie of the Year Ryder Holmen #777. Photo by Katrina Kniss
Article Credit: Candice Martin, Photos by Katrina Kniss
Submitted By: Wylie Wade
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