Holds off Allard, Kaeding for California podium sweep at second consecutive event
ANTIOCH, Calif. - Sept. 8, 2013 - Kyle Larson held off Jonathan Allard to lead a Golden State podium sweep on Sunday night at Antioch Speedway for his second World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series victory of the season and the fourth series win of his career.
California natives Tim Kaeding and Kyle Hirst were third and fourth in their Roth Motorsports cars while Chad Kemenah was the top-finishing World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series racer in fifth. The event marked the end of the Gold Rush Tour, which was comprised of eight races in 10 nights.
Larson, one of racing's fastest rising star's, earned the pole for the 30-lap A-main after dominating the dash. He led the field to green and worked the low side of the track early. After a caution with eight laps down, Larson started testing the top groove but was forced to constantly defend attacks from Allard. Late in the race the groove moved back down to the bottom and Larson was quick to shift. Allard and Kaeding tightened the gap in the final laps, but neither was able to make a charge for the lead.
"[Crew chief] Paul Silva had the car good again and to get another Outlaw win is pretty special, especially because I don't know how many more of these I'm going to get to run," said Larson, a native of sprint car hotbed Elk Grove, Calif., who is moving into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2014. "The track changed a whole bunch throughout the feature. I moved the bottom early and then started running the top in three and four. It was difficult he got to my inside there with two to go and I was able to close the door and hold on for the win."
A night after finishing third in the Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway, Allard was the runner-up at Antioch.
"I probably could've snuck under him and caused some havoc, but better to come home second and give my car owners a great finish for the second night in a row," said Allard, of Chico, Calif. "I was really nervous, once the tire started to shake and I just thought I needed to roll the throttle on and watch the tire and get a strong finish."
Kaeding wrapped up a stellar Gold Rush Tour. In addition to earning his ninth victory of the season, he managed to earn top-10 finishes in all eight of the races over the past 10 days.
"Dennis and Theresa Roth give us a great car every night, and we just kind of fiddled around with it too much with Kemenah running fourth and didn't get after it soon enough," said Kaeding, of San Jose, Calif. "I've got to give a shout out to my crew who have done a great job all week I don't think we've finished outside the top 10 all week."
In the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship battle, Daryn Pittman leads Donny Schatz by 66 points. Pittman was 24 points ahead when the Gold Rush Tour started on Aug. 30 at Skagit Speedway.
After the stretch of nine scheduled events in 10 nights, the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series heads back to the Midwest for events on Friday at Clay County Fairgrounds in Spencer, Iowa, and Saturday at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.
ANTIOCH SPEEDWAY NOTEBOOK
NOTES - Tim Kaeding was the fastest qualifier around the high-banked paperclip 1/3-mile oval with a time of 12.118 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Kraig Kinser (4 points), Steve Kinser (3), Joey Saldana (2) and Kerry Madsen(1). ... Jonathan Allard, Brad Sweet, Steve Kinser and Jason Statler won heat races. ... The dash draw was a 4 for the 16th time this year... Kyle Larson won the dash for the second time this year.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS - MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Sammy Swindell; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Jonathan Allard; STP ($50 cash): Jonathan Allard; Bruce High Performance Transporters ($50 cash): Chad Kemenah; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Chad Kemenah UNOH ($50 cash): Steve Kinser; American Racing Custom Wheels ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Jason Statler; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Kraig Kinser; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Jason Sides; Superflow ($50 cash): Cody Darrah; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash): Craig Dollansky;KSE Racing Products ($100 certificate): Donny Schatz; Penske Shocks ($100 certificate): Bill Rose;Armor All (case of product): Jonathan Allard.; Comp Cams ($50 certificate): Jonathan Allard; Bruce High Performance Transporters ($200 certificates):Chad Kemenah, Bill Rose, Paul McMahan ; JE Pistons (set of rings): Bill Rose and Paul McMahan
- Admin Account on Sep 09, 2013
- Article Date: 9/9/2013