Antioch, CA...August 9...Chris Smih won the 50 lap Tri State Pro Stock Series Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the Workman Communications 50, and he collected $3,000 for the victory and an additional $500 for leading at the halfway point. Smith is also the reigning series champion.
The race was restarted following a tangle between Phil Marino of Chico and Mike Learn of Petaluma that saw Learn on the back straightaway with a flat tire. Both drivers restarted at the back of the pack as Smith led Jay Sears of Reno, Nevada and Jacob Johnson of Yuba City on the restart. Smith and Sears set a blistering pace up front and began to pull away from the pack. 2022 champion Frank Nyback of Santa Maria lost a lap early on.
Learn managed to work his way up to fifth by the ninth lap and slipped past Mitch Machado of Rohnert Park for fourth on the 11th circuit. The leaders were negotiating heavy traffic, but Smith kept making the right moves to keep Sears at bay. A muffler on the track brought out a Lap 16 yellow flag, and Machado ran it over to end his race. The race also ended for Todd Cooper of Yuba City. Smith continued to lead Sears and Learn on the restart, and that was the order at the halfway point.
Smith resumed command on the Lap 26 restart after the fuel break with Sears, Learn and Johnson the only other lead lap competitors by then. The lead trio pulled away from the pack with Learn challenging Sears for the second position. A low pass in Turn 4 of the 41st circuit gained Learn second. Learn was pressuring Smith when his race ended in a ball of flames for a Lap 47 red flag. Learn was okay, and Smith continued to lead Sears and Johnson on the restart. Smith was the happy winner with Sears a $1,000 second. Johnson crossed the line in third but was disqualified in tech, moving Learn into third ahead of Nyback and Paul Hanley.
Jimmy Christian of Morgan Hill won the 20 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event. It was his first win of the season at Antioch.
Bob Newberry of Brentwood led the opening lap before being overtaken by Christian. During the first half of the race, Christian built a straightaway advantage over Newberry as MacKenzie Newton of Elk Grove battled her father Shannon Newton of Elk Grove and Concord's Ryon Siverling for third. A low pass in Turn 4 of the 11th lap gained Shannon Newton third.
Newberry was challenging Christian for the lead when a yellow flag waved on Lap 18 for a MacKenzie Newton spin in Turn 2. Christian led Newberry on the restart and would hold him off for the victory. Shannon Newton, Siverling and MacKenzie Newton crossed the finish line in third through fifth. However, neither Newton car reported to tech, moving Siverling into third ahead of Steve Maionchi of Sonora and Jeff Scotto of Brentwood.
Payton Gentry of Santa Rosa won the 20 lap 600 Micro Sprint Main Event. This was the third win of the season for Gentry. After missing the previous race, Gentry surrendered the Antioch point lead, but he continues to lead at Petaluma.
Following a restart for point leader Buddy Chappell of San Jose, Gentry led the restart ahead of previous winner Kyle Mentch of Alameda and Hayden Saitch of Lodi. The yellow flag waved on Lap 4 when Mentch spun in Turn 2 and collected Saitch. Gentry continued to lead the restart with Oakley's Devin Zuffa and Matthew Linde of Pittsburg in pursuit. Gentry steadily stretched his advantage to a straightaway, while Linde got past the Zuffa for second on Lap 9. Mentch moved in to challenge Linde for second, making a Turn 4 pass on Lap 16 to gain the position. Moments later, Linde headed to the infield, and Gentry cruised to victory ahead of Mentch, Zuffa, Chappell and Linde.
Sean Catucci of Brentwood won the 15 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. This was the fifth win of the season for the current point leader.
Two-time reigning champion Travis Day of Concord took the early lead ahead of Catucci and David Hays of Brentwood. It was a close battle for the lead until Catucci made an inside pass on the backstretch on Lap 7 to take over. An inside move in Turn 2 of the eighth circuit gained Hays second. The three drivers ran nose to tell the rest of the way with Catucci collecting the win ahead of Hays and Day.
Joel Hannagan of San Jose won the 15 lap Hardtop Main Event. This was the fourth consecutive victory for the current point leader.
On the opening lap, Don Slaney of Martinez got together with Joe Shenefield of Roseville for a yellow flag. Slaney had suspension damage to end his race. Hannagan led from the outset and scored the victory ahead of Shenefield and Slaney.
Racing continues next Saturday night with the Fourth Annual Dean Cline Classic, featuring the Pacific Coast Hobby Stocks. Also competing that night will be the IMCA sanctioned Sport Modifieds and Stock Cars, WMR Midgets and Mini Stocks. For further information, go to www.raceantiochspeedway.com or check out the Antioch Speedway by PROmotions Facebook page.
Race Results
Tri State Pro Stocks
Fast Time-Jay Sears 16.802. Trophy Dash (6 Laps)-Jay Sears. Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jay Sears, Todd Cooper. Main Event (50 Laps)-Chris Smith, Jay Sears, Mike Learn, Frank Nyback, Paul Hanley, Troy Foulger, Mitch Machado, Todd Cooper, Buddy Kniss, Fred Ryland.
Wingless Spec Sprints
Fast Time-Jimmy Christian 14.506. Heat Winners (8 Laps)-Jimmy Christian, Bob Newberry. Main Event (20 Laps)-Jimmy Christian, Bob Newberry, Ryon Siverling, Steve Maionchi, Jeff Scotto, Anthony Bruno, Shannon Newton DQ, MacKenzie Newton DQ.
Hardtops
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Joel Hannagan. Main Event (15 Laps)-Joel Hannagan, Joe Shenefield, Don Slaney.
600 Micro Sprints
Heat Winner (8 Laps)-Hayden Saich. Main Event (20 Laps)-Payton Gentry, Kyle Mentch, Devon Zuffa, Buddy Chappell, Matthew Linde, Ryan Dotson, Hayden Saich.
Dwarf Cars
Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Travis Day. Main Event (15 Laps)-Sean Catucci, David Hays, Travis Day.
- Wylie Wade on Aug 12, 2025
- Article Date: 8/12/2025 by Candice Martin, Photos by Katrina Kniss