KENNA MITCHELL PULLS OFF THE NASCAR SUPER AND PRO LATE MODEL SWEEP DURING ALL AMERICAN SPEEDWAY OPENER
ROSEVILLE, Calif. (June 2, 2024) – Racing on her graduation day from Del Oro High School, Loomis’ Kenna Mitchell scored an impressive sweep of the JM Environmental Wild West Super Series and the Berco Redwood Pro Late Model features during the 70th season opener at Roseville’s All American Speedway. The exciting wins were part of seven main events along with the first NAPA Auto Parts Trailer Bash of the season and post-race fireworks for a large and lively crowd @the Grounds. Photos by Don Thompson
Former NASCAR Southwest Tour and ARCA West competitor Thomas Martin of Auburn led the qualifying action for the Berco Pro Late Models. A six-car inversion placed Auburn’s Adam Kern and 2023 champion Josh Whitfield of Roseville on the front row for the 40-lap feature. Mitchell and Martin shared row three.
Whitfield led lap one while Martin quickly advanced to second by lap ten. Mitchell then challenged Martin for the second position. They raced side-by-side with Mitchell advancing into second on lap 18.
Whitfield started to get loose on corner exit, primarily in the turn four end of the speedway. Mitchell clawed towards him by the 22nd lap as the leaders approached slower traffic. Michell dove inside Whitfield on the backstretch into turn three on lap 26 but spun, drawing the caution.
Mitchell restarted at the tail of the lead lap drivers for the restart. Martin charged around the outside to edge into the lead over Whitfield. Whitfield was then hit by Fort Bragg’s Trey Daniels in turn three, sending Whitfield for a spin and relegating both drivers to the rear of the pack.
Martin, Aidan Daniels, and Mitchell were the top-three with ten laps remaining. Mitchell made quick work of second place, then drove inside Martin to lead lap 32. Mitchell took the checkered flag for her fourth Roseville Pro Late Model win, followed by Martin, Aidan Daniels, Whitfield, and Trey Daniels.
2007 All American Speedway champion Eric Schmidt of Roseville topped Super Series time trials with a sizzling 13.300 second lap, before 2021 NASCAR California State Champion John Moore of Granite Bay won the dash.
The Wild West Super Series ran a unique challenge format of 20-lap races, punctuated by bonus points and full inverts after each segment. The first three segments were won by different drivers with 2020 All American Speedway champion Cole Moore of Orangevale, John Moore, and Mitchell taking the bonus points.
The final 40-lap segment was fully inverted but Mitchell made her move from third. She dove underneath Cole Moore on the exit of turn two to lead lap 69 to the approval of the fans. Mitchell was never challenged again, darting to the $3,000 JM Environmental Wild West Super Series win. Cole Moore settled for second while John Moore fended off Schmidt for third.
The Velocity Solar Modifieds delivered an exciting feature event with a first-time winner. Cody Winchel of Sebastopol avoided an incident to take the 30-lap win worth $1000. The first half of the race saw the top-six cars run two-by-two-by-two in a throwback to the smaller quarter-mile track in Roseville.
Brad Cobabe of Auburn led the festivities before Mike Gorham of Lincoln managed to nab the lead on the outside on lap 12. Cobabe drifted back to fifth as a result. The race’s only caution flew when Gorham and Richard Poppert, Jr. of Citrus Heights unfortunately collided in turn one battling for the lead.
Winchel assumed the top spot with 14 laps to go and never relinquished it followed by track champion Tyler Wentworth of Rocklin, Luke Kaper of Lincoln, Gorham, and Poppert.
2022 Modified track champion Brandon White of Eureka won the 35-lap season opener for the Pressler Properties Legends track championship series in Roseville which also served as a round for the traveling NorCal Legends Series. A B-Main event narrowed the field to 18 starters with David Shelly of Roseville picking up the win.
Aidan Daniels of Fort Bragg led the first six laps before White led lap seven. Fast-time qualifier Cole Brown of Ukiah charged through the field to run second by lap 19, but the gap behind White was nearly a full two seconds. The lead was nullified on lap 23 when Mike Doss of Upperlake spun in turn two. Brown worked around the outside of White on the restart to grab the top spot on lap 24.
White and Brown collided in turn one on lap 27, knocking the rear bumper loose on Brown’s machine. Brown was unfortunately black flagged due to INEX rules. White took advantage and led the final six laps of competition followed by Henry Barton of San Francisco, Robbie Czub of Huntington Beach, Aidan Daniels, and Kylie Daniels.
Phil Wilkins of Roseville ended a multi-year drought from victory lane by grabbing the NAPA Auto Parts Super Stocks 30-lap feature. Wilkins battled with familiar foe Tim Walters of Dixon for the entire first half of the feature. Walters led the first 13 laps before Wilkins took over on lap 14. Wilkins won by just a few car lengths over Walters with Antelope’s Terry Thomas, Benicia’s Ryan Skidmore, and Gary Eisenhour of Rancho Cordova rounding out the top-five.
14-year-old Chase Lopez of San Leandro won the Jr. Late Model feature during his first-career All American Speedway start. Lopez led the first 14-laps before slipping in turn four, allowing 13-year-old Kylie Glick of Lincoln to scratch into the lead. A restart gave Lopez a chance to drive back past her. Lopez motored around on the high side of the speedway to lead lap 22. Lopez held on for victory followed by Glick, Dayton Broyles, and Bella Thomsen.
The all-new F4 division thrilled with higher speeds but still some of the same familiar drivers battling at the front of the pack. 2023 champion Matthew Fuhs of Elverta used some three-wide maneuvers to move from his fifth starting position into the lead on lap three.
Vic Theberge of Citrus Heights approached Fuhs and took over the lead on lap 13. The only stoppage of the event came on lap 17 when Mike Wood of Woodland clobbered the front stretch wall. He was uninjured.
Theberge held off multi-time champion Ray Molina of Elverta for the 30-lap feature win followed by Fuhs, Newcastle’s Kameron Bair, and Tony Davis of Rio Linda.
The first NAPA Auto Parts Trailer Bash involved nine wild competitors battling in a 15-lap event. Alan Bridgman of Sheridan and Roseville’s Loren Chitwood avoided the chaos to emerge as the top two. Bridgman then knocked the trailer off of Chitwood’s machine, allowing him to take over the lead and drive to the $1000 win. Lincoln’s Brooke Rickard, daughter of Cody Rickard a regular in the Modified division, won both the Best Decorated and the Master of Disaster for a $500 day in the Spiderman themed vehicle.
Racing action returns for the 70th season at All American Speedway on August 24th with the NASCAR Summer Classic.
All American Speedway would like to thank Roseville Toyota, JM Environmental, Velocity Solar, Pressler Properties, NAPA Auto Parts, Berco Redwood, Sinister Diesel, A-All Mini Storage, AAMCO of Auburn, Bob Jahn’s Roofing, Pape Material Handling, Atlas Disposal, Moose Lodge Roseville, Planet Auto Self Serve, Auto Gator, and Hoosier Tire for all they do to support the motorsports community.
For more information about All American Speedway, visit www.AllAmericanSpeedway.com or follow the speedway on social media!
2024 ALL AMERICAN SPEEDWAY REMAINING SCHEDULE
Celebrating 70 years of NASCAR roaring into Roseville! Subject to Change
June 7-9 Closed for NASCAR at Sonoma Raceway
June 20-23 See you at the Placer County Fair!
August 23 Friday Practice
August 24 NASCAR Summer Classic: Super Series Late Models, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, F4s, Legends, Demolition Derby + Fireworks
September 6 Friday Practice
September 7 NASCAR First Responder’s Night: Super Series Late Models, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, F4s, NorCal Legend Series, Jr. Late Models, NAPA Trailer Bash + Fireworks
October 4 Friday Practice
October 5 NASCAR/ARCA West Series, Super Series Late Models, CARS Tour West Pro Late Models, Legends, Jr. Late Models + Fireworks
October 19 Monster Truck Bash, Super Stocks and F4s
November 1 Friday Practice
November 2 NASCAR Fall Shootout Championship Night! Details TBA
TBD: Champions Celebration @the Grounds