PETERSEN MEDIA
What looked to be a forgettable night early during Saturday’s Sprint Car Challenge Tour event at Antioch Speedway turned out to be a night that Braden Chiaramonte will remember forever. When it was all said and done, the 17-year-old charged from 17th to score his first career winged sprint car feature event win as he now finds himself atop the season point standings.
With 18 cars on hand as the series made their one and only stop at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds facility, Chiaramonte again found himself making his first ever visit to a track.
Timing in 11th fastest, Chiaramonte lined up in the second row of his heat race aboard the Tiner Hirst Enterprise/HRP/Fisher Racing Engines backed No. 94TH entry.
Moving into second when the race came to life, Chiaramonte locked horns with fellow youngster, Austin Wood as they duked it out for the top spot. While the battle heated up, bad luck struck Chiaramonte as his mount bellowed a huge puff of smoke and his engine expired under the hood of his car.
Pushing back to the pit area, the Tiner Hirst Enterprise team went to work in hurry to get a new bullet bolted into the frame rails of the No. 94TH. Making the swap with no issues, the youngster was set for the 35-lap feature event though he would take the green flag from the 17th starting position.
Up into 13th when the first caution flag flew on the fourth lap, Chiaramonte went to work on the high side of the speedway when the green flag was displayed back to the field, and jumped up into 10th.
Another caution taking place behind him on the eighth lap, but the field back in double-file formation again, and Chiaramonte continued to pound the curb as he he powered into fifth, before taking over fourth on just the race’s 11th lap.
Moving into third a lap later, Chiaramonte was able to get around Michael Faccinto for second just before the race’s halfway point as his sole attention moved to race leader, and veteran ace, Sean Becker.
With Becker committed to the low groove, Chiaramonte continued to make speed up top where nobody else could and closed in on the leader as he continued his magnificent surge to the front.
On the 22nd lap, Chiaramonte pulled alongside Becker as they raced into turns three and four and the momentum gave him the drive off of turn four to power into the race lead on the 23rd lap, as the caution then flew two laps later, and put Becker and Chiaramonte on the front row.
The restart saw Becker mount a bid for the lead back, but Chiaramonte never flinched as he countered the veterans advances and drove away from the field.
Hitting his marks on the slick surface, Chiaramonte went on to cap off a memorable run as he picked up his first career winged sprint car feature event win after taking the green flag from the ninth row.
The Tiner Hirst Enterprise Racing team would like to thank Tiner Hirst Enterprise, Hepfner Racing Products, EMI, Fisher Racing Engines, System 1, Larry Davis Farms, and Slade Shocks for their continued support.
ON TAP: Chiaramonte and Tiner Hirst Enterprise will now take a cuple of weeks off and prepare for SCCT Speedweek which comes to life at Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon on July 15th.
STAY CONNECTED: Stay connected with Braden Chiaramonte by following him on Instagram at @Braden_Chiaramonte73.