Industry Speedway
The Grand Industry Hills Expo Center
City of Industry, California

Opening Night at Industry Speedway
June 1, 2011
By: Ryan Evans
Photos by: Dorcey Wingo
Photos by: BackItIn Photos - Jim Thorn

Dorcey Wingo Photos Below

Ahh, the Grand Arena - City of Industry, California - a jewel in the crown of Speedway. The stands are filling up. For a Speedway rider, this is Showtime!	Ah, the roar of the methanol, And the smell of the crowd!	Sue and Robyn: Two of the many classy ladies backing our sport.
Flanders was in rare form for Opening Night. Here he heckles some guy walking by with five cold beers.	Youth 250cc rider Kurtis Hamill's night was accentuated by two close encounters with Mr. Plywood.	250cc Main: Max Ruml powers ahead along the wall as his brother Dillon deals with a determined Kurtis Hamill off the line. Ruml won, Dillon fell and Kurtis hit the wall hard with a stuck throttle.
Sidecar Semi: Big Bobby Brayton signals for "RED FLAG" after sidecar swinger Brandy McElroy was slammed in turn two. She was able to ride off the track after the bells quit ringing.	1st Division Main Event: 1996 World Champ Billy Hamill blasts off from lane one as four other methanol-addicted gladiators battle down the line into turn one. It was Hamill, McConnell and Castro, 1-2-3.	McConnell, Hamill and Castro celebrate the trophies and the bubbly. With a Speedway TV series in the making, this will be the norm at The Grand - trophies for 2nd and 3rd!
3rd Division Main was restarted after #393 C.J. Sanborn stuck the wall hard in four. Our brave rider and a portion of the wall had to be hauled off, unfortunately. [You were really cookin' too, C.J.!]	Ref. Tom Fox surveys the damage.

Former World Champion Billy The Bullet Hamill opened Industry Speedway's eighth season by winning the main event on a wild night of action.

Billy Hamill wasn't even a confirmed starter in the main until the last minute because he was overseeing the medical care being given to his son, Kurtis, who was injured during the Youth 250cc Main Event.

Billy Hamill decided to participate only after being assured that his son was okay. The multi-time National Champion lined up on the pole and made the best start alongside Nasty Nate Perkins who had started in gate five. Billy Hamill glued himself to the inside line while Perkins was unable to find sufficient traction on the outside. Shawn Mad Dog McConnell led the freight train underneath Perkins. McConnell set his sights on Hamill, but the leader was steadily pulling away. Hamill extended his lead with each lap and was first to the checkered flag. McConnell finished second, Fast Eddie Castro was third, Jimmy Little Animal Fishback finished fourth, and Perkins ended up fifth.

Perkins kicked off the heats by passing Charlie The Edge Venegas for the lead and the win. Fishback defeated Castro in event two. Flyin Mike Faria beat Bobby Boogaloo Schwartz for his first win. Hamill ended round one by defeating McConnell.

Round two began with Fishback leading before going over backward on the front straight and bringing out the red flag. USA U21 Team Member Austin Novratil won the restart for his first win. Perkins defeated Jason Ramirez in the next race. Faria beat Hamill in event 11. McConnell finished the second round with a win over Schwartz.

Hamill defeated Fishback for his second win to open the final round. McConnell scored his second win in a row by beating Venegas. Novratil beat Schwartz for his second straight win. Faria held off Perkins in a battle of unbeaten riders to remain the only one with a perfect score.

Tyson Talkington trapped from the outside to win a runoff for the last spot in the semis.

McConnell and Fishback finished one-two in the first semi to transfer to the main event. Hamill cruised to victory in the second semi-final and Faria looked set to join him in the main, but made a mistake in the last corner which handed second to Castro.

Rocco Scopellite dominated the Second Division Main Event with a runaway victory. Carl Gazafy was second, Tim McGrath finished third, and Mike Salyer was fourth.

C.J. Sanborn led the Third Division Main Event before finding too much traction in turn three and hitting the turn four wall at high speed. Sanborn was transported to a local hospital but was released early the next morning. Kevin Fife led the restart and faced constant pressure from Ron Mongenel. Mongenel tried the outside several times, but couldn't get around the leader. Fife fended off every challenge and claimed the victory. Mongenel had to settle for second and Rick Howard was third.

Max Ruml won both his heats in convincing fashion and remained perfect by winning the Youth 250cc Main Event. The race was marred when Kurtis Hamill crashed in turn one. He was down for several minutes before being removed from the track. He was later reported to be sore but with no broken bones.

Nick Varner led from start to finish en route to victory in the Youth 200cc First Division Main Event. Kurtis Hamill finished second, Broc Nicol was third, Dillon Ruml finished fourth, and Dalton Leedy was fifth.

Maverick Molloy led the Youth 200cc Second Division Main Event for over three laps, but left the door open for Shea Bendykowski to blast underneath exiting the final corner and steal the victory. Sebastian Palmese was third, and Michael Wells finished fourth.

Bryan Motis and Brandi McElroy made the best start in the Sidecar Main Event while National Champions Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen were pushed to the outside in turn one. Jones and Olsen wisely tried to cut back, but just as they committed to that move Motis and McElroy got too sideways and were in the path of Jones and Olsen. Disaster struck as Jones and Olsen slammed into the prone McElroy and they were catapulted off their machine. McElroy was very sore and due to the impending curfew the event was cancelled.

The Season Opener began the eighth season of speedway at the Industry Hills Expos Center and the fourth under the current promotion that is headed by Jeff and Madison Immediato. Industry Speedway has a new sponsor, Bruvado Premium Mexican Lager, and advertised through multiple media outlets, including commercials airing during the Indianapolis 500. The advertising reportedly brought the largest crowd to witness a speedway event at the facility.

RESULTS

Sidecar Main Event (cancelled)
Lineup:
1 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
2 - Bryan Motis/Brandi McElroy
22 - Dave Alexander/Trevor Desherlia
5150 - Dylan Beard/David Pane

Pee Wee Main Event
11 - Tristan Britt
19 - Dominic Laney
3 - Dylan Smith
21 - Walker Calvo
27 - Luke Whitcomb
4 - Jacob Peabody

Youth 200cc Second Division Main Event
23 - Shea Bendykowski
34 - Maverick Molloy
18 - Sebastian Palmese
214 - Michael Wells

Youth 200cc First Division Main Event
333 - Nick Varner
104 - Kurtis Hamill
98 - Broc Nicol
111 - Dillon Ruml
222 - Dalton Leedy

Youth 250cc Main Event
308 - Max Ruml
111 - Dillon Ruml (fell, remounted)
104 - Kurtis Hamill (fell)

Third Division Main Event (restarted)
311 - Kevin Fife
158 - Ron Mongenel
188 - Rick Howard
393 - C.J. Sanborn (non starter, restart)

Second Division Main Event (restarted)
126 - Rocco Scopellite
176 - Carl Gazafy
186 - Tim McGrath
333 - Mike Salyer (fell, remounted)

First Division Heat Scoring123T
6 Shawn McConnell 34411
9 Mike Faria 44412
11 Bobby Schwartz 3339
13 Nate Perkins 44311
14 Eddie Castro 3227
23 Steve Russell 0112
24 Gino Manzares M 123
25 Jimmy Fishback 4239
27 Austin Novratil 1449
41 John Marquez 0X 11
43 Charlie Venegas 3339
48 Tyson Talkington 2125
63 Michael Raines 2114
66 Jason Ramirez 23F5
86 Neil Facchini 1225
104 Billy Hamill 43411
141 Josh Abbott 2215

Race Results
1: Perkins, Venegas, Abbott
2: Fishback, Castro, Talkington, Facchini, Russell
3: Faria, Schwartz, Raines (tape penalty), Manzares (two minute exclusion)
4: Hamill, McConnell, Ramirez, Novratil, Marquez
9: (restarted) Novratil, Venegas, Fishback (penalty line), Raines
10: Perkins, Ramirez, Castro (tape penalty), Manzares (engine failure), Marquez (excluded)
11: Faria, Hamill, Facchini, Russell
12: McConnell, Schwartz, Abbott, Talkington
13: Hamill, Fishback, Manzares, Raines
14: McConnell, Venegas, Talkington, Russell (retired)
15: Novratil, Schwartz, Castro, Marquez
16: Faria, Perkins, Facchini, Abbott, Ramirez (fell)
Runoff: Talkington, Abbott, Ramirez, Facchini (tape penalty)
Semi #1: McConnell, Fishback, Perkins, Novratil, Talkington
Semi #2: Hamill, Castro, Faria, Schwartz, Venegas (retired)

First Division Main Event
104 - Billy Hamill
6 - Shawn McConnell
14 - Eddie Castro
25 - Jimmy Fishback
13 - Nate Perkins