Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California
Jack Milne Cup
May 7, 2016 - Costa Mesa
Report by Ryan Evans
Results from Costa Mesa - are Continued below.
Jack Milne Cup - May 7 - Costa Mesa, CA
Former Under 21 National Champion Austin Novratil opened the world famous Costa Mesa Speedway’s 48th season by winning the prestigious Jack Milne Cup.
The four-rider field for the main event was the youngest in a long time as the oldest competitor was just 22 years old. Gino Manzares, competing in Southern California after spending the last two seasons competing for the Ipswich Witches in Great Britain, had first choice of starting position and picked gate one. Luke Becker, in a main event at Costa Mesa for the first time, was next selected gate two. Max Ruml chose gate three which left Novratil with gate four.
Manzares was first off the starting line when the tapes went up but Novratil made a great start as well. Manzares hugged the inside line through turns one and two while Novratil rounded the outside. Novratil’s line proved better as he found enough traction from the dirt to propel himself by Manzares as the field exited turn two. Novratil held the lead through the first lap but he could ill afford to make a mistake as Manzares was ready to pounce. Novratil didn’t turn a wheel wrong though and led to the checkered flag and captured his first Costa Mesa main event victory. Manzares had to settle for second, Becker finished third, and Max Ruml was fourth.
Three rounds of heats kicked off with Max Ruml beating his brother Dillon for his first win. Manzares defeated Bobby “Boogaloo” Schwartz in the second heat. Novratil won event three ahead of Gage Geist. Becker won event for over Shawn “Mad Dog” McConnell. Former National Champion Charlie “The Edge” Venegas ended round one by defeating Tyson Talkington.
Venegas started round two by beating Max Ruml for his second straight win. Manzares made it two wins in a row by defeating Talkington. Defending National Champion Aaron Fox beat Dillon Ruml for his first win of the night. Becker beat Broc Nicol for his second consecutive win. Novratil held off McConnell to finish the second round with his second victory.
Max Ruml beat McConnell to open the final round with a win. Manzares remained perfect by beating the previously unbeaten duo of Novratil and Venegas. Fox beat an impressive Samuel Ramirez for his second straight win. Becker remained perfect by beating Geist. Nicol closed out the heats with a win over Kurtis Hamill and Dillon Ruml.
The Second Division Main Event field was split with two Southern California racers, Rick Richards and Mike Lane, and two Northern California racers, Robert Curry and Lawrence McNutt. Curry made the best start and led through lap one. Richards charged up the inside exiting turn two and took the lead. This began Curry’s descent to the back of the field. Richards held on the rest of the way to take the victory. Lane came in second, McNutt finished third, and Curry was fourth.
Attrition in the heats reduced the Third Division Main from five racers to three. Chet Kohler made an auspicious Costa Mesa debut and was victorious. Steve “Beach Ball” Brown was second and Chris Wolfs finished third.
Sidecar National Champions Joe Jones and Tom Summers won both of their heats and completed their perfect evening by winning the Sidecar Main Event. James Kinne and David Bernardo finished second, Stuart Glass and Jack Straw were third, and the father-son team of Robert and Jonathan Curry finished fourth.
The Jack Milne Cup was the first event on the calendar for International Speedway’s 48th season of speedway at the Orange County Fairgrounds. It honors the 1937 World Speedway Champion. He was America’s first world champion in a motorized sport. Milne was an integral part of the founding of Costa Mesa Speedway along with Harry Oxley and was a fixture at the legendary venue until he passed away two decades ago.
RESULTS
Sidecar Consolation
25 – Rod Requejo/Johnny Glover
14 – Jeff Rowe/Heather Gledhill
13 – Kevin Holman/Josh Bennett
33 – Adam Duckett/Kimberly Bailey
Sidecar Main Event
1 – Joe Jones/Tom Summers
74 – James Kinne/David Bernardo
911 – Stuart Glass/Jack Straw
31 – Robert Curry/Jonathan Curry
Third Division Main Event
202 – Chet Kohler
211 – Steve Brown
143 – Chris Wolfs
106 – Robert Fiesler (non-starter)
252 – Brian Lehman (non-starter)
Second Division Main Event
345 – Rick Richards
141 – Mike Lane
275n – Lawrence McNutt
31n – Robert Curry
First Division Heat Scoring 1 2 3 T
1 – Aaron Fox 1 3 3 7
3 – Gary Hicks 0 0 1 1
4 – Broc Nicol 0 2 3 5
6 – Shawn McConnell 2 2 2 6
7 – Austin Novratil 3 3 2 8
9 – Mike Faria 1 0 R 1
10 – Gage Geist 2 1 2 5
11 – Bobby Schwartz 2 1 1 4
22 – Dalton Leedy 0 1 0 1
22n – Luke Becker 3 3 3 9
24 – Gino Manzares 3 3 3 9
37 – Joe Donaldson N E N 0
41 – Kurtis Hamill 1 1 2 4
43 – Charlie Venegas 3 3 1 7
48 – Tyson Talkington 2 2 0 4
111 – Dillon Ruml 2 2 1 5
199 – Samuel Ramirez 1 1 2 4
249 – John Wilder 0 0 1 1
293 – Rick Valdez 1 0 0 1
Race Results
1: M. Ruml, D. Ruml, Faria, Leedy
2: Manzares, Schwartz, Ramirez, Hicks (fell, remounted)
3: Novratil, Geist, Fox, Nicol
4: Becker, McConnell, Hamill, Wilder
5: Venegas, Talkington, Valdez, Donaldson (non-starter)
10: Venegas, M. Ruml, Geist, Wilder
11: Manzares, Talkington, Hamill, Faria
12: Fox, D. Ruml, Schwartz, Donaldson (engine failure)
13: Becker, Nicol, Leedy, Hicks
14: Novratil, McConnell, Ramirez, Valdez
23: M. Ruml, McConnell, Hicks, Donaldson (non-starter)
24: Manzares, Novratil, Venegas, Leedy
25: Fox, Ramirez, Wilder, Faria (retired)
26: Becker, Geist, Schwartz, Talkington
27: Nicol, Hamill, D. Ruml, Valdez
Scratch Consolation
43 – Charlie Venegas
6 – Shawn McConnell
1 – Aaron Fox
4 – Broc Nicol
Jack Milne Cup Main Event
7 – Austin Novratil
24 – Gino Manzares
22n – Luke Becker
5 – Max Ruml
Past Jack Milne Cup Winners
1998 – Bobby Schwartz
1999 – Gary Hicks
2000 – Charlie Venegas
2001 – Gary Hicks
2002 – Scott Brant
2003 – Scott Brant
2004 – Mike Faria
2005 – Mike Faria
2006 – Charlie Venegas
2007 – Mike Faria
2008 – Bobby Schwartz
2009 – Shawn McConnell
2010 – Shawn McConnell
2011 – Mike Faria
2012 – Billy Janniro
2013 – Billy Janniro
2014 – Billy Hamill
2015 – Max Ruml
Ryan Evans
Like a boss.
Quick Results from Costa Mesa.
Ryan Evans
RESULTS
Sidecar Main Event
1 - Joe Jones/Tom Summers
74 - James Kinne/David Bernardo
911 - Stuart Glass/Jack Straw
31 - Robert Curry/Jonathan Curry
Third Division Main Event
202 - Chet Kohler
211 - Steve Brown
143 - Chris Wolfs
252 - Brian Lehman (non starter)
106 - Robert Fiesler (non starter)
Second Division Main Event
345 - Rick Richards
141 - Mike Lane
275n - Lawrence McNutt
31n - Robert Curry
Scratch Consolation
43 - Charlie Venegas
6 - Shawn McConnell
1 - Aaron Fox
4 - Broc Nicol
Scratch Main Event
7 - Austin Novratil
24 - Gino Manzares
22n - Luke Becker
5 - Max Ruml
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