 |
|---|
| American Speedway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Perris Raceway1205 Burton Road AMA/FIM North American Speedway Final LUKE BECKER VICTORIOUS IN CLOSELY FOUGHT AMERICAN FINAL
New Wolverhampton Wolves signing Luke Becker came out on top in an ultra close and tense battle in the United States World Championship Qualifier, the event being staged for the first time in over 17 years on December 8th at Perris Raceway, California. Only three points separated the top 6 finishers with just two points being between 7th and 12th further down. The well attended, standing room only race, which was also viewed by a World Wide webcast audience ran on the traditional 16 rider 20 heat format with no semis or final. That said, it all ended with a three-way tie leading to a run off for the Championship and second qualifying spot. Ahead of the Main show Qualifying races were held for the last two places. Heat 1 saw David Hancock and Blake Borello transfer to the sudden death final. Heat two was won by Chance Grove from Redmond Bohannon, whilst the fast improving Will McCloskey won the last chance to make up the 5th finalist. The run off occurred ten minutes ahead of the main show, Hancock again impressing to win with Borello having to pass Bohannon for the second transfer. The Colorado star Bohannon claimed the first reserve spot with McCloskey in fourth being the second reserve. The American Final itself was a tense affair, made more tense after two days of rain ahead and much work needed to successfully salvage the track. Becker trapped and won heat 1 by a mile, with AMA Champ Billy Janniro a distant second ahead of Russell Green. Heat two saw Max Ruml touch the tapes and be excluded, which, given later events, proved costly in an otherwise incredible and oh so close night for the older Ruml brother. Gino Manzares got a great start in the restaging to lead home Ricky Wells in the first upset of the night. Broc Nicol, the Perris winner in November continued from where he left off. He was the heat 3 victor from Dillon Ruml and Eddie Castro. Heat four saw Austin Novratil show blistering speed with victory over Colton Hicks and Aaron Fox. Max Ruml made up for his heat 2 uncharacteristic error with an impressive win over NorCal veterans Bart Bast and Tommy Hedden in heat 5.. Ruml’s team were taking matters seriously with their engine tuner Ashley Holloway in attendance all the way from Poland. Heat 6 brought together Becker, Wells and Novratil.. It was Novratil who once more hit the front with Wells behind and Becker third.. Wells timed his move to perfection to pass for the lead but Becker in third saw his title hopes go on the ropes, unable to find a way by. Fox won heat 7 from Russell Green and Dillon Ruml. Nicol joined Novratil on a perfect score, leading home Manzares, meantime Janniro found himself in strange turf in last place, though his wily experience found a way by Colton Hicks to make up a place to get third. Wells moved onto 8 with a heat 9 win over Hicks. Becker was back to top form in a blockbuster heat 10, Max Ruml coming in second and Nicol in third, dropping his first points of the night. Novratil joined Wells on 8 with a heat 11 win from Manzares. Janniro got his first win of the night in heat 12 from Bast. Heat 13 saw Nicol out trap Novratil but a bump out of turn 2 caused Nicol to lift allowing Novratil by to put him on 11. Becker moved onto 10 points with a heat 14 victory over Dillon Ruml , who inherited second after a last lap fall from Manzares. Max Ruml took heat 15 from Green. Heat 16 saw Janniro and Wells in the showdown the National Champ admitted was his main interest in the event. Janniro got the gate but an untidy tangle out of turn 1 so both riders go down on the outside. Wells was straight up but Janniro was visibly in pain, an ankle injury unfortunately ending his night early. Wells took the re run from Fox to join Novratil on 11. After Manzares secured 6th on the night with a heat 17 win over Fox, the next three heats were the showdown races as vital points were needed from all of the top three to map out the podium and qualifying spots. Becker laid down the gauntlet with a heat 18 win over the very fast and once again impressive Colton Hicks. The win put him on 13 points, pressuring Wells and Novratil to win their last rides to avoid a run off. Heat 19 saw Wells on track, but Nicol got a superb start and the Edinburgh Monarchs captain tried every move to get by. The eventual photo finish had Nicol as the winner. Nicol ended the night on 12, literally an inch a way from a shot at the title. Heat 20 was a classic that will go down in memory for years to come. Novratil’s quest for the title was aided by Janniro’s withdrawal from the race after his earlier crash. It looked all over after turn 2 with a lightning quick start putting Novratil ahead. Behind him Max Ruml showed superb pace and made an outside move to try to take the lead coming into turn 1 on lap three. Coming out of two Ruml was just ahead but Novratil fought back going into three. As they took the white flag Ruml was now a bike length ahead and he stayed there for a storyline twist no one predicted. Ruml ended up 5th place on 11 points in his best ever Perris performance. The young star will no doubt wonder what might have been after his first heat exclusion. So this led to a grand final 3 man run off for the title between Becker, Wells and Novratil. Becker drew gate 1, Wells 3 and Novratil 4. The tapes went up and Becker led Wells coming out of turn 2 but in a final twist, Wells took a wide line coming into turn 4 to try to gain on Becker, and to his surprise, Novratil had made up ground for an inside pass. Wells, as expected fought back hard, while Becker cruised to victory but Novratil, a man of exceptional pace all night completed a fairytale evening with silver on the night and qualification! Becker and Novratil move on to represent the USA in the 2019 Grand Prix Qualifying Rounds. USA has one spot in the round at Glasgow, Scotland and another in France at Lamothe Landerron, both races scheduled on June 8th 2019. Becker as the winner will have choice of round. US boss Lance King will coordinate matters with both riders. The return of the American Final certainly caught the imagination of fans and riders alike. The event had an atmosphere and buzz of a true World Championship race. A large crowd was on hand to see the return of World Championship Speedway in America. Perris, the only year-round venue in the USA, takes a 5 week Christmas and New Year break with team racing commencing at 5pm on January 12. The results of AMA/FIM North America Final in Perris, in United States. 1. Luke Becker 13+3 Luke Becker and Austin Novratil will represent the United States in the qualifications to FIM Speedway Grand Prix 2020. (2019 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Qualifiers for the 2020 SGP)
WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS AT PERRIS RACEWAY, 8 DECEMBER Ahead of the American Final was a very exciting 27 race show for supporting Divisions. The Four non wildcard qualifiers from three different States ran a Consolation race. NorCal’s Fred Cook was the early leader but an impressive outside pass saw New York visitor Dave Oakden take a popular win. 168 Chance Grove and 150 Will McCloskey were also were in the qualifiers. Division Two had 12 entrants. Heat victories went to David Pieper (2), Rick Richards (2), Dave Rust and Joey Donaldson. Richards completed a perfect score with the Main event win. Division Three had 6 entrants. James Rust took heat 1 with Tom Bryant taking heat 2. Bryant added another Division Three title with the Main win. 250cc Juniors saw a clean sweep from NorCal Landon Norton. Justin Almon, in an encore 150 Mini outing (he is readying to go up to 250s) won all heats and the Main. Ryder Schultz was the Pee Wee, also going three for three. Tommy Hedden won both vintage match races over brother in law Bob Hicks. Results: Wild Card Consi – 327e Dave Oakden, 94 Fred Cook, 11c Kenny Pieper, 27e Danny Oakden Division Two Main: 345 Rick Richards, 343 Dave Rust, 3c David Pieper, 189 Charles Pearson, 37 Joey Donaldson D2 Consi: 323 Mike Miller, 170 Hayley Perrault, 163 Ron Davis D2 Consi: 153 Brad Moreau, 103 Brent Smith, 159 Kevin Fiore Division 3 Main: 220 Tom Bryant, 108 James Rust, 111 David Newsham, 136 George Yates, 160 Dakota VandenBroeder (fell, remounted), 211 Steve Brown (non starter) 250 Junior: 2 Landon Norton, 51 Greg Moore, 309e Jonathan Oakden, 27 Luke Whitcomb 150 Mini: 7 Justin Almon, 9 Levi Leutz, 48 Jose Navarrete Pee Wee: 6 Ryder Schultz, 113 Madden Smith, 34 Zachary Dunbar, 11 Billy Cano Vintage: 40 Tommy Hedden, 808 Bob Hicks
American Final History (Courtesy of Scott Daloisio) Note: Winter Championship event, held earlier in the day, will be covered in a separate report.
|
