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Industry Speedway
The Grand Industry Hills Expo Center
City of Industry, California
California Speedway
June 4, 2008 - Industry Speedway
By: Ryan Evans
Industry Speedway had a new face on the top of the podium as Buck Blair won the Scratch Main to end Charlie Venegas’s four-week winning streak.
Blair’s outside position placed him at the opposite end of the starting line from Venegas, who was lined up on the pole. Blair trapped from the outside while Venegas, on a borrowed bike, lifted at the line. It was enough to allow Blair to come across the field and into the lead entering turn one. Jimmy Fishback was also able to get in front of Venegas, which meant the defending track champion would have his work cut out for him to extend his winning streak. Blair used the inside to hold his lead and when Venegas went to the outside he found Fishback using the same line to pass the leader. All efforts were to no avail and Blair was first to the checkered flag. Fishback held off Venegas for second, Shawn McConnell finished fourth, and Ricky Wells was fifth.
Blair began the evening as he ended it, with a victory. Wells was impressive in winning his first race ahead of Venegas. Bobby Schwartz was victorious in his first heat. Fishback ended the opening round with a win over John Marquez.
The earned-handicap rounds started with Russell Green leading all the way. McConnell beat Brad Sauer for his first win of the night. Venegas used the outside to take the lead in event 20 only to have Blair use the outside to make a spectacular pass on him for the win and a rousing ovation. Jason Ramirez finished off round two by leading from start to finish.
Wells opened the final round with his second win. Travis Henderson led the next heat the entire distance. Marquez earned an impressive win over Fishback in event 27. McConnell won the final heat of the evening. Ramirez defeated Henderson in a tight four-lap runoff to earn the final spot in the semis.
Blair handily won the first semi ahead of Fishback while Venegas suffered an engine failure and would have to win the Last Chance to have any shot at extending his winning streak. Wells won the second semi and just when it seemed as though Schwartz would follow him into the main, McConnell made an aggressive inside move in the final corner to take second. Venegas borrowed Green’s bike and used it to win the Last Chance.
Justin Hassan put together four smooth laps to win the Second Division Main Event. Steve “Rattlesnake” Bowen finished second, Rohn Zellner was third, and Carl Gazafy finished fourth.
The first attempt to run the Third Division Main ended when Chris Thomas went down and collected Tim McGrath as well. Thomas was placed on the penalty line for the restart, but McGrath’s bent machine prevented him from restarting. Bruce Marteney was leading the restart when Barry Kelperis fell and brought out the red flag. The victory was awarded to Marteney, his first main event win, Thomas was second, Kelperis was third, and McGrath was credited with fourth.
Brad Pappalardo was undefeated all evening with victories in both his heats and in the Youth First Division Main Event. Pappalardo also collected $50 donated by Tom Foster for his main event win. Joey Holt finished second.
Rocco Scopellite won both his heats and the Youth Second Division Main Event. Samuel Ramirez finished second, and Elijah Harrison-Hicks was third.
Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen were awarded the victory in the Sidecar Main Event after a scary crash brought a halt to the race. Scott Driggers and Sean Driggers crashed and then Brian Motis and Loren Thurston had a crash that sent them tumbling in turn four. Motis, who is paraplegic, received medical care before being removed from the track. Motis thought that he was just sore, but further examination the next day revealed that he suffered a broken hip and three broken bones in his ankle.
RESULTS
Sidecar Main Event (restarted) (awarded)
1 – Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
22 – Dave Alexander/Matt Davis
4 – Brian Motis/Loren Thurston
13 – Scott Driggers/Sean Driggers
Pee Wee Main Event
22 – James Walter
Youth Second Division Main Event
9 – Rocco Scopellite
22 – Samuel Ramirez
3 – Elijah Harrison-Hicks
Youth First Division Main Event
611 – Brad Pappalardo
4 – Joey Holt
Third Division Consolation (restarted)
114 – Hal Blair 0
00 – Toni Hicks 0
308 – Hugh Randolph 10
157 – Tony DeAlmeida 0 (penalty line)
124 – Paul Thornton 0 (non starter)
310 – John Weller 10 (non starter)
Third Division Main Event (restarted) (awarded)
242 – Bruce Marteney
189 – Chris Thomas (penalty line)
144 – Barry Kelperis (fell)
186 – Tim McGrath (non starter)
Second Division Consolation 301 – Matt Davis
155 – Scott York 153 – Brad Moreau
202 – J.C. Masters
158 – Ron Mongenel
Second Division Main Event
132 – Justin Hassan
177 – Steve Bowen
163 – Rohn Zellner
176 – Carl Gazafy
First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T
6 – Shawn McConnell 2 3 3 8
11 – Bobby Schwartz 3 1 2 6
17 – Robbie Sauer 1 0 1 2
21 – Brad Sauer 1 2 1 4
25 – Jimmy Fishback 3 2 2 7
39 – Buck Blair 3 3 1 7
41 – John Marquez 2 1 3 6
43 – Charlie Venegas 2 2 2 6
55 – Travis Henderson 2 0 3 5
86 – Neil Facchini 1 2 0 3
142 – Ricky Wells 3 1 3 7
166 – Jason Ramirez R 3 2 5
178 – Eloy Medellin 0 0 0 0
182 – Rudy Laurer R 1 1 2
321 – Russell Green 1 3 0 4
388 – Donnie Robinson 0 0 0 0
Race Results 9: Blair, McConnell, Green, Ramirez (retired)
10: Wells, Venegas, Facchini (fell, remounted), Laurer (retired)
11: Schwartz, Henderson, R.Sauer, Medellin
12: Fishback, Marquez, B.Sauer, Robinson
18: Green [10], Fishback [30], Wells [30], R.Sauer [10]
19: McConnell [20], B.Sauer [10], Laurer [0], Henderson [20]
20: Blair [30], Venegas [20], Marquez [20], Medellin [0]
21: Ramirez [0], Facchini [10], Schwartz [30], Robinson [0]
25: Wells [10], Venegas [20], B.Sauer [20], Medellin [0]
26: Henderson [0], Schwartz [10], Blair [30], Green [30]
27: Marquez [10], Fishback [20], Laurer [10], Facchini [20] (fell, remounted)
28: McConnell [30], Ramirez [30], R.Sauer [0], Robinson [0]
Runoff: Ramirez, Henderson
Semi #1: Blair, Fishback, Marquez, Venegas (engine failure)
Semi #2: Wells, McConnell, Ramirez, Schwartz
Last Chance
43 – Charlie Venegas
166 – Jason Ramirez
41 – John Marquez
11 – Bobby Schwartz
Scratch Main Event
39 – Buck Blair
25 – Jimmy Fishback
43 – Charlie Venegas
6 – Shawn McConnell
142 – Ricky Wells
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