Arrowhead Motor Speedway
San Bernardino, California

2001 Season Opener
Arrowhead Speedway
May 24, 2001
From Ryan Evans

Josh Larsen christened the new Arrowhead Motor Speedway by capturing the Scratch Main on Opening Night at promoter Charlie Venegas' new San Bernardino facility.

Randy DiFrancesco used the pole position to take the lead in turn one and held it coming out of turn two. Larsen came roaring around the outside and went around DiFrancesco in turn three. Larsen pulled it down to the pole to secure the lead as the riders entered turn one the second time. Larsen steadily pulled away and easily won the first-ever Scratch Main at Arrowhead Motor Speedway. Eddie Castro passed DiFrancesco on the third lap and held on to second place. DiFrancesco finished third and Dukie Ermolenko finished fourth.

Billy Lyons beat fellow 10 yard rider Gerry Duttweiler in to turn one to take the lead in the Handicap Main. Danny Perkins, starting from the 20 yard line went past Duttweiler and moved up on Lyons. Perkins took the lead on the second lap but fell entering turn one on lap three forcing several riders to lay their bikes down to avoid him. Referee Steve Lucero ruled that Perkins would start from the penalty line on the restart.

Lyons took the lead again ahead of Duttweiler and held the position through lap one. Castro charged under Duttweiler to take second place on the second lap and went after Lyons for the lead. Castro took the lead on the third lap while Ermolenko followed him through the gap he created to take second. Castro held a comfortable lead and Ermolenko never got close enough to mount a challenge. Castro captured the first-ever Handicap Main at the new race track, Ermolenko was second, Shawn McConnell was third, Josh Larsen was fourth, and DiFrancesco was fifth.

John Stunkard was the lone 10 yard rider in the Second Division Main Event and took the lead at the start. >Mike Lupo, starting from the 20 yard line, was able to pass Stunkard to take the lead. Lupo pulled out to a sizable lead and no rider got close enough to threaten him as he took the victory. Rudy Laurer held off Bobby Krips for second, John Stunkard was fourth, Dave Delbridge was fifth, and Marvin Sonnier was sixth.

Rookie rider Shane Kump captured the Second Division B Main Event for his first main event win of the year. Rick Valdez finished second, Robert Fiesler, who won Saturday Night at Costa Mesa, was third, Chris Metoyer was fourth, Northern California rider Kevin Fereira was fifth, and Mark Baldwin was sixth.

Arrowhead Motor Speedway is the brainchild of National Champion Charlie Venegas, operating as Edge Promotions. The new facility is built in approximately the same location as the original San Bernardino speedway track, known as the Inland Motorcycle Speedway, on the east side of the stock car stadium at the National Orange Show.

Venegas, who hasn't competed in 2001 due to an injury suffered in an ice race in the off-season, promoted a race in July and three more in November to test the feasibility of a speedway track hosting weekly events in San Bernardino. Those races were held on a track built inside the stock car stadium. Venegas was encouraged by the results from those races and has worked endlessly to put the new facility together.

The track is approximately 220 yards in length with a lot of room for passing. Despite the track breaking up a bit toward the end of the night, the riders were very happy with the track. Several of the First Division riders gave positive reviews of the race track and felt that the future was bright for the race track. The fans were also happy with the facility and many good comments were heard. The fans were greeted by a familiar voice, as legendary announcer Bruce Flanders provided his usual entertainment, just as he had at the original track in San Bernardino for many years.

The original San Bernardino speedway track operated in on Wednesday nights from 1975 to 1987. The facility had a very large and loyal following from the local fans and was known as "the only reason for Wednesday Nights". The promotion then moved to Glen Helen for the 1988 season where speedway continued until 1995. San Bernardino had not hosted a speedway race since then until the events last year.

The Thursday night date was scheduled to coincide with the opening night of the National Orange Show fair. Racing will resume next Wednesday night, which is the traditional night for speedway in San Bernardino, and continue every Wednesday night throughout the summer until August 29.

RESULTS
 
Second Division B Consolation 
123 - Chad Newlee             20 
117 - Billy Braden            10 
178 - Eloy Medellin           20 
174 - Tomasz Hampel           20 
118 - Scott Ellis Tidwell     10 
171 - Kenny Montague          10 

Second Division B Main Event 
228 - Shane Kump              10 
293 - Rick Valdez             10 
106 - Robert Fiesler          20 
148 - Chris Metoyer           20 
143n - Kevin Fereira          20 
115 - Mark Baldwin            10 

Second Division Consolation 
147 - Winston Williams        10 
234 - >Frank Pecce             30 
158 - Terry McCurdy            30 
165 - Randy Kreps             10 
125 - Johnny Lupo             20 
173 - Jeff Blaydes            40 
131 - David Lynch             30 
100 - Phil Harmatiuk          40 

Second Division Main Event 
162 - >Mike Lupo               20 
182 - Rudy Laurer             20 
223 - Bobby Krips             30 
249 - John Stunkard           10 
338 - Dave Delbridge          20 
 52 - Marvin Sonnier          30 

Handicap Main 
 14 - Eddie Castro            40 
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko         50 
  6 - Shawn McConnell         50 
  4 - Josh Larsen             50 
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco       40 
321 - Billy Lyons             10 
189 - Danny Perkins           20   (penalty line) 
200 - Gerry Duttweiler        10 

Scratch Consolation 
  3 - Gary Hicks 
  6 - Shawn McConnell 
 56 - Jim Estes 
189 - Danny Perkins 

Scratch Main Event 
  4 - Josh Larsen 
 14 - Eddie Castro 
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco 
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko