Perris Raceway
Burton Road
Perris, California

Perris
December 17, 2011
By: Steve Graham <stephenagraham@hotmail.com>
Photos by Dorcey Wingo

Main Event
Ricky Wells
Edward Kennett
Jimmy Fishback
Tyson Burmeister

Semi 1
Ricky Wells
Jimmy Fishback
Martin Dugard
Billy Janniro DQ

Semi 2
Edward Kennett
Tyson Burmeister
Tommy Hedden
Gino Manzares

250cc Junior Main
Max Ruml
Broc Nicol
Dillon Ruml

200cc Junior Main
Braydan Galvin
Gino Scopellite
Dalton Leedy

Mother Nature gave us a huge break tonight and considering how weird the weather has been around here lately and despite an unpleasant forecast, it was a nice night for racing. No rain, no wind and around 55° at the start of the evening.

The crowd was the best ever at the new track and was treated to a great night of racing.

The SGP format worked perfectly. I think it was Aaron Fox's idea and it was a good idea.

Ricky Wells won the night. Ricky got faster as the night went and was on fire in the Main, defeating Edward Kennett, Tyson Burmeister and Jimmy Fishback. Ricky got a break after a nasty tangle with Edward Kennett in the first running of the Main and took full advantage of it in the restart.

Billy Hamill brought a couple of his house guests, Edward Kennett and Martin Dugard from England.

It took Martin Dugard a couple of heats to get the track dialed but once he did he played his way into the semis. He's also one tough 42 year old SOB. After taking out a section of the crash wall in his semi, helped there by Billy J, he still made it back for the restart. He'll be sore in the morning.

The crash wall at Perris works great. It is thin plywood reinforced by 2x4s. If a rider hits it, it gives and, as Martin Dugard illustrated tonight, breaks away when hit hard thus preventing serious injury to the rider.

Edward Kennett was a real treat tonight. Fast doesn't begin to describe it.
His starts were lightning fast, which is what one would expect from a top British Elite League rider. Surprising though was the way he treated the track. He rode it like it was his home track. Perfect through his heats and semi, and taking second in the Main restart after going down really hard when he tangled with Ricky Wells.

It's not often we get upper tier foreign riders and they sure made the meeting exciting.

Billy Janniro is usually unbeatable at Perris but Tyson Burmeister got him in Heat 8 and then Kennett got him in Heat 24. Billy's night ended when he got Dugard's back wheel, sending Dugard into the wall and earning Billy an exclusion in a semi final heat. It would have been a great night by most any other rider's standard but for Janniro it wasn't one of his better evenings.

Tyson Burmeister had a good night defeating Billy Janniro in a qualifying heat, taking second in his semi to Kennett and coming 3rd in the Main. He really seemed to be into it tonight.

Jimmy Fishback, who came 4th in the Main, had a decent night but probably wanted more.

Special mention to Gino Manzares. Gino had an excellent night against top flight riders while making the semis. The youngest rider in the semis rode smart and smooth all night and earned every point he got.

Perris Speedway really proved tonight that it is capable of hosting high end racing while providing excitement and entertainment to all in attendance. The future looks bright for this beautiful facility and it's 260 yard track.

Carrie Hancock has every reason to be proud tonight. Carrie, along with her friends and family, put in many hours and a lot of work to make this event happen, and it showed. Things went really smooth tonight and that doesn't happen without good planning.

If you love speedway and haven't been to Perris Speedway you need to come see what you're missing. It's really something