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JANNIRO TOPS @ INDUSTRY SPEEDWAY – By Tim Kennedy
Industry, CA., Jul. 6 – All conquering Billy Janniro, who celebrated his 36th birthday on July 3, was undefeated again Wednesday during round six of 14 at Industry Speedway in the Grand Arena. The four-time AMA National Speedway Champion from Napa won all three of his heat races, his semi-final and the main event on the annual Haddick's Towing Night. He started from lane two on his 500cc No. 1 Jawa that he keeps in So Cal.
Lane four starter Max Ruml, who was undefeated in his three heats and also scored nine points, won the second of two semi-final races to earn his feature berth. The 19-year old rising star from Huntington Beach used his 500cc GM and trailed only Janniro in the feature. He pressed Janniro all four laps and trailed by three lengths when Tom Fox waved the checkered flag. It was the 37th race of the night and concluded at 9:54 pm in front of about 850 spectators
Pole starter Luke Becker, 17, rode south from the Brentwood with mentor Janniro as his passenger and started next to him in the feature. He ran third all four laps and trailed Ruml by two lengths. The No. 43 Jawa of Charlie Venegas, who was nicknamed “the Edge” by fellow speedway veteran Bobby “Boogaloo” Schwartz, started from the third lane. He finished fourth, a length in back of Becker.
Dillon Ruml, 17, started next to the crash-wall, and chased program cover-boy/pole starter Gage Geist, now 17, for a lap. Ruml took the lead on lap 2 and won the 500cc D-1 “money-only” consolation race for the pair of semi-final third and fourth place finishers. Shawn McConnell and Broc Nicol chased Geist across the finish line. Twelve D-1 riders raced in the three rounds of heats.
There were 13 D-2 500cc riders (intermediate skill level) present. They raced for heat race points to determine the four D-2 feature riders. Pole starter Rudy Laurer, 59, took his Jawa 897 to the lead on lap 2 and won his fourth main at Industry this year. First lap leader Davey Shaw fell entering turn one on lap 2. He remounted and finished fourth. David Lynch and Ron Davis placed second and third.
All six D-3 (entry level 500cc riders) present raced in both heats and in their main event. Riverside's Steve “Beach-ball” Brown, 57, led all four laps. He beat past D-3 feature winners George Yates and Kevin Fife. Greg Willis, Brent Smith and Dennis Osmer followed. Newcomer Osmer fell twice and pushed his bike to the pits. Yates and Smith fell together on the backstretch during the opening lap. Both restarted.
The three Junior Division 250cc riders present raced a pair of heats and a main. Jake Isaac, 13, won every race with his two female rivals. Sara Cords, 16, finished second in the main after leading the first lap on her 250cc Hagon. She bobbled entering the first corner on lap 2 and lost the point to Isaac. Skylar Schnakenberg, 17, ran third in each race.
The six rider Junior mini D-1 main for more experienced 150cc riders used a handicapped start based upon past success. Riders started at the gate, 10 or 30-yards from the starting gate. Slater Lightcap, 10, started at the 30 and took the lead on lap 2 from gate starter/first lap leader Keelan Venegas, 12. Lightcap (No. 3) held off fellow 30-yard line starters, the Martin twins, also age 10, from Salinas. Alex (No. 2) edged his twin Sterling (No. 1). Venegas, the only other finisher, placed fourth on his No. 43.
A serious-looking crash occurred on lap 3 and involved a pair of 10-year old pee-wee 50cc graduates-- Dakota Shockley, from Rancho Cucamonga, and Luke Whitcomb. The P. 5-6 riders crashed together leaving the fourth turn and slammed into the crash-wall at the head of the front straight. They remained on the ground several minutes. Whitcomb rose and walked to the pits with his father. EMTs attended Shockley at the scene for almost 15-minutes. He received a possible fractured right wrist. It was wrapped and placed in a sling before he was carried to the pits. A Los Angeles County Fire ambulance soon arrived and transported him to a hospital for further treatment.
The Junior mini 150cc D-2 main for newer riders in the class had all seven youth in the race. Four started at the starting gate, one 10-yards back and two 20-yards from the gate. Rachel Schnakenberg, “10 1/2”, had her best night of the season. She won both of her seven riders heats for the first time. From the starting gate, she led lap 1 hoping for a sweep. However, the rapidly improving youngster bobbled on lap 2 entering the first turn and dropped behind laps 2-5 leader Jose Navarette, 7. It was his first win this year at Industry. Rachel, Glenn Geist, 10, Pee-Wee champion Travis Horn, 8, Nor Cal's Sammy Waddill, 9, Andrew Russell, 11, and Cole Ayers, 10, finished in that order.
A five rider field of 50cc powered pee-wees started all five age 5 to 8 riders. Rookie Kristian Daniel, Jr., 7, rode his Honda and again led every lap for his fourth Industry feature win. June 29 winner Levi Leutz, 7, Gavin Dryfka, 5, Conner Salazar, 8, and Ken Matsudaira, 5, finished second through fifth. Daniel won the first heat. He fell hard after contacting the backstretch wall while leading on lap 5 and falling hard. His only non-finish of the season left him shaken, but uninjured.
PIT NOTES: Haddicks Towing & Auto Body in the City of Industry was the first and major sponsor of Industry Racing when it started in 2003. The firm had its annual “Classic Car Show” in the front courtyard near the Grand Arena main entrance. There were 22 vehicles present and spectators voted on printed ballots for their favorites. Haddick's presented trophies to P. 1-2-3 based on total votes.
First place went to the light yellow/red Snap-on Tools 1951 International Metro walk-in van. Second place was a 1931 Ford Model A hot rod. Third place went to a black 1940 Ford DeLuxe coupe. It was in storage for 38 years until 2010. ... Other noteworthy vehicles included: a pair of 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air sedans; two-door 1949 Mercury; 1970 VW Beetle 1600cc; 1966 Ford Mustang; 1953 Mercury black & white police cruiser; 1953 Lincoln Capri; 1954 Ford F-100 pickup; 1964 Pontiac GTO; 1963 Studebaker Avanti, plus various Camaros and Corvettes.
Sidecar swing-man Tom Summers, 52, received facial fractures in a sidecar racing crash at Ventura Raceway on June 25. He received reconstructive surgery on his orbital (eye) socket and is doing well according to Kelly Inman, Industry Racing Director. He has been discharged from the hospital near his home in Rancho Cucamonga. Racing fans at the speedway and via GoFundme.com have contributed more than $12,500 to help defray his medical expenses.
Spectators at Industry on July 6 included four-time USAC Midget Series main event winner Shane Scully, 44, from Encino, his wife Roxanne, plus daughters Brooke, 13, and Hannah, 9. Sadly, Shane told me his maternal grandfather, Louie Senter, died on May 28 at age 95 from age-related causes. He was ill for two days prior to his passing. Louie was a long-time CRA sprint car owner (Offenhauser-powered No. 76), CRA officer, track official, and member of the board of directors. He was the long-time owner of Ansen Automotive in Gardena and a founding member of SEMA. Louie's wife died about two years ago and his brother Dr. Sid Senter, the Ascot Park medical doctor in the 1960s-70s, died a few years back at age 100.
Shane invited people to attend a celebration of Louie's life on Saturday, July 9 at 11:00 am in the NHRA Museum at the LA County Fairplex on the grounds of the LA County Fairgrounds in Pomona. Refreshments will be available and attire is casual.
Next Wednesday, July 13 will be round seven of the14-week Industry Racing summer season through August. It will be the annual Laidlaw's Harley-Davidson Night. The maximum number of street-legal Harleys allowed to go on the eighth-mile Industry dirt track “to race” has been reached. No other entries are allowed. All the usual speedway divisions will be racing, plus the wild sidecar teams on both July 13 and 20.
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