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HAMILL ON TOP IN INDUSTRY SPEEDWAY BIKE MAIN – By Tim Kennedy
Industry, CA., Jul. 9 – Billy “the Bullet” Hamill, of Carlsbad, was a perfect three for three in his heat races and then won his semi-final. As high-point rider Wednesday evening, Hamill had first lane choice for the feature and selected the pole at Industry Speedway. More than 1,100 spectators watched the two-wheel racing on an eighth-mile dirt track inside the open-sides Grand Arena of the Industry Hills Expo Center. It was another epic battle of the Billies. Hamill beat Nor Cal star Billy “the Kid” Janniro in the four-lap feature. Both riders won their semi-final races to advance to the feature.
Hamill won the week three main at Industry, while Janniro won week one, two and four. Both champion riders were not present for week five when past track champion and all-time Industry feature winner Charlie “the Edge” Venegas won the feature. This week strong 16-rider Division 1 field of 500cc bikes made it tough to make the feature. Tyson Burmeister started next to Hamill, with second year 500cc rider Max Ruml, 17, in lane three next to outside lane starter Janniro.
When the light turned green and the starting tapes rose, Hamill reached turn one first and kept the low groove all the way. Janniro shot from the outside and pressured Hamill on the outside closely a length back each lap as he tried to force an error. With the checkered flag waving, Janniro saw he could not pass Hamill and fell to six lengths back a the finish line. Burmeister ran a close third with Ruml fourth all four laps. After a cool off lap all four riders saluted the crowd on the front straight by doing simultaneous wheelies on their back wheels. The 44th and final race of the night concluded at 9:54 pm.
The D-1 500cc scratch consolation race for third and fourth place riders in the two semi-finals looked like a feature lineup. Venegas started in lane three and led all four laps. Eddie Castro, from pole, finished second, with Buck Blair and Austin Novratil third and fourth. It took five points via 3-2-1-0 scoring in three rounds of heat racing to make the semi-final races this week.
Six of the zany sidecar teams were present and four qualified to race the four-lap sidecar feature in a clockwise direction. The team of paraplegic driver Bryan Motis and his sidecar “swinger” Josh Bennett led all the way. The frequent winning team of Joe Jones and Johnny Glover pressed them closely all four laps and trailed by two lengths. Third place went to the Jeff Medberry/Heather Bennett team that had won the three rig consolation race to join the top three teams after two rounds of heat races. Dual Anderson/David Dent dropped out on lap 3.
The 500cc Division 2 main for intermediate level pros was a flag-to-flag ride out front for veteran Eloy Medellin, 44, of Garden Grove on his Jawa lay-down long-stroke. Harold Hartke and two-time Industry winner Ricky Richards followed. Richards came back from a first lap, turn three crash that downed both riders. P. 2 Mike Wiley fell and collected P. 3 Richards. Although he and his bike were able to continue, AMA rules excluded Wiley for causing the red flag. The D-3 500cc D-3 feature was another victory for Lewis Hughes, who led every lap. Industry newcomer George Yates finished second, Steve Brown third, and Wade “the Rev” Whitcomb fourth.
Five riders competed in the 250cc Junior Division. Braydan Galvin,15, led all the way for his first triumph this season at Industry. He is the son of the track referee Bryan Galvin. Kurtis Hamill, 15, son of D-1 winner Billy, Gage Geist, Sammy Ramirez and Courtney Crone followed.
The mini 150cc first division main was a one-two finish for the 9-year old Martin twins from Salinas on their third trip this season to Industry. Their father Steve raced speedway bikes two decades ago. Sterling (No. 31) completed an undefeated evening by leading all four laps after winning both heat races earlier. His twin Alex (No. 30) finished second. Sterling won the Sunday, August 17, 2013 Silver Cup 150cc mini D-2 feature at Industry in the all youth racing program. Slater Lightcap and Jake Isaac placed third and fourth. Tristan Britt, 11, was unable to start after he flipped wildly entering turn one in his second heat race. He reclined on the track several minutes before limping to the pits. He was the spotlight rider and signed autographs for fans in the rider booth near the front gate from 7:00-7:30.
The mini 150cc second division main was a four-lap out front run for Keelan “Lil' Edge” Venegas, 10-year old son of Charlie. Heats one and two winner Luke Whitcomb, 8, placed second. Andrew Russell and Dakota Shockley followed.
A three-rider pee-wee field on 50cc Hondas was a battle among five and six-year old riders. Usual winner Travis Horn, 6, was handicapped by starting 30-yards from the starting gate. Nevertheless, he easily won both heats and his fourth Industry main. San Dimas resident Gunnar Haggard, 6, was a first-time rider at Industry. He watched from the stands and wanted to race. In his first heat, Horn lapped him and he finished last. In heat two he finished third again but on the lead lap. His rapid learning curve was evident when he closed on P. 2 Jose Navarette, 5, and passed him with spectators cheering his backstretch pass on the final lap. He finished second, a straightaway behind winner Horn. The three youngsters played in the pits together waiting for post-race trophy presentations and podium photos.
PIT NOTES: With a large crowd present in the stands and 140 in the pits the 50/50 drawing pot was $1,108 and $554 of it went to the spectator holding the winning ticket. ... It was Haddick's Classic Car Night at Industry Speedway this week and about 15 classic cars from the 1950-60 decades parked inside the front gate near the tiki bar and The Grand restaurant. The top three in voting were: P.1-a black 1957 Chevy Bel Air, P. 2- a red-orange/beige 1956 Chevy Bel Air, and P.3-a 1966 Ford Mustang.
Among grandstand spectators this week were: USAC Midget owner/driver Jerome Rodela, of El Monte, and his almost 4-year old race-fan daughter Kendall. She is a huge fan of 13-year old 250cc rider Courtney Crone. Jerome's wife Lisa stays home so father/daughter bonding takes place. Jerome said he will be racing Trace Van Dyne's No. 5 midget in the July 12 USAC Western Series race at Madera Speedway. His own new No. 25 USAC midget construction is progressing. Michael Pickens, from New Zealand, will race it in the USAC doubleheader at Calistoga August 30-31.It is a Breka chassis built in New Zealand. The NZ firm is owned by the man who bought Esslinger Engineering, of South El Monte. The only other Breka midget chassis in the USA is owned by NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne. Brad Sweet drove it to third place in the November 2013 USAC Turkey Night GP at Perris.
Pomona's Ryan Vargas, 13, is the point leader and winner of all four INEX Bandolero main events this year in his No. 23 on the Irwindale Speedway third-mile oval. He was in the Industry Speedway main grandstand Wednesday with two friends watching speedway bikes racing. They rooted for newcomer pee-wee Gunnar Haggard. ... Industry Speedway races are web-cast live worldwide on the internet at IndustrySpeedway.com starting at 7:15 pm PDT. Persons watching in Europe have replied by e-mail as did watchers in Alaska this week.
Jeff Heywood, a friend of past World Speedway champion Greg Hancock, a Californian, said Greg is the current 2014 World Speedway Bike GP Championship point leader by one point. Greg is the only American on the circuit this year. Jeff is flying to Cardiff, Wales to see Greg race Saturday at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The race will be shown live on the internet (Speedwaygp.com) this Saturday morning. ... Aaron Fox, an Industry Speedway regular in recent seasons, has been racing this year in the British Premier League of 13 teams. His Edinburgh team is in P. 1. He was home in So Cal for a brief visit with family and came to Industry to watch his friends race. Announcer Bruce Flanders asked him if he had tried the Brits famous haggis yet. Aaron replied, “I tried it a couple of times and it's pretty good.” Industry promoter Kelly Inman gave Aaron a speedway bike award for his 2013 Cali speedway bike season.
Booths inside the front gate this week had a new attraction—freshly made milkshakes for $5.00 by staff from Frisco Diner (on Gale Ave. in the City of Industry). Irwindale Speedway had staff in the speedway's booth again this week. A motorcycle insurance booth was present as usual. A rock band played in the front courtyard for early arriving fans to 7:30. Next Wednesday, July 16 will be Bruce Flanders Ugly Hawaiian Shirt Contest Night with trophies for the top three in voting as usual.
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