CITY OF INDUSTRY, California – What should have been the best night of the season at Industry Speedway ended with the most frightening accident in recent memory and the cancellation of the First Division and Sidecar main events.

The accident occurred on the opening lap of the four-lap Sidecar main event. The throttle on the Sidecar motorcycle of Scott and Sean Driggers apparently stuck wide open as they raced down the back straightaway of the track inside The Grand area at the Industry Hills Expo Center, and at the end of the straightaway the 1,000 cc motorcycle went straight into the 5-foot, wooden retaining wall with a resounding force.

The impact moved the wall and temporarily trapped the two riders, who are uncle and nephew. On-site emergency medical personnel began attending to the Driggers and were joined by personnel from the City of Industry and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Both Scott, of Lake Forest, and Sean, of Las Vegas, were transported to the Los Angeles County-USC trauma center for evaluation. Both reportedly were conscious, but the extent of their injuries, if any, is unknown.

The Sidecar main event was the next-to-last race on the program, to be followed by the First Division scratch main event. Both were cancelled immediately, due to safety concerns and out of respect for the Driggers.

Sean McConnell, of Brea, and Buck Blair, of Huntington Beach, had won the two First Division semifinals and three-time main event winner Ricky Wells, of Yorba Linda, had captured the Last Chance Qualifier prior to the accident.

It was a somber end to what had been the best night of the season for promoter Jeffrey Immediato, who had announced earlier that for the first time in the five-year history of Industry Speedway the rider’s prize money included “overage” – a bonus based on attendance (approximately 900 spectators) that equals about 10 percent of the basic purse.

Immediato, who teamed with former Speedway world champion Bruce Penhall to take over the speedway this season, said the payout came “six months ahead of schedule,” on the 14th night of a 20-night season.

The accident made that seem unimportant, however.

INDUSTRY SPEEDWAY RESULTS

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

FIRST DIVISION

Heat race winners

1. Jason Ramirez, Orange; 2. Shawn McConnell, Brea; 3. Neil Facchini, Riverside; 4. Buck Blair, Huntington Beach; 5. Ricky Wells, Yorba Linda; 6. Eddie Castro, Ojai; 7. Ramirez; 8. Facchini; 9. McConnell.

QUALIFYING POINTS

Points for the 4-rider heats are awarded on the basis of 3 for a heat win, 2 for second, and 1 for third; the top 8 scorers advance to the semifinals:

Facchini 7 (3-1-3); Ramirez 6 (3-0-3); McConnell 6 (3-0-3); Wells 6 (2-3-1); Shaun Harmatiuk Garden Grove, 6 (2-2-2); Castro 5 (0-3-2); Blair 5 (1-3-1); Jimmy Fishback, Rancho Cucamonga, 5 (1-2-2); Bobby Schwartz, Costa Mesa, 4 (1-2-1); Charlie Venegas, San Bernardino, 3 (2-1-0); Russell Green, San Bernardino, 1 (0-1-0); Jon Stasiefski, Reseda, 0.

Last of the Mohicans

1. Blair; 2. Harmatiuk; 3. Stasiefski; 4. Venegas.

First semifinal

1. McConnell; 2. Ramirez; 3. Fishback; 4. Castro.

Second semifinal

1. Blair; 2. Harmatiuk; 3. Wells; 4. Facchini (fell).

Last Chance qualifier

1. Wells; 2. Castro; 3. Fishback; 4. Facchini.

Main event

Cancelled

OTHER MAIN EVENT WINNERS

Sidecars – cancelled.

Second Division – Bryan Buffington, Orange.

Third Division – Chris Thomas, San Bernardino.

Youth – Austin Novratil, Huntington Beach; Rocco Scopellite, Huntington Beach.

PeeWee – Matthew Duffy, Rossmoor.