INDUSTRY, California — The finish of the 500-cc USA Speedway Cycle Division 1 main event in front of 900+ spectators Wednesday at Industry Speedway was so close on the final regular season night that the result was a split decision. Ricky Wells and Mike Faria, from Reno, NV, both thought they had won. They returned to the finish line after the lap 4 checkered flag to accept the checkered flag for the customary victory lap. The two official scorers huddled and saw the finish differently. One scorer had Wells the overtaking victor and one scorer had Faria holding on to a slim victory. Announcer Bruce Flanders said, "the tie-breaker is Sarge", the referee who stood above the finish line. He named Wells the winner, so the 17-year old from Yorba Linda took the victory lap and collected $740, including his share of the 50/50 raffle money. It was his sixth victory this season in the 19th race date of the 20 week season at Industry.
The D-1 feature finish wasn't the only excitement. The start of the five-wide field had fourth starter Wells shoot into the lead. Three riders—Shawn McConnell, Faria and Bobby Schwartz—were side-by-side and came together, causing all three veterans to fall hard in the second turn. They remained on the ground for several minutes before rising and remounting for the complete restart. McConnell had to use his backup cycle. On the original start second place Shaun Harmatiuk also fell in turn three as he tried to take the lead. Wells was the only rider to complete the opening lap. After a five-minute delay, all five riders assumed their original positions at the starting gate with no penalties assessed. Harmatiuk was in the first lane, with Faria, McConnell, Wells and Schwartz to his right.
Faria led the first three laps over Wells, Harmatiuk and McConnell in a tight four-rider pack. Coming off turn four on the final lap Faria took a quick look for Wells, who shot past him by a few inches at the finish line. Harmatiuk and McConnell followed closely in third and fourth with fifth place Schwartz slowing a bit on the final lap. Nine-time 2008 feature winner Charlie Venegas did not transfer to the feature from either his semi-final race or the last chance race. McConnell became the 2008 track points champion when he made the feature. He also won Saturday night at Costa Mesa Speedway to continue his summer hot-streak that included two victories and the King of Speedway title in New York.
In other main events, Marvin Sonnier, from Bakersfield, won his first Division 2 main. Danny Baker, of Covina, captured another 500-cc Division 3 trophy for novice riders. First-time D-3 rider Tyson Burmeister, a 24-year old motocross racer, won his first two heat races easily and was pressing Baker for the D-3 main event lead on lap 2 when he slid to the dirt in the first turn. He remounted quickly in third place and was back in second by turn three on the same lap. He trailed Baker at the checkers and pounded his fist aboard his cycle knowing he missed his chance for a perfect night in his speedway cycle debut. Austin Novratil, a 13-year old Huntington Beach resident, won the four-rider youth (under 16) main on his 250-cc cycle. River McDougal, of Bakersfield, also led all four laps in the other youth main. Nicky Reimer won the pee-wee class 50-cc mini cycle main.
With a season-high six 1,000-cc motorcycle and sidecar teams present, the field was divided into a pair of three-team heats. Sidecar teams race in a clockwise direction as opposed to the counter-clockwise direction used by speedway cycles. Bob Brayton and his sidecar "swinger" Dwayne King took the first main. Stuart Glass, from Auckland, new Zealand, and his sidecar passenger Jack Straw won the second three-team, four-lap sidecar main. It was the first appearance for both winning teams at Industry Speedway.
The evening was billed as "Harley Night" and 17 street-legal Harleys took to the track for parade laps following the second round of heat races. Five of the 17 Harley riders remained on the track for a spirited "race". Harley riders included Jerry Laidlaw, owner of Laidlaw Harley-Davidson in Baldwin Park, and D-1 rider Jimmy Fishback, who won the 4-lap Harley heat. The same Harley riders ran a 4-lap main shortly before the D-1 feature. Promoter Jeff Immediato moved Fishback to the mid-backstretch as a handicap. Laidlaw finished second and Fishback was a closing third place in the Harley main. Next Wednesday (September 20) will be the 33rd running of the AMA California State Speedway Cycle Championship. Josh Larsen won the race at Industry in 2006 and Venegas won last year in the only State Championship races held at the five-year old Industry track. The largest purse of the season and many top competitors who do not compete weekly at Industry are expected to compete in the 2008 Industry Speedway season closing event.
