INDUSTRY, California — Mike Faria enjoyed a perfect 16-point night and won his first Speedway Cycle Division 1 500cc feature this season at Industry Speedway late Wednesday night. The former Reno resident and champion at Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn, relocated to Corona this year for employment. He attributed his best result at “The Grand” of Industry Hills Expo Center since he won the three opening races of 2008 to a newly rebuilt motor. As high-point rider after his three heat races and semi-final race, Faria selected pole position in the five rider wide field. The starting gate mechanism was not working so officials used a cord stretched across the track and green flag starting procedure. Faria shot into the lead entering the first turn and led all four laps in a close duel with second slot starter Jimmy Fishback, who trailed by a length at the end. Shawn McConnell, last chance race winner Charlie Venegas and Buck Blair followed.
Gerard Jackson and his sidecar rider Dave German led all four laps in a four-team sidecar race for their third victory in 12 races. Kyle Hicks, 17-year old son of August 5 Division 1 feature winner Gary Hicks, was in front all four laps of the 500cc Division 2 main in a four rider field. It was his first D-2 trophy this year. No Division 3 races were run this week.
Rocco Scopellite, 13, of Huntington Beach, led all the way in a four-rider Junior Division main for his fifth Industry win this season. Hayley Perrault, 12, from San Juan Capistrano, won her second Junior 200cc main in a four-rider field. The 50cc Pee-Wee Division had two main events for newer and then more experienced riders. First-time winner Nick Varner, 9, of Riverside, started half a lap from the starting gate and led the third and fourth laps to defeat his two younger rivals. In the more experienced main, Jacob Wondolowski, 7, from Placentia, passed laps 1 and 2 leader Nicky Reime on lap 3. He beat frequent winner Reimer to the lap 4 checkered flag by five yards for his third feature triumph this year.
The evening also had two heat races and a 4-lap main on the dirt oval for ATV Quads that usually race on desert courses. Four quads competed and the same rider (Tory) won all three races despite starting 20-yards from the gate after his first victory. Two USAC Ford Focus Midgets—yellow No. 8 driven by owner/driver Wally Pankratz and blue No. 37 driven by veteran speedway cycle star Shawn McConnell—ran three sessions of hot laps. Pankratz “won” each five-lap session by a straightaway. Jerome Rodela, a two-time USAC Western Midget Series driving champion, and USAC-CRA 2004 sprint car champion Rip Williams were present to watch their friend Pankratz exercise his two Ford Focus Midgets.
