INDUSTRY, California — Charlie “the Edge” Venegas, of San Bernardino, enjoyed a perfect night racing his JAWA 500cc motorcycle Wednesday at Industry Speedway. The 44-year old past track and California State Champion won all three of his heat races, his semi-final and main event. It was his fourth victory at the track in the 12th of 14 races scheduled for season eight at the Industry Hills Expo Center indoor Grand Arena. He scored the maximum 12 points prior to the feature and then led all four laps from lane one in a five rider field.
Bobby “Boogaloo” Schwartz, who celebrated his 55th birthday with Industry Speedway fans after the races last Wednesday, started second and chased Venegas to the finish line. He trailed by four lengths. Duke Ermolenko placed third, three lengths in back of Schwartz. Point leader Jimmy Fishback received a penalty for touching the starting gate with his front wheel before the start. He could not overcome the ten-yard penalty and finished fourth. Last chance race winner Mike Faria dropped out on the first lap with a flat rear tire.
Carl Gazafy, a 59-year old Lakewood resident, won his second Support Division A main of the season after leading the final two laps. First year racer Chris Casey, 27, won his second consecutive Support B feature. He brought his sons, ages 8 and 5, with him from Auburn to race in the Junior 200cc and pee-wee 50cc divisions. Braydan Galvin, 13, from Corona, led all four laps for his first feature triumph in the Youth 200cc main. Lomita resident Broc Nicol, 13, took the second division Youth 200cc feature. Kurtis Hamill, 12-year old son of past Speedway Cycle champion Billy Hamill, of Carlsbad, won his first Youth Division 250cc feature of the year. Dominic Laney led all the way in a six-rider field of pee-wees on 50cc mini cycles for his first victory this year.
With seven sidecars present, driver Joe Jones used three different sidecar “swingers” after they had raced on other rigs in prior heats. Jones' usual passenger Jimmy Olsen was unable to attend. Veteran Jones drove Casey Driggers and Brandi McElroy in heat races and Missy Driggers in his winning main event performance. It was her first feature victory at Industry.
The night honored Hall of Fame inductee Bruce Penhall, who narrated two heat race video of his1981 Speedway Cycle World Championship runs at Wembley Stadium in London. The videos were shown on the jumbo-tron screens over the infield. Two Wednesday nights remain on the Industry Speedway schedule. Next Wednesday is Harley night with willing Harley-Davidson riders taking to the dirt track for a pair of races. The finale on August 31 will be the much anticipated California State Championship Night with riders coming from various parts of the state to win the prestigious title.
For the second week in a row Lance Jennings brought his No. 4 Maxim sprint car simulator to Industry for fans to sit in the cockpit. He also showed videos of USAC-CRA sprint car racing action, and distributed printed schedules and racing material to speedway cycle fans. Driver Cal Smith was present again to talk about sprint car racing with two-wheel racing fans. He said he plans to have his No. 39 Chevy 410 cu. in. sprinter in action this week. The USAC-CRA sprint car race will be Saturday, August 20 at the Perris Auto Speedway half-mile clay oval south of Riverside. Former USAC-CRA publicist Robert Mayson was in the grandstand for the first time this year giving his 19-month old son Derek his first taste of speedway cycle racing.
