Janniro Tops Hamill in Thriller at Industry Speedway
By noderel:
Industry, CA., Aug. 21 – WOW! That's what track announcer Bruce Flanders and many of 800+ spectators at Industry Speedway said Wednesday night after witnessing the most exciting 500cc Division 1 speedway motorcycle feature of the season. In a battle with the only two riders who have won D-1 500cc speedway bike races at the track this season, northern California sensation Billy Janniro came, saw and conquered the Grand Arena regulars. His first triumph of 2013 at Industry came in week 13 of the 14 scheduled Wednesday night races at the indoor dirt track. Janniro traveled south from his home near Sacramento to prepare for the prestigious California State Speedway Championship 500cc Division I event at Industry next Wednesday, August 28.
Only two riders have won Division 1 features during the 12 prior weeks in the tenth season of racing at Industry. Billy Hamill won seven and Charlie Venegas won five and both were in the main event Saturday. Hamill scored a perfect nine points by winning his three heat races, including a round three close victory over second place Janniro. Tyson Burmeister also scored nine points. Janniro scored eight points and had second lane choice for the main after Hamill selected the inside lane. The northerner picked lane two to start next to Hamill. Venegas and Burmeister finished second to semi-final winners Hamill and Janniro to complete the most competitive and anticipated Industry feature lineup this year.
When the starting gate lifted Hamill shot into the first turn and grabbed the lead. Janniro went to the outside and was third entering the second turn. He powered past Venegas and Hamill exiting turn two and took the lead at tremendous speed and had a narrow lead entering the third turn. Janniro kept the throttle wide open and rode the outside in the third and fourth corners to a narrow lead. He continued to lead on the outside as Hamill fought back on the inside for the entire four laps. Hamill made a thrilling dash to the inside from turn four to the inside of Janniro as they neared the waving checkered flag. Hamill fell one length short of winning Third place Venegas was two lengths in back of Hamill; Burmeister trailed in fourth.
Fans stood and cheered the “battling Billys”. Happy Janniro took a victory lap with the checkered flag and performed celebratory wheelies on the front straight for the amazed spectators who realized they had just witnessed the most exciting feature of the season. Janniro posed for photos on the podium in the infield with winners of all other division main events. Later, he pronounced himself ready for the August 28 California State Championship next Wednesday. Gino Manzares won the 500cc D-1 consolation race over Buck Blair and Shawn McConnell. Aaron Fox did not start.
WILD CRASH: The 500cc D-2 main event had one of the most sensational crashes in the ten year history of racing in The Grand. On lap 1 in the first turn Danny Baker and Harold Hartke collided and fell together. They remounted for a complete restart. On lap 2, third place Baker got sideways on the front straight, over-corrected and fell near the starting line. Fourth place Kevin Fife quickly hit Baker's downed bike. Fife and his bike launched high in the air and almost hit the top of the metal starting gate apparatus. He held onto his airborne bike as it crossed the line and landed hard against the front straight plywood crash-wall. He remained on the ground for several minutes and eventually declined medical assistance. He walked to the pits with his helmet showing cracks in two places. Chris Jones led all four laps over Hartke and won his second D-2 main of 2013. He also won 2013 main events in the sidecar and D-3 divisions. Jones posed on the podium with his two young daughters proudly standing alongside.
The 500cc D-3 main for newer riders was another amazing race. After she won her two five-rider, five-lap heat races, Pam “Pinky” Bennett led all five laps on her own Weslake motorcycle. The blond, heavily tattooed 52-year old mother of six and grandmother of five grandsons led all five laps of the D-3 feature. She wore white and pink leathers as usual in only her fourth race this year. She said it was her first main event victory in more than 30 years. She raced 500cc bikes from 1975-82 up to the intermediate D-2 level. Past Industry 2013 D-3 winners “Rev” Wade Whitcomb and Steve “Beachball” Brown followed closely. Dave Troutt was a close third when he fell on the final lap in turn four and did not finish.
JUNIORS: Broc Nicol, 15, led all four laps in the Junior Division 250cc main. The Lomita resident finished second in the Junior 250cc Silver Cup Championship at Industry Saturday afternoon. Kurtis Hamill, 14, Dalton Leedy, 15, and Hayley Perrault, 16, followed closely. The Mini 150cc first division five-lap main went to Sebastian “Big Daddy” Palmese, 10, for his 11th Industry feature victory this year. He also won the 150cc D-1 Silver Cup Championship last Saturday. Palmese started 40-yards from the gate Wednesday and took the lead on lap 3. Gino Scopellite, the first two laps front-runner, trailed in second by several lengths. Courtney Crone, 12, also started 40-yards from the gate and fell during lap 2. She remounted and placed third, almost a lap behind the winner.
The Mini 150cc second division five lap race for newer 150 riders also had two leaders. Slater Lightfoot, 8, passed Londoner Sam Hagon, 9, on lap 2 and beat Tristan Britt, Jake Issac, Hagon and Luke Whitcomb, the six-time 2013 pee-wee division winner at Industry. It was the 7-year old Whitcomb's first night on a brand new 150cc bike. In the seven-rider, 5-lap 50cc pee-wee feature all riders started at the gate. Andrew Russell, 8, from San Pedro, won with Jake Troutt second. He led every lap after a restart caused when two riders fell together in turn two on the opening lap.
NOTES: There were three riders injured last Wednesday at Industry. D-3 riders Rick Howard was released from LA County-USC Medical Center the same evening after medical tests. He had sore ribs, a headache, and likely a minor concussion. Tony De Almeida suffered a broken forearm in the same crash. Rocco Scopellite fell and aggravated a prior shoulder injury and did not race this week. .... The 50/50 drawing total this week was $974. The lucky spectator with the winning ticket received half ($487) and the other half went to the riders. ... D-1 rider Andy (No. 45e) Crawford relocated from Applachia, N.Y to So Cal and is seeking work as a body and fender repairman. Maybe Haddick's Towing/Body Shop could hire him. Andy scored his first point at Industry August 21 by finished third in his round three heat race.
Two special events were held Wednesday night. Junior 250cc rider Broc Nicol won a two-lap race on a bicycle with three fans leaving the grandstand to ride the other three bicycles. One of the fans fell on the second lap. Broc had a big lead after lap 1 and let the runner-up catch up a bit before he crossed the finish line. Currently injured D-1 rider Michael Raines won the bicycle race last season. ... Industry Speedway's expert track preparer/tractor driver Jose Salazar wanted to take a sidecar ride. Joe Jones brought out his frequent winner No. 1 sidecar, powered by a 1,000 Yamaha. Following one slow lap in which Jones explained what Jose's role was as the swing-man, Jones ran about six hots laps at regular race speed. Salazar performed flawlessly and enjoyed the experience. Many in the crowd gave him a standing ovation. That's one less item on his bucket list.