By: Ryan Evans
Kitt Nay rode eight flawless laps and led from start to finish to earn his first Handicap Main Event victory at Costa Mesa Saturday Night.
Nay started alongside Robbie Sauer on the 20 yard line while the rest of the eight-man field started on the 40 and 50 yard lines. Nay beat Sauer to turn one and took the lead on the first lap. While Nay comfortably held the lead through lap one, Sauer felt the pressure from the back yardage riders. Shawn McConnell got by Sauer on the second lap and set his sights on Nay. McConnell, returning to action after sufferering a broken ankle several weeks ago at San Bernardino, closed the gap between he and Nay and was on his back tire at the end of lap four. McConnell did everything he could to take the lead, but Nay was able to withstand everything he tried. McConnell made one last attempt on the final lap, but Nay held him back and was the first to the checkered flag. Dukie Ermolenko was third, Josh Larsen was fourth, and Ryan Fisher was fifth.
The victory had to be gratifying for Nay as he has held the lead in the Handicap Main on two separate occasions this year only to have bad luck take it away from him, the most recent of which was a broken chain while leading comfortably on lap five two weeks ago. The quiet rider drives several hours each Saturday to compete at Costa Mesa and his dedication was finally rewarded with his hard-earned victory.
Fisher and Ermolenko gated together in the Scratch Main and had a great inside-outside battle before the red flag was thrown because Larsen and Gary Hicks came together in turn one causing Hicks to fall. The referee declared that there would be a full restart.
The second opportunity benefitted three-time U.S. National Champion "Flyin" Mike Faria as he made an excellent trap from the outside to take the lead entering turn one. Fisher, who came from the pole, was second but never got close to Faria who simply ran away with his fourth Costa Mesa Scratch Main of the year. Fisher held on to second, Ermolenko was third, Larsen was fourth, and Hicks was fifth.
David Lynch got a good start and took the lead of the Support Main Event as the field exited turn two. Bentley Barrett and Jeff Blaydes immediately tried to challenge Lynch for the lead. Lynch managed to put some distance between himself and the other two riders, leaving them to battle for second place. Lynch was a comfortable winner, with Barrett holding off Blaydes for second, Paul Hitchcock was fourth, and Rudy Laurer was fifth.
Jeremiah LeBlanc got the jump on the rest of the field and led the Support B Main Event on the first lap. LeBlanc found trouble in turn one on the second lap and fell. Mike Lewis took over the lead and looked like he was going to win his second main event of the year. As he took the white flag Scott Tidwell made an attempt for the lead. The two riders made contact entering turn one with Tidwell taking the lead and holding it throughout the last lap for the victory. Lewis finished second, Billy Braden was third, Kim Stevens was fourth, LeBlanc was fifth, and Mike Gannon was sixth.
Destin Cantrell took the early lead in the Junior Main and rode four smooth laps to get the win. In his debut, Troy McConnell, Shawn McConnell's son, finished second, Ricky Wells was third, Skyler Greyson was fourth, and Krystal Cramer was fifth.
Next week is the annual Coors Light 25 Lap Classic. The program will have a scratch format to determine the 14-man main event for the longest race of the season. The Support Division will feature a 12-man 12-lap main event as well.
The event will feature four past winners, with Bobby Schwartz (1990 at Glen Helen), Chris Manchester (1991-92), Gary Hicks (1994), and Shawn McConnell (1998) scheduled to be on the program. Last year's winner, Charlie Venegas, will be unable to defend his crown because of a broken leg suffered in an ice race over the winter.
RESULTS Support B Consolation 103 - Brent Smith 20 163 - Rohn Zellner 20 310 - K.G. Fairbarn 10 145 - Wesley Mounts 10 (fell) Support B Main Event 118 - Scott Tidwell 20 205 - Mike Lewis 20 117 - Billy Braden 20 197 - Kim Stevens 10 137 - Jeremiah LeBlanc 10 (fell, remounted) 277 - Mike Gannon 10 (retired) Support Consolation 220 - Danny Holt 239 - Philip Williams 174 - Tomasz Hampel 100 - Phil Harmatiuk Support Main Event 131 - David Lynch 300 - Bentley Barrett 173 - Jeff Blaydes 114 - Paul Hitchcock (fell, remounted) 182 - Rudy Laurer (fell) Junior Main Event 34 - Destin Cantrell 10 39 - Troy McConnell 10 142 - Ricky Wells 20 2 - Skyler Greyson 40 27 - Krystal Cramer 30 3 - Justin Boyle 40 (non starter) Handicap Main Event 216 - Kitt Nay 20 6 - Shawn McConnell 40 15 - Dukie Ermolenko 40 4 - Josh Larsen 50 36 - Ryan Fisher 50 166 - Andy Northrup 40 9 - Mike Faria 50 17 - Robbie Sauer 20 Scratch Main Event (restarted) 9 - Mike Faria 36 - Ryan Fisher 15 - Dukie Ermolenko 4 - Josh Larsen 3 - Gary Hicks
