By: Ryan Evans
Scott Brant and Ryan Fisher took home the top honors at Arrowhead Motor Speedway Wednesday Night.
Rudy Laurer held the lead at the start of the Handicap Main and was pressured by Shaun Harmatiuk. Brant, who started from the 40 yard line, quickly dispatched Charlie Cooley and went to work on Harmatiuk. Coming through from the back was Ryan Fisher who found himself behind Brant at the end of the second lap. Entering turn one on the third lap Brant went high while Fisher went low. Fisher and Harmatiuk collided with both going down. Fisher was up quickly, but Harmatiuk was down for couple minutes before rising to his feet. Referee Steve Lucero determined that Harmatiuk was the cause of the stoppage and would start from the back of the field on the restart. The race would restart with four laps remaining.
Laurer remained in front on the restart, but Brant started right behind him and took advantage of his position. Brant went wide into the first turn then crossed underneath Laurer to take the lead on the back straight. Fisher was right behind Brant on the back straight when his carburetor came off forcing him to pull off. Brant ran away from the field the final four laps to capture the Handicap Main in only his second week back after a two year layoff. Dukie Ermolenko finished second, Laurer was third, Cooley was fourth, Harmatiuk was fifth, and Fisher was sixth.
Fisher has dominated the scratch side of the program so far this year and his odds for winning again increased dramatically when he drew the pole for the Scratch Main. Bobby Schwartz was in gate two, Brant was in three, and Eddie Castro was on the outside. Castro's race ended quickly as he was excluded for touching the tapes. Fisher and Schwartz gated together, but Fisher had the inside line and took the lead coming out of turn two. Schwartz tried the outside in turn three but couldn't get around Fisher. Brant moved in close to make it a three-man battle. Fisher was able to extend his lead on the second lap while Schwartz and Brant battled for second. Fisher led to the finish for his third consecutive Arrowhead Scratch Main victory, Schwartz held on to second, Brant was third, and Castro was credited with fourth.
The Second Division Main began with four riders starting at the tapes and three more staggered behind them. Rick Valdez got the best start of the group and took the lead going into turn one. Tomasz Hampel was behind Valdez and within striking distance on the first lap. Valdez pulled away from Hampel on the second lap and was very smooth the rest of the way to take the victory. Hampel finished second, Frank Pecce was third, Brent Smith was fourth, Eloy Medellin was fifth, Philip Williams was sixth, and Shane Kump was seventh.
Steve Nelson got a tremendous start from gate three and had a big lead on the first lap of the Second Division B Main Event. Nelson extended his lead with every lap and ran away with his first main event victory. Jeremiah LeBlanc was second, Kim Stevens was third, and Steve Dziadus was fourth.
RESULTS Second Division B Consolation (scratch) 227 - Mark Robertson 222 - Tim Marsh 350 - Kodiak Calkin (fell) Second Division B Main Event 202 - Steve Nelson 137 - Jeremiah LeBlanc 197 - Kim Stevens 212 - Steve Dziadus Second Division Main Event 293 - Rick Valdez 0 174 - Tomasz Hampel 0 234 - Frank Pecce 20 103 - Brent Smith 0 178 - Eloy Medellin 0 (started on the 10) 239 - Philip Williams 10 228 - Shane Kump 0 (fell) Handicap Main Event 10 - Scott Brant 40 15 - Dukie Ermolenko 50 182 - Rudy Laurer 0 16 - Charlie Cooley 20 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 10 36 - Ryan Fisher 60 (retired) Scratch Consolation 15 - Dukie Ermolenko 23 - Mark Adams 223 - Bobby Krips 316 - John DeFries Scratch Main Event 36 - Ryan Fisher 11 - Bobby Schwartz 10 - Scott Brant 14 - Eddie Castro (tape exclusion)
