By: Ryan Evans
After winning the Handicap Main the last two weeks, Scott Brant finally won the Scratch Main Wednesday night at Arrowhead Motor Speedway.
Brant, who started from gate two and Gary Hicks, who came from gate four, entered turn one evenly. Hicks appeared to have the advantage as they exited turn two, but Brant took the lead on the back straight. Hicks tried to get back under Brant in turn three, but his attempt was denied. Brant led after lap one and would never surrender the lead as he cruised to the victory. Hicks held on to second, "Fast" Eddie Castro finished third, and "Cowboy" Bobby Krips was fourth.
18 year old Shaun Harmatiuk has been close to winning Handicap Mains at Costa Mesa this year but hasn't led the all-important last lap. Things were different Wednesday as he led all six laps of the Handicap Main at Arrowhead to capture his first main event victory in First Division. Harmatiuk started from the 10 and was never seriously threatened while he put together a solid and smooth six laps for the victory. Castro fought through traffic to finish second, John DeFries was third, Brant was fourth, Bobby Schwartz finished fifth, and Krips was sixth.
Three men started at the front of the Second Division Main Event. Billy Braden beat Eloy Medellin and Tom Rossano to turn one and pulled away to a big lead. Rudy Laurer swiftly moved through traffic after starting on the 30 and seemed destined to catch Braden. Laurer got close to Braden several times, but he couldn't quite get past him and Braden held on for the win. Laurer settled for second, Medellin was third, last week's winner, Terry McCurdy, finished fourth, Rossano was fifth, and Randy Kreps finished sixth.
The Second Division B Main Event took three starts after two spectacular pileups ended the first two attempts. On the the third start, Rich Brock, who won the main event on Saturday at Costa Mesa, broke away from the pack and established a sizable lead. Brock couldn't hold the lead as he fell in turn three on the second lap. Steve Murray, who returned to speedway last year after about 15 years away from the sport, assumed the lead and led all the way to the checkered flag. Rohn Zellner finished second, Steve Nelson was third, Neil Facchini was fourth, Brock was credited with fifth, and Rusty Hall was credited with sixth after suffering broken machinery on the second start.
RESULTS Second Division B Consolation 108 - Mike Hernandez 0 209 - Greg Vandemore 10 208 - Geoff Herkner 10 155 - Kevin Templeton 0 105 - Michael Hernandez 0 (fell) 350 - Kodiak Calkin 0 (non starter) Second Division B Main Event (restarted twice) 214 - Steve Murray 10 163 - Rohn Zellner 10 202 - Steve Nelson 0 201 - Neil Facchini 10 (penalty line) (fell) 138 - Rich Brock 0 (fell) 164 - Rusty Hall 0 (non starter - restart) Second Division Consolation 45c - Chuck Johansen 20 112 - Bryan Baichtal 0 125 - Johnny Lupo 10 123 - Chad Newlee 20 *started on the 40 118 - Scott Tidwell 0 *started on the 40 126 - Doug Lupo 0 *started on the 30 174 - Tomasz Hampel 10 (non starter) 293 - Rick Valdez 10 (non starter) Second Division Main Event 117 - Billy Braden 0 182 - Rudy Laurer 30 178 - Eloy Medellin 0 158 - Terry McCurdy 30 296 - Tom Rossano 0 165 - Randy Kreps 10 Handicap Main Event 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 10 14 - Eddie Castro 50 316 - John DeFries 20 10 - Scott Brant 60 11 - Bobby Schwartz 40 223 - Bobby Krips 20 Scratch Consolation 11 - Bobby Schwartz 316 - John DeFries 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk (fell, remounted) 19 - Richard Jones (fell) Scratch Main Event 10 - Scott Brant 3 - Gary Hicks 14 - Eddie Castro 223 - Bobby Krips
