By: Ryan Evans
Scott Brant wrapped his dominant 2002 regular season at Arrowhead in appropriate fashion by winning both main events Wednesday night.
Danny Perkins held the initial lead in the Handicap Main, but had his hands full with Shaun Harmatiuk who pressured him from the start. Harmatiuk stayed on the back tire of Perkins until he left some room on the inside exiting turn two on the third lap. Harmatiuk took the lead entering turn three, but couldn't breathe easy as Brant was right behind him. Brant worked on Harmatiuk for two laps before going by on the inside on lap five. Brant pulled away from there to win his sixth Arrowhead Handicap Main of the season. Harmatiuk was second, "Cowboy" Bobby Krips finished third, Bobby Schwartz was fourth, Perkins was fifth, and John DeFries was credited with sixth.
Brant, who won the 2002 Arrowhead Season Points Championship, didn't make it easy for his competition in the Scratch Main when he drew the pole. Krips drew gate two, Harmatiuk was in gate three, and Schwartz was on the outside. Schwartz was first out of the gate and trapped the field in turn one. Coming out of turn two Brant was able to squeeze by on the inside and he took the lead as they entered turn three. Brant pulled away and was well on his way to the victory when Harmatiuk and Krips came together on the third lap and both went down hard. Referee Steve Lucero declared the race over and Krips was deemed the cause and credited with fourth. Brant was declared the winner and it was his eighth Arrowhead Scratch Main of the season and fourteenth main event victory at the track overall in 2002. Schwartz was second and Harmatiuk was third.
Steve Nelson and Robert Fiesler were lined up at the tapes in the Second Division Main Event and it was Nelson who took the lead into turn one. Nelson, competing in Second Division for the first time and won his heat race, was pressured by wily veteran Steve Murray. Murray past Nelson exiting turn two on lap two and opened up a big lead. Murray, who returned to speedway last year after sitting out for over a decade, showed his usual smooth style and went on to the victory. Nelson scored an impressive second, Neil Facchini finished third, Billy Braden was fourth, and Fiesler was fifth. Although Rick Valdez finished sixth, he clinched the 2002 Second Division Points Championship, defeating Braden by one point.
Craig Collier, making his first appearance at Arrowhead, jumped into the lead on his two-valve Jawa and quickly opened up ground on the field. Collier was still leading on the third lap when Rusty Hall went down hard in turn four and brought out the red flag. The race was declared over and Collier was credited with the victory, David Moore was second, Hall was third, and Mitch Melott was credited with fourth although he wasn't able to compete after crashing just after the finish line in his heat.
Due to Friday's Junior Nationals in Auburn, several riders chose to sit out to avoid injury or damage, but the two riders who competed were very smooth in all three of their races. Third-generation rider Dario Galvin, son of Costa Mesa referee Bryan Galvin, and grandson of former First Division rider Dave Galvin, won the main event. Jason Ramirez, in just his second week of action was very impressive, however, and showed that he will be a force on the junior scene very soon.
Next week is the final evening of the 2002 Arrowhead season. The Arrowhead Track Championship will feature an all-scratch format for all three divisions.
RESULTS Second Division B Consolation 244 - DeWayne Stark 212 - Steve Dziadus 197 - Kim Stevens 105 - Michael Hernandez (fell) Second Division B Main Event 133 - Craig Collier 132 - David Moore 164 - Rusty Hall 124 - Mitch Melott (fell) Second Division Consolation 182 - Rudy Laurer 30 131 - David Lynch 30 147 - Winston Williams 10 336 - Bill Green 20 (non starter) Second Division Consolation 208 - Geoff Herkner 0 161 - Hector Quevedo 0 228 - Bobby Campbell 30 163 - Rohn Zellner 10 126 - Doug Lupo 0 178 - Eloy Medellin 10 Second Division Main Event 214 - Steve Murray 10 202 - Steve Nelson 0 201 - Neil Facchini 10 117 - Billy Braden 20 106 - Robert Fiesler 0 293 - Rick Valdez 20 (fell, remounted) Junior Speedway 5 - Dario Galvin 20 66 - Jason Ramirez 0 Handicap Main Event 10 - Scott Brant 50 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 20 24 - Bobby Krips 30 11 - Bobby Schwartz 40 89 - Danny Perkins 10 316 - John DeFries 10 (non starter) Scratch Consolation 89 - Danny Perkins 19 - Richard Jones 131 - David Lynch (fell, remounted) 316 - John DeFries (non starter) Scratch Main Event 10 - Scott Brant 11 - Bobby Schwartz 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 24 - Bobby Krips
