2004 North America Speedway History
Southern California

2004 Northern California - 2004 AMA Reports

ALYSSA KRIPS

November 17, 2004
Tragedy has struck the speedway family. Southern California rider Bobby "The Cowboy" Krips, and his wife, Dolores, have suffered a great loss with the death of their nine year old daughter, Alyssa.
The following will be held at 11500 Arlington Avenue Riverside, CA 92509 - Dignity Memorial
Thursday 11/18/04 - 4:00 pm-8:00 PM - Viewing
Friday 11/19/04 - 11:00 am - Viewing, Service, Burial
Following the services on Friday everybody is welcome to come to Bobby and Delores's home at 8994 65th Street in Riverside, CA 92509 for a celebration of Alyssa's life. This event will be catered.
Any donations can be forwarded in two ways:
All checks made payable to Kristen D. Price and sent to 9780 Manitoba Place, Riverside, CA 92503 or cash
or Send checks made payable to Kristen D. Price - Altura Credit Union, P.O. Box 908, Riverside, CA 92502 Accnt: 2165671-01 - Side Share Alyssa.
Wire transfers go into Account # 2165671-01 Routing # 322281235 - Side Share Alyssa
Anyone who wishes to purchase flowers, please send your order through Conroy's Florist at 5300 Arlington Avenue, Riverside, CA 92504. Or call 951-688-8521 - When calling ask to speak to Dawn Facchinni, if possible. If she is not available, please state that the flower arrangements are for the Alyssa Krips funeral.
If you have any questions please call Kristen at 909-518-8520. We thank you in advance for all the kindness you have shown.

SCOTT BRANT RETIRES

August 24, 2004
SRA National Champion Scott Brant shocked speedway fans by announcing his retirement from racing. Brant, who has competed as a junior and professional for over 20 years, confirmed the whispers that had been circling the pits last week by releasing a statement on Monday. In that statement, Brant thanked his fans, family, sponsors, and friends for their support throughout his career and stated that his heart just wasn't in racing anymore. In addition to winning the National Championship last year, Brant has won the Jack Milne Cup twice, the Arrowhead Season Points Championship, the Bruce Penhall Classic, and most recently, the 2004 Ken Maely Cup.

2004 AMA NATIONAL ROUND 2

July 5, 2004
Wheel2Wheel Raceway will host Round 2 of the AMA National Championship Series on Saturday, August 7. The biggest speedway event ever staged in Victorville will have 1997 World Champion, and current National Champion, Greg Hancock defending his crown against 21 of America's best speedway racers.
Among those trying to take Hancock's crown will be 1996 World Champion Billy "The Bullet" Hamill, three-time National Champion "Flyin" Mike Faria, current SRA National Champion Scott Brant, Northern California Champion Bobby "The Blaze" Hedden, and former National Champions Chris Manchester, Bart Bast, and Charlie "The Edge" Venegas. Returning from Europe to compete are two of America's young stars, Ryan Fisher and Billy Janniro.
Victorville has hosted several big events in the past, including National Championship Qualifier Rounds, Track Championships, and last year's Under 21 Championship, but nothing of the magnitude of this event.
Howie Zechner of RAZ Video and Auburn promoter Dave Joiner have collaborated to bring an AMA National Championship round back to Southern California and are certain that the event will be successful and that Southern California will stage National rounds in the future as well.

July 5, 2004
Southern California will have a new speedway venue when The Grand at the Industry Hills Events Center hosts its first speedway event on Wednesday, August 11. Freddie Orosco of Sweet International will be promoting four AMA Sanctioned events at the arena during the month of August. Orosco is confident that the success of the four events will show that there is enough interest from riders and fans to promote future events at the venue on a regular basis.
This will be the first speedway event held in the San Gabriel Valley since the original Irwindale Speedway was closed after the 1977 season. The event has already sparked interest thanks to two articles in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and a booth at last week's car races at Irwindale Speedway. Response has been plentiful and positive.
The Grand is less than five years old and is a very plush venue originally built to host equestrian events. It is a covered arena that can seat over 5,000 people with a state-of-the-art P.A. audio system, wireless microphone system, and a four-sided scoreboard that has video screens. The arena's location and technological features should make it an attractive and popular facility to riders and fans.
The Industry Hills Events Center is located at 16000 Temple Avenue, just north of the 60 Freeway off the Azusa Avenue exit. Riders and fans seeking information can call (909) 681-4911 , (909) 323-8625, or (714) 952-8580.

JAY GIANETTI BENEFIT RACE

April 5
We are holding a benefit race for Jay Gianetti on Sunday April 25 2004, at Maelys Ranch. We do not have all the details locked down as of yet but please hold that date open. EVERYONE is welcome- all levels all ages. Spectators encouraged and welcome as well. We will have as many classes as you have bikes. We will have play day events as well as races. Prizes for winners -but nothing huge as this is a charity event. We are looking for sponsors and helpers for the event so please contact me if you are available or have any ideas. If anyone has anything they would like to donate for raffle and/or auction please let me know. All proceeds will go to help Jay with his hospital/medical expenses. Please help spread the word to anyone and everyone. I will try to have flyers passed out at the spring classic with all the final information as well as posting all info on this message board. I will keep posting updates as I get all info.
Thanks,
Shawn McConnell

JAY GIANETTI

March 29
The following message was sent by Shawn McConnell:
Just got back from visiting my good friend Jay Gianetti at the hospital. He underwent brain surgery today to remove a cancerous brain tumor. The tumor was located in the section of the brain affecting his speech and motor skills. The next 24 hours are crucial to his recovery. Any of you who remember him riding during the late 80's-early 90's will recall what an exciting rider he was.... always riding the outside. I would love take him some messages of well wishes, so if anyone would like to post any thoughts they'd like to share with him -I will print them and take them over to him right away. He would really appreciate them and they would lift his spirits immensely. As of this evening he could speak but is still under anesthesia. Surgery went better than expected and we pray that the surgeons were able to remove all of it as it is a very fast growing cancer.
Please keep him in your prayers (as well as his family- he has two sons age 11 and 14).
Thank you for your thoughts, time, and prayers,
Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell

March 30
Update on Jay Gianetti:
Jay is out of the hospital and now at home. He still has numbness in the left side of his face and left arm. Doctors are still uncertain as to whether or not they got all of the cancer. He will be starting radiation and chemo soon. His spirits are good and he has really enjoyed the messages sent and thanks all of you for your thoughts and prayers. I am still taking them to him if anyone would like to send a message to him. Financial situation is not the best since he hasn't been - and is still unable to work. ( he also has no medical insurance) We are working on getting a fund raiser going to help him out and will let everyone know when we get the details arranged for anyone who would like to help out in anyway.
Thank you,
Mad Dog

AMERICANS IN EUROPE

March 12
There will be nine Americans competing in Europe this year as two of our young stars have left to cut their teeth in England. The following is a list of who is racing in Europe and the teams they will be racing for. Six of them call Southern California home when they aren't living abroad, but the other three have spent considerable time racing in Southern California.
#1 - Greg Hancock: Oxford (England), Rospiggarna (Sweden), Wroclaw (Poland)
#2 - Josh Larsen: Arena Essex (England)
#7 - Eric Carrillo: Wolverhampton (England)
#8 - Bryan Yarrow: Coventry (England)
#13 - Sam Ermolenko: Wolverhampton (England), Pachim (Germany)
#14 - Billy Janniro: Coventry (England), Smederna (Sweden)
#21 - Brent Werner: Rye House (England)
#36 - Ryan Fisher: Oxford (England)
#104 - Billy Hamill: Smederna (Sweden), Grudziadz (Poland), Pachim (Germany), Lonigo (Italy)

2004 BILLY HAMILL GUMBALL RALLY

January 21
The 2004 Billy Hamill Gumball Rally will be held Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22 at Maely's Ranch in Corona, California. This is one of the biggest events on the youth speedway calendar and attracted a lot of interest last year.
That interest spans internationally this year as Simon Gustafsson and Linus Eklöv are traveling from Sweden to compete in the event. Gustafsson, the son of former Speedway Grand Prix rider Henka Gustafsson, is the current 80cc Swedish National Champion and finished third in the Youth World Championship last year. Eklöv competes for the youth team at Smederna, Hamill's Swedish team. They will battle defending Gumball Rally Champion Ricky Wells, last year's runner-up Tim Gomez, and other top youth riders from California.
Hamill, the 1996 World Champion and three-time National Champion, resurrected the event last year because it has fond memories for him. His first competitive speedway race was the first Gumball Rally at Maely's Ranch in 1983. The trophy that day was an authentic Gumball machine filled with gumballs. Billy has stated that he really wanted to win that trophy and was disappointed that he didn't. This year's event will have gumball machines for trophies.
Saturday will be an all-day training day with Hamill beginning at 8:00 a.m. and Sunday will be the coveted Gumball Rally race which will begin at noon. The training day and the race are open to youth speedway riders competing on two-stroke or four-stroke machines. The cost is $150.00 per rider, which includes training from Hamill, track fees for both days, and race entry. All speedway riders must attend both days. PW50 riders welcome to compete on Sunday and the cost is $15.00.
Spaces are limited and filling fast. Interested riders should contact Trish Wells via telephone at (714)695-0048 or via e-mail at kiwicovers@aol.com