Arrowhead Motor Speedway
San Bernardino, California

2001 Arrowhead
Arrowhead Speedway
August 15. 2001
From Ryan Evans

Ryan Fisher won his third Scratch Main in four weeks at Arrowhead Motor Speedway in San Bernardino Wednesday Night.

Bobby Schwartz drew the pole for the final race of the night, while Fisher drew gate two, Dukie Ermolenko was in three, and Eddie Castro was on the outside. Schwartz had his race end early when his bike stopped at the line due to an ignition problem. Fisher was away first with Castro right on his tail throughout lap one. Fisher wasn't going to let "Fast Eddie" get too close, though, and pulled away for his fifth Arrowhead Scratch Main of the season. Castro finished second, Ermolenko was third, and Schwartz was fourth.

The Handicap Main took two restarts two complete as the riders struggled to stay upright on the first two attempts. The first attempt ended on the second lap when Eddie Castro and Mark Adams came together in turn three and fell. Adams was deemed the cause and was forced to start from the penalty line. On the second attempt "Cowboy" Bobby Krips fell down and Ermolenko was forced to lay his bike down which brought out the red flag.

Krips led the third attempt from his 20 yard position and was looking put some ground between himself and the back yardage riders. Castro began to put pressure on Krips on the second lap and took the lead as they entered turn one on lap three. Castro then opened up a large lead to take his third Arrowhead Handicap Main of the season. Randy DiFrancesco passed Krips to take second, while Krips narrowly took third ahead of Ermolenko. Adams finished fifth and last week's winner, Jim Estes, finished sixth.

The Second Division Main Event provided the some excellent action as Tomasz Hampel and Shane Kump battled back and forth for the lead for a lap and a half before Kump fell in turn three which forced the riders behind him to take evasive action. Unfortunately, for Northern California's Jonathan Curry, that evasive action involved sliding under the fence in turn four. Curry was up after taking a minute to catch his breath and, much to the crowd's delight, he was able to restart. Kump would restart from the penalty line.

Hampel took control of the lead and the Polish rider was looking very smooth at the front. Matt Browne, a Northern California rider who made the long trek with Curry, was making a charge to the front and occupied second on lap three. Browne went to the outside, but Hampel put up a fight throughout the fourth lap. Browne was finally able to secure the lead as the riders took the white flag and held on to take his second Arrowhead victory of the year. Hampel finished second, Curry finished third, Brent Smith was fourth, Kump was fifth, and Frank Pecce was sixth.

Second Division B used a scratch format and Scott Tidwell showed that the format was much to his liking as he dominated his heat as well as the main event to capture his second win of the season. Steve Nelson finished second, Mike Boyle finished third, and Steve Dziadus was fourth.

Justin Boyle and Northern California's Greg Hooten, Jr. put on a great race in the first of their three junior races as they battle before Boyle took the victory. The two riders were set to put on another great battle before Hooten broke a chain on the second lap. Boyle was the victor in the third race when Hooten fell on the first lap.

Just as he did last week, track promoter and defending National Champion Charlie Venegas took some laps on the track during the junior races after starting well behind them. Venegas is looking more fit with every lap, but has not pinpointed an exact return date, although he is planning on defending his title.

Next week will bring two very significant guests to Arrowhead. 1996 World Champion Billy Hamill will make his first appearance at the track. This will be Hamill's first appearance in Southern California in several years and he is looking forward to putting on a show for his hometown fans. Hamill is one of a handful of active riders who competed at the original San Bernardino track which closed in 1987.

Also making an appearance next week is Polish rider Bartlomiej "Bartek" Bardecki. Bardecki is in the United States for four weeks and has made an impressive showing at Auburn the past two weeks. After riding at Auburn this Friday, Bardecki will travel to Costa Mesa for Saturday's race, then stay in Southern California and compete at Arrowhead on Wednesday. Bardecki rides for Czestochowa in the Polish Extra League.

RESULTS

Juniors
  3 - Justin Boyle
 12n - Greg Hooten, Jr.

Second Division B Consolation (scratch)
197 - Kim Stevens
137 - Jeremiah LeBlanc
171 - Kenny Montague
350 - Kodiak Calkin

Second Division B Main Event (scratch)
118 - Scott Tidwell
202 - Steve Nelson
198 - Mike Boyle
212 - Steve Dziadus  (fell, remounted)

Second Division Consolation
293 - Rick Valdez               0
239 - Philip Williams          10
165 - Randy Kreps              10
117 - Billy Braden             20
127 - Tom Norris               10  (retired)
147 - Winston Williams         10

Second Division Main Event   (restarted)
211n - Matt Browne             30
174 - Tomasz Hampel             0
 31n - Jonathan Curry         30
103 - Brent Smith               0
228 - Shane Kump                0  (penalty line)
234 - Frank Pecce              20  (retired)

Handicap Main Event      (restarted)
 14 - Eddie Castro             40
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco        40
223 - Bobby Krips              20
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko          50
 23 - Mark Adams               30
 56 - Jim Estes                40  (retired)

Scratch Consolation
 56 - Jim Estes
223 - Bobby Krips
 23 - Mark Adams              (fell, remounted)
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco       (non starter)

Scratch Main Event
 36 - Ryan Fisher
 14 - Eddie Castro
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko    
 11 - Bobby Schwartz     (engine failure)