Victorville Speedway
San Bernardino County Fairgrounds
14800 Seventh Street
Victorville, California
2002-2003 Winter Series Round 4
Victorville Speedway
January 25, 2003
From Ryan Evans
Ryan Fisher's Scratch Main Event victory made him victorious in the battle, but Gary Hicks won the war as he captured the Winter Series Championship at round four of the Victorville Winter Series at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville on Saturday.
Hicks was top qualifier for the main and had the first selection of starting position. Hicks elected for gate three. Fisher was next and picked gate two. Fisher's Coventry teammate, Billy Janniro selected the pole, and Bobby Krips was left with the outside. Hicks jumped into the lead at the start and held the lead through one lap. Exiting turn two the second time Fisher went to the high line and went around Hicks on the back straight. Hicks fought to get the lead back, but also had to contend with Janniro. The three riders were in a tight formation throughout the balance of the race. Janniro's constant pressure paid off as he went under Hicks on the last lap, but he was unable to catch Fisher. It was Fisher's second win of the Winter Series.
Hicks didn't let his defeat in the Scratch Main keep him down as he, Krips, and 16 year old Justin Boyle battled to decide the overall series champion. In the championship race it was Hicks from start to finish as he took the Victorville Winter Series Championship. Boyle showed that his star is on the rise by finishing second, while Krips was third.
The format for day was three rounds of scratch heats with the top eight scorers qualifying to race in one of two semis. The top two from each semi transferred directly to the Scratch Main.
Krips used a great start to capture the lead in the first race and he held off Fisher to earn the upset victory. Hicks was an easy winner in race two. Janniro's first appearance at the track began with him lifting badly at the start and doing all he could to avoid the turn one fence. By the time he recovered he found himself in last place. He quickly disposed of Steve Murray and John Stunkard and set his sights on Boyle. Janniro caught Boyle on lap three but the 16 year old wasn't going to give up the lead easily. Janniro stalked Boyle for the better part of two laps but was unable to pass him and Boyle scored a huge upset.
Fisher took his first win of the day in impressive fashion to start round two. Mark Adams used four impressive laps to earn the win over Krips in Boyle in the next race. Hicks and Janniro gated together and were battling for the lead entering turn three when Janniro slid off. Hicks cruised the rest of the way for the win.
Adams earned his second win in a row by defeating Kerr to begin the final round of heats. Janniro finally found his form and defeated Fisher with a runaway victory in race 26. Hicks kept his score perfect with an easy win in the final qualifying race.
In the first semi, it was the veterans, Hicks and Krips, holding off the youngsters, Boyle and Shaun Harmatiuk, to transfer to the main. In the second semi, it was the Bees duo of Fisher and Janniro taking it to Kerr and Adams to book their place in the Scratch Main Event. 
Greg Searle capped an unbelievable first meeting by winning the Second Division Main Event and finish his perfect day. Searle won all four of his races in his first speedway meeting ever. Fellow debutante, Guy Jessup, finished second, Winston Williams was third, and Rohn Zellner was fourth.
In the Second Division Winter Series Championship race it was all John Stunkard as he jumped into the lead and ran away with the win. Novratil finished second, Zellner finished third, and Williams was fourth.
In Youth First Division action, Ricky Wells scored 14 points to capture the overall victory for the day. Second overall for the day was Krystal Cramer who was quite impressive in winning two heats on her new 250 Jawa. Third overall for the day was Tim Gomez. Wells and Gomez tied for the Winter Series Championship and in a great show of sportsmanship, they agreed to share the title rather than have a runoff.
Dale Facchini scored 13 points and won the overall victory in Youth Second Division. Newcomer Dusty Phares scored nine points to garner second overall, and Austin Novratil was third overall with eight points. Facchini also won the Winter Series Championship with Novratil finishing second.
RESULTS
Youth Second Division 1 2 3 4 T
5 - Ricky Valdez 0 1 1 0 2
8 - Austin Novratil (10) 4 F 2 2 8
17 - Dusty Phares 2 4 E 3 9
223 - Tamara Krips 1 3 3 1 8
301 - Dale Facchini (10) 3 2 4 4 13
Youth First Division 1 2 3 4 T
27 - Krystal Cramer (10) 4 3 4 1 12
36 - Tim Gomez (40) E 2 2 2 6
66 - Jason Ramirez (10) 2 1 1 E 4
142 - Ricky Wells (30) 3 4 3 4 14
145 - Dario Galvin (20) 1 F F 3 4
Second Division 1 2 3 T
113n - Rachalle Kerr 1 1 2 4
138 - Rich Brock 2 2 4 8
147 - Winston Williams 4 X 3 7
161 - Hector Quevedo 0 1 3 4
163 - Rohn Zellner 3 4 4 11
181 - Michael Novratil 3 3 2 8
208 - Geoff Herkner 4 N N 4
212 - Steve Dziadus 1 3 1 5
223 - Fred Schmitthammer 2 3 2 7
229n - Jason Botsford Fx N N 0
244 - DeWayne Stark 1 0 0 1
317n - Guy Jessup 2 2 3 7
318n - Greg Searle 4 4 4 12
320n - Kelly Kerrigan F 2 0 2
338 - Dave Delbridge 3 4 1 8
Semi #1: Searle, Jessup, Novratil, Brock (fell)
Semi #2: Williams, Zellner, Delbridge, Schmitthammer
Second Division Main Event
318n - Greg Searle
317n - Guy Jessup
147 - Winston Williams (fell)
163 - Rohn Zellner (fell, excluded)
First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T
3 - Gary Hicks 3 3 3 9
14n - Billy Janniro 2 0 3 5
23 - Mark Adams 0 3 3 6
24 - Bobby Krips 3 2 0 5
27n - Chris Kerr 1 2 2 5
36 - Ryan Fisher 2 3 2 7
44n - Billy Hiles 1 1 1 3
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 2 0 1 3
198 - Justin Boyle 3 1 2 6
214 - Steve Murray 0 1 1 2
249 - John Stunkard 1 Fx 0 1
321n - Richard Christian 0 2 F 2
Semi #1: Hicks, Krips, Boyle, Harmatiuk
Semi #2: Fisher, Janniro, Kerr, Adams
Scratch Main Event
36 - Ryan Fisher
14n - Billy Janniro
3 - Gary Hicks
24 - Bobby Krips
Youth Second Division Series Standings
301 - Dale Facchini 25
8 - Austin Novratil 22
223 - Tamara Krips 17
17 - Dusty Phares 9
5 - Ricky Valdez 2
7 - Samantha Ramirez 0
Youth First Division Series Standings
36 - Tim Gomez 38
142 - Ricky Wells 38
145 - Dario Galvin 37
27 - Krystal Cramer 28
66 - Jason Ramirez 25
23n - Danny Easley 10
2 - Skyler Greyson 6
1 - T.J. Fowler 5
93n - J.T. Mabry 2
Second Division Series Championship
249 - John Stunkard
181 - Michael Novratil
163 - Rohn Zellner
147 - Winston Williams (fell, remounted)
First Division Series Championship
3 - Gary Hicks
198 - Justin Boyle
24 - Bobby Krips
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