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Orange Show Speedway
San Bernardino, California
Opening Night
June 6, 2003 - Orange Show
By: Ryan Evans
Scott Brant's spectacular effort catapulted him to his second consecutive Scratch Main victory at the action-packed Season Opener at Orange Show Speedway.
Gary Hicks used the pole to his advantage as he jumped into the lead at the beginning of the Scratch Main. Brant's prospects for a victory were very bleak after suffering a bad start, but he quickly went to work on the outside. Hicks held the lead at the end of lap one, but Brant had worked his way into second and set after the leader. Brant hooked up exiting turn two the second time and appeared to be headed to disaster. He had the nerve to hang on when a vast majority of riders would've backed out and kept Hicks in his crosshairs. Brant's Kelly Dunagan Racing teammate, Eddie Castro, was now running third and the duo attacked Hicks from both flanks. Brant stayed wide while Castro chose the low line. Hicks was faced with the unenviable decision of picking which line to protect. Hicks used his vast experience to ride the middle of the race track and make himself as wide as possible. He managed to do so until Brant went for broke in turn two on the final lap and found enough traction to cause the bike to lift slightly, but also lunge forward and surge into the lead in a move that left many jaws on the ground and brought the fans to their feet. Brant pulled away and took the win with a dazzling performance that will not be forgotten soon. Hicks, with absolutely nothing to hand his head about, held off Castro for second. Randy DiFrancesco was fourth and Dukie Ermolenko finished fifth.
16 year old Justin Boyle lined up on the 20 yard line and at the front of the eight man Handicap Main. Boyle took the initial lead but succumbed to the early pressure of DiFrancesco. DiFrancesco secured the lead but Boyle didn't immediately fall victim to the freight train that usually gobbles up low-yardage riders and his effort was certainly noticeable. Castro was able to get into second place on the fourth lap and had half the race to get DiFrancesco. Castro was unable to close any ground on DiFrancesco, whose solid effort carried him to the victory. Castro had to settle for second, Brant was third, Andy Northrup finished fourth, and Boyle was fifth.
Phil Bast, who won the Support Main at the last meeting, jumped into the lead at the start of the Support Main Event. There was a battle behind him for second between John Stunkard and Rudy Laurer which ended on the front straight when Stunkard hit one of the haybails on the perimeter of the track. Stunkard was able to walk away, but didn't participate in the restart. On the restart, Bast and Neil Facchini gated together and their battle down the backstraight included a little leaning on each other. Facchini used the outside to take the lead coming out of turn two on the second lap. Bast tried to regain the lead for about a lap before he began to fade. Facchini took the win, Rudy Laurer was able to slip by Bast for second, and Stunkard was credited with fourth.
John Prosser and Louis Hunt battled for the lead for a lap and a half of the Support B Main Event with Prosser taking control entering turn three the second time. Prosser then slid off allowing Hunt to take the lead. Hunt had the victory in his grasp until he went very wide exiting turn four the final time and allowed Carl Gazafy to steal the win. The disappointed Hunt had to settle for second, Steve Dziadus was third, DeWayne Stark finished fourth, Keith Mullally was fifth, and Prosser was credited with sixth.
Friday night's meeting was filled with excellent racing throughout the evening with a lot of inside and outside passing, highlighted by Brant's effort in the Scratch Main. The Freestyle Jumpers helped to draw a crowd that was significantly larger than at the meeting two weeks prior. Saturday night is the Jack Milne Cup at Costa Mesa and next weekend is Father's Day Night at both of the Southern California tracks.
RESULTS
Support B Consolation
188 - Nathan Smelser 10
339 - Sam Stavros 20
227 - Mark Robertson 20
223 - Fred Schmitthammer 20
111 - Joe Schultz 10
209 - Greg Vandemore 10 (retired)
Support B Main Event
176 - Carl Gazafy 20
264 - Louis Hunt 10
212 - Steve Dziadus 20
244 - DeWayne Stark 10
185 - Keith Mullally 20
235 - John Prosser 10 (fell, remounted)
Support Consolation
178 - Eloy Medellin
228 - Shane Kump
117 - Billy Braden
269 - Ed Martinez (penalty line, retired)
Support Consolation
174 - Tomasz Hampel
125 - Doug Lupo
198 - Mike Boyle
165 - Randy Kreps (fell, remounted)
Support Main Event (restarted)
201 - Neil Facchini
182 - Rudy Laurer
183 - Phil Bast
249 - John Stunkard (non starter)
Handicap Main Event
12 - Randy DiFrancesco 30
14 - Eddie Castro 40
10 - Scott Brant 50
166 - Andy Northrup 40
197 - Justin Boyle 20
3 - Gary Hicks 50
15 - Dukie Ermolenko 40
24 - Bobby Krips 30 (fell, remounted)
Last Chance
12 - Randy DiFrancesco
166 - Andy Northrup
197 - Justin Boyle
11 - Bobby Schwartz
Scratch Main Event
10 - Scott Brant
3 - Gary Hicks
14 - Eddie Castro
12 - Randy DiFrancesco
15 - Dukie Ermolenko
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