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Victorville Speedway
Wheel2Wheel Raceway
Victorville, California
AMA U21 Speedway National Championship
November 12, 2005 - Victorville
By: Ryan Evans
2005 AMA U.S. Under 21 Speedway National Championship
2005 California Youth Championship
2005 California Pee Wee Championship
Skyler Greyson scored the biggest victory of his career in dramatic fashion by winning a runoff to become the AMA Under 21 U.S. National Champion at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville, California.
The first two years that the event has been held, the title was decided in the final race. This year proved no different as five rounds of racing was not enough to determine the champion as Greyson and Dario Galvin were tied with thirteen points each. The two would have to square off again in a four-lap runoff to determine the title. Greyson won the coin toss and selected the inside.
When the tapes went up Galvin left the line first and held the lead through turns one and two. Galvin used the wide line on the banked track that had paid dividends all day while Greyson used the low line to stay close. The two riders battled side-by-side for two laps with Galvin holding the slight edge. Greyson moved ahead on the inside as they entered turn one the third time and deftly slid in front of Galvin exiting turn two and secured the lead. Galvin refused to give up and tried to go around the outside of Greyson as they took the white flag. Greyson was not about to relinquish the lead and he held off Galvin to secure the title.
Fifteen riders representing Southern California, Northern California, New York, and Colorado took part in the third annual event. In addition to taking home the AMA's Under 21 Number One Plate, the riders were vying for the beautiful trophies that were provided by Sargent Metal Fabrication, OC Laser Cutting, and Specialized Ceramic & Powder Coatings. More hardware was on the line as the winner would also be presented with the Randy Evans Perpetual Trophy that will be passed on to the U.S. Under 21 Champion for years to come.
Race one had Neil Facchini begin his day on a high note as he ran away from the eventual runoff contestants and scored the victory. Galvin was second and Greyson was third.
The second race ended after half of a lap as Casey Donholt lost a chain on the back straight and a pileup ensued. Donholt was unable to make the restart but would continue in the meeting. Colorado's Aaron Laird jumped into the lead and held off Dale Facchini and Tim Gomez for the victory.
Brian Starr was victorious in race three ahead of Kenny Ingalls and Brian Hollenbeck held off defending champion Justin Boyle to win the final race of round one.
The second round began with Galvin leading into turn one, but Gomez used the outside to take the lead on the back straight and pulled away for the win.
Greyson jumped in front in race 10 but Boyle didn't let him get too far ahead. Boyle stalked Greyson the entire race but Greyson wasn't going to be denied his first win of the day.
In race 11, Laird made his second great start but Neil Facchini used the outside to take the lead and the win. Ingalls also used the outside line to go around Laird and earn an impressive second place.
Hollenbeck made a great start from gate four and ran away with the final race of round two to match Neil Facchini's two victories in two rounds.
Galvin began round three by jumping in front of Hollenbeck at the start to get the lead. Hollenbeck, staring at his first defeat, saw his fate go from bad to worse when he fell while chasing Galvin. Galvin secured his first win of the day ahead of Donholt and Hollenbeck, who was able to remount and finish third.
Greyson started in gate four and stayed wide in turn one and two and swept into the lead. Gomez gave chase but was unable to prevent Greyson's second win of the day.
Event 19 pitted Neil Facchini, perfect up to this point, and Boyle, who had already dropped two points and could not afford to lose any more if he wanted to hold on to his title. The first try ended in turn one when Neil Facchini and Boyle tangled and went down. The second attempt ended when Neil Facchini went down and brought out the red flag. Facchini's perfect day ended when he was excluded from the race. Boyle jumped in front and was well ahead of his competitors when he suffered an engine failure while taking the white flag. While Boyle and his title hopes coasted to a stop in turn two, Starr breezed by for his second win. Boyle did receive an ovation as he pushed his bike to the finish line for one point.
Laird finished the third round by winning his second race ahead of J.J. Martynse. After the third round the field the championship was wide open. Greyson, Galvin, Laird, and Hollenbeck each had seven points and Neil Facchini, Starr, and Gomez had six points apiece.
Boyle started the fourth round looking to spoil the day for Galvin and Laird when he was first off the line in race 25. Galvin motored around Boyle by using the outside line on the back straight and pulled away for the win. Laird used the outside as well to get by Boyle and finish second.
Greyson kept himself in the title hunt with Galvin by winning race 26 ahead of Ingalls and Dale Facchini.
Gomez and Neil Facchini waged a classic battle during race 27. Gomez held the lead ahead of a determined Neil Facchini, but relinquished the lead the third time they went down the back straight. Gomez showed his mettle, however, and fought back to take the lead by crossing under the leader and holding on for the victory.
Starr finished off the fourth round with his third victory. With one round left, Greyson and Galvin were tied for first with ten points each, while Laird, Starr, and Gomez had nine points apiece, and Neil Facchini had eight.
The final round began with Galvin running away with the victory and a guarantee of at least a runoff for the title.
Greyson came to the tapes in the next race with the pressure squarely on his shoulders. At the line, Greyson was surrounded by Starr on his left and Laird on his right, both of whom were vying for podium spots as well. Greyson was cool under the pressure, though, and showed a champion's determination by making the start and cruising to the victory and setting up the dramatic runoff.
Neil Facchini concluded his day with his third victory for a final tally of eleven points and certainly the thoughts of what could've been had he not fallen in round three.
Gomez entered the final scheduled race needing a victory over Boyle and Ingalls to secure third overall. A second place would mean a three-rider runoff with Starr and Neil Facchini for the final spot on the podium. Gomez was first off the line and withstood all of Boyle's challenges to win the race and take third overall.
The California Youth Championship had a field of eight riders who competed in three rounds to determine the four riders in the California Youth Championship Final. Two-time Youth National Champion Ricky Wells entered the race with a perfect score and selected gate three with the first choice. Ben Essary then chose gate two, defending California Champion Krystal Cramer picked gate four, leaving Joey Holt with gate one.
Wells exploded from the line and quickly established a comfortable lead ahead of Cramer. Wells rode four perfect laps and ran away with the victory to reclaim the title that he won in 2003. Cramer was second, Holt finished third, and Essary was fourth.
The California Pee Wee Championship featured six riders who competed in four rounds to determine the champion. Braydan Galvin claimed the title for the second year in a row by winning three of the four races. Rocco Scopellite used two seconds and two thirds to finish second overall. Kurtis Hamill, home from Sweden less than a week, scored a race victory and claimed third overall.
RESULTS
California Pee Wee Championship 1 2 3 4 T
1 - Braydan Galvin 7 7 6 7 28
7 - Rocco Scopellite 5 6 5 6 22
9 - Scotty-Mac Sparks 3 4 3 4 14
43 - Anissa Venegas 2 3 2 3 10
43x - River McDougall 4 2 4 5 15
104 - Kurtis Hamill 6 5 7 2 20
California Youth Championship 1 2 3 T
1 - Ricky Wells 3 3 3 9
5 - Ricky Valdez 0 1 1 2
7 - Dylan Black 1 Fx 0 1
13 - Krystal Cramer 2 3 2 7
18 - Russell Green 0 0 0 0
21 - Gino Manzares 3 1 1 5
24 - Ben Essary 2 2 3 7
114 - Joey Holt 1 2 2 5
Race Results
6: Wells, Essary, Holt, Valdez
7: Manzares, Cramer, Black, Green
13: (restarted) Cramer, Holt, Valdez, Black (fell, excluded)
14: Wells, Essary, Manzares, Green
22: Essary, Holt, Manzares (fell, remounted), Green
23: Wells, Cramer, Valdez, Black
Consolation: Manzares, Valdez, Green, Black
California Youth Championship Final
1 - Ricky Wells
13 - Krystal Cramer
114 - Joey Holt
24 - Ben Essary (fell)
AMA U.S. Under 21 Championship 1 2 3 4 5 T
18 - Justin Boyle 2 2 1 1 2 8
20 - Skyler Greyson 1 3 3 3 3 13
25 - J.J. Martynse 1 1 2 1 1 6
45 - Dario Galvin 2 2 3 3 3 13
87 - Aaron Laird 3 1 3 2 R 9
93 - J.T. Mabry 0 0 1 1 0 2
97 - Casey Donholt N 0 2 2 1 5
116 - Alex Marcucci 0 2 0 0 2 4
131 - Troy McConnell 1 1 1 E 0 3
171 - Brian Hollenbeck 3 3 1 0 1 8
201 - Neil Facchini 3 3 Fx 2 3 11
212 - Kenny Ingalls 2 2 F 2 1 7
248 - Brian Starr 3 0 3 3 2 11
256 - Tim Gomez 1 3 2 3 3 12
301 - Dale Facchini 2 1 2 1 2 8
Race Results
1: N.Facchini, Galvin, Greyson
2: (restarted) Laird, D.Facchini, Gomez, Donholt (non starter)
3: Starr, Ingalls, Martynse, Marcucci
4: (restarted) Hollenbeck, Boyle, McConnell, Mabry
9: (restarted) Gomez, Galvin, McConnell, Starr (fell, remounted)
10: Greyson, Boyle, Martynse, Donholt
11: N.Facchini, Ingalls, Laird, Mabry
12: Hollenbeck, Marcucci, D.Facchini
17: Galvin, Donholt, Hollenbeck (fell, remounted), Ingalls (fell)
18: Greyson, Gomez, Mabry, Marcucci
19: (restarted twice) Starr, D.Facchini (fell remounted), Boyle (engine failure), N.Facchini (fell, excluded)
20: Laird, Martynse, McConnell
25: Galvin, Laird, Boyle, Marcucci
26: Greyson, Ingalls, D.Facchini, McConnell
27: Gomez, N.Facchini, Martynse, Hollenbeck
28: Starr, Donholt, Mabry
33: Galvin, D.Facchini, Martynse, Mabry
34: Greyson, Starr, Hollenbeck, Laird (retired)
35: N.Facchini, Marcucci, Donholt, McConnell
36: Gomez, Boyle, Ingalls
Runoff for AMA U.S. Under 21 Championship
20 - Skyler Greyson
45 - Dario Galvin
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