Industry Speedway
The Grand Industry Hills Expo Center
City of Industry, California

Season Opener
May 17, 2006 - Industry Speedway
By: Ryan Evans

Charlie Venegas picked up where he left off last year by winning the Main Event on Opening Night at Industry Hills Speedway. May 17, 2006

Venegas, who won the most main events at Industry Hills last year, drew the pole for the main. Lined up next to him was Ryan Fisher who had won all four of his races to that point. In gate three was Gary Hicks who was racing at the facility for the first time. On the outside was Dale Facchini who got progressively faster during the evening to earn his way into the main.

When the tapes went up it was Venegas who shot into the lead. Fisher gave chase as the raced down the back straight with Hicks in tow. After the first lap it became a two-rider battle, but Venegas was firmly planted on the inside line and never gave Fisher a chance to overtake him. Venegas took the first checkered flag of the season, Fisher was second, Hicks finished third, and Facchini was fourth.

The first of three rounds of heats began with Hicks trapping from the outside only to be passed by Eddie Castro as they exited four and running away with the win. Bryan Yarrow, who won the 2005 Season Opener, defeated Shawn McConnell in the second heat. Fisher began his evening with a victory over Tommy Hedden. Venegas beat Facchini in the next heat. Chris Manchester trapped from the outside and was victorious in the final race of the first round.

The second round began with Hedden defeating fellow Northern California rider Matt Browne. Manchester experienced bike problems before staging the next race, but jumped on Hedden's bike and scored his second win. Yarrow made it two for two by beating Castro. Venegas remained perfect by beating Buck Blair in race 23. Fisher closed out round two with his second win.

The final round began with Shaun Harmatiuk beating Hedden. Fisher remained perfect by beating Hicks. Race 29 was a tremendous three-rider dogfight between Facchini, Blair, and Castro as they went three-wide at times and swapped positions several times before Facchini came out the victor. Manchester remained perfect by winning the next race. Yarrow matched the perfect scores of Fisher and Manchester by beating Venegas in the final heat.

Fisher won the first semi with ease, but Hicks had to do everything he could to hold off Yarrow for the second transfer spot to the main.

The second semi ended in turn two when Facchini and Venegas collided and ended in a heap. On the restart, Manchester jumped into the lead and was headed to the main when he lifted in turn four and was unable to dismount before hitting the fence. The SRA National Champion was down for several minutes before being taken off by a stretcher due to lower back injuries. Venegas led at the start of the third attempt, but on the back straight Facchini went by on the inside and went on to victory.

Eloy Medellin led all four laps and was took home the first Second Division Main Event of the season. Rick Valdez was second, Vince Giamformaggio finished third, and Rudy Laurer was fourth.

Tim Cochren led the Third Division Main for nearly three laps but fell in turn four and gave up the lead to Steve Bowen. Mike Lane passed Bowen on the final lap and held on for the win. Bowen finished second, Wayne Isaac was third, Ron Mongenel finished fourth, and Cochren was fifth.
Krystal Cramer defeated Austin Novratil, Joey Holt, and Russell Green to win the Youth Main Event. Braydan Galvin was victorious over Ryan DeLong and Jordan Contreras in the Pee Wee Main.

After a tumultuous off-season in which strong doubt grew about speedway returning to The Grand, the third season at Industry Hills Speedway began with a new promotion and a bright future. The American Speedway Coalition, headed by former rider Kelly Inman, Lee Crecelius, and current 74 year old rider Hugh Randolph, has injected the facility with enthusiasm.

Despite having only a month to prepare for the season, the well-organized promotion was able to build a new facility, alter the race track, and draw a larger-than-expected crowd to the first event of 2006.

RESULTS

Pee Wee Main Event
  1 - Braydan Galvin
198 - Ryan DeLong
  7 - Jordan Contreras

Youth Main Event
 13 - Krystal Cramer
  8 - Austin Novratil
114 - Joey Holt
 18 - Russell Green

Third Division Main Event
141 - Mike Lane             	10
177 - Steve Bowen             	 0
101 - Wayne Isaac                0
158 - Ron Mongenel               0
210 - Tim Cochren                0	(fell)

Second Division Consolation
117 - Billy Braden
176 - Carl Gazafy
150 - Damon Barry
339 - Sam Stavros

Second Division Semi
309 - Vince Giamformaggio
293 - Rick Valdez
280 - Kerry Sorensen
336 - Bill Green

Second Division Semi
182 - Rudy Laurer
178 - Eloy Medellin
125 - Johnny Lupo
244 - DeWayne Stark

Second Division Main Event (restarted)
178 - Eloy Medellin
293 - Rick Valdez
309 - Vince Giamformaggio
182 - Rudy Laurer		(retired)

First Division Scoring		1	2	3	T
  1 - Chris Manchester         	3     	3    	3     	9
  3 - Gary Hicks              	2     	2    	2      	6
  6 - Shawn McConnell          	2     	0    	R      	2
  8n - Bryan Yarrow            	3    	3    	3      	9
 14 - Eddie Castro             	3    	2    	1      	6
 17 - Robbie Sauer             	0    	0    	0      	0
 18 - Justin Boyle             	1    	1    	1      	3
 20 - Skyler Greyson          	1    	1    	1      	3
 21 - Brad Sauer               	0     	1    	1      	2
 29 - George Fox               	1    	0    	0      	1
 29n - Matt Browne             	1    	2    	2      	5
 36 - Ryan Fisher              	3    	3    	3      	9
 39 - Buck Blair               	2    	2    	2      	6
 40n - Tommy Hedden           	2    	3    	2      	7
 43 - Charlie Venegas          	3     	3    	2      	8
 77 - Bryan Buffington        	R     	0    	0      	0
 88 - Steve Furman            	1    	1    	1      	3
110 - Jon Stasiefski           	0    	0    	0      	0
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk         	R     	2    	3     	5
301 - Dale Facchini            	2    	1    	3      	6

Race Results
 8: Castro, Hicks, Browne, B.Sauer (fell, remounted)
 9: Yarrow, McConnell, Fox (retired), Buffington (retired)
10: Fisher, Hedden, Greyson, R.Sauer
11: (restarted) Venegas, Facchini (penalty line), Furman, Harmatiuk (retired)
12: Manchester, Blair, Boyle, Stasiefski
20: Hedden, Browne, Furman, McConnell (fell, remounted)
21: Manchester, Hicks, Facchini, R.Sauer
22: Yarrow, Castro, Greyson, Stasiefski
23: Venegas, Blair, B.Sauer (fell, remounted), Buffington
24: Fisher, Harmatiuk, Boyle, Fox
27: Harmatiuk, Hedden, B.Sauer, Stasiefski
28: Fisher, Hicks, Furman, Buffington
29: (restarted) Facchini, Blair, Castro, Fox (penalty line)
30: Manchester, Browne, Greyson, McConnell (retired)
31: Yarrow, Venegas, Boyle, R.Sauer
Runoff: Hicks, Blair, Facchini, Castro
Semi #1: Fisher, Hicks, Yarrow, Blair
Semi #2: (restarted twice) Facchini, Venegas, Hedden, Manchester (non starter - injured)

First Division Consolation
 39 - Buck Blair
  8n - Bryan Yarrow
 40n - Tommy Hedden
  1 - Chris Manchester		(non starter)

First Division Main Event
 43 - Charlie Venegas
 36 - Ryan Fisher
  3 - Gary Hicks
301 - Dale Facchini