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

Russell Family Summer Slam
July 14, 2007 - Industry Speedway
By: Ryan Evans

Former World Champion Billy "The Bullet" Hamill returned to Industry Speedway for the Russell Family Summer Slam and duplicated last month's perfect performance.

The Russell Family, who have been long-time speedway supporters and sponsors of many of America's top riders, generously added $2000 to the purse, most of which was up for grabs in the main event. The extra purse only added to the tension among the stellar field.

Hamill entered the main as the only undefeated rider and chose gate one. Ryan Fisher, who won both main events at Auburn the previous evening, selected gate two. Former National Champion Scott Brant picked gate three, which left Ricky Wells, who was crowned Costa Mesa Fair Derby Champion the night before, with the outside.

Hamill left little doubt at the start as he launched into the lead entering turn one. Fisher, Brant, and Wells battled for second. Fisher's inside line helped him secure second place entering turn three and he set his sights toward the leader while Wells and Brant continued to battle for third. Hamill never turned a wheel wrong and delighted his many fans with a comfortable win ahead of Fisher with Brant finishing third and Wells coming in fourth.

The first of three rounds of heats began with Jimmy Fishback beating Buck Blair for a hard-earned victory. Fisher used the outside to pass Wells on the first lap and took his first win. Brant defeated Schwartz for his first victory. Eddie Castro won the next heat and Mike Faria went straight on the final corner and gave up second place to Shaun Harmatiuk. Hamill blitzed the field for his first win to finish the opening round.

The second round started with Blair scoring an impressive win over Fisher. Hamill made it two in a row with a win over Fishback. Wells beat Schwartz for his first victory of the evening in race 23. Faria held off Bobby Krips to win the next heat. Brant made it two straight wins to complete round two.

Round three began with Wells winning his second straight race by holding off Blair. Brant won his third consecutive race in event 29, but behind him Fishback battled Harmatiuk for second before Harmatiuk crashed just yards shy of the finish line and Harmatiuk was credited with fourth. Schwartz earned his place in the semis by beating Castro in event 30. Hamill matched Brant's perfect score with a runaway win. Fisher won the last heat and Faria's second place left him one point shy of making the semis.

Fisher got the best start in the first semi and was followed closely along the inside line by Brant. Castro and Blair tried to make the outside work as the quartet raced in tight quarters. The inside line proved to be superior as Fisher and Brant cruised into the main event. Hamill led the second semi into turn one with Fishback in tow. They ran one-two for two laps before Fishback hooked up entering turn one, went straight, and allowed Wells to take over second. It was Hamill and Wells from there and they transferred into the main. Fishback led the Consolation from start to finish with Schwartz finishing second, Castro in third, and Blair in fourth.

Steve Bowen led the Second Division Main Event for one lap before Billy Braden took over the lead. Braden led before falling in turn three and bringing out the red flag. Bowen led the restart but gave up the lead to John Marquez on the third lap. Marquez pulled away and took home the victory. Bryan Buffington finished second, Rohn Zellner was third, and Bowen finished fourth.

Steve Leffler led the Third Division Main for three laps and had the checkered flag in his sight as he entered the final corner. Aimiris Santana charged up the inside and took himself and Leffler wide in turn four. As the two combatants finally turned toward the finish line Jim Painter used the low line to make it a three-rider sprint to the finish. Painter won by inches, Santana was second, and Leffler finished third. Behind them Robert Glamuzina was fourth, Kim Stevens finished fifth, and Daniel Faria was sixth.

Russell Green led the Youth First Division Main before drifting wide entering turn one and gave the lead to Jason Ramirez who led the rest of the way. Green settled for second, Brad Pappalardo was third, and Gino Manzares was unable to start after being injured in a heat.

The Second and Third Division Youth Mains were run together, but scored separately. Brayden Galvin pounced on a mistake by Richard Crocker to take the lead and the win in the Youth Second Division with Crocker getting second and Rocco Scopellite finishing third. Samuel Ramirez won the Youth Third Division Main for the second week in a row with Eloy Medellin III finishing second and Kurtis Hamill finishing in third.

Garrett Nepi was victorious in the Pee Wee Main Event in his first appearance at Industry this season. Bryson Galvin was second, Lexie Santana finished third, Chandler Larocque was fourth, and Erika Lyons finished fifth.

Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen led the Sidecar Main Event before making a mistake on the third lap and handing the lead and the win to Kirk Williams and Matt Davis. Brian Motis and Chris Coniglio were third.

There is no racing at Industry Speedway this week, but the action will return in grand style with their biggest race of the season, the California State Championship, on Saturday, July 28 before returning to Wednesday nights on August 1.

RESULTS 

Sidecar Main Event 
12 - Kirk Williams/Matt Davis
 15 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
  4 - Brian Motis/Chris Coniglio Pee Wee Main Event 5 - Garrett Nepi
  3 - Bryson Galvin
 11 - Lexie Santana
724 - Chandler Larocque
 77 - Erika Lyons
117 - Marina Braden
 10 - P.J. Vander Meulen 
 
Youth Third Division Main Event (restarted)
 22 - Samuel Ramirez 
178 - Eloy Medellin III
104 - Kurtis Hamill 

Youth Second Division Main Event 
2 - Brayden Galvin
91 - Richard Crocker
 9 - Rocco Scopellite (penalty line) 

Youth First Division Main Event 
66 - Jason Ramirez 
18 - Russell Green 
611 - Brad Pappalardo
21 - Gino Manzares (non starter) 

Third Division Consolation 
126 - Danny Baker 20
198 - Mike Boyle 10
308 - Hugh Randolph 0
252 - Jeff Remington           	0 

Third Division Main Event 
172 - Jim Painter 20
357 - Aimiris Santana          	10
328 - Steve Leffler            	0
313 - Robert Glamuzina 10
136 - Kim Stevens 10
105n - Daniel Faria           	0	(retired) 

Second Division Consolation 
150 - Damon Barry 0
222n - Robert Christian        	10
288 - Rick Fritch 0
182 - Rudy Laurer 20
309 - Vince Giamformaggio 20
171 - Kenny Hansen 10    	(non starter)
178 - Eloy Medellin 20    	(non starter) 

Second Division Main Event (restarted)
241 - John Marquez 20
 77 - Bryan Buffington 20
163 - Rohn Zellner 10
177 - Steve Bowen 0
132 - Justin Hassan 10 	(non starter)
117 - Billy Braden 10 	(non starter) 

Russell Family Last Man Out Challenge 
104 - Billy Hamill 
10 - Scott Brant 
11 - Bobby Schwartz
  9 - Mike Faria

First Division Scoring              	1  2  3    T 
9 - Mike Faria 1  3  2    6
 10 - Scott Brant 3  3  3    9
 11 - Bobby Schwartz 2  2  3    7
 14 - Eddie Castro 3  2  2    7
 17 - Robbie Sauer 0  0  0    0
 19 - Dale Facchini 1  1  F    2
 21 - Brad Sauer F  1  0    1
 22 - Mike Bloom 1  0  2    3
 24 - Bobby Krips 2  2  1    5
 25 - Jimmy Fishback 3  2  2    7
 30 - Tim Gomez 1  1  1    3
 36 - Ryan Fiser                    	3  2  3    8
 39 - Buck Blair 2  3  2    7
 99 - Greg Ayers 1  0  1    2
104 - Billy Hamill 3  3  3    9
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 2  1  F    3
142 - Ricky Wells 2  3  3    8
357n - Shawn Eldredge             	0  0  0    0 

Race Results 9: (restarted) Fishback, Blair, Bloom, B.Sauer (penalty line) (fell)
10: Fisher, Wells, Ayers, R.Sauer
11: Brant, Schwartz, Gomez, Lyons
12: Castro, Harmatiuk, Faria, Eldredge
13: Hamill, Hamill, Krips, D.Facchini
21: Blair, Fisher, Gomez, Stunkard
22: Hamill, Fishback, Lyons, Eldredge
23: (restarted) Wells, Schwartz, Harmatiuk, Bloom
24: Faria, Krips, B.Sauer, Ayers
25: Brant, Castro, D.Facchini, R.Sauer
28: Wells, Blair, Krips, Eldredge
29: Brant, Fishback, Ayers, Harmatiuk (fell)
30: Schwartz, Casto, Stunkard, B.Sauer
31: Hamill, Bloom, Gomez, R.Sauer
32: Fisher, Faria, Lyons, D.Facchini

Semi #1: Fisher, Brant, Castro, Blair 
Semi #2: Hamill, Wells, Schwartz, Fishback 

First Division Consolation 
25 - Jimmy Fishback 
11 - Bobby Schwartz 
14 - Eddie Castro 
39 - Buck Blair 

First Division Main Event 
104 - Billy Hamill 
36 - Ryan Fisher 
10 - Scott Brant 
142 - Ricky Wells