Ventura Raceway
Ventura, California

Vintage Flat Track
June 28, 2008 - Ventura
By Steve Evans>

Just back from Ventura - there were 14 Speedway/Sidecar races as part of a Vintage Flat Track event. It was great to see Speedway back at Ventura, as it reminds me of Bradford, my favorite all time track (now closed) where Sam Ermolenko almost won the world title in 1985. It's a shame the event clashed with Costa Mesa and I hope the organizers can put future events on when there is no clash in the future as its not fair for the fans and riders to have to decide and not good for promoters at either place to have watered down fields.

RESULTS 4 Valve Upright
Heat 1 - Charlie Venegas, Bryan Thompson, Chad Newlee, Pat Smith, Mike Lane, Eddie Martinez
Heat 2- Thompson, Newlee, Lane, Smith, Martinez (ef), Venegas (ns)
Main - Venegas, Thompson, Newlee, Martinez, Lane, Smith

Sidecar
Heat 1 - Joe Jones / Jimmy Olson, Dave Alexander / Dave Irkhart, Scoot & Shawn Driggers
Lap Record Attempt - Jones / Olsen (17.3 - previous record 19.0)
Main: Alexander / Irkhart, Jones / Olsen, Driggers / Driggers

The Laydown class gave some excellent racing. In heat 1 Phil Collins stunned everyone by passing Venegas on the line to win. Heat 2 Fishback led from flag to flag. Hicks won heat 3 after Castro dropped a chain in turn 1. Castro made amends and claimed the last transfer by winning the LCQ. The 1st semi had Collins and Hicks penalized for a rolling start. Venegas won, with Henderson in 2nd and Collins working his way to the last transfer as Hicks had bike trouble. Semi 2 was a classic, Fishback narrowly defeating Castro, with Green and Facchini exchanging the final transfer spot several times before Russell won on the line.

The A Main was a thriller. Phil Collins once more stunned the crowd with the fastest gate and he led the field. Venegas was 2nd, riding deep on the outside, Fishback third, Castro 4th. Collins, who admitted later he lacked full fitness, went wide in turn 4 of lap two, leaving the top 4 racing 4 wide and level to end lap 2. Venegas led Fishback and they traded the lead several times. Venegas made one lunge on the final turn but Fishback had the line and Castro snook under Venegas for 2nd.

Laydown Heat (Top 3 Semis, 4th / 5th to LCQ)
Heat 1: Collins, Venegas, Henderson, Kim Stevens, Martinez
Heat 2: Fishback, N Facchini, Green, Sonnier, Matt Davis
Heat 3: Hicks,Tyler Hansen, Scott York, Castro (ef)

LCQ (Winner to Semis, rest to C Main)
Castro, Sonnier, Davis, Stevens, Martinez

Semis (1st 3 to Main, rest to B Main)
1: Venegas, Henderson, Collins (PL), York, Hicks (ef- PL)
2: Fishback, Castro, Green, Facchini, Hanson

C MAIN
301 Matt Davis
136 Kim Stevens
269 Eddie Martinez
52 Marvin Sonnier (fell while leading)

B MAIN
86 Neil Facchini
104 Tyler Hansen
155 Scott York
3 Hicks (ef)

A MAIN
25 Jimmy Fishback
14 Eddie Castro
43 Charlie Venegas
14x Phil Collins
55 Travis Henderson
321 Russell Green