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

Warren Russell All Star Cup
August 19, 2009 - Industry Speedway
By: Ryan Evans

Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell capped a brilliant performance by winning the inaugural Warren Russell All Star Cup at Industry Speedway.

McConnell got the best start from the front line and led the eight-rider field into the first turn. Buck Blair, who was undefeated entering the final, chased the newly-crowned Jack Milne Cup Champion down the back straight with Charlie "The Edge" Venegas trying to make the outside work. Neither rider gained ground, but Blair maintained second while Venegas began to give up positions. McConnell was steady throughout the eight-lap race and led all the way to the checkered flag. Blair finished second, Gary Hicks was third, Tommy Hedden finished fourth, and Venegas was fifth.

The event featured a unique format in which five riders were seeded directly into the main event with three other riders joining them via semi-finals. All riders competed in three rounds of heats with the first eight non-seeded riders transferring to the semi-finals. The points in the heats would determine the starting priority for both semis and the Final.

Hicks opened the heats with a win over Gino Manzares. Blair beat Hedden for his first victory. Tyson Burmeister held off Jimmy Fishback to win the thirdheat. McConnell ended round one by beating Venegas.

Blair started round two by beating Fishback for his second straight win.  McConnell made it two in a row by beating Hicks. Burmeister matched Blair and McConnell's two victories by holding off Bobby Schwartz. Mike Faria trapped from the outside and kept Hedden at bay to end the second round with a win. The final round of heats began with Faria and Schwartz engaging in a classic side-by-side battle before Schwartz surged ahead for the victory. Venegas defeated Hedden to win event 18. Hicks beat Fishback to win the penultimate heat. Blair beat McConnell to win the final heat.

Castro won the first semi to transfer to the final and Blair followed suit in the second semi. Hedden, who finished second in his semi, earned the last spot in the Final because he outscored Manzares in the heats. Those three joined the previously-seeded Venegas, Schwartz, Hicks, McConnell, and Faria in the Final. Austin Novratil launched into the lead and left everyone in his wake to win the Second Division Main Event in dominant fashion. Joey Holt finished second, Rick Farron was third, Drew Coats finished fourth, Brad Moreau was fifth, and Steve Bowen finished sixth.

Gene Stone led the Third Division Main Event before newcomer Justin Weeks overtook him on the second lap. Weeks led the rest of the way to take home the victory. Bander Alexander finished second, Stone was third, and DeWayne Stark finished fourth.

Nicky Reimer continued his success at Industry Speedway with another victory in the Youth Main Event. Maxwell Ruml finished second, Jacob Wondolowski was third, Dillon Ruml finished fourth, and Brian Pintear was fifth.

Reimer also collected the top honors in the Pee Wee First Division Main Event as well. Wondolowski was second, Victoria Matthews finished third, and Brian Pintar was fourth.

Keelan Venegas held off Nicholas Varner to win his first Pee Wee Second Division Main Event.

Sean Driggers and Missy Driggers led the Sidecar Main Event before being overhauled by Gerard Jackson and Dave German entering turn three. Jackson and German never turned a wheel wrong from there and were first to the checkered flag. Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen finished second, Dave Alexander and Matt Davis finished third, and the Driggers Team finished fourth.

RESULTS
Sidecar Main Event
66 - Gerard Jackson/Dave German
1 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
22 - Dave Alexander/Matt Davis
23 - Shawn Driggers/Missy Driggers

Pee Wee Second Division Main Event
43 - Keelan Venegas
3 - Nicholas Varner

Pee Wee First Division Main Event
41 - Nicky Reimer
251 - Jacob Wondolowski
6 - Victoria Matthews
58 - Brian Pintear

Youth Main Event
41 - Nicky Reimer
356 - Maxwell Ruml
251 - Jacob Wondolowski
111 - Dillon Ruml
58 - Brian Pintear

Third Division Consolation
116 - Chris Jones
174 - Arie Gardner
124 - Paul Thornton
292 - Mike Schultz
226 - Rick Huspek

Third Division Main Event
257 - Justin Weeks
298 - Bander Alexander
231 - Gene Stone
268 - DeWayne Stark

Second Division Main Event
181 - Austin Novratil 0
244 - Joey Holt 0
147 - Rick Farron 0
195 - Drew Coats 10
153 - Brad Moreau 10
177 - Steve Bowen 10

First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T
3 - Gary Hicks 3 2 3 8
6 - Shawn McConnell 3 3 2 8
9 - Mike Faria 0 3 2 5
11 - Bobby Schwartz 1 2 3 6
14 - Eddie Castro 1 1 0 2
25 - Jimmy Fishback 2 2 2 6
30 - Tim Gomez E N N 0
39 - Buck Blair 3 3 3 9
40 - Tommy Hedden 2 2 2 6
43 - Charlie Venegas 2 1 3 6
86 - Neil Facchini 1 1 1 3
141 - Josh Abbott 1 F 1 2
145 - Brad Pappalardo 0 0 0 0
184 - Tyson Burmeister 3 3 1 7
221 - Gino Manzares 2 0 1 3
321 - Russell Green 0 1 1 2

Race Results
1: Hicks, Manzares, Schwartz, Green (fell, remounted)
2: Blair, Hedden, Abbott (fell, remounted), Gomez (engine failure)
3: (restarted) Burmeister, Fishback, Facchini, Faria
4: McConnell, Venegas, Castro, Pappalardo
10: Blair, Fishback, Venegas, Manzares
11: McConnell, Hicks, Facchini, Gomez (non starter)
12: Burmeister, Schwartz, Castro, Abbott (fell)
13: Faria, Hedden, Green, Pappalardo
17: Schwartz, Faria, Facchini (fell, remounted), Gomez (non starter)
18: Venegas, Hedden, Manzares, Castro
19: Hicks, Fishback, Green, Pappalardo
20: Blair, McConnell, Burmeister, Abbott (non starter)

** Venegas (State Champion), Schwartz (Industry Rider of the Year), Hicks (2009
Main Event Winner), McConnell (Industry Track Champion), Faria (2009 Main Event
Winner) seeded into the Final.

Semi #1: (restarted) Castro, Manzares, Fishback (penalty line) (retired),
Burmeister (excluded)
Semi #2: Blair, Hedden, Facchini, Green (fell)

** Hedden transfers to the Final over Manzares because he scored more points in
the heats

Warren Russell All Star Cup Final
6 - Shawn McConnell 10
39 - Buck Blair 10
3 - Gary Hicks 10
40 - Tommy Hedden 20
43 - Charlie Venegas 10
9 - Mike Faria 20
14 - Eddie Castro 20
11 - Bobby Schwartz 20