Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California

Harley Night #2
August 20, 2011
By: Ryan Evans

Speedway returned to the Orange County Fairgrounds after five long weeks and Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell won a thrilling main event in front of a large crowd on an action-packed Harley Night at the world famous Costa Mesa Speedway.

Jimmy "Little Animal" Fishback entered the main event undefeated after four races and appeared to have a perfect night in hand when he made the best start. Shawn McConnell hounded the leader on the first lap as Fishback struggled to hold the inside line. Shawn McConnell remained patient on lap two and as they exited turn four his opportunity arose when Fishback went wide. Shawn McConnell charged up the inside and took the lead at the halfway point. Fishback tried in vain to regain the lead, but had to watch Shawn McConnell race away with the victory. Russell Green, who was the runner-up in the Under 21 National Championship the previous night, was third, Michael Raines finished fourth, and Dukie Ermolenko was fifth.
John "Mongoose" Marquez opened the heats by beating Green. "Fast" Eddie Castro defeated Raines in the second heat. Charlie "The Edge" Venegas beat Ermolenko in the third heat. Fishback finished round one with a win over Shawn McConnell.

Shawn McConnell started round two by beating Jason Ramirez. Josh Abbott beat Green in event 10. Venegas struggled in the next event with not one, but two crashes. Aaron Fox won the restart over Raines. Fishback came from behind on the final lap to beat Ermolenko to end the second round.

Faria began the final round with a win over Green. Fishback beat Ramirez for his third consecutive win. Castro beat Doug "The Destroyer" Nicol in the penultimate heat. Shawn McConnell defeated Fox in the final heat.

Shawn McConnell won the first semi with Ermolenko following him into the main event. Fishback and Green finished one-two in the second semi to transfer to the main.

Abbott was leading the Last Chance when Fox found grip in a bad spot and took down the leader to bring out the red flag. Raines won the restart to take the final spot in the main event field.

Ryan Tovatt was leading the Support Main Event when he hit the turn two wall hard and brought out the red flag. Troy McConnell was victorious in the restart on his first night at Costa Mesa in several years. Harold Hartke was second, Robert "The Sarge" Fiesler finished third, and Tovatt was credited with fourth.

Kevin Fife led the first two laps of the Support B Main Event, but was challenged by Craig Sprecher. Sprecher's persistence paid off when he took the lead in turn two of lap three. Sprecher never looked back from there and went on to victory. Fife had to settle for second, Rick Fritch was third, and Paul Thornton finished fourth.

National Champions Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen completed their perfect night by running away with the victory in the Sidecar Main Event. Gerard Jackson and Dave German finished second, Shawn Driggers and Missy Driggers were third, and Dylan Beard and Trever DeSherlia finished fourth.

RESULTS

Sidecar Consolation
25 – Rod Requejo/Gene Stone
V2 – Bob Brayton/Dwayne King
13 – Scott Driggers/Casey Driggers

Sidecar Main Event
1 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
66 - Gerard Jackson/Dave German
23 - Shawn Driggers/Missy Driggers
5150 - Dylan Beard/Trever DeSherlia

Support B Main Event
199 - Craig Sprecher
311 - Kevin Fife
288 - Rick Fritch
124 - Paul Thornton

Support Main Event (restarted)
114 - Troy McConnell
290 - Harold Hartke
106 - Robert Fiesler
389 - Ryan Tovatt (non starter - restart)

First Division Heat Scoring123T
6 – Shawn McConnell 34411
9 – Mike Faria 2248
11 – Bobby Schwartz 1214
14 – Eddie Castro 42410
15 – Dukie Ermolenko 3328
18 – Justin Boyle 0123
23 – Steve Russell 0112
25 – Jimmy Fishback 44412
41 – John Marquez 40F4
43 – Charlie Venegas 4F26
46 – Aaron Fox 1438
48 – Tyson Talkington 2215
63 – Michael Raines 3306
66 – Jason Ramirez 1337
98 – Doug Nicol 2136
120 – Doug Greyson 0022
141 – Josh Abbott 2417
178 – Eloy Medellin 1102
321 – Russell Green 3339

Heat Results
1: Marquez, Green, Faria, Fox, Russell
2: Castro, Raines, Talkington, Schwartz, Greyson
3: Venegas, Ermolenko, Abbott, Ramirez, Boyle
4: Fishback, McConnell, Nicol, Medellin
9: McConnell, Ramirez, Faria, Nicol, Greyson
10: Abbott, Green, Schwartz, Russell
11: (restarted) Fox, Raines, Talkington, Medellin, Venegas (penalty line) (fell)
12: Fishback, Ermolenko, Castro, Boyle, Marquez
15: Faria, Green, Boyle, Schwartz, Medellin
16: Fishback, Ramirez, Venegas, Talkington, Marquez (fell)
17: Castro, Nicol, Greyson, Russell
18: McConnell, Fox, Ermolenko, Abbott, Raines (tape penalty)
Runoff: Raines, Venegas, Nicol
Semi #1: McConnell, Ermolenko, Fox, Raines, Castro (fell, remounted)
Semi #2: Fishback, Green, Faria, Abbott, Ramirez (tape penalty)

First Division Last Chance (restarted)
63 - Michael Raines
9 - Mike Faria (tape penalty)
141 - Josh Abbott
46 - Aaron Fox (penalty line) (retired)

First Division Main Event
6 - Shawn McConnell
25 - Jimmy Fishback
321 - Russell Green
63 - Michael Raines (fell, remounted)
15 - Dukie Ermolenko (fell)