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

Harley Night
August 24, 2011
By: Ryan Evans
Photos by: Paul Flanders and Dorcey Wingo

Photos Below by: Paul Flanders

Robert Cirac and Mike Raines the elder get ready to send Michael Raines out to the wolves with Hamill, Fishback, McConnell, and Faria. Raines ended up reigning in the main for his first major win.	Mike Faria receives some riding inspiration from the lovely Roxanne before the semis.	Jimmy Olsen, back to racing after the birth of his son Jayden last week, reunited with Joe Jones to take the sidecar main.
The McConnells and the Hamills were both working on father/son combo wins before Raines spoiled it all.	Braydan Galvin, Michael Wells and Chase Sanborn get ready to head out for the 200 2nd Div. main.	Dylan Beard gets a hand from Joe Jones with his TL1000 (2 cyl.) Suzuki powered sidecar rig.

With a heat wave in effect, the Grand Area's paved pit area blossomed with awnings.	It was the last Harley Night of the year, and some very cool bikes were parked hither and yon.	200cc First Div. action: #18 Sebastian Palmese attempts to stay inside of #7 Gino Scopellite going into turn one.
Youth rider #98 Broc Nicol (inside) takes on #104 Kurtis Hamill in the early goings.	#6 Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell wins his first heat, making it almost look easy.	First Div. Heat 10: #63 Michael Raines beats veterans Fishback and Schwartz - with an exclamation point!
Sidecar action: #23 Shawn Driggers and Missy Driggers get a wheel up in the early action.	#25 Jimmy Fishback and #66 Jason Ramirez nestled for an instant like spoons going into turn one.	#14 "Fast" Eddie Castro leads First Div. Heat 12 through turn three, while #9 Mike Faria (right) and #15 Dukie Ermolenko (left) try to keep pace.
Sidecar Main: #2 Dan Jones and swinger Brandi McElroy got dumped when their chariot smacked the wall. They would restart from the penalty line.	Scratch Main: First attempt - #9 "Flying" Mike Faria was given a starting tape violation and went to the penalty line.	#63 Michael Raines did it the hard way, winning the Last Chance and beating former WC #104 Billy Hamill from the wall in his first Main Event win!

Michael Raines had the biggest highlight of his brief speedway career with a stunning main event victory on Harley Night at Industry Speedway.

Raines qualified for the main event via the Last Chance and was left with gate five after his competitors selected the inside four gates. Former World Champion Billy "The Bullet" Hamill was undefeated at that juncture and was the most formidable opponent. Raines rocketed from the start and was able to get across the entire field as they entered turn one. Raines held tight to the precious inside line while Hamill chased from second. Hamill remained close the back wheel of the leader but was unable to force a mistake from his younger competitor. Raines remained calm under fire and held off the speedway icon for his first main event victory in Southern California's top division. Jimmy "Little Animal" Fishback was third, Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell finished fourth, and "Flyin" Mike Faria was fifth.

John Marquez kicked off the heats with a win over Fishback. McConnell beat Charlie "The Edge" Venegas in heat two. Hamill held off Dukie Ermolenko to win event three. Faria beat Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz to end round one with a victory.

Raines opened round two by beating Fishback. Venegas defeated Jason Ramirez in the next heat. Hamill beat McConnell for his second straight win. "Fast" Eddie Castro, Faria, and Ermolenko finished in that order after a brilliant three-way battle to finish the second round.

Fishback started the final round with a defeat of Ermolenko. Raines beat Venegas for his second consecutive win. Hamill remained perfect by beating Ramirez. Faria closed out the heats by beating McConnell.

Faria won the first semi with McConnell finishing second to join him in the main event. Hamill beat Fishback in the second semi with both riders transferring to the main event.

Troy McConnell continued his winning ways by leading all four laps and garnering the victory in the Support Main Event. Carl Gazafy finished second, Jake Myers was third, and Tim McGrath finished fourth.

Kip McClain withstood the constant pressure from Kevin Fife to win the Support B Main Event. Fife had to settle for second, Steve Howard finished third, and his brother Rick Howard was fourth.

Broc Nicol led the Youth 250cc Main Event for a lap before his Team Hagon Shocks teammate Kurtis Hamill took over and went on to victory.

Gino Scopellite led from start to finish and triumphed in the Youth 200cc First Division Main Event. Sebastian Palmese finished second and Nicol was credited with third.

Michael Wells led the Youth 200cc Second Division Main Event but had Braydan Galvin breathing down his neck as they entered turn three. The two riders bumped and Galvin went wide and Wells held on to the lead. The bump created an insurmountable lead and Wells held on for the victory. Galvin finished second and Chase Sanborn was third.

National Champions Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen were took home another victory in the Sidecar Main Event. Dylan Beard and David Pane were second, Dan Jones and Brandi McElroy finished third, and Shawn Driggers and Missy Driggers were fourth.

Industry Speedway's next event is its final event of the season as well as its biggest. The curtain comes down on Wednesday Night speedway with the 36th annual California State Championship. Defending State Champion Billy "The Kid" Janniro will make the trek from Northern California to defend his title.

RESULTS

Sidecar Main Event (restarted)
1 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
5150 - Dylan Beard/David Pane
2 - Dan Jones/Brandi McElroy (penalty line)
23 - Shawn Driggers/Missy Driggers (excluded)

Youth 200cc Second Division Main Event
214 - Michael Wells
45 - Braydan Galvin
108 - Chase Sanborn

Youth 200cc First Division Main Event
7 - Gino Scopellite 0
18 - Sebastian Palmese 0
98 - Doug Nicol 10(engine failure)

Youth 250cc Main Event
104 - Kurtis Hamill
98 - Broc Nicol

Support B Main Event
316 - Kip McClain
311 - Kevin Fife
221 - Steve Howard
188 - Rick Howard

Support Main Event
114 - Troy McConnell
176 - Carl Gazafy
175 - Jake Myers
186 - Tim McGrath

First Division Heat Results 123T
6 – Shawn McConnell 3227
9 – Mike Faria 3238
11 – Bobby Schwartz 2114
14 – Eddie Castro 1315
15 – Dukie Ermolenko 2125
23 – Steve Russell 0112
25 – Jimmy Fishback 2237
37 – Joe Donaldson 0000
43 – Charlie Venegas 2327
63 – Michael Raines 1337
66 – Jason Ramirez 1225
104 – Billy Hamill 3339
126 – Rocco Scopellite 0ER 0
141 – Josh Abbott 1001
178 – Eloy Medellin 00R 0

Heat Results
1: Marquez, Fishback, Ramirez, Donaldson
2: McConnell, Venegas, Castro, Medellin
3: Hamill, Ermolenko, Raines, Scopellite
4: Faria, Schwartz, Abbott, Russell
9: Raines, Fishback, Schwartz, Medellin
10: Venegas, Ramirez, Russell, Scopellite (engine failure)
11: Hamill, McConnell, Marquez, Abbott
12: Castro, Faria, Ermolenko, Donaldson
13: Fishback, Ermolenko, Castro, Scopellite (retired)
14: Raines, Venegas, Schwartz, Abbott
15: Hamill, Ramirez, Russell, Donaldson
16: Faria, McConnell, Marquez, Medellin (retired)
Semi #1: Faria, McConnell, Ramirez, Raines, Castro (tape penalty) (retired)
Semi #2: Hamill, Fishback, Venegas, Marquez, Ermolenko

First Division Last Chance
63 - Michael Raines
43 - Charlie Venegas
41 - John Marquez
66 - Jason Ramirez

First Division Main Event
63 - Michael Raines
104 - Billy Hamill
25 - Jimmy Fishback
6 - Shawn McConnell
9 - Mike Faria (tape penalty)