Inland Motor Speedway
National Orange Show
San Bernardino, California

Ken Maely Shoe Championship
June 17, 2011
By: Ryan Evans
Photos by: Dorcey Wingo

As the stands begin to fill, former National Speedway Champion Steve Lucero engages former World Champ Billy Hamill near the iconic IMS palm trees, while Old Glory waves her approval.	Sure, former National Champ Brad Oxley will sign autographs in the pits. But you have to deal with "Flossy," first!	Some new faces and numbers at this Riders Meeting, as Steve Lucero pounds in the track rules and urges riders to be ready when the pit gate opens.
Great to see the return of 250cc Youth rider #104 Kurtis Hamill (left) who was back in leathers after some R&R. (Far right) #34 Maverick Molloy chats with blond headed #23 Shea Bendylkowski. With his back to Captain Methane, Max Ruml gets some seat time. Check his right steel foot peg, though; you'll see it again soon.	First Division - Event 1: #293 Rick Valdez (on the pole) digs in against (blue-clad) #23 Steve Russell. On the left side of the starting-tape-upright is (red clad) #28 Joey Holt launching alongside #25 Jimmy Fishback III. Fishback had to run down a game Steve Russell to take the first win.	Going faster every match is colorful rider #195 Drew Coats, who went on to win the Second Division Main Event.
"And what did you do this summer, Kevin?" "Oh I went to camp with my sister and got eaten alive by mosquitos." "And what about you, #14 Sara Coats?" "Oh, I raced motorcycles every Friday night at IMS and beat the boys right and left, that's all!"	200cc 2nd Div. Main Event: That's #23 Shea Bendykowski on the pole, gating against #108 Chase Sanborn and #34 Maverick Molloy against the wall. Shea took the win, Maverick finished 2nd.	Youth 250cc Main Event, /Prelude/: #308 "Mad Max" had his crotch rocket shoot out from under him testing his clutch in the back straight-a-way - tossing him rudely aside and bending his steel foot-peg like a pretzel. Ruml was able to restart after a few minutes.
That's #308 Max Ruml against the wall alongside #21 Braden Sauer, gating against #333 Nicholas Varner and Max's brother #111 Dillon Ruml on the pole. Max went on to win, his brother came in second. Nick Varner was credited with third and Sauer fourth. (Way to recover, Max!)	Sidecar Main Event: #5150 Dylan Beard/Steve Emas fills your screen in the final battle of the big bikes, won by #1 Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen. What a spectacle these howling beasts create!	First Division Main Event: International Speedway Star #2 Josh Larsen is on the pole in new leathers, gating next to #14 "Fast Eddie" Castro. In three is #25 Jimmy Fishback III, underway against #6 Shawn McConnell in four and #27 Austin Novratil along the wall. And that was the finishing order, to boot! Or should I say "Shoe" - as in the 2011 Ken Maely Shoe Championship! Congratulations, Josh!

Josh Larsen followed his perfect evening at Costa Mesa with another flawless performance and captured the Ken Maely Shoe Championship at Inland Motorcycle Speedway in San Bernardino

.Larsen and "Fast" Eddie Castro both entered the main event unbeaten, but Larsen won the draw for first gate choice and selected gate one while Castro picked gate two. Larsen jetted away when the tapes arose with Castro following him into turn one. The former World Finalist led down the back straight and into turn three, but drifted a little wide coming out of turn four and Castro tried to blast up the inside. Larsen slammed the door shut as they entered turn one but Castro's deficit remained minimal. The diminutive rider forsook his usual outside line and hoped for an opening on the inside. Larsen wasn't budging off the pole, however, and no opportunity ever presented itself. Larsen was first to the checkered flag, Castro had to settle for second, Jimmy "Little Animal" Fishback was third, Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell finished fourth, and USA U21 Team Member Austin Novratil was fifth.

The heats began with Steve Russell leading before Fishback passed him on lap three for the lead and his first win. Novratil beat McConnell in event two. Castro stalked "Flyin" Mike Faria for three laps before passing him for his first win in race three. Larsen ended round one with a victory over John "Mongoose" Marquez.

Fishback started round two by beating Novratil. Castro defeated McConnell for his second straight win. Faria beat Brad Pappalardo in event 14. Larsen finished the second round with a win over Aaron Fox for his second win in a row.

Castro opened the final round by defeating Fishback for his third straight win. Josh Abbott impressively held off McConnell for a hard-fought victory. Fox beat Faria in event 25. Larsen defeated Novratil in the final heat to match Castro's perfect score.

Castro and Fishback finished one-two in the first semi and transferred to the main event. Larsen blazed to his fourth straight victory in the second semi with Novratil finishing second and following him into the main event. A crash ended the Last Chance Race prematurely and McConnell was awarded the victory and the final transfer into the main event.

Drew Coats led from start to finish and captured the victory in the Second Division Main Event. Gabe Price was second, Rohn Zellner finished third, and Mike Salyer was fourth.

Chris Jones scored was dominant with a runaway victory in the Third Division Main Event. Joey St. Louis finished second, Tony DeAlmeida was third, and Kevin Fife finished fourth.

Max Ruml won both his heats and was victorious in the Youth 250cc Main Event. Dillon Ruml finished second, Nicholas Varner was third, and Braden Sauer was fourth.

Varner was victorious in the Youth 200cc First Division Main Event for the second week in a row. Kurtis Hamill was second and Dalton Leedy finished third.

Maverick Molloy made the best start in the Youth 200cc Second Division Main Event, but Shea Bendykowski took the lead as they entered turn three. Bendykowski never looked back from there and crossed the finish line first. Molloy finished second and Chase Sanborn was third.

Sara Cords won the Pee Wee Main Event for the second consecutive week with Dakota Shockley finishing second, Luke Whitcomb getting third, Charlie Larsen was fourth, and Mikey Ortega finished fifth.

National Champions Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen led all four laps en route to victory in the Sidecar Main Event. Dylan Beard and Steve Emas finished second, Bryan Motis and Brandi McElroy were third, and Shawn Driggers and Missy Driggers finished fourth.

The next event at IMS is Ben Mears Appreciation Night and will have handicap and scratch racing. Mears is a former speedway racer who has spent many hours helping at the facility during its three years of existence.

RESULTS

Sidecar Consolation
13 – Scott Driggers/Casey Driggers
25 – Rod Requejo/Gene Stone

Sidecar Main Event
1 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
5150 - Dylan Beard/Steve Emas
2 - Bryan Motis/Brandi McElroy
23 - Shawn Driggers/Missy Driggers

Pee Wee Main Event
14 - Sara Cords
34 - Dakota Shockley
27 - Luke Whitcomb
45 - Charlie Larsen
000 - Mikey Ortega

Youth 200cc Second Division Main Event
23 - Shea Bendykowski
34 - Maverick Molloy
108 - Chase Sanborn

Youth 200cc First Division Main Event
333 - Nicholas Varner
104 - Kurtis Hamill
222 - Dalton Leedy

Youth 250cc Main Event
308 - Max Ruml
111 - Dillon Ruml
333 - Nicholas Varner (fell)
21 - Braden Sauer (fell)

Third Division Consolation
316 – Kip McClain
275 – Mike Betor
211 – Steve Brown
226 – Rick Huspek

Third Division Main Event
116 - Chris Jones
313 - Joey St. Louis
157 - Tony DeAlmeida
311 - Kevin Fife

Second Division Consolation
354 – Ed Lynch
175 – Jake Myers
192 – Mitch Pierson (non starter)
151 – Brandon Leedy (non starter)

Second Division Main Event (awarded)
195 - Drew Coats
113 - Gabe Price
163 - Rohn Zellner
333 - Mike Salyer (fell)

First Division Heat Scoring123T
2 – Josh Larsen 3339
6 – Shawn McConnell 2226
9 – Mike Faria 2327
11 – Bobby Schwartz 0000
14 – Eddie Castro 3339
17 – Robbie Sauer 1012
23 – Steve Russell 2114
25 – Jimmy Fishback 3328
27 – Austin Novratil 3227
28 – Joey Holt 11F2
41 – John Marquez 2002
45 – Brad Pappalardo 1214
46 – Aaron Fox 0235
141 – Josh Abbott 1135
208 – Geoff Herkner 0011
293 – Rick Valdez 0101

Race Results
1: Fishback, Russell, Holt, Valdez
2: Novratil, McConnell, Pappalardo, Herkner (fell, remounted)
3: Castro, Faria, Abbott, Fox
4: Larsen, Marquez, Sauer, Schwartz
12: Fishback, Novratil, Abbott, Sauer
13: Castro, McConnell, Holt, Marquez
14: Faria, Pappalardo, Valdez, Schwartz
15: Larsen, Fox, Russell, Herkner
23: (restarted) Castro, Fishback, Herkner, Holt (penalty line) (fell)
24: Abbott, McConnell, Pappalardo, Schwartz
25: Fox, Faria, Russell, Marquez
26: Larsen, Novratil, Sauer, Valdez
Semi #1: Castro, Fishback, McConnell, Fox (fell)
Semi #2: Larsen, Novratil, Faria, Abbott

First Division Last Chance (awarded)
6 - Shawn McConnell
46 - Aaron Fox
141 - Josh Abbott (fell)
9 - Mike Faria (non starter)

Ken Maely Shoe Championship Final
2 - Josh Larsen
14 - Eddie Castro
25 - Jimmy Fishback
6 - Shawn McConnell
27 - Austin Novratil