Pirate Speedway
National Orange Show
Arrowhead Ave
San Bernardino, California 92408

2013 Season Opener
April 19, 2013 - Pirate Speedway - San Bernardino
By: Ryan Evans - Photos by Dorcey Wingo and Paul Flanders

Facebook Photos from Howie - RAZ Video

A packed house greeted riders at the new and improved Friday Night Speedway venue. A major lighting upgrade, a reworked audio system, a live band, many new billboards, lots of Pirate flags waving in the wind even a Pirate Mascot. The Pirate has given notice that he will be a major Speedway Motorcycle racing force in 2013. Kudos to all involved. Your hard work in racetrack preparation and promotion shined on this Season Opener. Howie

Below photos by Dorcey Wingo
The red shirt Pirate Speedway Guys sported new threads for the 2013 Season Opener.		Three terribly cute girls manned the Program Table at the Spectator entrance gate.
Pee Wee Main Event,with handicap racers Whitcomb and Shockley back aways...	Dakota Shockley pulls ahead of Luke Whitcomb and Jonas LeoGrande.	150cc Main Event. Palmese is in lane three.
Sebastian Palmese was flying. He took the Trophy home.	250cc action: Hayley Perrault(inside) battles Dillon Ruml around turn four.	Hayley Perrault wins it on the restart.
Heather Rowe, the first female sidecar driver at Pirate Speedway!	Don Rapaport and Jacob Serrato get crossed up coming out of turn two.	Third Division Main Event.
Dillon Osborne is too fast for Third Division!	Mike Wiley negotiates turn four, and Mike Salyer doesn't.	Mitch Pierson throws his rear chain, allowing Ron Davis a big 2nd Division win.
1st Division Handicap action - Billy Hamill (center) plays thread- the-needle.	"Mad Dog"McConnell loses power and narrowly averts upending "Mad Max"Ruml.	Handicap action:"Fast" Eddie Castro leads Aaron Fox and Billy "The Bullet"Hamill into turn three.
Max Ruml edges out Billy Hamill in the Handicap Main.	Tyson Burmeister (inside) powers by Kayle LeoGrande.	1st Division Main Event.
Billy checks on those in his dust.	Sidecar Main Event - 1st Start.	National Champion No. 1 Joe Jones and Johnny Glover move ahead of No. 81 Rapaport/ Serrato.

Below photos by Paul Flanders
Steve Lucero, seen here with Luke Whitcomb, returned to be the referee at San Bernardino	Max Ruml looked impressive holding off Billy Hamill to take the handicap main trophy home.	Steve Russell's new leathers made an appearance in the handicap main.
Wade Whitcomb cleans his goggles before taking third in the third division main.	Racer X, John Pavia, was back in action.

2013 Pirate Speedway Season Opener - San Bernardino, CA, USA - April 19

A new era of speedway at the Orange Show Fairgrounds commenced with winners representing its rich history and its bright future as National Champion Billy "The Bullet" Hamill and Max Ruml took home main event victories at the Season Opener at Pirate Speedway in San Bernardino.

The five-rider Scratch Main Event came to the tapes with "Battling" Buck Blair in gate one, Tyson Burmeister in gate two, Hamill lined up in gate three, Russell Green in gate four, and Aaron Fox against the wall in gate five. Blair was first off the line when the tapes went up but Hamill found more traction about 10 yards out of the start and beat the field to turn one. The former World Champion led down the back straight with Fox in second. Hamill was in front after the first lap while Fox searched for a way to close ground on him. His efforts throughout the race would prove fruitless as the leader maintained a safe distance from the pack. Hamill was first to the checkered flag, Fox finished second, Blair was third, Burmeister finished fourth, and Green was fifth.

The Handicap Main began with Ruml and Steve Russell at the front of the eight-rider field. The two combatants battled into turn one with Ruml getting there first and securing the lead. Russell was immediately under pressure and eventually succumbed to Burmeister. Hamill, who started behind the entire field on the 50 yard line was desperately searching for traction on the outside but couldn't find suitable dirt to get himself to the front. Max Ruml calmly clicked off the laps in the lead and none of his competitors could close significant ground on him. The 16 year old led to the finish to secure the first of what is sure to be many main event victories. Burmeister had to settle for second, Blair was third, Hamill finished fourth, and "Fast" Eddie Castro was sixth.

Mitch Pierson held a comfortable lead in the Second Division Main Event for the first three laps but Ron Davis chipped away at his lead and was within striking distance at the final lap began. Pierson continued to lead down the back straight but made a mistake and went wide in the final corner. Davis pounced on the error and shot underneath to snatch the victory. Mike Wiley also went past the dejected Pierson to take second."Rattlesnake" Steve Bowen finished fourth, John "Racer X" Pavia was fifth, and Kevin "Rip" Fife finished sixth.
Steve "Beach Ball" Brown led the Third Division Main Event through the first corner before Dillon Osborne took over the lead on the back straight. Osborne lengthened his lead with each lap and was a comfortable winner. Brown finished second, Wade Whitcomb was third, and Dave Troutt finished fourth.

Dryden Gayle led the 250 Junior Main Event before spinning around in turn three and causing a pileup that collected Kurtis Hamill and Defending National Champion Broc Nicol in the process. Gayle and Hamill did not participate in the restart but Nicol decided to give it a shot. The restart began with Hayley Perrault and Dalton Leedy fighting for the lead before the young lady took control at the end of lap one. Perrault never looked back from there and went on to the victory. Nicol was second, Leedy finished third, and Dillon Ruml was fourth.

Sebastian "Big Daddy" Palmese led the 150 Mini Main Event from start to finish and cruised to the victory. Michael Wells finished second, Courtney Crone was third, Sara Cords finished fourth, and Dryden LeoGrande was fifth.

Dakota Shockley weaved through traffic and held off the charge of Luke Whitcomb to win the Pee Wee Main Event. Jonas LeoGrande finished third, Nick Dunn was fourth, Jake Trout finished fifth, and Jason Palmese was sixth.

Defending National Champions Joe Jones and Johnny Glover opened their season with perfection by winning both of their heats and the Sidecar Main Event. Dan Rapaport and Jacob Serrato finished second, Jeff Rowe and Johnny Bach were third, and Casey Driggers and Riley Driggers were fourth.

RESULTS

Sidecar Main Event (restarted twice)
1 - Joe Jones/Johnny Glover
81 - Dan Rapaport/Jacob Serrato
13 - Casey Driggers/Riley Driggers (penalty line)
1965 - Jeff Rowe/John Bach (penalty line)

Pee Wee Main Event
419 - Dakota Shockley
27 - Luke Whitcomb
185 - Jonas LeoGrande
76 - Nick Dunn
326 - Jake Troutt
795 - Jason Palmese

Mini 150cc Main Event
18 - Sebastian Palmese
214 - Michael Wells
4 - Courtney Crone
14 - Sara Cords
185 - Dryden LeoGrande

Junior 250cc Main Event (restarted)
0 - Hayley Perrault 10
1 - Broc Nicol 30
222 - Dalton Leedy 10
111 - Dillon Ruml 20 (fell, remounted)
104 - Kurtis Hamill 20 (non starter - restart)
73 - Dryden Gayle 0 (non starter - restart)

Third Division Main Event (restarted)
164 - Dillon Osborne
211 - Steve Brown
227 - Wade Whitcomb
210 - Dave Troutt (penalty line)

Second Division Main Event
163 - Ron Davis 20
101 - Mike Wiley 20
192 - Mitch Pierson 10
177 - Steve Bowen 30
355 - John Pavia 0 (fell, remounted)
311 - Kevin Fife 0
333 - Mike Salyer 10 (fell)

Handicap Main Event
308 - Max Ruml 20
26 - Tyson Burmeister 40
39 - Buck Blair 40
104 - Billy Hamill 50
14 - Eddie Castro 40
46 - Aaron Fox 40
23 - Steve Russell 20
28 - Joey Holt 20 (non starter)

First Division Last Chance
321 - Russell Green
308 - Max Ruml
6 - Shawn McConnell
14 - Eddie Castro

Scratch Main Event
104 - Billy Hamill
46 - Aaron Fox
39 - Buck Blair
26 - Tyson Burmeister
321 - Russell Green

Ryan Evans