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Pirate Speedway
National Orange Show
San Bernardino, California
Team Racing
Pirates Plunder the rest to win British Style Team race in Southern California
January 11, 2014 - Pirate Speedway - San Bernardino
Results By Steve Evans | Photos by Dorcey Wingo
Five weeks after the initial attempt was rained out with a typical last minute British rain storm, Four teams converged upon Pirate Speedway at San Bernardino, California on Saturday 11th in January in 80 degree temperatures. The race format used involved 7 man teams, with the winner of each of the two semi finals advancing to a Grand Final, and the losing teams going to a third place final. The events featured mostly first and second division riders with each match being run over the format for the first 7 heats of a British Elite League program. The final also featured an extra nominated heat. Each event allowed up to two double point tactical Jokers for teams six or more points in deficit. Ties at the end of the event would be settled with a one rider per team run off.
SEMI FINAL 1 - VIKINGS 22 -EAGLES 23
Max Ruml and 500cc debutante Broc Nicol were both undefeated and scored 15 points between them, but the superior depth of Eagles booked their place in the final. Max Ruml led home heat 1 for a 3-3 with Russell Green and Sean McDougall of the Eagles in pursuit. Scores were even as Jeramiah Allen won heat 2 for the Eagles. The Eagles got the first 5-1 of the day in heat 3 with veterans Rudy Laurer and Geoff Herkner keeping Brad Moreau at bay. Broc Nicol won a convincing heat 4 for the Vikings from returnee Travis Henderson and Bruce Marteney keeping the race score at 3-3. Russell Green led home 500cc newcomer Dalton Leedy in heat 5, with McDougall's third putting the Eagles 6 up. As expected team manager Steve Graham put Max Ruml on the Joker and the 16 year old phenom brought home the win from Henderson, Hayley Perrault's third for the Vikings brought them one behind. Though Nicol took the win in heat 7, the team riding of Herkner and Lauer kept Steve Brown at bay for the Eagles to narrowly edge to the final.
VIKINGS 22 - Ruml 9, Nicol 6, Leedy 2, Brown 2, Hughes 1+1, Perrault 1, Moreau 1.
EAGLES 23 - Green 5, Laurer 4+1, Herkner 4+1, Henderson 4, Allen 3, McDougall 2+1, Marteney 1+1
SEMI FINAL 2 - ACES 22 - PIRATES 23
Once more it was a narrow 1 point event that saw the Pirates edge to the final over the patched up Aces. The Aces, three riders down on the day, were able to draft in guest riders from other teams and support events to cover vacancies. The Aces opened with a 5-1 when Guest riders Max Ruml and Dalton Leedy led home Jonni Jade with Pirate #1 Tyson Talkington being a faller. They further got a 4-2 in heat 2, Chris Wiggins being the winner from Tom Summers and guest Bruce Marteney. Pirates boss Peter Davenport shrewdly went straight for the tactical in 3 and his gamble on 2013 USA Under 21 team member Jamison Dilkey paid off, with Dilkey and team mate Steve Bowen leading home Joey Donaldson for an 8-1 and 1 point lead. Heat 4 was tied - Dan Faria winning for the Pirate from Ryan Tovatt and Marteney. Tyson Talkington made up for heat 1 with a win in heat 5, though the solid riding of Dryden Gayle and Joey Donaldson for the Aces kept the gap at 1. Guest Ruml won heat 6, Faria second and Leedy third to give the Aces a 4-2 and one point lead, though Dilkey won again in heat 7 and team mate Steve Bowen's third place secured the Pirates a place in the final.
ACES - Ruml 6, Tovatt 4, Leedy 3+1, Wiggins 3, Donaldson 2+1, Marteney 2+1, Gayle 2,
PIRATES - Dilkey 9,Faria 5, Bowen 3+1,Talkington 3, Summers 2, Jade 1, Summers 0
THIRD PLACE FINAL - VIKINGS 22 - ACES 23
The Aces, led by manager Philip Harmatiuk took the spoils in another closely contested event for the third place final. Ruml led home 250cc guest rider Luke Becker in heat 1, with Russell Green's third keeping scored tied at 3. Bruce Marteney and Chris Wiggins hit the big 5-1 in heat 2. Dalton Leedy for the Vikings scored an impressive first 500cc win in heat 3, with Gayle and Donaldson keeping the heat tied and Aces 4 up. Broc Nicol scorched to his third win of the day in heat 3, though once more heat spoils were tied. A 4-2 for the Aces as Russell Green led home Leedy and Becker in heat 5 meant once again Ruml was at the double in heat 6. Max won from Tovatt and Hayley Perrault's third once more put the Vikings 1 down with one to go. In deja vu from the semi final, Nicol won heat 7 but the Gayle and Donaldson second and third over Brown which meant the Aces won the match.
VIKINGS - Ruml 9, Nicol 6, Leedy 5, Brown 1, Perrault 1, Hughes 0, Moreau 0.
ACES - Green 4+1, Tovatt 4, Marteney 4+1, Gayle 4, Becker 3, Donaldson 2+2, Wiggins 2+1
GRAND FINAL - EAGLES 24 - PIRATES 24, PIRATES WIN RUN OFF
A see saw battle saw the Pirates as victors in an epic encounter that went to a run off. Tyson Talkington took command in heat 1 for the Pirates, leading home Green and McDougall from the Eagles for a 3-3. Jeramiah Allen took Heat 2 for the Eagles, though team mate Bruce Marteney's fall meant Summers and Stevens brought home a 3-3. The Pirates, through Dilkey's third win and Bowen,s third, took the lead with a 4_2 in heat 3. Lauer was 2nd with Herkner a faller. Faria won a tied heat 4 from Henderson and Marteney to keep the Pirates 2 ahead. Talkington won heat 5 from Herkner but Laurer's fall let by Jonni Jade for third, putting the Pirates 4 up. Green was the winner in heat 6 from Faria, but McDougall's third put the Eagles only 2 back. Disaster struck for the Pirates in heat 7, the unbeaten Dilkey a faller with Henderson and Allen leading home Bowen for a 5-1 with the Eagles now 2 up. The nominated heat saw Talkington complete a three ride maximum, leading home Henderson. Faria kept Green at the back for a 4-2 and a tied score of 24 at the end of regulation. The rules called for a 1 rider per team run off to decide the meeting - riders from heat 8 not being eligible. Dilkey outgated McDougall and despite pressure he held on for the win. Pirates team manager Peter Davenport and Eagles boss Tori Hubbert shook hands after a closely fought contest that much like the British and Swedish leagues last year resulted in Pirate glory.
EAGLES - Henderson 7, Allen 5+1, Green 5, Herkner 2, Laurer 2, McDougall 2+1 Marteney 1+1,
PIRATES - Talkington 9, Faria 6, Dilkey 3, Bowen 2, Summers 2, Stevens 1+1, Jade 1
SUPPORTING RACES
There were 4 races each for Division 2, 250cc Junior and 150cc mini riders. They were split into teams for 5-6 rider races, scoring 5,4,3,2,1.0. The Stars team took a big 99-73 win over the Rebels. The final race of each of these races was a trophy race for the Main Event, as well as final races for Pee Wees and Mini Bikes.
Stephen Simrak won 3 of the 4 support races including the final, where he made a move on Pam Bennett for the win. Luke Becker won all 4 250cc races, though debutante Adam Herkner was very impressive. Sebastian Palmese won all 3 heats but it was Sara Cords who took the Main after National Champ Palmese was held up in traffic. Tristan Britt got the 2nd Division trophy. Ryder Tovatt won all 4 Pee Wee races with Gary Dudley winning the Mini Bike race.
MAIN EVENT RESULTS;
Division 3 - Stephen Simrak, Pam Bennett, Jeremy Dunn, Wade Whitcomb, Joe Schultz III DNS
250 Junior - Luke Becker, Adam Herkner, Gage Geist, Michael Wells, Dillon Ruml DNS.
150cc Mini - Sara Cords, Sebastian Palmese, Tristan Britt, Dakota Shockley, Jake Isaac, Luke Whitcomb fell, Keelan Venegas DNS
Mini Bike - Gary Dudley, Cory Tocco, Robert Walsh, Eddie Castro, Bob Tocco, Stu Egli.
The event showed the bright future of USA Speedway with four recent 500cc graduates in Broc Nicol, Hayley Perrault, Dalton Leedy and Dryden Gayle as well as Luke Becker getting two guest heats with the adults. The junior program is showing its huge impact on the future of USA Speedway and supported by all promoters with races and schools, could be the catalyst to the 6th USA SWC win as well as the domestic US scene in the past 30 years.
Steve Evans - dreamteamspeedway@sbcglobal.net
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