Industry Racing
The Grand Arena
Industry Hills Expo Center
City of Industry, California
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July 31, 2019 - Industry Racing
JANNIRO WINS AT INDUSTRY SPEEDWAY – By Tim Kennedy
Industry, CA., Jul. 31 – It was “Legends & Heroes Night” at Industry Speedway Wednesday at the Grand Arena. Living legend Billy Janniro traveled south from his Nor Cal home for the third time in nine events this season. He had a pair of 500cc Division 1 feature second place finishes in his prior trips to Industry. This week he proved to more than 600 spectators present and viewers of the internet live streaming why he is the greatest current USA speedway racer.
Janniro is a nine-time AMA Speedway National Champion (2008, 10-11, 13 through 18), five time US Speedway (Costa Mesa) National Champion (2004, 08, 10-11, and 18), and five-time California State Champion (2010-12, 14 and 17). Add 2009 California Long-Track Championship, four Nor Cal championships and five Fast Fridays Speedway (Auburn) track championships and it is apparent “Billy the Kid” is greatness personified on two-wheels. He also has raced in England and Sweden.
Janniro, 39, won all five of his races, including the feature for the first time this season at Industry. He rode the So Cal-based No. 1 Scopellite GM as usual. He scored a perfect nine points in heat races, won his semi-final and led the final two laps of the feature. Other riders in the field had won six of the prior eight Industry features. Four-time winner Max Ruml and two-time winner Dillon Ruml, plus two-time 2017 and one-time 2018 Industry winner Aaron Fox were his talented rivals.
FEATURE: The main event from pole to the crash-wall was: Janniro, Max and Dillon Ruml in lanes two and three, and Fox in lane four. Dillon emerged from a turn two scrum with his brother and Janniro to lead the first two laps. On lap 3 Janniro shot to the inside on the backstretch and took the lead with an inside pass entering the third turn. Dillon, Max and Fox ran second through fourth on the third lap.
On the final lap, second place Dillon fell in turn two on the far outside as the other riders raced to the finish line. Dillon remained on the ground a few minutes following the checkered flag and then walked to the pits holding a wrist. Janniro had a several lengths lead over Max at the finish; Fox was a few lengths back in third.
SEMIS: The two Division 1 features for the eight high-point riders in heat races advanced the top two finishers in each semi to the feature. Max won the first semi over Dillon, who led the first three laps. Max, using his high-riding, wide-open technique, drew even on the final lap in the third and fourth turns and nipped Dillon by inches at the finish line. The thriller had fans cheering. Pole starter Janniro led all four laps over lane two starter Fox in the second semi.
Bobby”Boogaloo” Schwartz, 62, led every lap in the restarted Division 1 consolation race for third and fourth place riders in the two semis. He defeated Russell Green, 27, and drew cheers from appreciative spectators. Second place Shawn McConnell fell hard in turn three on the initial lap and P. 3 Green also went down after contact. McConnell, 60, had the wind knocked out of him. He remained on the ground about four minutes, then rose and limped to the pits with assistance. Green restarted. Austin Novratil fell earlier in turn two and parked it.
SUPPORT MAINS: The 500cc Division 2 field had a first-time entrant who amazed everyone. Former 250cc Junior Division front-runner Sara Cords, 19, made her Industry Speedway debut as a 500cc racer. The blonde, pony-tailed Yucaipa resident won both of her heats and the Division 2 main event over a field of experienced and past Division 2 feature winners. She drew pole position for all three rides and led every lap in both heats.
She trailed 2019 Division 2 feature winner Rudy Laurer for two laps in the feature. She then passed him on the inside entering turn one and pulled away to lead the final two laps. Laurer was second on lap 3 when he fell leaving the second turn and did not finish. David Lynch and past winner Kevin Fiore was third after remounted following a trip to the second turn dirt on the first lap.
Cords only raced twice in 2018. She turned professional on July 27, 2019 and raced her 500cc bike for the first time at Perris Raceway. She won the pairs championship that night with a New Zealand rider. She now works for Redlands Honda/Yamaha and plans to attend junior college soon. She bought her 500cc GM engine from Aaron Fox and paired it with the same frame she used as a 250cc racer.
Sara raced in 2011-12 as a 50cc pee-wee rider. She won three mains in the 150cc junior class in 2014 and won 15 times in the 250cc junior division from 2015-2017. She won 250cc main events at Industry in 2015 and 2016. Her last race at Industry was in the Silver Cup Juniors-only 150 and 250 title races on Aug. 13, 2017. Officials placed her in Division 2 immediately, skipping the 500cc Division 3 division for new 500cc riders, based upon her proficiency in the 250 division. She justified their confidence, as did 250 Junior National Champion Sebastian Palmese, who went from 250cc to 500cc Division 1 this year. He turns 16 August 3.
Division 3 MAIN: The 500cc third division for newer riders had another surprise winner. Mark Fillebrown, 43, from San Diego, made his return to racing after an absence since 2005. He raced at Champion Speedway in Owego, N.Y.. He also raced AMA Flat Track on a No. 68. He used 168 for the GM-engine bike he bought from Max Hancock. His Industry debut resulted in two second place finishes in heat races. He led all four laps of the Division 3 main after starting from lane three. Tyler Moszer, Dennis Osmer, and two-time 2019 winner Brent Smith, who fell on lap 2 in the second turn while running second, followed.
JUNIOR DIVISION:
Wilbur Hancock, 14-year old son of four-time World Speedway Champion Greg Hancock, led all four laps in the 250cc main. It was his second Industry 2019 feature victory. Slater Lightcap, Alex Martin, and Andrew Russell finished second through fourth. Non-finisher Luke Whitcomb was fourth on lap 2 when he fell in the second turn and pushed his bike to the infield.
Auburn resident Nick Hohlbein, 10, won his second 150cc main this season at Industry and led every lap as he did in both heats. New 150cc AMA National 150 champion Levi Leutz placed second, with Owen Williams third. Jose Navarette fell on lap 2 in turn four and exited the track. There were no 50cc pee-wee and 1,000cc sidecar races this week.
The 36-race program started at 7:47 and concluded at 9:59 pm. There were three breaks to allow track re-grooming by the IHEC tractor operator, Ivan Salazar. Officials used a hose to water the track and keep it racy and dust-free all night.
Knowledgeable spectators cheered ageless B. Schwartz after he beat young rider S. Palmese, 15, in an added run-off race (event 26A) to earn the final semi-final berth. They had tied for P. 8 with four points. Schwartz has been battling a nagging sore shoulder each week after an early season fall at Industry. He led all four laps in a close race with the impressive teenager. Fans also acknowledged Sara Cords three victories.
The 16-rider Division 1 field had three riders (Janniro and the Ruml brothers) tied at nine points after all won their three heats. There also was a three-way tie at seven points involving Fox, Novratil and McConnell. All had a win and two seconds. Green was seventh with six points based on three seconds. Rider counts were Division 2-eight; Division 3-seven; 250cc-five and 150cc-seven.
PIT NOTES:
> Placards with the names of Speedway Legends & Heroes were on tables behind the first turn grandstand in the Grand Arena courtyard. The autograph and chat session with the legends lasted from before 7:00 to after 7:30. I counted 25 legends present at the tables. L to R they were: Bruce Penhall, Mark Cherry, Bill Cody, John Foster, Dubb Ferrell, Jan Ballard, Greg Haserot, Denny Scopellite, Margo King, Pam “Pinky Bennett, Peter Starr, Sammy Tanner, Billy Gray, Bobbi (No. 280) Hunter, Dave Galvin, Dean York, “Gene Gene the Dancing Machine.” Howie Zechner, Sonny Nutter, Rob Morrison, Tommy Burba, Terry Clanton, Tim (No. 17) Gewecke, Scott Read, and Mike Lupo. Doug (No. 98) Nicol, 59, was absent because he recently underwent cancer surgery. Some rider legends were busy in the pits getting ready to race. They were Shawn McConnell, Bobby Schwartz, and Eddie Castro. Also working and unable to sign autographs were track officials Steve Lucero (referee), and Ryan Evans (pit steward).
> The free July 31 Industry Speedway printed program with pre-printed heat race lineups was 16-pages. It had color pages and photos of 40 speedway racing legends and a color page with four 2019 racing action photos.
> Injured Riders: Richard Perkins (No. 151n) from Carson City, Nevada, returned home last week. The 58-year old first-time Industry racer crashed hard July17 in turn two and broke a leg and five ribs. Michael Wells, 18, was present in a wheelchair with his injured leg in a cast being signed by well-wishers. He said his bike just took off and caused him to hit the starting gate and wall during his Division 1 heat race.
> Broc Nicol, 21, was present with an arm in a sling. He said he suffered a broken collarbone June 29 while on loan to another team from his Sheffield Tigers team in England. He said another rider crashed into him and caused the injury. He flew home to have the surgery by his own doctor, who inserted a metal plate to stabilize his collarbone. Broc said his dad was unable to attend this year as he always does each legends night.
> Jack Crone, father of Junior Division 2011-2015 150cc and 250cc rider Courtney Crone, was present to watch speedway action in person. Courtney raced at five speedway bike tracks before moving on to sprint car and BCRA and USAC midget racing. She raced in the prestigious USAC Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix main event in Ventura against the best midget drivers in the USA. Jack said Courtney is 18 now and has earned her first paycheck as a race driving instructor at Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey) for Alan Berg. There are 18 students a day for six instructors. Courtney works with female students. She is racing F-4 Formula cars and will race in the upcoming Elden Vintage Formula Ford race at Laguna Seca, home of the famous corkscrew turn. Her racing goal is to race in Formula 2000, Indy Lights, Indy Cars and the Indianapolis 500.
> Alex Martin, 14, and his father Steve drove south from their Salinas home July 24 and won both heats and 250cc feature going away. They returned July 31 but the results were not as rosy. At the start of his second heat, Alex left the starting gate and his bike flipped him onto his back. He reclined on the track several minutes and his dad rushed from the pits to him. Alex showed his toughness by walking to staging. He used his backup bike for the restart and finished third. He also finished third in the four rider 250cc main.
> SCHEDULE: Industry Speedway will be dark Wednesday, August 7 as teams prepare for the second round of the 2019 AMA National Championship Series at three speedways. The Saturday, August 10 round two should be well-attended with Division 1 top riders competing for valuable points. Janniro is leading after round one at Ventura in June. The final round will be in September in Auburn. On Sunday, August 11 the seventh annual AMA/FIM Silver Cup for Junior Division 150 and 250 riders will be run with free grandstand admission for all spectators. The annual Junior Kurtz Memorial race will be held Wednesday, August 14 with sidecars on the program as well.
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