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Perris Raceway
Perris, California
2020 AMA Speedway National Under 21 Championship
2020 AMA Youth 250cc Speedway Long Track National Championship
2020 AMA 150cc Mini Speedway Long Track National Championship
Perris Raceway November 14, 2020
By: Steve Evans dreamteamspeedway@sbcglobal.net
LUKE BECKER, ALEX MARTIN AND NICK HOLHBEIN COMPLETE NORCAL SWEEP OF AMA NATIONAL TITLES
American Speedway’s young talent pool showcased itself at the highest possible level at Perris Raceway on November the 14th with the AMA National Under 21 and Junior AMA National Long Track titles on the line.
2020 AMA Speedway National Under 21 Championship
Though Luke Becker was anything but a surprise winner of the AMA Under 21 National Championship, he certainly had to work hard and intelligently to secure the title. This is Becker’s first and last AMA Under 21 Championship with his age eligibility ending at the end of the year. With the championship dormant for several years until Perris relaunched it 12 months ago, it was a huge shot in the arm for the sport to have a full 16 rider field in this contest for the first time in 13 years.
When Becker opened up with a dominant win in event one over main pre event rival Dillon Ruml, the writing looked on the wall. Indeed, after another blow out win in heat 8, he perhaps has one hand on the trophy after defeating the also unbeaten Sebastian Palmese in heat 12. Palmese had also claimed an early scalp on Ruml. It all changed in heat 16 however. After bike failure before the race began, Becker’s team brought out the spare, but it was clear from the off the back up bike was not well. Rival Blake Borello blasted off and into the distance whilst Becker had to use all of his experience and skill to keep New York’s Spencer Portararo at bay in the battle for second, a feat he accomplished. With Palmese winning the prior heat (with late bike trouble himself), both were tied on 11 points with one race to go, a win for both would see them run off for the title.
However, heat 17 brought out a carbon copy of Becker’s earlier bike trouble for Palmese, leaving him a distant third. Blake Borello was way out in front for the second round in a row and destined for at least second place on the might when a heart breaking bike issue brought an end to his race at the end of lap three. Palmese reeled in Sara Cords, who had inherited the lead from Borello, but Cords held off Palmese by half a bike length. This left Becker needing a win in heat 20 to be the clear winner on 14 points, a task of which he duly obliged. Palmese’s consolation was that his 13 points secured him second place.
Third place was decided by a run off between the experienced yet seemingly under powered Dillon Ruml and the surprise of the night, 16 year old Kyle Cunningham, in only his 6th race on a 500cc bike. Both had 12 points with two wins and three second places, Cunningham scalping Borello earlier in the night. The rookie Cunningham launched a stunning gate and for a while, a major upset looked up on the cards. Ruml, however, showed why he is one of the hottest properties in American Speedway keeping his opponent close and eventually making an outside blast from turn 4 to turn 1 to snatch the lead and get himself of the podium.
The unlucky Borello finished 6th on 10 whilst Anthony Dion steadily put point on the board all night with four second placed before ending off with a win over Ruml and brother Timmy to get fifth on 11 points. A total of ten riders won heats on the evening. This event, with Becker and Ruml’s age eligibility about to end at the turn of the year, truly felt like a changing of the guard with the likes of Palmese, Borello and Cunningham leading the next wave of talent.
2020 AMA Youth 250cc Speedway Long Track National Championship
Whilst not a Long Track by European standards, Perris is in its second year of holding this championship and is much bigger than the usual American track. The 250 class had six entrants with five entered in each race and one sitting out, meaning each rider got 5 rides and met each rival 4 times. Points would decide the championship. Defending champion Wilbur Hancock led heat 1 but quickly retired with bike issues. Alex Martin, who was already challenging for the lead, duly obliged and from that point was untroubled all night long with 5 wins, 20 perfect points and an AMA National title in his final junior year. Slater Lightcap secured one win and two second places on his way to 12 points and second place on the night. Andrew Russell consistently piled on the points to get 11 points and third.
2020 AMA 150cc Mini Speedway Long Track National Championship
The seven rider field each had four qualifying races, which got the top four contenders to the final. The 150s served up some superb and breathtaking action. AMA National Champion Nick Hohlbein and Jose Navarrete won two heats each whilst defending Long Track Champion Levi Leutz and Kensei Matsudaira won one each. The final saw Hohlbein, Navarette, Leutz and NorCal’s Colton Nelson qualified as the top four. Hohlbein made the start in the first running but Navarette went down in turn 1 and the referee ruled all four back. In the re run Hohlbein trapped again but a collision between Navarette and Leutz once more brought out the red flag and another complete restart. Leutz had machine trouble after his crash and ended up borrowing a bike from Matsudaira. Hohlbein got the start again for the third time but Navarette mounted a tremendous outside challenge, coming close but not close enough as Hohlbein roared to victory to hold both AMA 150cc National titles. Nelson was an impressive third with Leutz struggling on the borrowed bike.
Other Divisions
The packed race program featured ‘West Coast Championship titles’ for the other Speedway Divisions. Veteran Rudy Laurer won the first heat and the Main in Division Two, with Tyler Moszer taking heat two. David Newsham won both Division Three heats before Tom Bryant saw him off in the Main. Colorado visitor Mike Jaudon took a clean sweep in the Upright Class. Young Asa Gonzalez, a soon to be addition to the 150cc Mini Speedway Class swept the Pee Wees. The Sidecars ran a Handicap format but starting at the back did not prevent National Points Champions Jamie Morabito winning all races. Max Ruml won all three Division 1 Exhibition races for the over 21s.
The popular Mini Bike TT class had a very special winner with Moto America Twins Cup Champion Rocco Landers taking victory. Jeff Johnson won the growing Flat Track class for the second event in a row, with Jim Ottele passing Adam Lesley late to win the Hooligan Main Event.
Though the pandemic has decimated the season of several top American venues, Perris continues on and despite the logistical barriers, the year will conclude with the ‘Law Tigers’ AMA FIM North America Final, which qualifies riders for the 2021 SGP Series Qualifying Round and eligibility to race In the British League. The event will be held on December 12 @7pm with Winter Championships being staged at 4pm for other classes. The event will also promote the annual toy drive. The event will stream for fans on PPV webcast at www.xsra.com
U21 Classification:
1. Luke Becker 14 (3,3,3,2,3)
2. Sebastian Palmese 13 (3,3,2,3,2)
3. Dillon Ruml 12+3 (2,2,3,3,2)
4. Kyle Cunningham 12+2 (2,3,3,2,2)
5. Anthony Dion 11 (2,2,2,2,3)
6. Blake Borello 10 (3,2,2,3,R)
7. Timothy Dion 8 (3,1,0,3,1)
8. Michael Wells 8 (0,3,1,1,3)
9. Sara Cords 8 (1,2,R,2,3)
10. Gregory Moore 7 (2,1,3,0,1)
11. Spencer Portararo 5 (F,1,1,1,2)
12. Dalton Oakden 4 (1,1,2,0,0)
13. Sammy Tetrault 3 (1,0,1,0,1)
14. Johnny Oakden 3 (F,0,1,1,1)
15. Aidan McNutt 0 (0,0,-,-,-)
16. Rheten Todd 0 (F,-,-,-,-)
HEATS RESULTS:
1. Becker, Ruml, Cords, McNutt
2. T. Dion, Moore, Portararo (F), Todd (F)
3. Palmese, Cunningham, D. Oakden, J. Oakden (F)
4. Borello, A. Dion, Tetrault, Wells
5. Wells, Cords, D. Oakden
6. Palmese, Ruml, Portararo, Tetrault
7. Cunningham, Borello, T. Dion, McNutt
8. Becker, A. Dion, Moore, J. Oakden
9. Cunningham, A. Dion, Portararo, Cords (R)
10. Ruml, Borello, J. Oakden
11. Moore, D. Oakden, Tetrault
12. Becker, Palmese, Wells, T. Dion
13. T. Dion, Cords, J. Oakden, Tetrault
14. Ruml, Cunningham, Wells, Moore
15. Palmese, A. Dion
16. Borello, Becker, Portararo, D. Oakden
17. Cords, Palmese, Moore, Borello (R)
18. A. Dion, Ruml, T. Dion, D. Oakden
19. Wells, Portararo, J. Oakden
20. Becker, Cunningham, Tetrault
RUN-OFF FOR 3RD PLACE:
21. Ruml, Cunningham
Youth 250cc:
1. Alex Martin 20 (4,4,4,4,4)
2. Slater Lightcap 12 (3,4,R,3,2)
3. Andrew Russell 11 (3,2,2,3,1)
4. Wilbur Hancock 8 (R,-,3,2,3)
5. Owen Williams 6 (2,1,2,0,1)
6. Catherine Moore 3 (1,1,0,1,0)
HEATS RESULTS:
1. Martin, Russell, Williams, Moore, Hancock (R)
2. Martin, Lightcap, Russell, Moore
3. Lightcap, Hancock, Russell, Williams, Moore
4. Martin, Russell, Williams, Moore, Lightcap (R)
5. Martin, Lightcap, Hancock, Russell, Williams
6. Martin, Hancock, Lightcap, Williams, Moore
Mini 150cc:
1. Nick Hohlbein 14 (4,3,3,4) + 1st in the final
2. Jose Navarrete 11 (3,F,4,4) + 2nd in the final
3. Colton Nelson 9 (2,2,2,3) + 3rd in the final
4. Levi Leutz 9 (0,4,2,3) + 4th in the final
5. Kensei Matsudaira 6 (1,4,1,X)
6. Max Anderson 5 (-,3,-,2)
7. Ryder Schultz 3 (X,2,1,-)
HEATS RESULTS:
1. Hohlbein, Navarette, Nelson, Matsudaira, Leutz
2. Leutz, Hohlbein, Nelson, Schultz (X)
3. Matsudaira, Anderson, Schultz, Navarette (F)
4. Navarette, Hohlbein, Leutz, Matsudaira
5. Hohlbein, Leutz, Nelson, Schultz, Matsudaira (X)
6. Navarette, Nelson, Anderson
Final. Hohlbein, Navarette, Nelson, Leutz
Division Two West Coast Championship
182 Rudy Laurer
323 Mike Miller
327 Tyler Moszer
275 Lawrence McNutt
138N Jason Lundberg
153 Brad Moreau non starter
Division Three West Coast Championship
220 Tom Bryant
111 David Newsham
103 Brent Smith
138N Jason Lundberg fell
Upright Vintage
12c Mike Jaudon (40)
163 Ron Davis
107 Don Nemarnik
427 Mark Nena
Pee Wee Main Event
700 Asa Gonzalez
122 Ryland Mason
125 Brixton Mason
25 Ryder Manzares
50 Jackson Spinuzzi
14 Hunter Lopeman
7 Vance Gonzalez
Sidecar Main
64 Dillon Osborne / Jamie Morabito (30)
07 Kevin Kale / Tracy Gallagher (20)
77 Kenny Greco / Mike North (0)
28 Lawrence McNutt / Sammy Tetrault (20)
357 Ace Kale / Thomas Yergler (20)
Division 1 Exhibition:
1. Max Ruml 9 (3,3,3)
2. Aaron Fox 4 (2,2,-)
3. Rees Todd 4 (1,1,2)
4. Mike Miller 0 (0,0,X)
HEATS RESULTS:
1. Ruml, Fox, Todd, Miller
2. Ruml, Fox, Todd, Miller
3. Ruml, Todd, Miller (X)HEATS RESULTS:
1. Ruml, Fox, Todd, Miller
2. Ruml, Fox, Todd, Miller
3. Ruml, Todd, Miller (X)
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