 |
|---|
| American Speedway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Perris RacewayPerris, CaliforniaAMA Speedway National Best Pairs Championship NICOL AND BECKER RETAIN AMA NATIONAL SPEEDWAY PAIRS IN PERRIS BLOCKBUSTER!
Wolverhampton duo Broc Nicol and Luke Becker came out on top in a stunning 2021 AMA National Pairs Championship on February 6th at Perris, California. Though the bulk of American meetings are in individual format, the quality of team riding on this mild winter evening was second to none. In an expanded format, 10 teams were entered in the Main show. The teams were divided into two groups of five, racing each other team in their group one time, with the traditional 3,2,1,0 point scoring system in place. The winner and runner up from each group went to sudden death semi finals, with the 4,3,2,0 points system brought into play; effectively eliminating the team of the last placed rider in each race. Group A was won by 2018 and 2019 champions Max Ruml & Dillon Ruml. The brothers combined for three out of 4 maximum 5-1 heat wins. Their only dropped points were in round 2, when Russell Green and Sebastian Palmese kept Dillon at the back for a 3-3 score. The Green and Palmese team tied the Austin Novratil and Aaron Fox team on 15 points for the second transfer spot, but Green and Palmese edged the tie breaker with more bonus points scored. Group B was thrown wide open in round 1 when Chris Kerr stunned Nicol and Becker with a sensational gate from gate 4 to win and hold them to a 3-3. The champions soon regrouped and scored maximum points in their remaining races to win the group on 18 points. Kerr went onto to win his next three with team mate Blake Borello in tow, taking them also onto 18 points, but with one less bonus the NorCal mentor and protege duo qualified in second. Buck Blair and Eddie Castro scored 12 points to grab third in the group with fourth place going to Sara Cords and 500cc debutant Wilbur Hancock, who scored 2+1 on the night, gaining more confidence with every lap and making a fine start to his professional career. Many of the heat races featured riders blocking opponents to help team mates place in good positions and very close racing. Semi Final 1 however took it to all whole new level. It was the Ruml brothers versus Chris Kerr and Blake Borello. Kerr trapped again to win his 5th on the bounce but the action was behind. With Max Ruml second and Borello third, the brothers were facing elimination. However on turn 1 of lap 3, Max took Borello wide in what can be described as a brutal yet fair and stunning team racing move. This enabled Dillon Ruml to move inside Borello to third. The Ruml's held second and third to see them into the final. Semi Final 2 saw Nicol and Becker score a 7-2 maximum but it was far from one way traffic with Green and Palmese close behind but unable to pass. The bronze medal race saw Palmese cruise to victory. Meanwhile, Kerr and Borello settled in for second and third which was enough to get them third on the night. The final between past and present champions was set to be a thriller but no one could have expected what 4 laps and about 55 seconds of racing would conjure up. After an unsatisfactory start at the first attempt it was Nicol and Becker who made the best start and went into an immediate 1st and 2nd. However, Max fought hard quickly to get by Becker and then at the end of lap one pulled an identical move on Becker as he did in the semi finals to bring Dillon through to third place and put the Ruml's in a National Championship winning position. However Becker wasn't done and a burst of speed coming out of turn two on lap three saw him pass first Dillon and then Max around the outside and to dive down to the pin the pole going into turn three. Though the Ruml's fought back again they could not get close enough and Becker eventually crossed the line marginally ahead of his team mate Nicol to claim a stunning win. Results: Final: B Final: Semis:
PERRIS - FEBRUARY 6 – OTHER DIVISIONS Three hours before the AMA National Pairs a full program of supporting Divisions raced in their own program. Top of the bill was the Division 2 Pairs, featuring 6 teams. Hot favorites Mike Miller and Mark Fillebrown came unstuck in round 2 with Miller excluded for causing an early crash while trying to make up lost ground after a slow start. This left veterans Rudy Laurer and Rohn Zellner to match up against Lawrence McNutt and Hayley Perrault. It was the veteran duo who came out on top with a maximum score in the final. David Newsham continued his Division 3 dominance with a clean sweep and showing his readiness to move up to Division 2. National Long Track Champion Alex Martin swept the 250cc Junior class. National Champion Nick Hohlbein won all 150cc Mini races. Ivy Rago took the Pee Class on a 65cc bike, winning 50cc bike was Hudson Lopeman. Robert Curry and Laurie Curry dominated the Sidecar Division. There is 5 week break till racing returns to Perris on March 13th with the start of the 2021 team racing series. The promotions new venue at Kern County Raceway Bakersfield begins racing on 20th February. Division 2 Pairs Main Event Consi (Individual) Division 3 Main 250 Junior Main 150 Mini Main Pee Wees Sidecar Main
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
