Perris Raceway

Perris, California

Team League Round 1
Perris Raceway March 13, 2021
By: Steve Evans dreamteamspeedway@sbcglobal.net

Bandits and Heathens take victories in Perris Team Series Opener

The seventh annual British style team racing series at Perris not only served up team racing but also cold weather and essentially a rain shortened event that was just like a summers trip across the pond. Round 1 of the 3 round series was held at Perris Raceway on March 13th. The rain earlier in the week had left track conditions difficult and with one heat in each of the two team match remaining (with results effectively already settled) it was decided mutually by referee, promoter and riders to curtail the event earlier. The early end also canceled the individual semi finals and final on the night with riders instead paid based on points in the team program.

The 2021 team series involved revamped teams – The three-time champion Aces were re-badged as the ‘Perris Pirates’, the Vikings becoming the ‘Team SoS Wolves’ and thirdly, the highly exciting return of the Bakersfield Bandits, who were part of league racing in California in the 1970s. This left the Huntington Beach Heathens, the only team yet to win a championship, as the only returning team from 2020.

The race format involved 7-man teams and each rider having three programmed rides. The teams had five Division 1 riders and two Division 2 riders each, with the riders racing mostly within Division. Round 1 had the home track Pirates taking on the Heathens with the Bandits racing the Wolves in the second match.

PERRIS PIRATES 25 – HUNTINGTON BEACH HEATHENS 28
A late comeback on the tricky track surface gave the Heathens a narrow win over the Pirates. A heat 1 5-1 from Gino Manzares and Rees Todd saw the home track side launch into a four-point lead, which the Heathens eroded down to 1 after the next two races. However, led by Manzares again, the Pirates again went four up after heat 5 and seemed cruising to the win after a shared heat 6. However, disaster struck in heats 7 and 8 with consecutive 5-1’s against, setting the Heathens up with a four-point lead and victory. Manzares scored a three-ride maximum for the Pirates whilst reserve Rohn Zellner went unbeaten for the Heathens. Zellner had good support from Austin Novratil (6) and Sebastian Palmese (5) to secure the win.

Perris Pirates 25: Gino Manzares 9 (3), Brad Moreau 5 (3), Eddie Castro 3 (2), Rees Todd 2+1 (3), Wilbur Hancock 2+1 (3), David Newsham 2+1 (3), Aaron Fox 2 (2).
Huntington Beach Heathens 28: Rohn Zellner 8+1 (3), Austin Novratil 6 (3), Sebastian Palmese 5 (2), Mark Fillebrown 3+1 (3), Mike Miller 3 (3), Sara Cords 3 (3), Tyler Moszer 0 (3).

BAKERSFIELD BANDITS 33 – TEAM SOS WOLVES 26
The relaunched Bandits had a comfortable win in their return to racing after over 40 years. Max Ruml led the way with 7 points and received strong support throughout his team. The Wolves suffered with seven last places to two from the Bandits, which effectively was the difference between the teams. Both Broc Nicol on 9 and Dillon Ruml on 6 were unbeaten but two bike failures for Michael Wells did not help matters for the Wolves. With 4-2 heat advantages in heats 2 and 4, followed by a hammer blow 5-1 in heat 9, the Bandits gently eased to victory.

Bakersfield Bandits 33: Max Ruml 7 (3), Blake Cronkrite 6+1 (3), Rudy Laurer 6 (3), Rheten Todd 5+1 (3), Blake Borello 5 (2), Brad Sauer 2+2 (3), Robbie Sauer 2+1 (2).
Team SOS Wolves 26: Broc Nicol 9 (3), Dillon Ruml 6 (2), Lawrence McNutt 4+1 (3), Kyle Cunningham 2 (2), Michael Wells 2 (3), Aidan McNutt 2 (3), Sammy Tetrault 1 (3).

Round two match ups will be on April 3rd with the Heathens taking on the Wolves and the Pirates against the Bandits.

As per usual there was a large entry in other divisions on the program. Seven riders competed in a Support Class which had three heats and a Main event. Heat wins went to Ron Davis, Royal Adderson and Ben Bishoff with Bishoff also taking victory in the final in only his third ever speedway meeting. It was a clean sweep for Slater Lightcap in all 250cc Junior races. The 150 Mini Speedway class saw Kensei Matsudaira and National Champion Nick Hohlbein take wins with former National Champ Levi Leutz winning the Main. National #1 team Dillon Osborne and Jaime Jamie Morabito took and heat and the Sidecar Main. Multi time Champs Joe Jones and Tom Summers won the other heat and charged from last to second in the final.

Results
Support Main
102 Ben Bishoff
163 Ron Davis
175 Jake Myers
395 Nelson Soto (ret)
103 Brent Smith (non starter)
220 Tom Bryant (non starter)
128 Royal Adderson (non starter)

250 Junior Main
28 Slater Lightcap
04 Owen Williams
48 Jose Navarrete (non starter)

150 Mini Main
226 Levi Leutz
2 Nick Hohlbein
203 Darren Armbruster
74 Kensei Matsudaira
22 Ryder Schultz
48 Jose Navarette (non starter)

Sidecar Main
1 Dillon Osborne / Jamie Morabito
15x Joe Jones / Tom Summers
07 Kevin Kale / Anthony Hernandez
28 Lawrence McNutt / Dana Miller

Pee Wee Stock
17 Karl Hancock
25 Ryder Manzares
98 Zaal Farhand
6 Ariana Foster
102 Levi Bishoff
175x Maddux Myers
99 Sidney Stern

Pee Wee 50 Open
122 Ryland Mason
65 Duke Makervich
15 Hudson Jones
55 Solomon Stern
125 Brixton Mason
175 Morgan Myers