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Perris Raceway
Perris, California
Team League Finals
Perris Raceway May 22, 2021
By: Steve Evans dreamteamspeedway@sbcglobal.net
MAX RUML LEADS THE WAY AS THE BAKERSFIELD BANDITS CLAIM BACK TO BACK LEAGUE TITLES 45 YEARS APART!
The newly reformed Bakersfield Bandits won the 2021 Team Speedway League at Perris Raceway on May 22nd, 45 years after they last raced in 1976! The Bandits were also league winners then in 76! Meanwhile Bandits Captain Max Ruml made it a doubly sweet night with victory in the Individual Main event after the conclusion of the team matches.
The Bandits won their third match of the three round season, rounding out 36-27 victors over the Huntington Beach Heathens. Local Bakersfield rider Robbie Sauer was in inspired form, topping the score charts with 9+1, captain Max Ruml scoring 8 with the fast rising Rheten Todd on 7. A quick start out of the blocks saw the Bandits 9-3 up after two heats. Then followed four heats of 4-2 team victories, flip-flopping in consecutive heats as the Heathens and Bandits yo-yoed a 4-6 point gap. A heat 7 5-1 with Todd leading home Sauer put the lead up to 10 points. Though the Heathens reduced the gap to 7 at one point, it was never close enough to put the Bandits title hopes under too much stress. A heat 10 4-2, led home with a win from Bakersfield based rider Brad Sauer, secured the title. For the Heathens Austin Novratil led with a 9 point maximum with the ever dependable Rohn Zellner contributing 6.
The second match saw the Team SoS Wolves securing second place in the league table, inflicting the third loss in a row on the home track Perris Pirates. Russell Green led the way for the Wolves with a 9 point maximum, with Lawrence McNutt scoring a valuable 7 and Michael Wells 6+1. After each team secured a 4-2 advantage to tie the scores at 6 after two heats, Wolves scored a 5-0 in heat 3 after both Pirates Eddie Castro and Rees Todd fell. A 5-1 to the Pirates in heat 5, Aaron Fox leading home team mate Wilbur Hancock, who joined his partner with an impressive pass on returning rider Randy DiFrancesco, gave the Pirates a 5-1 and reduced the gap to just one. However, a decisive win for Michael Wells over Aaron Fox in heat 9 and a 5-1 in heat 11 with Green leading home Kyle Cunningham saw Wolves clinch the seasons runner up spot with a 36-26 win.
Eight of the sixteen Division 1 riders in the team racing event moved on to the second half of the program and into individual semifinals. Semi 1 saw Green come from behind to pass Aaron Fox for the win. Both transferred, with the impressive Rheten Todd and Kyle Cunningham locked in a close scrap for third, Todd securing the higher spot. Semi 2 had Novratil inflicting his second defeat of the night upon Ruml. Wells was third with Robbie Sauer in 4th.
Ruml made no mistake in the Main, coming out of turn 2 of lap one with a clear lead. However Green went on a big charge and stayed on Ruml’s back wheel for the rest of the race, close, but unable to make the pass. Novratil came home in third place with Fox in 4th.
In Support of the Main show were 8 other divisions of racing. Royal Adderson completed a clean sweep of all Division Three heats and Main. In the Vintage Speedway class Don Nemarnik took both heats but Jim Sanders was victorious in the Main. Both Junior classes were low on entries, Levi Leutz taking a clean sweep in the 250 class, Kensei Matsudaira in the 150 class. Morgan Myers went three for three in the Pee Class. National #1's Dillon Osborne and Jamie Morabito won a heat and the Sidecar Main, Kevin Kale / Anthony Hernandez team won the other heat.
After 12 straight months of racing during the Covid 19 pandemic, Speedway returns next to Perris on June 26th with the ‘American Speedway Celebration’ event. It will acknowledge the entire speedway community who helped to keep American Speedway alive during difficult times.
2021 Bakersfield Bandits
| Perris Pirates - Team SOS Wolves |
| Perris Pirates 26:
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Team SOS Wolves 36:
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1. Aaron Fox 7 (2,3,2)
2. Wilbur Hancock 2+1 (DNS,2*,0)
3. Eddie Castro 1 (d,0,1)
4. Rees Todd 1 (DNF,1,DNF)
5. Brad Moreau 6 (1,2,3)
6. Harold Hartke 1+1 (0,1*,0)
7. David Newsham 8 (3,3,2) |
1. Kyle Cunningham 5 (3,EX,2)
2. Randy DiFrancesco 4+1 (2*,1,1)
3. Michael Wells 6+1 (1,2*,3)
4. Russell Green 9 (3,3,3)
5. Lawrence McNutt 7 (2,3,2)
6. Sammy Tetrault 4+2 (2,1*,1*)
7. Jim Sanders 1 (0,DNS,1) |
Heats:
1. Green, Fox, Wells, Hancock (DNS) 2:4
2. Newsham, Tetrault, Moreau, Sanders 4:2 (6:6)
3. Cunningham, DiFrancesco, Castro (DNF), Todd (DNF) 0:5 (6:11)
4. Newsham, McNutt, Tetrault, Hartke 3:3 (9:14)
5. Fox, Hancock, DiFrancesco, Cunningham (EX) 5:1 (14:15)
6. McNutt, Moreau, Hartke, Sanders (DNS) 3:3 (17:18)
7. Green, Wells, Todd, Castro 1:5 (18:23)
8. Perry*, Newsham, Sanders, Smith* 2:1 (20:24)
9. Wells, Fox, DiFrancesco, Todd (DNF) 2:4 (22:28)
10. Moreau, McNutt, Tetrault, Hartke 3:3 (25:31)
11. Green, Cunningham, Castro, Hancock 1:5 (26:36) |
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| Bakersfield Bandits - Huntington Beach Heathens |
| Bakersfield Bandits 36: |
Huntington Beach Heathens 27: |
1. Max Ruml 8 (3,2,3)
2. Brad Sauer 4 (1,0,0,3)
3. Rheten Todd 7 (2,3,2)
4. Blake Cronkrite - rider replacement
5. Rudy Laurer 5 (3,1,0,1)
6. Robbie Sauer 9+2 (3,3,2*,1*)
7. Brent Smith 3+1 (2*,1,0) |
1. Austin Novratil 9 (3,3,3)
2. Sara Cords 4 (1,1,2)
3. Mike Miller 4+1 (2,1,1*)
4. Mark Fillebrown 0 (0,0,0)
5. Rohn Zellner 6 (2,2,2)
6. Tyler Moszer 1 (1,0,0)
7. David Perry 3 (DNF,0,3) |
Heats:
1. Ruml, Miller, B. Sauer, Fillebrown 4:2
2. Laurer, Smith, Moszer, Perry (DNF) 5:1 (9:3)
3. Novratil, Todd, Cords, B. Sauer 2:4 (11:7)
4. R. Sauer, Zellner, Smith, Moszer 4:2 (15:9)
5. Novratil, Ruml, Cords, B. Sauer 2:4 (17:13)
6. R. Sauer, Zellner, Laurer, Perry 4:2 (21:15)
7. Todd, R. Sauer, Miller, Fillebrown 5:1 (26:16)
8. Perry, Newsham*, Sanders*, Smith 0:3 (26:19)
9. Ruml, Cords, Miller, Laurer 3:3 (29:22)
10. B. Sauer, Zellner, Laurer, Moszer 4:2 (33:24)
11. Novratil, Todd, R. Sauer, Fillebrown 3:3 (36:27) |
| Mateusz Kozanecki - AKZ Speedway Ostrow |
Team Final Standings 2021
1. Bakersfield Bandits (3-0) +19
2. Team SoS Wolves (2-1) +20
3. Huntington Beach Heathens (1-2) -23
4. Perris Pirates (0-3) -16
Team League Champions Honor Roll
2021 – Bakersfield Bandits
2020 – Perris Eagles
2019 – Santa Maria Aces
2018 – Perris Eagles
2017 – Santa Maria Aces
2016 – Victorville Vikings
2015 – Ventura Aces
2006 – Los Angeles Aces
2005 – Victorville Vikings
1976 – Bakersfield Bandits
1976 Bandits
Jeff Sexton, Dubb Ferrell, Stevie Nutter, Jim Gresham, Dan Markey, Mark Cherry, Bert Harkins.
And of course Digger Helm himself. Pretty sure all of these guys have a big smile on their faces today. As well they should. 45 years later, but pride runs deep. Congrats to the champs, Bakersfield Bandits!
Division 1 Main Event
5 Max Ruml
321 Russell Green
7 Austin Novratil
46 Aaron Fox
Division Three Main Event
128 Royal Adderson
175 Jake Myers
220 Tom F Bryant
395 Nelson Soto
108 Bobby Richards
Vintage Speedway Main Event
138 Jim Sanders
107 Don Nemarnik
108 Bobby Richards
250 Junior Main
226 Levi Leutz
7 Justin Almon
150 Mini Speedway Main
74 Kensei Matsudaira
203 Darren Armbruster
Sidecar Main
1 Dillon Osborne / Jamie Morabito
07 Kevin Kale / Anthony Hernandez
357 Ace Kale / Thomas Yergler
28 Lawrence McNutt / Dana Miller
Rod Lake Pee Wee Main
175 Morgan Myers
6 Ariana Foster
25 Ryder Manzares
50 Jackson Spinuzzi
69 Rey Resendez
175x Maddux Myers
55 Bradley Wyrick
| Paul Flanders Photos |
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Max Ruml led the Bakersfield Bandits for the win and took the individual honors. |
Russell Green led the Team SoS Wolves to their match win and placed second in the individual main event. |
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Austin Novratil was the top scorer for the Huntington Beach Heathens and placed third in the individual main event. |
Aaron Fox placed fourth in the individual main event. |
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Diminutive dentist David Newsham, shown here with his daughter, was the high points rider for the Perris Pirates. |
Randy DiFrancesco came out of retirement to score valuable points for the SoS Wolves. |
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Cutie Cords collected 4 points from 3 rides for the Heathens. |
Morgan Myers took home family bragging rights with a first place in the Pee Wee class. |
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Levi Leutz and his pit man, older brother Austin, are getting dialed in on Levi's new 250cc ride. |
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