Perris Raceway
Perris, California
American Speedway Celebration Night
Perris Raceway June 26, 2021
By: Steve Evans dreamteamspeedway@sbcglobal.net
MANZARES STORMS TO VICTORY IN PERRIS CELEBRATION
Gino Manzares made a stunning outside pass to win the American Speedway Celebration Meeting at Perris, CA on June 26th, sending a clear message across the pond that he still has plenty to offer on the World scene. The meeting marked a celebration of a remarkable 12 continuous months of racing at Perris during the Covid 19 pandemic. Aside from 13 events at Perris and multiple practice sessions, the promotion audaciously opened up a second venue in Bakersfield which itself staged 5 races. Not a single Covid case was reported from a very busy schedule. Due to the intense summer weather at both venues, this race marked the final speedway event in Southern California until a one off race at Ventura on August 21st (neither Costa Mesa or City of Industry have announced plans to run in 2021 as of yet).
Back to the action, once more the promotion used the 1998-2004 Speedway GP race format, with riders transferring from heats into either semi final qualifying races (for the first and second placed riders) or last chance elimination races (for the third and fourth placed riders). The result was edge of your seat racing, the bigger names racing each other more often and in turn, the up and comers also facing off against each other. This in turn gave 9 different race winners in the 12 races before the semi-finals.
Round 1 – Heats
Results from the first four heats didn’t have major upsets in them
Heat 1: Austin Novratil, Aaron Fox, Greg Moore, David Clark (retired)
Heat 2: Max Ruml, Michael Wells, Sara Cords retired, Hayley Gudgel (2 minutes)
Heat 3: Gino Manzares, Rheten Todd, Wilbur Hancock, Mark Fillebrown.
Heat 4: Russell Green, Sebastian Palmese, Rees Todd, Mike Miller
Round 2 – Last Chance Heats
David Clark withdrew ahead of the round after blowing an engine in his first race. The fast improving Greg Moore scored a win in heat 5 with Sara Cords blasting from 3rd to 1st with a hugely popular heat 6 win. Miller & Fillebrown were eliminated from the competition with their third place finishes,
Heat 5: Moore, Hancock, Miller
Heat 6: Cords, Rees Todd, Fillebrown
Round 2 – Quarter Finals
The top two from each race went straight to the semifinals, with third and fourth coming back to try again in Round 3. Michael Wells with a second place finish was the stand out performer. Novratil failed the two minutes and it later emerged a cracked frame had ended his night early.
Heat 7: Manzares, Wells, Palmese, Novratil 2 minutes
Heat 8: Ruml, Green, Rheten Todd, Fox
Round 3 – Last Chance Quarter Finals
Eight riders came back to race for the last four places in the semifinals, with third and fourth eliminated for the night.
Heat 9: Palmese, Fox, Rees Todd, Moore
Heat 10: Rheten Todd, Hancock, Cords
Round 3 All Stars and Consolation.
The four semi finalists from round 2 came out for a heat which would determine who would get gate preference and choice of semifinal preference. Ruml became the only unbeaten rider after winning this star studded race. Also, the two eliminated riders from Round 2 returned for a Consolation race.
Heat 11 (All Stars): Ruml, Manzares, Green, Wells
Heat 12 (Consolation): Fillebrown, Miller (fell, excluded)
Semi Finals
We were now down to the top 8 on the night. Manzares defeated Ruml to stop anyone having a perfect night. Fox led Green in semi two until a thrilling last turn pass, but both riders advanced.
Semi 1: Manzares, Ruml, Palmese, Hancock retired
Semi 2: Green, Fox, Rheten Todd, Wells.
Main Event
Ruml made the best start while Green inside and Manzares were right behind. Manzares charged into the outside dirt line coming out of turn 2 on lap two and launched past Ruml. Ruml challenged back on the inside for about a lap before Manzares got a comfortable lead to take the win. Green had bike trouble and dropped to last, promoting Fox to third.
24 Gino Manzares
5 Max Ruml
46 Aaron Fox
321 Russell Green
Stars and Stripes Match Race Helmet.
The match race series returned (race held ahead of the Main program) with Green and Novratil as the named contenders. Novratil led the first 2 lap leg but a throttle issue meant Green got by for the win. Novratil struck back to take the second leg to force a decider. Green made no mistake in the decider and took the victory, becoming the new champion. He will defend his title at the next event against a new contender.
Green defeated Novratil 2-1
Future Stars Last Man Out Challenge
This event was a late addition to the program, featuring 5 up and coming riders, none of which had yet made it to a Division One Main Event at the track. Track sponsor Robert White offered $100 to the winner online 48 hours ahead of the race and this, in turn, led to other inspired sponsors offering prize money with an incredible $1,000 eventually on the line. There were three one lap races, eliminating last place until the final two riders came out for a 2 lap dash to decide the winner. Sara Cords was the first rider eliminated with Rees Todd bowing out in the second leg. Leg three had an intense turn 1, with Wilbur Hancock being squeezed out and with no time to recover. This left a two lap where fast rising Rheten Todd got the lead and held off a fast chasing Michael Wells for the win.
399 Rheten Todd
214 Michael Wells
117 Wilbur Hancock
173 Rees Todd
144 Sara Cords.
Other Divisions
Greg Moore continued to show his promise by winning both of his heats and the Division 2 Main Event. Rudy Laurer also took two heat wins and second place in the final. David Perry won the Last Chance race. Tom Bryant saved his best for last in Division Three, winning the Main Event. Jake Myers and newcomer Isaiah Canales won the other heats. Davis. Slater Lightcap handicapped himself in the 250 Juniors but was still able to clean sweep all three races in the class. Jackson Spinuzzi took the Rod Lake Pee Wee Main and a heat, with Ariana Foster also being a heat winner. Bob Tocco won a combo Hooligan / Run What You Brung class with Daniel Ito as the top Hooligan. Nick Garcia was the Flat Track winner.
After 13 events over 365 days Perris takes off the hot Summer for its 11 week ‘off season’ before resuming action on 11 September with a blockbuster event, the Allen Fife Salute to American Night. The night is dedicated to the late Allen Fife, a former Speedway Promoter and father of Clerk of the Course Kevin Fife. The event could well be one of the biggest in the track’s history, with more details to follow. Kern County Raceway in Bakersfield is also off for the Summer, resuming October 2nd. The promotion however will be running a Flat Track event with limited Speedway at Santa Maria Raceway on August 7th and a Speedway / Flat Track event at Ventura on 21 August.
Division 2 Main
251 Greg Moore
182 Rudy Laurer
127 David Perry
170 Hayley Gudgel
103 Brent Smith fell
Last Chance
127 David Perry
103 Brent Smith
327 Tyler Moszer (nonstarter)
115 Tom Settlemire (nonstarter)
138 Jim Sanders (nonstarter)
Division Three Main
220 Tom Bryant
175 Jake Myers
108c Bobby Richards
106 Isaiah Canales fell
113 Tony Rutledge retired
Upright Vintage
163 Ron Davis
107 Don Nemarnik
108c Bobby Richards
138 Jim Sanders (nonstarter)
250 Junior Main
28 Slater Lightcap
7 Justin Almon
226 Levi Leutz
123 Catherine Moore
Rod Lake Pee Wee Main
50 Jackson Spinuzzi
6 Ariana Foster
55 Bradley Wyrick
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