Kevin Harvick’s
Kern Raceway

Bakersfield, California

USA vs World
Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, Bakersfield
Saturday February 17, 2024
by Steve Evans

USA ON TOP OF THE WORLD FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

After a one week delay due to the out of character rainstorms that have hit California, the USA International Speedway squad delivered the goods to defeat an excellent World Stars team 61-52 on Feb 17th at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, California.

Max Ruml, given the #1 race jacket as an acknowledgement to his National Championship titles last year, had another impressive night to lead the USA with a haul of 13+2. Meanwhile, British Speedway legend and former Grand Prix winner Chris ‘Bomber’ Harris top scored for the World with a massive 18-point haul.

The World team was hampered when European commitments prevented them from tracking World #7 Dan Bewley in the restaged event. His rides were shared by his teammates but only accounted for 5 points. The first heat had Harris leading the powerhouse opening pairing of Luke Becker and Max Ruml, before a last turn mechanical failure gifted the hosts an opening 5-1. Tom Brennan, the only returnee from the 2023 World team, led home Broc Nicol and helped the world to pull back 2 points in heat 2. Gino Manzares took heat 3 from the exciting Leon Flint who was not afraid to go all over the track to find the fastest way home. Billy Janniro took heat 4 from Italian showman Paco Castagna. With four of the seventeen heats gone, the USA held a commanding 6-point lead, but it was clear the World had plenty of gas in the tank as they got to grips with equipment and track.

Brennan came out for Bewley’s heat 5 ride and took another commanding win. Becker and Nicol, the backbone of the most recent USA Speedway of Nations teams, got a 5-1 over Castagna and Wilbur Hancock in heat 6. With the USA ten points up, the World Stars were now eligible to nominate one of two double point Joker rides and team managers Philip Harmatiuk and Paul Hitchcock made a smart call to give Harris the chance to earn points back. His win over the USA duo of Gino Manzares and Slater Lightcap pulled the gap to seven. Brennan was back in the winner’s circle again with his third straight win in heat 8 over Dillon Ruml. Polish rider Pawel Trzesniewski picked up his first point with Billy Janniro having an uncharacteristic fall. The USA lead was down to 5.

Heat 9 saw the USA restore a cushion with National Pairs Champions Max & Dillon Ruml taking a 5-1 win over Castagna. Nicol produced a superb win from the back in ten, passing Trzesniewski who was now looking good and getting to grips with the smaller American track. Flint came home in third. Becker took his third win of the night, and inflicted Brennan’s first defeat in heat 11. Brennan was the second and final double point Joker for the World. Harris was the heat 12 winner, getting the better of his longtime Coventry Bees teammate Billy Janniro. Manzares got a crucial third place ahead of Castagna. USA was now 9 up and looking comfortable.

The final full round of heat races had #1 Max Ruml and Slater Lightcap combing for a crucial 4-2 with Brennan in between them. Heat 14 saw Nicol come down heavily whilst chasing down competition. After a few minutes of concern, he was up and about but excluded from the rerun. Harris and Flint combined for the World’s only 5-1 heat win. With the gap down to seven and a double point heat 17 finale, the pressure was firmly on the USA but a superb win by Captain Gino Manzares over Castagna restored the lead to 9 with Alex Martin in third. A powerhouse 5-1 in heat 16 with Becker and Janniro leading home Flint saw the USA go to the final race with an unbeatable 13-point gap.

Heat 17 had each team nominate 2 riders and it was a battle of the giants. Team manager Laurence Rogers chose Becker and Max Ruml to go against Harris and Brennan and who were picked by Harmatiuk and Hitchcock. Harris powered home for another fantastic win. Becker, previously unbeaten, had a late fall and with Ruml second and Brennan now third, the final score ended 61-52 in favor of the USA.

After a short break for the team trophy presentation, the riders came back out for a short individual finale. Each rider was drawn into a single heat with the winner of each advancing the to the final. Both Nicol and Trzesniewski withdrew after falls in heats 14 and 15. Janniro led home Flint to win Heat 18. Brennan hit the grip on the back straightaway in heat 19 and went down. He was excluded, leaving a Ruml brothers match race which went to Max. Becker led home Castagna and Wilbur Hancock in heat 20 with Manzares falling. Novratil tested the air fence in heat 21 which led to another 2-rider match race. Harris led home Lightcap who kept it close as he followed the British icon around.

The final saw Becker, Max Ruml, Harris and Janniro in action. Harris’s race ended early as he left the track on the open back straightaway. Becker led home Janniro and Ruml for a Stars and Stripes 1,2,3.

In support there were four classes, which were all decided on points with each rider racing 3 times. Timmy Dion won the Future Stars class including an excellent win from 30 years in the Handicap finale. British 250cc Youth Champion William Cairns scored a three-ride maximum to win for the second year in a row. Zaal Farhand took two wins to top score in the 150 Mini Class. Rudy Laurer won the Support.

For the second year in a row the event was broadcast live on the British Speedway network with a good worldwide viewing audience. The international visitors certainly provided tough and entertaining competition for the USA, who used the event as the first test for it’s international individual and team competition for 2024.

Team USA - 61:
1. Max Ruml - 13+2 (2*,2,2*,3,4)
2. Broc Nicol - 7+1 (2,2*,3,Fx)
3. Gino Manzares - 9 (3,2,1,3)
4. Billy Janniro - 7+1 (3,F,2,2*)
5. Luke Becker - 12 (3,3,3,3,F)
6. Alex Martin - 3+2 (EF,1*,1*,1)
7. Dillon Ruml - 7 (1,2,3,1)
8. Slater Lightcap - 3 (1,1,0,1)

The World Stars - 52:
1.Chris Harris (Great Britain) - 18 (0,6!,3,3,6)
2. Tom Brennan (Great Britain) - 17 (3,3,3,4!,2,2)
3. Leon Flint (Great Britain) - 6+2 (2,0,1*,2*,1)
4. Paco Castagna (Italy) - 6 (2,1,1,0,2)
5. Paweł Trześniewski (Poland) - 4 (1,1,2,Fx)
6. Austin Novratil (Northern Ireland / USA) - 1 (1,F,M,0)
7. Wilbur Hancock (Sweden / USA) - 0 (0,0,0,0)
8. Daniel Bewley (Great Britain) – R/R
9. Russell Green (USA) - 0 (0,0)

1. Becker, M. Ruml, Trezśniewski, Harris 5:1
2. Brennan, Nicol, Novratil, Martin (ef) 2:4 (7:5)
3. Manzares, Flint, D. Ruml, Hancock 4:2 (11:7)
4. Janniro, Castagna, Lightcap, Green 4:2 (15:9)
5. Brennan, M. Ruml, Martin, Flint 3:3 (18:12)
6. Becker, Nicol, Castagna, Hancock 5:1 (23:13)
7. Harris (6!), Manzares, Lightcap, Novratil (fell) 3:6 (26:19)
8. Brennan, D. Ruml, Trześniewski, Janniro (fell) 2:4 (28:23)
9. D. Ruml, M. Ruml, Castagna, Green (Novratil - exc/2min) 5:1 (33:24)
10. Nicol, Trześniewski, Flint, Lightcap 3:3 (36:27)
11. Becker, Brennan (4!), Manzares, Castagna 4:4 (40:31)
12. Harris, Janniro, Martin, Hancock 3:3 (43:34)
13. M. Ruml, Brennan, Lightcap, Hancock 4:2 (47:36)
14. Harris, Flint, D. Ruml, Nicol (fell exc) 1:5 (48:41)
15. Manzares, Castagna, Martin, Trześniewski (fell exc) 4:2 (52:43)
16. Becker, Janniro, Flint, Novratil 5:1 (57:44)
17. Harris (6), M. Ruml (4), Brennan (2), Becker (fell) 4:8 (61:52)
World Challenge:
18. Janniro, Flint, Martin, Green
19. M. Ruml, D. Ruml, Brennan (fell exc), Trześniewski (ns)
20. Becker, Castagna, Hancock, Manzares (fell)
21. Harris, Lightcap, Novratil (fell), Nicol (ns)
Final. Becker, Janniro, M. Ruml, Harris (ret)

Future Stars
1. 23 Timmy Dion
2. 321 Russell Green
3. 14 Eddie Castro
4. 137 Justin Almon
5. 251 Greg Moore
6. 123 Jordan Vanderham

250 Youth
1. 145 William Cairns
2. 29 Nick Hohlbein
3. 23 Darren Armbruster
4. 13 Brady Landon
5. 74 Kensei Matsudaira

150 Mini
1. 33 Macoley Saunders
2. 98 Zaal Farhand
3. 175x Maddux Myers
4. 22 Ryder Schultz
5. 175 Morgan Myers
6. 44 Brandon Kemmerly

Support
1. 182 Rudy Laurer
2. 106 Isaiah Canales
3. 222 Antonio Coffman
4. 123n Catherine Moore