Industry Hills Speedway
The Grand Arena
Industry Hills Expo Center
City of Industry, California
AMA Speedway National Championship Series Round 2
August 3, 2024 - Industry Hills Speedway
Story, Results and Photos By Staff
(L-R) Max Ruml, Kelly Inman, Broc Nicol, Chris Kerr
Speedway under the Thunderdome is more than just a good time. Fun for the whole family the fans that come to Industry often don’t get just how serious these races are and the many challenges the riders make to be here and compete.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all work cause the riders love the pageantry and enjoy the women, men and kids that yell and cheer. They revel racing a high horsepower motorcycle on a small dirt track and control sliding to slow down cause the machines has no brakes. Knowing they are a special breed that can control this motorized madness makes them smile, feeds their soul, ego and skill set.
Being able to do this is a big part of the sport but for most two wheel jockeys it’s not the only part. The fact is under those colorful rider suits most are hard core racers that want to win, they breath and live for racing. Their life revolves around it.
This August 3, AMA Speedway National Championship Series Round 2 event at Industry racing is tailor made for these upper crust warriors. Actually its even harder than most Championship events because unlike most where you win when the last race is done, getting a AMA #1 here requires three separate events at three different race tracks before a winner is crowned.
Then there’s the prestige of being the AMA #1 for the entire United States. That number 1 plate represents being the best this country has to offer. To be a contender one must set aside the pressure and focus on the task at hand.
Round one of this Grand Prix format, 16-rider program was held on June 22 in Bakersfield California. Similar to this second round all the best competed. An extremely hot 100 degree day when the smoke cleared and the points were tallied the winner was #98 Broc Nicol with a perfect score after finishing 1st in every one of his six heat races.
Scoring after round one was #98 Broc Nicol 20, #14n Billy Janniro 19, Current National Champion #1 Max Ruml 14, #27n Chris Kerr 12, #30n Alex Martin 12, #28 Slater Lightcap 10, #7 Austin Novratil 10, #66 Charlie Trana 10, #188 Louie Mersaroli 8, #321 Russell Green 7, # 27 Blake Borello 5, #87 Bart Bast 4, #23 Timmy Dion 4, #117 Wilbur Hancock 2, #14 Eddie Castro 1 and Greg Moore 0.
The same impressive round one National Championship Series rider lineup at Bakersfield, was featured here at Industry Racing for this 2nd round event with the exception of Greg Moore and Wilbur Hancock.
Seems the son of four time world Speedway champion Greg Hancock had a major crash racing at Fast Fridays in Auburn California and broke every single bone in his wrist. Naturally like most obsessed with this sport "Broken Hand" Wilbur still attended this event and handled the AMA technical inspector duties.
Taking Moore and Hancock’s place in Round 2 were #30 Tom Gomez and #137 Justin Almon with #11 Bobby Schwartz and #123 Jordan Vanderham as reserves.
I won’t go into much detail about the Thunderdome cause as usual the facility was perfect. From the free full-color race program to the staff, food, drink and meticulously prepared race surface, the entire night was outstanding. Thanks promoter Kelly Inman and all the Industry Racing staff, volunteers and of course the fans.
Success is where preparation and opportunity meet so all the riders were pumped and ready. With only one point between 11 time AMA Speedway National Champion Billy Janniro and series leader #98 Broc Nicol there was a lot of pressure to stay in the lead. It only takes one bad start or crash to move you down in the finishing order. Undoubtedly one can never count out the rest of the field as every rider is a challenge.
It seems #98 Broc Nicol found that out the hard way in his first race of the evening when he touched the tapes at the starting line. An elimination penalty offence Broc was replaced with the first reserve Bobby Schwartz. A total heat race elimination is almost impossible to recover from but Nicol kept his cool and left the track without any drama or tantrum.
Ouch, Nicol’s 0 score was painful as Max Ruml, Billy Janniro, Slater Lightcap and Russell Green each got 3 points after winning their first round.
For Nicol round two was better as he won 3 points along with Janniro, Charlie Trana, and Northern California rider Russell Green.
Three was better yet as Nicol won again along with Ruml, Blake Borello and the new hot youngster Slater Lightcap. Russell Green scored 0 and Billy Janniro did not finish after his machine broke a chain and he crashed.
Round four brought more of the same as Ruml won 3 as did Janniro, Chris Kerr and Lightcap.
The last race before the Semi Final, saw winners Ruml with 14 points, Janniro 12, The kid Lightcap 12 and Nicol with 10.
Now things were tense with Ruml, Martin, Borello and Kerr in Semi Final one and Janniro, Lightcap, Nicol and Louie Mersaroli in second Semi Final.
Barn burner of a major kind semi one winners Max Ruml, and 2nd place Chris Kerr met their semi two winner Billy Janniro and 2nd place Broc Nicol in the final event.
Now the showdown stage was set and you could have heard a pin drop with Max Ruml on the pole, Chris Kerr in 2, Broc Nicol in 3 and Billy Janniro against the crash wall.
After the normal gardening the racers do where they stomp, and dig into the dirt to make a trough for their tires to set in at the starting line the race was ready to start.
Ruml got the gate but Nicol had the drive and was in the lead exiting turn two. The battle was spectacular as “Mad” Max would get within inches but Nicol had the line and kept him at bay. When the checkered flew the distance between the two was less than a bike length.
The crowd yelled its praise as Nicol did a victory lap and then stopped by the starting gate and smoked the back tire.
Celebrations followed as spectators and fellow racers filled in infield. Taking the podium winner Broc Nicol, 2nd place Max Ruml and 3rd Chris Kerr popped champagne corks and sprayed themselves and everyone close till the bottles were empty.
Unbelievable is the only word that fits cause it is extremely rare that a rider can be eliminated from a race and still make the points that get him into the final. As if that’s not enough lightning struck twice as Nicol wins the Final and still retains the lead in points over all the others in this National Championship Series.
After Two Rounds here is the current Series Points standing,
1. Broc Nicol 35
2. Billy Janniro 34
3. Max Ruml 33
4. Alex Martin 24
5. Chris Kerr 23
6. Slater Lightcap 22
7. Louie Mersaroli 16
8. Blake Borello 14
Charlie Trana 14
10. Russell Green 13
Of course there is still one more coming as the final round will be held in Auburn California on September 21, 2024.
Enjoy all 230 pictures from 8/3/24 on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=speedwayzar&set=a.8086047228097278
Video of every heat from the August 3, AMA Speedway National Championship Series Round 2 is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066625146476
Thanks for listening, see you where the wheels go round.
Howie Zechner
The Final of Round 2 of the AMA Speedway National Championship at the tapes (inside - outside):
Max Ruml, Chris Kerr, Broc Nicol, Billy Janniro.
The finishing order was Nicol, Ruml, Kerr, Janniro.
Final
98 - Broc Nicol
1 - Max Ruml
27n - Chris Kerr
14n - Billy Janniro
Semi Final 1
1 - Max Ruml
27n - Chris Kerr
30n - Alex Martin
27 - Blake Borello
Semi Final 2 (restarted 3 times)
14n - Billy Janniro
98 - Broc Nicol
188 - Louie Mersaroli
28 - Slater Lightcap
Junior 250 Main Event
1 - Darren Armbruster
13x - Brady Landon
13 - Jameson Hutchinson
119 - Caden Cavrikas
29 - Nick Hohlbein (non starter)
Mini 150 Main Event
98 - Zaal Farhand
05 - Riley Rearick
44 - Brandon Kemmerly
22 - Ryder Schultz (fell)
Series Points
1. Broc Nicol 35
2. Billy Janniro 34
3. Max Ruml 33
4. Alex Martin 24
5. Chris Kerr 23
6. Slater Lightcap 22
7. Louie Mersaroli 16
8. Blake Borello 14
Charlie Trana 14
10. Russell Green 13
Mini 150 Points
05 Riley Rearick 7
6 Logan Kerr 2
8 Gavin Evans Seeley 2
15 Hudson Jones 5
17 Zander Schroeder 2
22 Ryder Schultz 7
44 Brandon Kemmerly 5
98 Zaal Farhand 8
169 Kayd Fiore 2
Round 2 Points
5 Max Ruml 19
7 Austin Novratil 2
14 Eddie Castro 7
14 Billy Janniro 15
23 Timmy Dion 5
27 Blake Borello 9
27 Chris Kerr 11
28 Slater Lightcap 12
30 Tim Gomez 3
30 Alex Martin 12
66 Charlie Trana 4
87 Bart Bast 5
98 Broc Nicol 15
137 Justin Almon 4
188 Louie Mersaroli 8
321 Russell Green 6
R 11 Bobby Schwartz 0
R 123 Jordan Vanderham 1
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