PERRIS, CA

Carrie Hancock Speedway Promotions and the Southern California Flat Track Association presented some Saturday night Speedway action at Perris Raceway, and the stands were full of screaming fans as the speedway steeds and their riders blazed the short track. Hancock is currently running a full race program at the Perris facility and will be posting future dates soon. With a festive atmosphere reminiscent of the 1970s, the fans were in a celebratory mood and just generally having a great time, emphasizing the continuing legacy of Speedway in Southern California and the significance of the discipline to motorsports fans. Now - let's race!

Fifteen-year-old Austin Novratil (above, left, racing with Brad Sauer, center, and Keith Chrisco, right) rode to a decisive win in the Division 1 main event. As Novratil entered check-out mode after taking the holeshot, the pack was in a racing rumpus, with Robbie Sauer moving into the second spot and holding off a last-lap charge by Steve Talkington. Novratil got the win, with Sauer second and Talkington third.

Novratil, a speedway-racing prodigy and 2009 AMA Youth National Champion, recently returned from England. The Dream Team member received high accolades from the UK press, which singled out at least three double-digit performances. Novratil will be returning to England in July to continue his climb toward the top. He thanked Gene the Machine, F-Word Industries, Scandic Clutch, Deering Industry, Renthal and all his supporters.

Mike Wiley torpedoed off the chalk and into the lead in the Division 2 main. Brandon Leedy was second. Event points leader Sam Donaldson was third and working his way through traffic. The speedster of the class on this evening, Donaldson honed in on Wiley and ramped up his speed accordingly. Wiley's early gap was enough of a margin to secure the win; though the speeding Donaldson closed in hard on the white-flag lap, he was unable to nip Wiley for the win. Wiley scored the victory, with Donaldson second and Leedy third.

The Division 3 contest featured a slightly helter-skelter effect, as it was red-flagged when John Pavin and Mike Fuson went down and a restart was ordered by race officials. This proved unfavorable to Derrick Klein, the leader before the stoppage. On the second green, he took the holeshot, but Pavin was in his wind break instantly and spurred his steed into the lead late in the race. Klein went down soon thereafter, ending any chance of a white-flag pass. Pavin slid in for the win, with Fuson second and Klein regaining his wheels for third.

Rocco Scopellite pulled a fast night out of his bag of tricks, ending up with a Youth Division 1 main-event win and a clean sweep of the class, including his heat races. Samuel Ramirez was second, and Gabe Price raced in for a third.

The Youth Division 2 contest turned into a close-quarters rumble between early leader Dillon Ruml, Major Davis and Hayley Perrault. Davis closed in and attempted to get around Ruml as the checkers neared but came up empty-handed. It was Ruml finishing first, Davis second, and Perrault, with an inspired ride, in third.

Please go to www.perrisflattrack.com/ for schedule information, and to www.speedwaybikes.com for speedway racing information.

Results

P/W MAIN: 1. Chase Sanborn; 2. Michael Wells.

POWDERPUFF MAIN: 1. Kylie Ayers; 2. Amanda Ramirez; 3. Julie Shockley.

YTH D-2 MAIN: 1. Dillon Ruml; 2. Major Davis; 3. Hayley Perrault; 4. Gino Scopellite; 5. Michael Wells.

YTH D-1 MAIN: 1. Rocco Scopellite; 2. Samuel Ramirez; 3. Gabe Price; 4. Maxwell Ruml.

D-3 LCQ: 1. John Pavin; 2. Ed Lynch; 3. Todd Silicato; 4. Mike Salyer; 5. Matt Monkress.

D-3 MAIN: 1. John Pavin; 2. Mike Fuson; 3. Derrick Klein; 4. Ed Lynch.

D-2 MAIN: 1. Mike Wiley; 2. Joey Donaldson; 3. Brandon Leedy; 4. Paul Hitchcock.

D-1 MAIN: 1. Austin Novratil; 2. Robbie Sauer; 3. Steve Russell; 4. Tyson Talkington; 5. Brad Sauer.