Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Flagman Mike Boyle runs clear of the Scratch main event field at the Arrowhead Motor Speedway seaso n opener i n San Bernardino. Josh Larsen (far right) gated the field and stormed to an easy w in In the race. Empire. He has worked hard and long to make a faci lity that both the spec tators and riders can enjoy . Venegas is a pe r f ect ion i st . a nd yo u ca n b e su re tha t th e track and every thing to do w ith thi s new weekl y Wednesday night speedwa y facility w ill j ust ke ep getting better and bett er. eN Anowhead Motor Speedway San Bernardino, California Results: May Z4, ZOO l SCRATCH MAIN: I. J o sh Larsen (Ja w) ; 2. Ed Castro (Ja w); 3 . Randy Dff'rancesco (Jaw); 4 . Duki e Ermolenko (Ja w) . SCRATCH CONSOLATION: I. Gary Hicks (GM); 2. Sha wn McConnell (GM) ; 3 . J im Estes (GM ); 4 . Danny Perkins (JlJw ) . HANDICAP MAIN: I. Ed Castro (J aw); 2. Dukie Ermolenko (J aw) ; 3 . Shawn McConnell (GM) : 4 . ARROWHEAD MOTOR SPEEDWAY SEASON OPEN ER Josh larsen (J aw); 5 . Randy Dlf'rencesco (J a w); 6. Billy Lyo ns (Jaw); 7 Danny Perkins (Jaw); 8. Gerry Duttwi eler (Jaw). DIVISiON II MAI N: l . Mike Lupo (J aw): 2. Rudy Laurer ( w e s) : 3. B obby Kr ips ( J lI W) ; 4 . Jo hn Shunka rd (J aw); 5.Dave Delbridge (We5); 6. Marvin Sonnie r (J aw) . DIVISION liB MAIN: I. Shane KnJm p (Jo w); 2. Rick Valdez (J aw ); 3 . Robert Aesler (J aw); 4. Chris Metoyer (J aw). By PH O T O S E L A I N E J O N ES By S C OTT R O USS E A U SAN BERNARDINO, CA. -MAY 24,2001 h an k s to re igning U.S. National Sp e edwa y Champ ion Charlie "T he Edge" Ven egas, a new chapter in speed wa y beg an at San Bernardi no 's Orange Sh ow Events Center, as Venegas' Edge Promotions hosted its season op ener on th e all-new Arrowhead Motor Speedway , which is adjacent t o where the old Inland Motor Sp e edway stag ed its epic weekly speedw ay motorcycle ev ents over a decad e ago. Although this inaugural race was held o n a Thurday even ing , in con j unction w ith San Bernard ino 's ann ual Orange Show Celeb ration , the racing w ill rev ert to its trad iti onal w eekly t i m es lot o n W edn e sd a y ni ghts through A ug ust 29 . Josh La rsen and "F ast" Ed Ca stro won th e Scratch and Handicap main eve n ts , re s pec ti v ely . Cas tro h as alre ady ex perience d success at San Bernard in o, so mak ing the trip fr om Ventura was no pr o blem . T he Sc ratch side o f th e pro g ram was int en se. w ith th e firs t Sc r at ch sem i going to Castro , who started from the pole and cut th e best gate to lead from st art to fini sh in the four-lap ra ce . Ch arles " Duk ie" Ermo len k o ran a close second from gat e tw o , follow ing Castr o to th e ma in event . Es t es would g et by Perk in s in turn four on the last lap to pi ck up the third. but both we re rel eg at ed to the Scratc h consolation event. Randy "T he Rocket" Di Fra ncesco mad e th e t rip from Bakersfield to support his bud Venegas , coming through the heat races to land in the p o l e starting p o sition in semi two. Shaw n "Mad Dog" McConnell was in T g ate t w o , wi t h La rse n in th r ee and "Gorgeo us" Ga ry Hicks in four. Hick s c ame ou t ha rd and fast an d le d th e b oys a rou nd f o r the firs t t wo la p s before h e was sidelined w i th b ik e problems. Larsen was w aiting in the wings . ready to take the lea d and the checkered . Moving to the ma in w ith La rsen w as D iFranc es c o , wh il e McConnell and Hicks had to settle fo r spo ts in th e c ons i. DiFrancesco drew the pole fo r the Scratch ma in , with Ermolenko in gate two and Castro and Larsen in three and four. respectiv ely . The tapes c am e up and Larsen dropped th e hammer on th e rest, exp loding into the lead. D iFranc es c o tr i ed to set out a f ter Lars en , but had Castro wo rk ing th e outside , chall enging him every step of way . Castro fo u n d the ch ink in th e armor on the white-fl ag lap and took over th e second spot. D iF ran c e sc o held off Erm o lenk o fo r th ird. Th e lin e-up for the Handicap m ain inclu ded Gerry Duttwie ler and B ill y Lyon s on the 10- yard line. Perkins had th e 20 to himself. On the 40 were Castro and DiFra nc esco, and on the 50 w ere M cC onn ell , La rs en and Erm olenk o . T he fi rst try at a go saw the red flag come out when DiFranceso and Perkins got up clo se and personal. The accident was cha rged to Perk ins, and he lined up on the penalty line. On th e second t ry . ev er yo n e go t away clean . an d it was Lyo ns lead ing th e field as they came aro und fo r lap one. He held on for two mo re laps befo re Castro wen t b lowing by on th e o utside to take the lead fo r the rest of the race . Ermolenko and McConnell got through with him. One lap later , Larsen and DiFrancesco moved into the top running spots. With four laps to go , the rac e was on . T hey were all looking fo r racing room and all were de fini t ely on the d ef en siv e. Nobody made an y m istakes and th ey would fin ish in that ord er. L yons , Perk ins and Duttwieler rounded out th e fi eld . Mike Lupo too k th e D ivision II m ain , topping Rudy Laurer and Bobby Kr ips. T he Div ision li B m ain win went to Shane Krump with Rick Valdez and Robert Fiesler second and third . A ll t o ld . i t app ears as thou gh Venega s has done a good j o b of bringing speedway back to th e In land (Right) Promoter Charlie Venegas (rlght) has h ired none other than f o rme r competitor Steve Lucero as his referee. A two-time U. S. National Speedway Champion himself, Lucero a lready has a rep for being In t o l e rant of any rider shenanigans as a ref . (Bel ow ) " Fast" Eddie Castro notched the fi rst Handicap main event vic tory at the new ' Berdoo. Castro came from the 40-yard line to do t he deed. cue I e n eVIls 'JUNE 13. 2 0 01 21

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