Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

AMA National Championship Speedway Series The reigning AMA National Cha gets his ffngers around sixth ca ive-time AMA National Speedway Champion Greg Hancock made a perfect debut performance at The Grand in Industry Hills, California, by winning all of his races, including the all-important A Final, at round two of the AMA National Championship Speedway Series. Hancock, the 1997 World Champion, entered the final race unbeaten and earned the right to select his gate first. After mulling over all the positions, he chose gate one. Three-time National Champion Billy "The Bullet" Hamill, who suffered his only defeat of the evening to Hancock, selected gate two. Bryan Yarrow, who rebounded from a miserable performance the previous evening in Auburn to make the A Final, chose gate three. Industry Hills' dominant rider of 2005, Charlie "The Edge" Venegas, was left with gate four. The four riders were staged, but there was movement at the line, and the staging light was turned off. Referee Steve Lucero determined that Venegas touched the tapes, and he was excluded. Venegas was furious, and he pleaded his case, to no avail. When the tapes went up, Hancock and Hamill were shoulder to shoulder going into turn one. As they exited turn two, Hancock had the preferred inside line and made it work to his advantage, and he led into turn three. At the end of the first lap, Hancock securely had the lead while Hamill had to contend with Yarrow. Hancock pulled away on the third lap while Yarrow was close enough to Hamill on the back straight to get his attention. Hamill was able to hold off the challenge to his position. Hancock was first to the checkered flag, Hamill was second, Yarrow finished third, and Venegas was credited with fourth. "I was able to get good starts tonight, and that really helped," a very satisfied Hancock said. "It is always nice to come back home and win. It is fun to race in front of the Southern California fans." Coupled with his unbeaten performance the previous evening in Auburn, Hancock now leads the three-round series with 42 points to Hamill's 36, while Venegas sits third with 30. The evening was to begin with eight riders vying to fill the final two spots in the 16-rider championship field. Only seven were able to compete because National F Under-21 Champion Justin Boyle was stuck in terrible traffic on Interstate 5, the result of a fire. The group of seven was whittled down to four in the final elimination race. Matt Browne took the lead but was passed by Chris Kerr on the second lap. Billy Hiles also went by Browne to take second. The top two went unchallenged, as Kerr's victory and Hiles' second place earned them spots in the field. Skyler Greyson and Browne finished third and fourth, respectively, and filled the reserve slots. Race one had Tommy Hedden jump into the lead from gate three. Venegas started from gate four and stayed on the outside throughout the first lap. His choice of racing line paid off as he motored around the outside of Hedden at the end of lap one for the lead. Venegas led from there to take his first victory of the evening. Hancock took the lead in race two, but the race was stopped when Hiles and Buck Blair went down in turn three. On the restart, it was Hancock again in front, and he adapted to the track very quickly and scored an easy win. 46 SEPTEMBER 21, 2005 • CYCLE NEWS Three-time National Champion "Flyin'" Mike Faria jumped into the lead in race three and scored a victory in his first-ever race at the track. Hamill closed out the first round by defeating Ryan Fisher and Bobby Schwartz for his first win. Round two began with Jimmy Fishback taking the lead, only to be overtaken by Yarrow on the back straight. Yarrow, who suffered a last-place finish in the first round, righted his ship by running away with the victory. Schwartz, who recently scored a mainevent victory at The Grand, excited his legion of fans by winning race six. Hamill made it two in a row by defeating Faria in race seven. Hancock won his second straight race ahead of Venegas and Fisher in the final race of the second round. The third round began with the riders taking to a wet track, and three riders fell victim to the conditions in turn three. Faria jumped into the lead on the restart and masterfully navigated through the wet track to win his second race. Hamill launched into the lead in race 10, with Nate Perkins follOWing in second. As Hamill pulled away, Perkins battled Kerr. Kerr made a great outside pass on the front straight to take second. The positions remained the same as Hamill won his third straight race. Hancock dominated race II, with Schwartz following his one-time student for three laps before being passed by Bart Bast for second and Hedden for third. Hancock was unchallenged en route to his third win. Blair made a great start and trapped Yarrow and Venegas to take the lead in race 12. Yarrow stalked the Colorado native the entire race but couldn't push his way past him. Blair took his first win in the final race before intermission. At the break, Hancock and Hamill were tied for first with nine points each, Faria had eight points, Venegas six, and Fisher and Yarrow were tied with fIVe apiece. Schwartz turned in another vintage performance by beating Blair and Fishback in race 13. Yarrow jumped in front of Hancock and led him into tum one in race 14. Yarrow held the lead on the back straight, but Hancock went on the attack on the outside. Hancock caught Yarrow entering tum

• Cover