IN
THE
WIND
P44
JANNIRO TOPS AMA
NATIONAL SPEEDWAY OPENER
S
ix-time AMA National Speedway Cham-
pion Billy Janniro delivered one of his fin-
est ever performances with a perfect score
at round one of the 2016 AMA National
Speedway Series at Costa Mesa Speedway,
California, May 21.
Janniro won all five of his qualifying heats,
his closest ride coming in his fifth heat when
veteran Shawn McConnell ran him close
with some of his trademark inside-line-
hugging moves. Gino Manzares won four
heats and was Janniro's closest competition,
something we expect for the entire series to
come. Manzares was third first time out be-
fore finding his groove. Other notable perfor-
mances in the heats included Max Ruml who
scored 12 out of 15 points, smooth veteran
Bart Bast who finished on 11, and Austin Novratil,
who, despite a fall in his fourth ride, scored 10.
Eight of the 16 riders moved on to the semi-
finals and the top two in the semis to the final.
Semi number one had Janniro record win number
six, with Bast taking second. A battle for third saw
veteran Tommy Hedden squeeze out 18-year-old
Broc Nicol, the youngster giving a good display in
all considering he had just returned from a broken
leg sustained last August. Semi-final number two
had Manzares lead home Novratil. Aaron Fox,
who had an indifferent night by his standard, kept
Ruml at the back.
The final was one that will be remembered for
years to come. Speedway is a sport that has an
unfair reputation that the first rider out of the start
wins, especially later in the show when the best
riders meet and the track grooves up. This one
dispelled that myth with an exclamation point!
Manzares, from the outside gained enough trac-
tion to get ahead of Janniro by turn three of lap
one, with Bast, using the inside line, pushing
Janniro to third place. Janniro, after two laps,
looked buried with the series blown wide open,
but a stellar move where his front wheel crossed
the pole line, a legal move so long as both wheels
don't cross, propelled himself inside of Bast to
take second place as the white flag dropped. The
sprint to the end saw Janniro repeat the same
move on Manzares coming out of the final turn to
snatch victory on the line to the amazement of all
in attendance.
The series moves onto Ventura Raceway on
June 25, City of Industry, August 13, before
concluding at Fast Fridays Speedway in Auburn,
California, September 16.
Steve Evans
FINAL
1. Billy Janniro
2. Gino Manzares
3. Bart Bast
4. Austin Novratil
Billy Janniro
kicked off the
AMA National
Speedway Series
with a victory in
Costa Mesa.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
MICHAEL
PHIPPS
MSD
PHOTOGRAPHY
