Billy Hamill Three-Peats IN Speedway Cycles June 12, 2013
By noderel:
Industry, CA., Jun. 12 – Billy “the Bullet” Hamill did it again Wednesday night at the Industry Speedway dirt track in the Grand Arena of the Industry Hills Expo Center. The 43-year old Carlsbad resident again scored a perfect nine points by winning all three of his heat races. He then rode his 500cc Hagon Shocks GM cycle to four lap victories in his semi-final and the feature after starting from lane one. It was the third consecutive week at Industry Speedway that he led every lap in his five races. His monetary reward likely topped $600 from his winner's share of the purse, plus the four feature riders share of the $350 total 50/50 drawing, and an extra $175 the fan winner of 50/50 donated prior to the feature winner prior to the final event.
With 20 Division 1 pro riders racing in five heats for three rounds, only Hamill and 2006 California State Champion Josh Larsen tallied perfect scores of nine points. However, Larsen finished third in his semi-final that transferred only the first two finishers to the feature. Larsen had led the initial start of that race that was restarted. In a stunning upset, the two outside lanes starters--Buck Blair and Aaron Fox--finished in P. 1-2. That deprived fans of a head-to-head meeting of Larsen and Hamill in the same event. Larsen captured the consolation race after leading all four laps. However, there was no transfer available to the main event.
This week Hamill had to contend with a crop of fast-improving younger D-1 riders. Fox, 25, started from lane 2, trailed Hamill closely each lap, but finished five lengths back. Gino Manzares, 19, started from lane 4 and ran third all four laps. Blair, 35, came from lane 3 and challenged Hamill for the lead on the outside during the initial lap. His challenge fell short and he dropped to fourth, where he finished.
For the third consecutive week, Rudy Laurer, 56, from Gardena, led all four laps of the restarted 500cc Division 2 main. After the starting gate lifted, P. 3-4 riders Chris Jones and Eloy Medellin fell entering the first turn. Shawn Eldredge, from Sacramento, led the initial lap on his No. 357 but ran a close second following the restart. Steve “Beach Ball” Brown, who builds trophy trucks for off-road races and the Dakar Rally, won the 500cc D-3 feature for newer riders. The 54-year old rider, who began racing in 2009, suggested his nickname. The Fontana resident said he dropped his weight from 350 pounds two years ago to his current 220 pounds so he could race his No. 211 JAWA cycle.
Broc Nicol, 15, led all four laps of the Junior Division 250cc main over Dillon Ruml, Hayley Perrault, 15, Kurtis Hamill and Dalton Leddy. Sebastian “Big Daddy” Palmese, a 9-year old from Mission Viejo, captured the mini first division 150cc main on his Trak Plus cycle. Michael Wells and Courtney Crone followed. Gino Scopellite, 10, from Huntington Beach, took the juniors second division main on his Trak Plus over 8-year old twins Sterling and Adam Martin, from Salinas. For the third straight week, “Lightning” Luke Whitcomb, 7, again started alone, 50-yards from the starting gate. The Anaheim youngster stormed past five other riders within three laps. He won another 50cc pee-wee division P. 1 plaque for the growing collection on his bedroom wall.
It took six points to make the two four rider semi-final events. Three riders tied at six points. A run-off race for two available semi-final berths pitted Tim Gomez, Tyson Talkington and Blair, who led all four laps after starting from lane 4. Gomez, from lane 1, ran second all the way. Lane 3 starter Talkington finished a close third, ending his racing for the night. Also missing the semi-finals surprisingly was all-time Industry most feature wins rider Charlie Venegas, who scored 5 points in his three heat races.
NOTES: Week four at Industry Speedway on June 19 will feature all divisions and those extreme sidecar racers. ... Riders and fans with pit passes signed a large get well soon card for D-1 rider Robbie (No. 17) Sauer, of Bakersfield. His brother Brad (D-1 No. 21) and nephew raced at Industry June 5. Robbie was hospitalized during the week after contracting “valley fever”, a well-known ailment in the San Joaquin Valley. He then developed meningitis. ... Among the speedway cycle spectators this week was sprint car/midget racing champion driver/owner Cory Kruseman, of Ventura. Speedway cycle racing has a Saturday, June 29 race date at Ventura Raceway, which hosted speedway cycles on Tuesday nights in the 1970s. Promoter Steve Evans is bringing cycles to “the roar by the shore” scenic beach-side fifth-mile track.
During intermission three fans who signed up to compete in a two-wheel bicycle race on the dirt track had their names drawn. They competed for $50 cash from IHEC promoter Carol Perez. They peddled against D-1 rider Michael Raines in a two-lap, all-out dash around the track. One of the costumed fans led the first lap, but Raines took charge early on the final lap and won easily as two of the three fans fell trying to keep pace. The estimated crowd of 1,000 enjoyed the spectacle.
At 9:45 pm just before the D-1 feature, announcer Bruce Flanders told Industry spectators the tragic news that well-known Jason Leffler, from Long Beach, had been killed that evening in a winged sprint car racing crash at the clay 5/8-mile Bridgeport (N.J) Speedway. Reportedly, during a heat race something in the right front broke, causing the car to veer into the wall and flip violently down the track. He was airlifted to a nearby trauma center but succumbed en-route. One of the most versatile drivers in racing, Jason raced with USAC, Indy Car, NASCAR, and World of Outlaws. His demise resulted in an outpouring of sorrow, love and respect for him from all those groups. He leaves 5-year old son Charlie, so named for Jason's father. His wife Allison is the daughter of noted open-wheel Beast chassis builder Bob East . Jason's brother-in-law is Bobby East, a past USAC National Series champion and a NASCAR veteran as well.
Those of us who knew Jason on a first name basis were shocked and saddened by the tragedy. Jason, 37, was a four-time USAC National Champion (three in midgets 1997-99 and one in Silver Crown 1998). He won major midget victories at the Hut 100 in Indiana, Night Before the Indy 500, two Turkey Night GPs at Irwindale in 1999 and 2005, and the Belleville (KS) Nationals. He raced each year on Thanksgiving in the USAC Midget GP, including last November at Perris. That evening he drove the No. 56 Shane Hmiel midget in the feature, and used his Great Clips NASCAR driving suit. He took the lead early and led laps before falling back and pitting with a mechanical problem for 32nd place. Jason was inducted into the National Midget Racing Hall of Fame at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin during 2003 at age 27.
Jason raced an IRL Indy Car three times for Treadway Racing in 2000, including the Indianapolis 500 where he started the No. 50 G-Force/Olds 17th and finished 17th.. He logged 197 laps and was one of 22 drivers still racing after 200 laps. As a friend and protege of Tony Stewart, Jason went to NASCAR where he raced in all three NASCAR national series during the last decade. He scored a pair of Nationwide Series victories and a Camping World Truck triumph. Without a regular NASCAR ride for 2013, Jason opted to race winged 410 cu. in. sprint cars on the tough multi-track “Pennsylvania Posse” circuit. He had been having little success, but continued to adapt in the yellow/black No. 13 Buch Racing sprint car, his last ride. Jason's last NASCAR start came last Sunday, June 9 in the Sprint Cup Pocono (PA) 400. He filled in for regular driver Mike Bliss, who was racing in the one-day rain postponed NASCAR Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway. With Pocono qualifying rained out, Jason started the No. 19 Toyota Camry in P. 42; he dropped out early and finished last--43rd. USAC has started a benevolent fund to further his son Charlie's education.