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FISHBACK WINS INDUSTRY SPEEDWAY CYCLE FEATURE – By Tim Kennedy
INDUSTRY, CA., Jul. 20 – Jimmy “Little Animal” Fishback, of Rancho Cucamonga, won his third 500cc Division 1 main event in round eight of a 14 scheduled Wednesday nights speedway cycle racing series at Industry Speedway in the Industry Hills Expo Center. The 30-year old second generation rider started in lane two and passed lane one starter Charlie Venegas on lap 2 with an inside move exiting the second turn. The usual 4-lap race ended after three laps when all five riders, as prearranged, pulled into the infield simultaneously and stopped. Fishback won over Venegas, Bobby Schwartz, Aaron Fox and John Marquez. Nick Varner was declared the winner of the final lap.
Varner, an 11-year old Junior rider on Honda 200cc and Jawa 250cc cycles and two-time 2011 Junior main event winner at Industry, succumbed to injuries earlier in the day. The Riverside resident crashed at Glen Helen Raceway last Sunday while racing in a motocross event. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital with head injuries and listed in critical condition. He was placed in an induced coma with internal bleeding. Word came Wednesday morning that the talented rider had lost his final battle. He is survived by his parents Terry and Alicia. Varner began racing speedway cycles in 2008 and was the 2009 pee-wee national champion. He was the 2010 Victorville track champion. He had won eight youth mains at three tracks this season. It was a somber night of racing Wednesday. Many youth and adult riders had tributes to Nick or decals with his number 333 on their cycles and leathers.
Joe Jones and his former sidecar partner Brandi McElroy reunited as a team in a four sidecar feature. Jones drove the 1,000cc No. 2 cycle usually driven by injured Brian Motis. Bob Brayton and Jimmy Olsen finished second with the No. 1 sidecar usually driven by Jones. Schwartz, 54, won the last chance race. Chris Jones, of Aliso Viejo, led the final three laps of the A Support main event. Kip McClain, of Covina, was the front-runner for all four laps of the B Support main. Broc Nicol, 13, of Lomita, won the first division 200cc youth main and Shea Bendykowski, 11, of Temecula, took the second division youth main for cycles 200cc and under. No 250cc cycles were present. Tristan Britt, 8, of Huntington Beach, won his first 50cc pee-wee main event this season after leading the final three laps.
During an intermission, promoter Jeff Immediato and 2000 USAC Western Midget Series champion Wally Pankratz hot-lapped two USAC Ford Focus midgets on the indoor dirt track at The Grand. They turned laps in 10-12 seconds and participated in an Australian pursuit “race” in which Pankratz made up a half lap deficit and passed Immediato on the tenth-mile track. Brett Wagner, host of the “Pass Time” TV show on Speed Channel, served as grand marshal Wednesday night. Next Wednesday at Industry Speedway will be another Harley-Davidson Night and parade of street Harleys.
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