Usa V Rest Of The World

[Rob B]

AUBURN, California – Team USA had its four-year win streak broken on Friday night (October 28) as former World Speedway Champion Jason Crump led Team World to its first-ever victory in the annual USA vs. The World Speedway Motorcycle Championships here at Fast Fridays Speedway.

 

USA vs. The World is the traditional finale of the AMA Speedway season at Fast Fridays and drew an enthusiastic crowd despite chilly weather and a forecast of rain. The program was completed just ahead of a band of rain showers.

 

Australia’s Crump led the determined six-rider Team World to a 60-55 point lead after 18 heat races that led up to pivotal A-Main and B-Main Events. The championship was still up for grabs at that juncture, since points paid in the main events made a 21-point turnaround in team scoring possible. But the Team World pairing of Italian Captain Armando Castagna and American John Cook (representing Team World as a former Swedish National Champion) shut the door on Team USA with a 1-2 finish in the B-Main Event that swelled the World’s lead to an unbeatable 70-51.

 

Crump’s victory in the A-Main Event then finished off the 86-59 decision in favor of Team World.

 

This was Crump’s first-ever appearance at Fast Fridays Speedway, but the 2004 World Champion and current World No. 2 looked very much at home. He was challenged on several occasions by Team USA riders, but in the end he swept all six of his heat races as well as the featured A-Main Event.

 

Under the unique USA vs. The World team format, both six-rider teams were divided into three pairs of riders, and each race featured one pair from each team. Crump was partnered with English star Joe Screen, and that duo was by far the most dominant on the night as Crump and Screen scored a match-high 28 points of a possible 30.

 

The Team World pairing of Castagna and Cook put a solid 22 points on the board, while the best Team USA combinations (Faria with Bryan Yarrow and Charlie Venegas with Bobby Schwartz and reserve Buck Blair) posted 17 points each.

 

In individual heat race scoring, Crump led the way with an 18-point maximum, followed by Castagna and Venegas with 14 each and Faria with 11.

 

“The meeting was a lot closer than the final score suggests,” said Fast Fridays promoter Dave Joiner. “In fact, the score was tied seven times, but down the stretch the seasoned pros from Team World prevailed.”

 

Joiner was referencing back-to-back 1-2 finishes by the veteran pairing of Castagna and Cook in Heat 18 and the B-Main Event. Those clutch performances transformed a precarious 55-47 Team World lead into an unassailable 70-51 advantage and turned the A-Main Event into an exhibition.

 

Crump finished off his perfect 7-for-7 performance in the A-Main, finishing ahead of Team USA’s Faria and teammate Joe Screen while Team USA’s Venegas suffered an engine failure.

 

In support class action, outstanding teenager Ricky Wells of Yorba Linda, California, captured the Youth Main Event ahead of Krystal Cramer of Chino, California. Both are 14 years old.

 

 

Results

 

Fifth Annual USA vs. The World Speedway Championship

 

Fast Fridays Speedway – Gold Country Fairgrounds, Auburn, CA

 

Friday, October 28, 2005

 

 

 

Team Scores

 

Team World – 86 points

 

Team USA – 59 points

 

 

 

Note: Team points were awarded as follows:

 

Points awarded on a 3-2-1-0 basis in 18 heat races

 

Points awarded on a 6-4-2-1 basis in B-Main Event

 

Points awarded on a 12-8-4-2 basis in A-Main Event

 

 

 

Main Event Results

 

A Main Event

 

1. Jason Crump, Australia (Team World)

 

2. Mike Faria, Reno, NV (Team USA)

 

3. Joe Screen, England (Team World)

 

4. Charlie Venegas, San Bernardino, CA (Team USA)

 

 

 

B Main Event

 

1. Armando Castagna, Italy (Team World)

 

2. John Cook, Roseville, CA (Team World)

 

3. Tommy Hedden, Auburn, CA (Team USA)

 

4. Bryan Yarrow, Vacaville, CA (Team USA)

 

 

 

Top 10 Individual Scorers in Heat Races

 

Note: Each rider took part in six four-rider heat races with points awarded on a 3-2-1-0 basis.

 

1. Jason Crump, Australia (Team World), 18 points

 

2. Charlie Venegas, San Bernardino, CA (Team USA), 14 points

 

2. Armando Castagna, Italy (Team World), 14 points

 

4. Mike Faria, Reno, NV (Team USA), 11 points

 

5. Joe Screen, England (Team World), 10 points

 

6. Bart Bast, Auburn, CA (Team USA), 8 points

 

6. John Cook, Roseville, CA (Team World), 8 points

 

8. Bryan Yarrow, Vacaville, CA (Team USA), 6 points

 

8. Steve Johnston, Australia (Team World), 6 points

 

10. Freddie Lindgren, Sweden (Team World), 4 points

 

 

Bill Amick

[TMGracing]

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Edited November 3, 2005 by TMGracing