37TH ANNUAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ICE RACING SERIES GRAND FINALE
FEBRUARY 23, 2013 THE FORD CENTER EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
MATAYA & CROUCH TAKE HOME WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
GOLD!!
A packed house was on hand at the Ford Center in Evansville,
Indiana to see the Grand Finale of the 37th Annual World Championship ICE Racing
Series. You could cut the tension with a knife as everyone in the building knew
there were two World Championships on the line. The racing was very exciting
with plenty of thrills and spills to wow the fans.
Cup Bike Heat Races started the night's action off. The first was
a wild one that ended with contact and tempers heated. "Sideways" Sammy
Wiggins-Coatesville, PA made the last lap pass as he dashed to the finish line
over Shea Knuth-Bloomington, IL and Tom "Freight Train" McGrane-Gap, PA. Knuth
took exception to the "Freight Train's" aggressive riding style and let his
opinion be heard throughout the pits. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed. Other
Round-1 Heat winners were "Fly'n" Brian McKenna-Boston, MA and Jake "The Snake"
Mataya-Blaine, MN. Round-2 Heats were won by Wiggins; McKenna and "Captain" Kirk
Cheney-Hastings, MI keeping his World Championship hopes alive. Both Cheney and
Mataya had a win and a second in their Heats so there was no change in their 32
WC Point spread led by "The Snake". With 40 WC Points up for grabs to win the
Main Event it was still wide open on who would be the 2013 Champion. Tom McGrane
with 3rd and 4th place Heat finishes was now mathematically out of the WC Title
Chase.
Next up was the Bike LCQ to decide who would make up the back row
starting positions of the Main Event. Hard charging Austin Greenland-Spring
Mills, PA dominated this race start to finish followed by Jay "The Jackhammer"
Maloney-Oakland,NJ; Tom McGrane and Darren Carter-Bloomington, IL all
transferring on to the Main. Done for the night in respective order were Knuth;
Kyle McGrane-Gap, PA; first timers on the ice Nick McFadden-Owensboro, KY &
Greg Childers-Evansville, IN followed by Brittany Powell-Bloomington, IL who is
improving every start she makes.
The Main Event was now set and ready to go. All the marbles were
on the line - the 2013 World Championship and the first ever Evansville Ice
Racing Champion was about to be decided. Cheney shot out from the gate to take
the early lead. He desperately needed to win for a chance at the Title. But on
the second lap Greenland amazingly forced his way to the front from a second row
starting spot to lead Cheney and Mataya. On the 4th lap of this 8 lapper "The
Snake" struck once again to take second from Cheney setting his sights on
Greenland. Going in to the final lap it looked like Jake was going to have a
shot at the win but Greenland gutted it out to hang on for his first major
league ice racing victory. He was followed closely by Mataya; Cheney; McGrane;
McKenna; Carter; Maloney and Wiggins respectively.
2013 was an awesome competitive season of racing for the ICE
Manufacturers World Cup Motorcycles crowning a great new World Champion in Jake
"The Snake" Mataya. Cheney kept things close through the last night of racing.
Greenland promises to be a strong contender for the future. ICE
Rookie-of-the-Year honors went to young Kyle McGrane. Special ICE MVP Awards
were given to Tom McGrane and Kirk Cheney for extraordinary efforts on and off
the track. Congratulations to all the racers for a great season!
The ICE Unlimited Outlaw Quads had their own World Championship
battle on the line tonight with three racers still in the hunt at the Grand
Finale. Dusty Crouch-Topeka, KS with a 32 WC Point lead over Kevin "Cool Hand"
Smith-Overbrook, KS and Mandy "Wild Child" Brodil-Poplar Branch, NC with an
outside chance to win her 6th WC Title.
The First Round Heat Race winners were Brian Sommers-Burlington,
WI; Jeff Brodil-Grandy, NC and Crouch. Round-2 winners were Jeff Brodil; Ken
"Stuntman" Remer-Burlington, WI and Chuck "The Ice Man" Calvert-Madison, WI. In
this last Heat Race of the night Mandy Brodil and Smith got tangled up going
into turn one sending her #1 Quad to the infield. In the process she looped her
machine backwards throwing the "Wild Child" to the ice surface. She landed on
her back hitting her head violently on the ice. After several minutes Mandy
decided to compete in the re-start finishing second. A short time later Mandy
became ill in the pits and sought out help from the attending medical crew. She
was diagnosed with a concussion, her second in two seasons, and subsequently
transported to the hospital for further observation. Her hopes for a 6th World
Championship Title were over.
The Outlaw Quad LCQ was all Sommers taking the lead from the Pole
and never looking back. The three other riders transferring to the Main in order
of their finish were Ryan "Hit Man" Kaufman-Table Grove, IL; Anthony
Demeo-Woodland Park, NJ and Smith. Just missing the cut was Brandon
Davis-Danvers, IL on the Harley powered Thunder Quad and Cody Norton-Cooksville,
IL.
The Outlaw Main was a wild one that would determine this year's
World Champion. When the starting gate was released by ICE Official Referee
Robert Arms Jeff Brodil, Mandy's Dad, shot off the Pole staring position with
front wheels in the air! By the time he reached the first turn he was being
pushed hard from the outside into the infield. Brodil wasn't able to recover as
the rest of the field raced on. Crouch had excellent position on the track
racing away in the lead followed by Calvert and Remer. On lap two of this six
lapper Remer forced the issue and got by Calvert for second followed through by
Demeo and Smith. Then suddenly, on lap three, Demeo cuts under the turn 1-2 pole
markers causing his disqualification. The very next lap saw Kaufman get by
Calvert for 4th and that's how it all ended up as they crossed the finish line.
Crouch had won the race convincingly and his first World Championship! Remer
finished second, his career best, with Smith taking the last Podium spot locking
down 2nd overall in this year's WC Title Chase. The rest of the field as they
scored were Kaufman; Calvert; Sommers; Jeff Brodil (DNF) and Demeo (DQ'd).
All the Special Awards and WC Points Fund checks and trophies were
presented at the private banquet immediately following tonight's event. ICE
Rookie-of-the-Year honors went to Eric Jennings-Otisville, NY; co-ICE MVP's were
Ken Remer and Chuck Calvert. The prestigious Bob Hetrick Memorial Sportsman
Award was presented to Mandy Brodil for outstanding achievements and goodwill,
on and off the track, supporting and promoting the sport of World Championship
Ice Racing. Unfortunately Mandy and her family were unable to be present to
accept the award due to Mandy's injury. The last word was Mandy is improving and
was cleared to travel home to North Carolina. I know I'm speaking for all her
friends and fans in ice racing wishing her a speedy and complete recovery.
On a special night of racing a very special moment took place on
the ice. Shortly after his third successful attempt this year at the Ring of
Fire Quad Jump in Evansville, under the spotlights and on the house PA system,
Ken Remer proposed to his long time girlfriend Kristie Knack. Totally surprised
she accepted!
On that happy note we'll sign off for another great season of
World Championship ICE Racing. Congratulations to the new World Champions Jake
Mataya and Dusty Crouch! Get well soon Mandy!
SEE YOU ALL NEXT WINTER FOR #38!!!
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