INDUSTRY, Calif. – Austin Novratil, 24, won the AMA Speedway bike 500cc season-opener at Industry Speedway last Wednesday in front of more than 1,300 spectators.

The first of 14 speedway race nights took place on the eighth-mile dirt track in the Grand Arena at the Industry Hills Expo Center.

It kicked off the 16th consecutive season of racing at the popular Los Angeles County venue in the eastern San Gabriel Valley.

The fifth annual Connor Penhall Memorial Cup again opened the Industry season. Novratil, from Huntington Beach, became only the second rider to win the prestigious Penhall Cup. He rode his usual No. 7 Jawa frame with a Marcel Gerhard-designed GTR engine manufactured by Gerhard Engine Co. & Suter Racing Technology in Switzerland.

The Penhall Memorial event honors the memory of speedway racer Connor Penhall. He was killed at age 21 in April of 2012 while working as a sub-contractor for Cal Trans on an I-10 Freeway construction project near the 605 Freeway. The drunk driver who drove through barriers and hit Penhall was an illegal alien from Japan. He was convicted of second degree murder and given a 15-year sentence and confined at Norco State Prison.

Bruce Penhall, 62-year old father of Connor and 1981-82 Speedway World Champion, and his family began the Penhall Memorial Cup to keep the memory of Connor alive. They also hope to spread the message against impaired driving. Bruce, his entire family, and numerous guests were present as usual. Bruce presented the coveted first place award—a specially painted Troy Lee Designs helmet in a see-through plastic case—to Novratil during post-race ceremonies in the infield.

Top three riders in the 500cc D-1 and top three 250cc and 150cc junior division riders received their awards and posed on the podium with Penhall. It was the first time the distinctive Penhall Memorial Cup helmet trophy did not go home with nine-time AMA National Speedway Champion and five-time California AMA Speedway Champion Billy Janniro, 38, from northern California.

The Grand Marshal was versatile motorsports champion and 1999 Indianapolis 500 second-place finisher Jeff Ward. The long-time Penhall family friend was a motocross mentor to young Connor at the request of his dad Bruce. Born in Scotland, Ward came to the United States at age 4.

He is a nine-time AMA motocross champion, two-time AMA supercross champion, AMA flat track racer, Indy car driver from 1996-2005, NASCAR Cup driver in 1998, off-road truck racer, X-Games gold medal winner, Red Bull Rally Series and stadium truck racing driver. He is currently racing at age 57 in AMA Flat Track 450cc singles series TT events on a KTM.

Also present was Greg Hancock, a four-time World Speedway Champion. Hancock, 48, is another long-time friend of the Penhall family and Industry Speedway promoter Kelly Inman. Hancock’s son Wilbur, 14, raced in the Junior 250cc division. Greg will not be racing in Europe this year. He will remain in So Cal to support his wife Jennie who is battling a serious illness.