Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125682
Cody, Bast and Shaw Wail at Costa Mesa Les Chanky - cooking. By Mike Capal1te COSTA MESA, CALIF. July 17, 1970Speedway racing was host to a stand1ng room only crowd Friday night as the program was run in conjunction with the Orange County Fair. Going on the assumption that by being in conjunction with the Fair, an interest in Speedway racing could be gnereated in a large number of persons who would normally not be attending the regular Friday night program. Although the Fair date meant a fee to the regular price of admission to the track proper, the extra cost was def1nately overshadowed by a night of,Speedway racing the l1ke of wbtch has never been seen at this oval. This one night of racing has made many converts to the sport as many of the SRO crowd were flrst-timers. Spicing UP the evening right ott the bat was the issuance of a 60 yard handicap to Steve Bast wbtch makes him the fourth rider to be given this large of a handlcap in thl! history of Sveedway racing at this track. He proved the decision of the ottlcials to be a wise one for Steve was the only rider with a 60 yard handlcap to wln any of the Handlcap heats or semi's. Larry Shaw topped the tlrst heat with Rick Blake showing them the way in the second. The third was all Steve Bast with Scott Autry putting uP a good battle. In the fourth Hand1cap heat, a rider who has been r1d1ng since the revival of speedway made the crowd take notice. Jim Doron who has had his share of hard luck the past two seasons purchases a new machine a cOuPle of weeks ago and it looked l1ke this was the answer as Jim put in a fine performance to take the wln in the fourth heat. In the Semi, he finished second behind Bast and ahead of Sonny Nutter. Watch this boy, it looks l1ke he found the combination. It there was any doubtin anyone's mind that Cody, Bast, Nutter, and Woods·are the best and deserve thelr handlcap, these doubts were dis p e 11 e d as the Scratch heats rolled across the f1n1sh line, with each of them taking the wln in thelr respective heats. To further prove this out, these same four riders were chosen for the 'Monster Match Race' wbtch has been inaugerated as an annual event billed as the 'Fair Derby Special Match Races' with an annual traveling trophy presented to the winner. The tlrst pitted Bill Cody agaInst Steve Bli.st with Bill starting on the Inside. Using the pole position toitstullest, Bill grabbed the lead and held it to the f1n1sh. The second match aga1nst Nutter Dad Woods was marred by Sonny taking a spill in the tlrst corner as they bashed together. In the restart, Woods grabbed the lead and held it with Sonny right on his rear wheel all the way. I would almost make book that the Second D1v1sion Malo Event heralded the last performance in this class for Bruce Flanders as he has shown a decided improvement in the last few weeks and by taking his heat and the maIn event in a style bef1t1ng a dlV1sion one rlder, he w1ll no doubt be transfered. Right behInd him were two more riders who are improving rapidly, Larry Moon and James Foxe with Butch Fishburn in fourth. The Handlcap Malo event had the crowd on the edge of the1r seats as itpresented for the flrst time, three men on the 60 yard line in one race. With Jim Doron, . Larry Shaw, and Jim Gresham in front of them, Bast, Woods, and Nutter knew they had thelr work cut out for them. The tlrst two laps had the crowd glued to the last three riders as Woods went into the tlrst corner behind Bast with Nutter right behind him, as Steve dr1fted wide comlng out, Rick cut inside and moved into fourth. Coming out of the next corner, Woods went wide and slammed against the wall and picked the front wheel uP at the same time. Although R1ck kept 1t turned on, Steve was right there to get back into fourth. As Woods tried to get back under Bast in the next corner, he fount Nutter beslde him as Sonny was trying for the' COuP-de-grace' and they came out of the corner elbow to elbow and wheel to wheel as the fans were on thelr feet and screeming for thelr favorite. Into the next corner, Rick regaIned the number four spot with Nutter behInd him and then Steve. In the last lap, Rick passed Jim Doron to put him between himself and Sonny who was pushing him hard. This ha.ttIe in the rear of the pack rather overshadowed a brwtant performance by Larry Shaw who came ott the line in the third SPOt and worked his way around Jim Gresham and Jim Doron to grab the lead and hold 1t for the wln, his second In a row. The Malo Event for the special match race was billed as the "Straw Hat Perpetnal Trophy" race as the trophy consisted of a straw hat that had been bronzed and mounted on a trophy plaque to slgntty the county ta1r mottt being promoted by the Orange County Fair Board. With Cody on the inslde position, Woods tried his dr1!t wide and come ha.ck inside routine in the flrst corner, but B1ll was ready and stayed low coming out in the lead. Into the second corner, Woods was trying a little too hard and bumped Bill's rear Wheel and dld a spectacular 'header' • After a delay whtle Rick got_ his breath and his spare machIne was prepared, the restart bad Cody agaIn in the lead as Woods couldn't seem to gain on h1masBillbroughthome the glory to the Valvoline sponsored USA Racing Team, and dldn't do too bad for himself ,as the trophy was presented by not one but three lovely girls. In the Scratch Malo Event, who should be on the line but R1ck Woods, Bill Cody Steve Bast, and Sonny Nutter, you can bet your bottom dollar there were no spectators leaVing early on this night. With' Sonny 'draWing pole position, Steve Bast got a good start from the line and copped the lead into the flrst corner as Nutter pulled into the second slot. Woods and Cody were pushing Nutter hard as Bast was slowly buildlng uP his lead and running strong. Rick again had trouble in the corner and Cody moved under him for third slot. Bill was really getting on it when he suddenly started haVing handling problems in the corner and had to pull to the 1nf1eld with a flat tire. With his lead ~t uP, Steve took an easy win with Nutter second and Woods third. This was easily one of the most exciting nights of the season, and it looks like it is gotni to get better all the time as JoIuIDy Gibson has opened uP a practice track at the Rivergrade raceway wb1ch added to the HuntIngton Beach Cycle Parks practice track gives the rlders two spots to pract1ce. Johnny has a race set tentatively for the second of August, so watch Cycle News for more intorma1on. (Results on pap 26) SACHS dOlD.lnates lD.otocros~' Bill Cody and Ri ck Woods have at Match Race. 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