Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

.. Page 32 September 11,1973 Story & Photos by Dennis Greene Ventura, Aug. 28 Where did he con1e from? That was the question Ed Williams asked as he picked himself up from the ground Tuesday night at Ventura. What had happened was that Mike Konle had fallen and the flag man did not look to see if anyone 'Was coming as he stepped ou t in fron t of Ed. To say the least,' they met, and as they both tumbled down the track the flag man learned a hard lesson. Neither was hurt but Ed did let the flagman know just what a fool he was. Time is getting short at Ventura. There are only four more events scheduled for the season and the 25th of September will bring the show to a close. Sometime in September there will be a qualifying round held to help pick the top 16 riders in the nation who will be in compe.tition for the title of U.S. Speedway Champion. In what was a preview of things to come, Steve and Mike Bast along with Mike Curoso and Steve Gresham came to the line in the Scratch Main event for what was to be the highlight of the night. With the California State Championship just 24 hours off, everyone was saying it was to be a two man show and that the winner would be named BAST. So, when the brothers came to the line the fans were pretty much divided, half for Mike aI!d the other half for Steve. During the four laps, the lead changed four times. Mike never let Steve get over a foot away at any time and at the end it was Steve in front This kind of racing is one big reason why the crowds have reached near capacity at Ventura this season, and there is talk about increasing the seating for nex t year. Mike Bast did not come up on the short end of the stick in the Handicap Main as he added one more win' to his record. Bakersfield, Aug. 29 Five years ago, a young man named Sonn y Nutter became the first California State Speedway Champion. The title was won at the L.A. Sports Arena. Even since then, the title has been up for grabs once a year at Bakersfield. For the past four years, this title has been won by one man - Steve Bast This past Wednesday night was this' Championship event, and Steve was there to defend his title in the highest meaning of the word sportsmanship. He came to the race track still ill with stomach flu, unable to keep his food down, and on several occasions during the race meet, regurgitated because of the illness. Steve was not the only rider with physical problems. Bill Cody was unable to ride because he had been in a pile up Tuesday at Ventura. Paul Orlandi, one of the five northern riders to qualify for the event came to the track to do better, but was shot down in the first tum. when he crashed and tore ligaments in his arm. As in all Championship events, there are only 16 riders in competition and each rides five times. The winners of each event gets three points, 2nd place gets two, 3rd gets one and 4th gets zero. Simple math adds up to 3x5=15 points or a perfect score. Fifteen points were earned by the new California State Champion, Mike Bast. Mike, last years National Champion and current Pacific West Coast Champ turned in a sparkling performance in all five of his events; the highlights of course was when Mike and Steve went at it together. Everyone knew that this· would be the biggest race of the night. Both had perfect scores going into the race, and only one could come out on top. Don Cullum and Greg Haserot were also in the event but were left far to the rear as the Bast win machines took off. The four lap race was lost by Steve in the first lap. Mike wil:s between Steve and the wall, being bounced back and forth between the two. Rather than take a chance of putting them both out of competition, Steve backed off just inches before he would have normally in The Bast's Championship showdown. Steve backed off so he wouldn't put Mike into the wall. Mike won. That's real racing brotherhood. Dan Elecker grabs too much at Ventura. order to make the tum. This was all it took to let Mike get by. He shot down to the pole and for the next three laps Steve played catch up racing, but in vain. The only point that Steve lost during the night was in that event with Mike, and as it turned out that one point to Mike cost Steve the title. Afterwards Steve told Mike, "Brother; if I had to lose I'm glad it was to you", and Mike reached over, shook Steve's hand, and said, "Man, I sure am glad you didn't go another foot before you started to tum. I must have hit that wall three times and was in a world of hurt." Steve said, "I didn't think you would push that hard to the outside." Mike smiled, slapped Steve on the back turned and walked away, and Steve said, "Go get 'em!!". . A t trophy time the race fans gave the sportsmen a standing ovation. During the victory party, there were several other awards given away. Tim Bradley won the most improved Second Division rider award, Dubb Ferrell got the same for First Division and Mark "The White Tornado" Cherry got the Sportsman Award. Irwindale, Aug. 30 With several of the top car drivers in the nation visiting from their time trials at On tario Thursday night, the Speedway show got underway. They were quite impressed with the two wheel exploits of the best speedway riders in the nation. Dan Becker was hot and wen t all the way for the win in the Scratch Main event over Rick Woods, Mike Bast and Sonny Nutter. Mark Cherf pulled off the win in the Handicap Main in what was one 0'£ the better events of the night Mark started in front and held off the challenge of Billy Meister and Mike Curoso. Earlier in the evening Mike Curoso hit the crash wall righ t in fron t of where the car drivers were sitting at the start-finish line. It was in the last lap at the checkered flag and there was some lengthy conversation about how man and machine must be together when they go over the finish line. Even though Mike was upside down at the time he went over the line, he was still with his bike as they tumbled past the starter. The referee said that the rule states that the rider has to be with his bike, and not necessarily on top of it. The call was a good one, and everyone cheered the gutsy little man as he limped off the trac k and the loudest cheers could be heard from the car racers who took the night off from their racing just to come and see someone else get it on. Thursday's Handicap Consolation saw Jeff Sexton return to the Irwindale track for the first time since he broke his collarbone there about two months ago. Last y.ear Jeff broke his back at the same track while trying to avoid a pileup. bu t he's back and looking good. He had good race luck in the Handicap Consolation, and won it going away. COsta Mesa, Aug. 31 The end of the last full week of racing was highlighted at Costa. Mesa in three match races between the Bast Brothers and the team of Dan Becker and Rick Woods. Thi.s was- a winner- take-all money· event A running score was kept by giving 3 poin ts to the winner, 2 to second, 1 to third and 0 to last A t the end of the three races the total was Woods and Becker 10, the Bast's 8. The loss· did not affect the brothers much when they came back in the Scratch Main. Mike jumped out in front, leading Woods with Steve looking for the opening. It came in the third lap and Steve was hot on Mike's tail as he has been so many times this season. A t the finish line it was Mike for his fifth in a row and 13 Scratch Main wins at Costa Mesa. Steve was second, Woods third with Mike Curoso bringing up the rear. Keith Mashburn, now in his fourth week of" speedway racing won his third Main event Keith showed that years of riding in Class C cO!I'petition can be put to good use on a speedway track. On a trac k that was shaped like a tear drop with a point. on one end, the Third Division had nothing but trouble trying to get th.rough the sharp tum. In the Main even for the Third Division, there was only one rider who went the distance without getting off, Rick Ferron. Handicap Main event honors went to Scott Sivage. Scott had lots of company on the ten yard line. Dave Galvin, Bill Meister and Robin Nicolaides up front. Scott took the lead in tum one and never gave it up, staying in front for the five laps, his firs t Handicap Main even t • win at Costa Mesa.

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