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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126008
in second . That Han dicap Main wa s a wild six- man struggle th ro ugh two laps with the back-yardage ri ders wo rki ng their way forward. Trailing Woods was Mike Bast. who weaved his way to third at the checkered to narrowly whip Dubb Ferrell in fourth . Costa Mesa, California September 12, 1975 Steve Bast . curr en t U.S. Speedway Champ is back on top. Capping off a busy week. he won the Costa Mesa Scratch Main in a race with Bobby Schwartz that was so close one of the pit men got into a fight with the official over the call. The fans were divided as well. some for Bast and some for Schwartz. About 45 minutes after the last race I got both riders together and Bobby Schwartz said. "Steve got me at the line but just by six inches at the most." There were four special Scratch races for the Junior Speedway riders who have been riding at all five tracks this week to earn a ride in the Junior part o f the U.S. National at the L.A. Coliseum on Nove mber I. Handicap ho n ors wen t to Ugh tning Larry Shaw who had the short yardage start in the Main an d held off a do zen charges by thre e ti me U.S. Speedway Champ. Rick Woods. U.S. Oualifier Bakersfield, California September 13, 1975 Hi Hoooo Silver, Awaaay l Bill Cody, demonstrating " the backslide:' freesty le riding technique used only under extreme pressure. Sivadge tops Qualifier list By Denn is Greene and J ohn Bethea Ventura, California September 9,1975 What can you say about Dubb Ferrell? In the past five weeks there hasn't been one track that he has not won on . He's been in at least one Main Even t every nigh t for over a month . In the last regular night of racing at Ventura Dubb won the 8 Handicap Main fr om the 40 yard line , getting past J eff Sexton in the closing feet. Dubb came to the starting line for the Scratch Main along with Steve Nutter, Mike and Steve Bast. There were three restarts, first when one of the riders ' was in motion when the tapes wen t up and Steve Bast was lef t standing at the gate, second when Steve Bast got off in turn one and Steve Nutter got off in turn four (th e rule says that if half the riders go down in the \~ _~~~ Y /At" .~ .h '0 • • • _, h • • -. r; . -, 0 0- >', . '~c"':;"'~:-i:'~~;:~":_ - ~. '--:- / : : first lap the event will be restarted), the third and final restart saw Steve Bast jump to an early lead over Ferrell who tried a dozen times in the four laps to find a hole big enough to get through , but in vain. Irwindale, California September 11, 1975 Top qualifiers fro m last week's National Championship showdown made their way to the finals in the Scratch and Handicap Main events tonight and they split victories. Scott Sivadge, who lost out in the runoff just seven days earlier in the National Qualifier . stormed his way into the triumph in Scratch ra cing without losing a single race. He took his second heat over Dubb Ferrell and then cap tured the Semi with Steve Nutter fighting for second. When it came time for the Main , he got off the line in third and had to figh t to gai n the lead and hold it. He succeeded after a fierce battle with Steve Bast and took ho me the big bucks. Rick Woods had broken to the lea d in the Scratch Main when th e gate wen t up but he had one brief problem and dipped to third , where he stayed to the finish . Earlier, Woods had cap ture d the Hand i cap Main with a surprisingly strong Dean Forman registering himself Th e second round of qualifying for the U.S. Finals ran a 37 event all scratch program. Th e top 32 ride rs in the co untry were o ut to earn th ose all important points and that will put them in the run off for the biggest title and cash payoff in Speedway. (The U.S. National Speedway Championship.) Three-time holder of the title, Rick Woods, was sidelined for the night when he was involved in a three .bike pile up just 30 feet from the starting gates. His righ t arm was pulled in to the rear wheel of Dave Sim 's bike as he went down. Woods lay there with his arm in up to his arm pit. It took over five minutes to cut him loose. A dozen too many people were trying to help and it was not until the ref and some of the local law started to move people aside that the ambulance could get to work. Cal Expo promoter, J im Denny, and Steve Bast physically ripped off the rear fender as the wheel was turned, freeing Woods' arm. Nothing was broken but he got a very bad puncture. several cuts an d every muscle was pulled . The program got under way a hal f hour early with the running of the Junior Speedway bikes wh o are also q ualifying for the Califo rni a State and U.S. National. Then thi ngs started to go so ur. First the starting gates broke and a ' lo t of time was lost trying to repair them. In the first event Northern rider Norm Denny got tied up with his bike an d was taken off the track with a possible broken foot. Norm came back in event 15 but ran las t . A dozen more restarts during the nigh t and Woods' crash added mo re lost time and it was a full four hours later tha t the final runoff between Scott Sivadge and Mike Bast took place. Both riders had turned in a perfect score of 12 points. Th e runoff went to Mike but the overall leader after two nights is Scott Sivadge with a total of 24 points or eigh t perfect rides. ~ The top 16 riders from the two nigh ts of qualifying make up the all-st ar field for the eighth rurming of the Cali fornia State Championship. They are Scott Sivadge with 24 points. Mike Bast 23. Bill Cody 20, Mike Curoso 19, Bruce Penahll 19, Dubb Ferrell 18, Rick Woods 16, Steve Bast 16, Sonny Nutter 16, Bobby Schwartz 16. Jim Fishback 16, Larry Shaw 15, Mark Cherry 15, Jeff Sexton 13. Mike Kon le 13, and Alan Christian. th e only Northe rn rider, taking t he: final spot with 13 points. The California State Championship will be run on Wednesday n ight the first of October, right in the: middle of the ru nning of the: Kern Coun ty Fair. and will be a sell out crowd for sure . If you are planning to attend and are co ming from some: distance, get there no later than 7:00. • Results and points to date in Results Section.