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/126401
!Top) Mike Bast (1) chose the high outside line to stay ahead of Kelly Moran on the spectacular Santa Ana long track.IBelow leftl Ole Olsen. 1978 World Champion. put on a one-man show for t he fans. IBelow right! Young Shawn McConnell (Ieftl surprised everyone by f inishing fourth. Ba~t, Sigalos split Santa Ana glory; Ole Olsen ·not .allowed to compete By Ken Kellogg SANTA ANA . CA. MAR . 3 "When Worlds collide" could have been the title at Santa Ana Saturday night , when Danish superstar and current Speedway World Champion Ole Olsen and 1978 U.S. National Champion. Mike Bast met in the pits, but that's as far as it got. Due to sanction complications . Ole was only allowed race in a one-man exhibition. O le hopes the complications will be clea red u p soon so he ca n race the U.S. champ. Mike Bast , looking as sure and stea dy as usual. took the trophy in the point half of the program with 13 points. However it was not an easy victory ' for the National Champ because young Kelly Moran , who likes the longer tracks (Sa nta Ana being one of t he longest in the U.S.) ended up to 12 with 12 points and the track veteran "W ild Bill Cody " had 10. Early in the night Mike was disqualified for breaking the tape and sent straight to the pits . That made it rela tively easy for Kelly to win that heat. In the very next hea t. "Wild Bill" Cody also broke the tape and was disqualified. As the raci ng continued and the ope ning night jitters calmed down. the races became closer and with no more mistakes by the vets, the newer riders saw that experience pays off. A surprise finisher. young Shawn McConnell took fourth place with ni ne points. just a head of Den nis Sigalos, who improved with every race and would prove so later in the evening. In Handicap racing Bast's bike failed to start in his first heat , the two minute cloc k ra n ou t and Bast was throug h for the evening . In main event number one, Dennis Sigalos rid ing from the 40 -yard line bega n to pick off th e front riders and continued to do so until he was in a comfortable lead, All night long Bill Cody was there, just behind but not quite a bride. and when the main event rolled by the " Wild Man" came up a close second . Fin ishing a surprising and impressive third was Donny Fa ulk ner, riding fro m the 20·yard line . In the Second Division Main the surprise winner was Scott Black . a regu lar finisher at Santa Ana. Second and third place were taken by two more regular Santa Ana competitors Steve Joiner .second and Pa ul Diguisippi third . In the Third Division Main. first place went to Je ff Ca rm ello. who's looking for that second d ivision ride. Second was Kent Shockley and third place went to Frank Mangione. Considering it was opening night with all the opening night confusion , new riders. old riders. new track for some, a nd some uncert aint y; the racing was exciti ng a nd filled wit h plenty of ra cing surprises. The tr ack itself was in its usual excellent condi tion , which is such a big factor in any good race , and well manned . Next week the races will not be held on Saturday night but rather on Friday, Mar. 9 at the usual time , 8 p.m . The following week it's back to • Sat urday nigh ts. Resu lts EXHIBITION: 1. Mike Best 1131; 2. Kellv Moren 112] ; 3. Bill Codv 11 01; 4. Shawn McConnoN 191; 5. Oennis Sigalos (9 ); 6. Brian Bufftr'lgton 7. Glenn Hutchison 1 41;B. Ron Preston 121. HANDICAP 5: FIRST DIV . MAIN: 1. Denn is Sige10 2. Bill Cody; 3. m; Donny Faulkner. SECOND DIV. MAIN: 1. Scott Bleck; 2. SIeve Joiner; 3. Paul OiGuissippi. TH IRD DIV . MAIN: 1. Jeff Cermello; 2. Kent Shockley; 3. Frank Menglone. J R. 01'1: 1. Louis Kossuth .