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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126429
The program it set up 10 every rider will race at least once against every other rider. The fint set, or round of four races, saw several upsets and set the pattern for the night. Duane Yarrow won his fint race, upsetting the odds-on favorite, Mike Faria. Shawn Moran won the next event over Alan Christian. Gene Woods and Mike Bast, each won their events to close out the fint round. The second set of four races saw new winnen in all but one event. John Sandona, Steve Nutter and Dave Sims all picked up three points for their wins. The only rider to carry a perfect score into round three was current State and National Champion Mike Bast. Round three was a continuation of the outstanding show and even more' upsets. Alan Christian, for the second time in three events only got one point, while Dan McNeill and Mike Faria picked up their first wins of the night. Gene Woods moved back into contention, winning his race, and still with a perfect score, Mike Bast was the point leader. Finally, in round four, Alan Christian came alive and picked up his fint win, but he was well down in the points race. Dave Sims, who had been fighting a cold for several days, stepped aside and let the first reserve rider, Leni Faas, take over for him. John Sandona, a local hero, picked up his second win much to everyone·s. delight. But in that round, Gene Woods only earned two points, putting him in a tie for second place with the guy who beat him, Mike Faria, wbo won his fourth round match. Mike Bast was still perfect with a maximum of 12 points. Before going into the last round of four events, a special word of praise to the parachute jumpers who put on the half-time show: Outstanding! Just jumping in the dark, through the smog, onto a race track with high light P9les and grandstands would have gotten a round of applause. But landing within a few feet of their target added 10 much more to their jump. The two-man jump - with one man standing on top of the other's chute and jumping off about 20 feet before landing - got them a standing ovation that went on and on. Without a doubt, it was the best halftime show ever staged for the California State Championship. Mike Bast and Gene Woods staned off the final rourtd; Bast with 12 points and Gene with 10 in a tie with Faria. Woods had to win to stay in second place, or at least get in a run-off with Faria if he won his race. Bast would win the title eve~ with a second place finish. They came acrols the finish line with Woods winning the race and Bast winning the title for the sixth time. Woods, now in second place in overall points, had to stand by to see what Faria would do. Mike Faria, the number one, AMA rider from northern California, won his race and there would be a run-off with the winner taking home second place money and the loser third overall. The other two events in round five saw Alan'Christian take a win and end up in fifth overall with 1Q points behind Steve Nutter with 11 points. Shawn Moran won his race, finishing seventh for the night. The fmal race of the 1979 speedway season at San Bernardino was the fourlap, run-off between Gene Woods and Mike Faria. Woods wenuo the lead at the statt and was still pulling away when the checkered flag came down on the season. Gene stood to the right of the Champ, holding the second place trophy and Mike Faria to the left of Bast with the third place gold. Christian IIMooned at Costa Mesa beat at the National because current Champ Mike Bast chose not to ride at Costa Mesa. But after witnessing the California State Championship race, which is usually a good preview of things to come, and the fact that Christian did not do well, and the fact that lOme of the nonhern riden won events that should have been won easily by the lOuthern California riden, in all trutbfullness, I think it's anyone'lShow. I can't see any rider, including Mike Bast, earning a perfect score of 15 points by winning every one of his five events. I think the top spot ,...ill go to the rider who scores no wone than second in the race he may not win. After hours of pouring over the record book, and not really being able to come to a final finishing guess, my wife got me off the hook with this list which, for the most part, I go along with - at least the fint four spots. We see Mike Bast winning it for the seventh time, Gene Woods down by just one point to Mike for second. In third, AMA number one rider; and pride of the north, Mike Faria. Alan Christian, past holder of the number one spot in notthern California, will total enough points to hold onto fourth. We both think that Alan will be under 10 much pressure to ~in it all that he will slide out, missing out on some all-important points. From fifth spot to 16th place, we see it differently, so, being a gentleman, I give you Annie's list. Dan McNeill futh, Shawn Moran sixth, Brad Oxley, Duane Yarrow, Tony Briggs, Dave Sims, John Sandona, Leni Faas, John Cook, Larry Kosta, Denny Pyeatt an!i Mark Marriott. Now, if you really think we've gone off the deep end, sit down and make. up your own list and see if you can guess at least 50% of the right spots earned. Take the list to the National with you and find out just how little any of us know about the winning • spirit I ll By Dennis Greene COSTA MESA, CA, SEPT. 14 Except for "the big one" it's all over for Costa Mesa. The final night of the regular Speedway racing season saw Alan Christian lose his chance to pick up both Main Event wins for the third time this year. Christian was excluded in the Scratch Main Event for taking out Shawn Moran, causing him to crash. Alan was scored in last place with the win going to Gene Woods. Christian, however, did win the HandicapMain right at the finish line, after some fine riding through a tightly bunched pack. A special King of the Hill Match race pitted Christian against Moran and Gene Woods against Brad Oxley. Moran. and Woods won their matches and in the final, Woods and Moran swapped the lead each lap, with 17-year-old Shawn Moran barely coming out on top. The last chance for anyone to win a division three race went to first-year rider Brian Tolson who eam.ed his first·ever victory at Costa M.esa. Division two honors went to Dennis Bransford, the young man who has been tearing them up the past few weeks in division three. Nice move up. Costa Mesa will be· dark now for three weeks until the National on Saturday night, October 6. Each year at this time, I find myself in the awkward position of trying to predict the outcome of .the U.S. National Championship. Without a doubt, I have the world's worst record of predicting the finishing order because I take too much into account on past performances. All season I have been saying that Alan Christian would be the guy to Results CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Mike Bolt 14; Gene Woods 13; Mike FlIt'lo 13; Steve Nutter 11; Alon Chriltion 10; John s.ndono 9; Shown Moron 8; Don McNeill 8; Ouone Yerrow 7; Bred Oxley 7; Dove Sims 4; Croig Schoofer 4; Tony Brigge 4; Phil Gagnon 4; John Cook 3; Mike Muntoen 1. • *CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP*' Event No 1 R_ 5n . DUANE YARROW 145 . BRAD OXLEY In . MIKE FARiA 35 . TONY BRIGGS - Event No.5 ..... 3 0 .2 1 ..... . 5n . DUANE YARROW 3 1 139 . SHAWN MORAN 222 . JOHN SANDONA 94 . JOHN COOK Event No.9 R_ 28 . ALAN CHRISTIAN, 2S . MIKE MUNTEAN 18 . STEVE NUTTER 5n . DUANE YARROW Event No. 17 R_ 5n DUANE YARROW 4· DAVE SIMS - Event NO.6 0 161 . DAN McNEILL ..... 3 0 2 1 ..... 1 0 I· MIKE BAST 2 3 3 . GENE WOODS 94 . JOHN COOK 1 0 - ..... 2S. MIKE MUNTEAN R_ R_ 4· DAVE SIMS In . MIKE FARIA R_ 222 . JOHN 5ANDONA 3 0 1 In· MIKE FARIA R_ 94 . JOHN COOK 145 . BRAD OXLEY 28, ALAN CHRISTIAN 221 . PHIL GAGNON ..... 0 -,t. . . 0 3 2 3 . GENE WOODS 139· SHAWN MORAN L.--.. I.,. 1 3 2 0 In· MIKE FARIA 2 25 ' MIKE MUNTEAN 3 1 222 . JOHN SANDON A 161 . DAN McNEILL 2S . MIKE MUNTEAN R_ 222 . JOHN SANDONA 35 . TONY BRIGGS 3 . GENE WOODS 28 . ALAN CHRISTIAN R_ I .... 3 O· 1 2 ..... '2 1 0 ..... 2 3 0 1 ..... 2 0 3 1 ...... 1 161 . DAN McNEILL 2 0 3 35 . TONY BRIGGS I· MIKE BAST R_ 139 . SHAWN MORAN 18 STEVE NUTTER 29 . CRAIG SCHAEFER 35 . TONY BRIGGS SCORED POINTS R_ R.... ' 3 94 . JOHN COOK. Event No, 20 Event No. 19 Rider 4· DAVE SIMS Event No. 16 Event No. 15 221 . PHIL GAGNON Event No. 16 R_ Event No. 12 Event No. 11 2 29 . CRAIG SCHAEFER Event No.6 221 . PHIL GAGNON 145 . BRAD OXLEY 4· DAVE SiMS 222 . JOHN SANDONA 2 18 . STEVE NUTTER ..... ..... 221 . PHIL GAGNON In· MIKE FARIA 2 R_ 0 18 . STEVE NUTTER 28 . ALAN CHRISTIAN I· MIKE BAST 145 . BRAD OXLEY Event No. 14 2 .- 1· MIKE BAST 0 3 1 29 . CRAIG SCHAEFER 94 . JOHN COOK - 3 1 R_ 3S . TONY BRIGGS I· MIKE BAST 139 . SHAWN MORAN ;~.- Event.No.7 1 0 3 25 . MIKE MUNTEAN lloo.. 1 0 ..... Event No. 10 E ven t N0, 4 R_ 29 . CRAIG SCHAEFER 145 • BRAD OXLEY' ..... Even t No. 3 2 2 4· DAVE SIMS 3 GENE WOODS 28 . ALAN CHRISTIAN 161 . DAN McNEILL 3 3 2 R_ 139· SHAWN MORAN 2 29 . CRAIG SCHAEFER Event No. 13 ~ 3 . GENE WOODS 5n . DUANE YARROW 221 • PHIL GAGNON ..... 18 . STEVE NUTTER 3 0 1 161 . DAN McNEILL Event No 2 ..... 3 2 :0 1 SCOAING: Firat Piece 3 peNn'l, Second Place 2 polntl, TI'llrd Piece 1 pOInt. Fourth PiKe 0 pOInts. • • • • T_ I· MIKE BAST 3 3 3 3 2 14 In . MIKE FARIA 2 2 3 3 3 13 3 2 3 2 -3 , 13 4 3 . GENE WOODS - 0 3 1 ·0 0 5n . DUANE YARROW 3 1 1 1 1 18 . STEVE NUTTER 2 3 2 2 2 ... 7 11 4· DAVE SIMS 24 . LENI FAAS R ~i 25 . MIKE MUNTEAN 0 0 1 0 0 1 28 . ALAN CHRISTIAN 2 1 1 3 3 10 29 . CRAIG SCHAEFER 1 0 2 1 0 4 35 . TONY BRIGGS 1 2 0 0 1 ·4 94 . JOHN COOK 2 0 0 1 0 -3 139 . SHAWN MORAN 3 ,2 0 0 3 ,8 145 . BRAD OXLEY 0 1 2 2 2 7 161 . DAN McNEILL 1 0 3 2 2 8 221 . PHIL GAGNON 1 1 0 1 1 4 222 . JOHN SANDONA 0 3 2 3 1 9 - 352 . KURT STROMMER R 25