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. the field by amassing the most points in regular season competition in 1980. They include eight riders who competed in the V.S. Championship in this country and the top eight Americans who competed in the 1980 British League series. From the V.S. Round, or Nonh American Qualifier, four American riders wiU qualify for the ~ F"ma1 to be beldJuly 12 at the Bellevue Race Course in Mancbester. England. There they will compete with four AuaraJasian and eight Britilb riden for eight spoa in the Intercontinental F"mal at Vojena, ~ark onJuly 25. The top 11 riders in that meet will advance to the World Final where they wiU face five Conti· nental Final qualifien from Poland. West Germany, VSSR. Hungary and Czechoslovakia at Wembley Olympic Stadium, London. on Sept. 5. The origin of speedway motorcycle racing is in dispute. English historian Cyril May in tbe Complete Book of Speedway traces it to 1909, while the accepted version is that this particular form of din track motorcycle racing was staned in Australia and spread to Europe and the V.S. in the 1920s. After riding one season in Australia, Californian Sprouts Elder brought back the Australian broadsliding technique and made speedway motor· cycle racing a glamor spon in the I 930s, with Hollywood stars Clark Gable and Hoot Gibson the biggest .... M c:l4 < . • • fans. Early tracks were one·eighth· mile, laid out on baseball diamonds. An early race at Loyala High School gave Peewee Distarce the idea to create a new type of race car, which became known as the midget. In 1933, the first "National Shon Track Championship" was staged by the California Highway Patrol and won by Cordy Milne. He and his brother Jack then toured Australia. Jack won tbe AUstralian championship in 1936 and finished founh in the World Finals. Next year Jack Milne, Lammy Lamoreaux and Cordy Milne, aU of Pasadena, CA, finished I-2-3 in the World Finals, and in 1938 Jack Milne was Number Two in the world. The Milne brothers were set to go to the World Finals in 1939 when the Gennan invasion of Poland discontin· ued the series until after World War 11. After the war. speedway motor· cycle racing became very popular in Europe but went into a decline in the V.S. A revival ofthe spon here began with weekly races in 1969 at Orange County Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, staged by promoter Harry Oxley. To hold this U.S. Round and next year's World Final, Oxley has formed a company in pannership with the winners of 11 world championships, Milne (I), Ivan Mauger (6) and Barry Briggs (4). In 1976 Oxley staged his frrst Coliseum event, drawing 12,694 fans. Past World Champions 1936 1937 1938 1939 - World Class Speedway slated for L.A. Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of many major athletic contests over the years, will become the arena for still another event of international importance on May 30, when 16 of America's best speedway riders battle for a shot at the 1981 World Championship title. The U.S. round ofthe World 24 Speedway Championship will advance the four best finishers to Europe later this season, where they will compete in two more international qualifiers for the right to race in the World Final at London's Wembley Olympic Stadium on Sept. 5. The California event, which will be contested in a series of 20 heat races on the specially'designed 400·meter course laid over the Coliseum's running track, carries additional international significance. It will pave the way for bringing the World Final here in 1982, taking it out of Europe for the flJ'lt time in iu 45·year history. According to race organizer Harry Oxley, the Coliseum has been awarded the 1982 World F"mal classic, but the course and facility itself must first be certified by Federation Internationale MOlOcycliste officials. The track will be built OYer the Coliseum's anificial running track. First, wood chips will be poured on the track to a depth of one foot. Over this is dumped a two foot layer of clay, over which finely sc.reened decomposed granite will be used for tbe racing surface of about three inches. It will take 200 truck· loads to deposit the required 5,000 tons of base clay and another 200 truckloads for the remaining 500 tons of silt to build the course. The May 30 event will serve that purpose while also determining America's contenders for this year's title. . Historically, Americans have been regarded as among the best speedway riders in the world, but despite their fine reputation only one V.S. rider has managed to capture the world crown: Jack Milne, an early speedway racing pioneer who won the title in England in 1937. The Coliseum event will feature 16 Americans who earned their way into Lionel Van Pregg. Australia Jack Mine. USA Bluey W1lk-..on. Australia FineI not ridden 1940 - 1148 - no competition 1949 - Tommy Price. England 19&0 ft 1163 - freddie Wlliems. Wela 1961 ft 1962 - Jack Young. AustreIie 1964 - Ronnie Moore. New Zeeland 1966 ft 1112 - Peter Craven. England 1966.1180.1981.1183 ft 1987 - ave Fundln. Sweden 1967.1168.1184 ft 1 . - Berry Briggs. New Z....nd 1969 - Ronnie Moore. New Zeelend ' 1 . - Bjorn Knutaon. Sweden 1988.1969. 1970. 19n. 1977 ft 1m - Ivan Mauger. New Z....nd 1971.197& ft 1978 - Ole 0 ...... Denmark 1973 - Jerzy SzczekleL Polend 1974 - And.... MIchlInek. Sweden 1976 - Pet. ColIna. England 1980 - Mlka Lee. Englend .~ Who's Competing? u.s. Riders Alen Christien. Huntington Beech Lance KIng. VenNuya Bred Oxley. Sen Clemente Dubb ferrelL Downey Mike Feria. Richmond Denny Pyeatt. South Lake Tahoe David De Temple. Riv. .ide Steve Columbo. Huntington Beech Reserves: Jeff Tomlin. LongB..ch Kalth Chrisco. Whittier Points British League L Average Points 81 *Bruce Penhall. Balboa *Bobby Schwartz. Balboa *Scott Autrey. Huntington B..ch *Dennls Slgeloa. Fullerton *Ron Preston. Celexlco KelyMoren. Huntington Beech Steve Gresham. W"'keVlI"ge SIuIwn Moran. Huntington Beech R_rve: Larry K08tll. Spring Valley 81 *Ranked In top 20 in world. 125 94 93 90 83 82 78 62 10.43 10.12 10.10 9.49 9.10 7.88 7.45 6.98 6.00 Each of the 18 rid. . will race five tim.. in 20 seperete four·"p heets of four rldera each. Each rid. will meet and TIIC8 against each other riel. once. Points are awerded on a 3-2·1~ beals according to finish positions in the heet. and accumulate to produce e champion. plus the oth. U.S. qualifiera. In event of a tie. a four·"p runoff will be held at the and of regulation racing.