Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

I Cost. Mesa - San Bernardino - Ascot - Ventura - Sacr.....nto - Napa - Costa Mesa - SaD Bernardin. - Ascot - V.ntar. - _ _• •ento 1:1 SPEEDWAY WEEK ~ Bast blasts - g Costa Mesa By Ken Kellogg 0 0 OOSTA MESA, CA, MAY 8 0') To try to describe tonight's racing at Orange County Fairgrounds with only words and without 50 or 60 pictures and a movie would be unjust to both Harry Oxley and the riders that easily provided the most ouutanding racing of the year 10 far. But, here goes. To say only that Mike Bast won the Scratch main event would be criminal. Bast fought for, and with the utmost control and precision, took the main. The first. half of the night was rela· tively fast and f11led with the normal amount of excitement. But after that, it was like a whole new program, and they only called it the second half. It began with the match race between Steve Bast and all-around cyclistJim Fishback. Bast took the gate shot and in tum one, it was clearly Bast. Coming out of turn three, Fishback went underneath Bast and took the lead. Steve took it back in tum two of the second and final lap, but in the last tum, he didn't quite get enough traction and Fishback took advantage. At the wire it was Jim by not more than a tire lenl{th. The second Scratch semi gave new fans a look at the true riding capabilities of Mike Curoso. The match up could have been a main event - Curoso, Mike Bast, Dave Sitns aDd Dubb Ferrell. Bast was first out with Curoso IIeCOnd only by the distance of one spoke. Both Mikes were battling it out when Sitns and Ferrell went down causing a restart. On the restan, Curoso didn't fare 10 well; he went down hard with Sitns in tum one. The race was called a finish, and Bast and Ferrell went on to the maiD event.. The Third DivisiOD main gave everyone a glimpse of perhaps another upcoming star - RicIr. Miller. From the stan OD, he led the race; all he did was make the margiD bigger. Next time, he'll DO doubt be a bacIr. yardage rider. The real positiOD battle was for second place betweeD John Clark and Matt Jackson. At the finish, barely, it was Clark, followed by Jackson and JohnGant. ID the SecoDd DiviRoD main, Jim Turner, riding from the 10·yard line, was first out with Ed Castro right there. Coming out of tum two, Castro went under Turner, forcing Jun outside. By ~ doing, both MarIr. Oherf and Steve Lucero were able to take aD inside tracIr. to pus Turner. Oherf gained on Castro every lap after that and in the last tum, Cherf made his move, but it wu just a bit too late. Castro took the win by only half a bike length with Cherf a c10Ie second, Lucero third and Tumer fourth. The Handicap main found the Bast brothers both looking for a wiD, but in front of them were Gary Ford. Mike Muntean and Jim LaWSOD. Ford wu out first with Muntean and L a _ tied for second, Steve and Mike Bast trailing the entire pacIr.. Steve bepn worlrin.. his way through the pacIr. last with right behind. On the third lap, Steve went under L a _ and took over third. At the very same tum, Mike went outside for the fourth position with DO further changa after that. The Scratch consy was a three·man event, but when cunain call came, "Mike 18 only two showed up. Lance Kina had a hurt thumb and couldn't mUe the ride, 10 Mike Curoso and Mike Muntean had a match raa: for the money. Curoso was out first, but Muntean went right under him in tum one and took the lead. OD the IeCOnd lap. Curoso took it bacIr. and stucIr. c10Ie to the inside 10 Muntean wasn't able to pus. The two finished the raa: almost side by side u Curoso refu8ed to yield even one inch and took a well ciesenm win. On his return, Alan Christian had simply won every raa: be was in and made' the Scratch main event. Mike Bast, Dave DeTemple and Dubb Ferrell were also in it, each more than capable of doing the job. The gate went up with Christian and Bast hitting the fiilt comer at the same moment. There was no moonlight .between those two bikes whauoever. By turn three, the situation was almost the same, but this time Bast was in first. Christian tried to go under, but collided with Bast whose bike went ouuide and up. Christian went down and over, somehow. Only the best (or lucIr.iest) could have saved it. With neither hand OD the bars, Bast managed to control the bike enough and stayed on to get it outside alIowiDg the others to go inside. Bast's bike was shaking and flying all the time. He hit the wall hard and went down. Mike was hun but got up with help and threw his leg over the bike. All riders were bacIr. for the restan and ready to raa:; the tenaion I'OR as every person in the stadium was standing. Irwin Moon hit the bulton. the tapes went up and Ferrell wu first in the tum with Bast secoDd on the outside. Christian was even fanher outside ahead of DeTemple. DeTemple went low and for one fleeting moment Bast was third, but it was only a fleeting moment. Like a rocIr.et. Mike shot straight from outside by the wall iD tum two to inside, next to the rail in the straightaway. He flew past Ferrell and DeTemple and took the lead where he stayed. Christian was right behind him but that sis inches or 10 was just enough for Ferrell to squeeze into and fora: Christian to third where they stayed. Results -= ntIUl DIY. MAIN: 1. _ 2. JolIn CIortc; 3_ . - . ; 4. JolIn o.m. SECOND DIY. _ 1 . Ed CMDo; 2. _ a.t; 3S-~;4.JImT_. HAMlICAP MAIN: 1. Gory Ford; 2. M"~; 3- S - s . : 4 . _ ' "_ SCRATCH _ 1. s.: 2. Dubb .....-. 3- _a..-;4.O"'DeT...... Locals tear up tourists in Taft By Bill Locey TAFT, CA, MAYl! The Taft locals were decidedly inhospitable to visiting racers Sat· urday night at the Franklin Field Arena. finishing one-two in both main events. Little known outside the Central Valley except to Ascot regulars, "FearIes" Frank Adamo captured his IeCOnd Scratch main in three tries. And the promoter. "The Taft Tomado" Grant Salyers, finished secoDd. In Scratch heau, Salyers, Adamo and Chris Hedge (what does this guy have to do to get a D-l ride e1sewhere?) all were easy winners. Last week's Big Winner. Ben Stephens. captured the final heat. Salyers found hitnself on the pole in his semi and shortly thereafter, first acrDIII the finish line ahead of Stephens. In the other semi, despite Adamo's nifty night moves, Hedge led from stan to fmish. The main event was an Ascot flashback for Adamo who led all the way followed acrou the line by Salyers, Hedge and Stephens. As you may have surmised. they saved the action for the Handicap racing. panicularly if you happen to be a Taft local. The locals defeated the tourisu in four of six Handicap raa:s. Oxnard'. Henry Swain blew by everybody to win his fust ride, then wasn't heard from again. In a semi, Adamo passed everybody off the 50 to win easily. In the other semi, before you could say, "what happened?" Dave Wendlandt (he of the ouutanding leathers), Bob Bechtold and Alan Davidson went down in a shower of bodies and bikes at the stan·fmish line on the secoDd lap. Bechtold's bike was sufficiently wounded to prevent his restaning. Davidson, after a few tense momeDu on the ground. manaxed to exit under his own power. His bile, however, was mortally wounded and had to be carried from the field. Hedge easily won the five· man restan. It took three restam to complete the Handicap main. In the first tum, Marty Nation went down. Stephens clipped his bike trying to get by and went down, too. The referee penalized Stephens l!0 yards, much to Ben's dismay. The second restart was into the third lap when Nation took out HedKe as well as hitnself in tum four. The referee called a three-minute timeout for everyone to get his head on straiJtht and reinstated Stephens bacIr. to his original yardage. Nation was banished bacIr.wards to the 40. Randy Griffith, as he had the fust two times, led all the way. this time for a full five laps, to win the maiD. Adamo made it an interesting lut lap, but came up a few lengths shon of a sweep. Justia: of sam was served when Nation crashed all by hitnself in the final tum. David Cox was the winning survivor of the D·l! actioD, good enough for a trophy and a kiss from trophy Jtirl Charity Roach. Cox, along with Mike Heath, are co'promoting Carruthers which begins racing Saturday night, June 15. Carruthers. IS miles outside of Fresno, reponedly will have a complete1y resurfaced eighth-mile oval. Results SCRATCH MAIN: 1. Mri -..0; 2. Go.- ~ 3. Olrio Hedge; 4. k t ~ HANDICAP MAIN: 1. FIIndy GrlIIilh; 2. Mri -..0; 3. M.,; Prince; 4. Olrio Hedge; 6. kt, _. ~e.Morty_. SECOND DIY: 1. 0... Cox; 2. ~ Voughn; 3- Dan MATCHRACE:-..o..,.~ Safety'first (along with Foster and King) in Ventura By Bill Locey VENTURA, CA, MAY 5 Just as hockey fans love a good brawl, speedway fans - too many of them anyway - love a good crash. But for a change. the sadisu went home disappointed Tuesday night from Ventura Raeeway as only three riders went down (all easily). It was the safest night of racing in memory. If the crash fans were deprived, raemg fans got their money'. wonh. Seventeen·year-old Lana: King put on another dazzling display of two-wheel wizardry in winning his third Scratch main here in five tries. King. who will join Brua: Penhall at Cradley Heath when he turns 18 on August 15, abo finished second in the Handicap main. Another .peedy ~ , Jolm FOIter, won the Handicap biggie. Abo worthy of Dote were Mike Muntean and Craig Schaefer who made both mains. In the Handicap beau, Shane Haw· ley. Schaefer and FOIte1" all took wins. And making a habit of it lately, Bobby McLain paged everybody off the 40 to win his lint race. Steve Bast, riding hard. passed Robin ~ in the last turn for the final transfer spot. In a semi raa:, while Foster was un· eventfully running away with the win, it was nervous-time in the rear. Keith Larsen came around tum four, bobbled and found hitnself lying acrou the handlebars, totally out or CODtrol. McLain, next to Larsen and in imminent danger, took evui~ aetioo by cutting across the infield, narrowly missing referee Andy Cadoty. McLain came to rest across the infield near tum two. Larsen, meanwhile, with plenty of room now, managed to save it and finished the race. McLain, for his trouble, got a well-deserved pat on the back from the "Snake" after the raa:. A similar irony befell DeTemple in the next raa:. Schaefer bobbled in tum three; DeTemple, trailiDg and fearing the worst, laid it down. But Schaefer not only saved it. he transferred to the main. The Handicap main was anybody'. race even until the fourth lap as five riders remained within striking distance of the lead, King finally rid hitnself of the pad, but a last-lap charge came up three I~ shan of Foster. ID Scratell racing, Schaefer, King and Muntean were heat winners. McLain fmisbed IeCOnd to Bast but 101£ the lower end of his machine, and thus last week's hero was history for the evening. The best raa: of the night was one of' the Scratch semis. King was gone quicIr.er than a l!0 at the supermarIr.et. but here was quite a dogfiJtht for second. Bast bumpedJeffTOinlin wide on the second tum then bauled DeTemple wheel to wheel for a lap. They locked up in tum four as Bast forad DeTemple wider and wider to the outside. But somehow, the youngster managed to get by and finished a distaDt second to King. The Scratch main was anti· climactic lIDd over shonly after the tapes flew up with King taking a laughter. In Second DiviRon action, Vic Robledo won his heat and the main in convincing style. The eaply anticipated D-l! debut of Bob Pfetzing was put on hold for a week as he came up with a dead motor on the line. In Third Division racing, Guy Ermolenko from Cypress, who got biB rider's license here on April l!8, won his heat and the main by plenty. Despite all that. Ventura speedway fans saved the lioD's share of the leers, the cheers and the oh dears (mostly leers) for 16-year·oId trophy JtirI Kaylene Lee, Tbe Bikini Contest La. been moved up a week to May 19. • Results SCRATCH MAIN: 1.1Ma Klna; 2. .... ~ 3- 0... DeT", 4. o.;g Sc:hMIiIr. HAM)IC"" MAIN: 1. JolIn 2. IMa King; 3o.;g ~ 4..... _ ; 5. S - L-..;" -= SI-.~. SECONO VI: 1. Vic _ ; 2. DonniI AIIIIalI: 3- _..-.0: 4. Aan _ ; 6.0... .............. Gory McOonoId. - lMIlD DIY: 1. Guy Ein_.... 2. _ 4. /Intr NarlhIup; I. _ II w-: 00n:Y ......... MATCH RACE: Jell T _ cIIl. _ ~. -= .. 3I. ''The . . . .

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