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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126542
C. .ta M_ - San Bern_dlno - V.ntara - A.".rn - Napa - Coda 11_ - . . . -.raardl_ - V_tara - A.1nIra - Napa - Coda 11_ - . . . SPEEDWAY WEEK ~ 00 0') ~ IeftJ Cal State winner Bruce Pet.... leeds runner-up Mike CurOlIO end Gene Woods. and IetItr gets c:ongnItuIat8d for his win (top right). (Abovel Jim Fishbeck unload. between Gene Woods end Mike Bast. (Top California State Speedway Championship Another ge~ in Penhall's '81 crovvn By Scott Daloisio Photos by Mark Kariya and Daloisio SAN BERNARDINO, CA, SEPT. 25 Bruce Penhall, the 1981 World Individual Speedway Champion, half of the 1981 World Best Pairs Championship team and 1980's U.S. National Champion, became the 1981 California State Champion before the largest crowd in the history of John LaDouceur's Inland Motor.......,l Wednesda . ht cyIe Sr-~~way. . Yrug. 16 . Before th.e racmg a.ctlon ~n, Penhall receIved a standing ova~on as he was wheeled around the track m the back of a pickup with his World Championship Trophy. The speedway superstar was then presented with a 4~0 Husqvama by Bel-Ray, Husky's Mark Blackwell, LaDouceur and Malcolm Smith. When the racing began, the crowd got an early look at Penhall as he was in event one. Starting from the number three position aboard the Off Shore! Bel·Ray Weslake, Penhall got the gate and broke from the packIn tum one to capture the initial victory over Dave DeTemple (Dondero Goodyear Jawa) and Jim FIShback (Carpets Galore/ Riverside Dental Group Jawa). Bobby Schwartz (Bel-Ray ~) beat a penistent Gene Woods (7·Up Godden) in event two with Dave Sims (On An, S~nda, I~ Godden) surprising Lance Kmg (WIld West Stores/Off Shore Wesiaite) in event three. Alan Christian closed round one with a convincing victory in event four OYer Michael Bast on the Justice Brothen Godden. . DeTcm~le started off round two WIth a major upset as he came from t~e num~r two starting spot to.lc;ad wIre t~ WIre ~er Schwartz. Chnstlan made It two 1D a row as he held o~ popular John Sandona (Marq~ Loun~/Rlalto Truck Parts Jawa) 1D event SIX. On pape:r, event seven was the best of the mght as it matched southern California's top point man in 1981, Lance King, against multi· time National Champion Bast, two·time Canadian National Champion Gary Ford (Vans Tennis Shoes Jawa) and evrrywhere champion Pcnhail. A rare 0CC\lIRDCe happened on the original start as 'Bast broke the tapes. Bast was banished to the pits for his deed with Craig Schaefer (Anaheim Datsun Jawa) coming in as a reserve. As was the case in his fint ride, it was again Penhall gate to checkered with 18-year-old King a close second followed by Ford and Schaefer. Fishback started on the pole in evrnt eight and took the lead from Stevr Lucero (Lucero Machine Jawa) when he gave the latter a close up look at the back chute wall on lap one. FIShback was having an easy time of it until he bobbled in tum four on the final lap, allowing Mike CuroIO (KEZY /Mclanie Carpenter Wesiaite) to pull evrn. FIShback then outdra~ the wily Yeteran to Sid Sutton's checkered flag for the victory. Wood led ail the way in evrnt nine to win over DeTemple and King, who wasn't gating with his usual expertise. Schwartz's luck continued to go sour in event 10 as he let CUrOllO and Bast get bY..1'or CUrOllO, it was his fint victory of the evening. Event 11 matched Christian and Penhall. Both riden came into the race with perfcct six-point scores. Penhall got the !{ate from the number three spot with Christian taking a tumble into the third turn wall, ending his hopes of winning the State Championship two times in a row. Dubb Ferrell (Vera's Leathers Jawa) came into event 12 with no points after two rides, but last year's lCCOnd-piace finisher came on strong for the victory over Sims and Ford. CurOIO continued his imprellive night with a victory in event 15. Young Stevr Lucero went wire to wire in event 14 after a crash eliminated Sandona. Penhail started in the number two spot in evrnt IS, and it made abeolutely DO difference as be apin led wire to wire. Sims finiahccl second followed by Duane Yarrow (Ei-Agants Jaw) and Schwartz, who was fon:cd to drop out with motor problems. Woods took his second win in a row in evrnt 16. The race was spiced by a nasty looking crash between FIShback and Bast. Fishback emerged unhurt while the already injured Bast hurt his right hand. Bast got credit for second as FIShback, wbo was running second, was penalized for causing the crash. DeTemple came into the final round as the only rider with a chance of catching Penhail. The only chance DeTemple had was for Penhall to finWt dead last in his heat with DeTemple winning his. DeTemple went down in turn four in evrnt 17. Sims also went down, forcing a complete restart. DeTemple's back·up bike wouldn't run, and he finished last behind Bast, Sims and Lucero. Northern California's Mike Faria (Cycle Gear Jawa) showed ,us usual form in evrnt 18 with the victory over Sandona and Ford. Penhail was on the pole in event 19 and agaiD made it look easy as he picked up his fifth win of the evrning to eam a perfect score of IS poinb. After taking tfJe chcckend, Bruce Ftanden announced to the huae crowd that Pcnhail ... the new Cafi· fornia State Champion resulting in the IeCOnd standing ovatioD of the ewening. The final Scrateh race of the night proved to be the best of the year at IMS. Fishback and Christian crashed coming out of turn two to start the evrnt off. In typical "Animal" style, FIShback did a badtwarda lIOIDCrSaUlt, landing on his feet and taking about three step back showing his style on the daocc floor as well as a speedway track. On the restart, tfJe lead changed hands five times between FIShback, Christian and King. The 18· year-old finally got his act t e E ' taking his fint victory of the ni t over FlShhack, who was right on . rear fender, Christian and Schwartz. CUrOllO and Sims ended tied with 10 points forcing a runoff for second. Sims drew the pole, but CurOllO ran off and hid at the green flag, winning the runoff easily and being awarded secondplace. Tonight's program brought down the curtain on the 1981 season at IMS. Promoter LaDouceur would iike to thank ail the fans for the loyal support showed and Ioob forward to seeing ail of you back in the spring of 1982. Results POIIITlOTAI.: 1...... _ nlil;2._e- nCll; 1 Dow 5Imo nCll; 4- lTEI Gone , _ IIooIjDow DIoT",,-- King . . I. lTEI _ 0 ....- . ~ L-.. l7I; 11. ~ ~ ... 11 DuIIb FtneI lTEI.- ~ _141; II. 0... IIabby lIiI; 14V_ tI. Christian, Miller take Costa Mesa finale By Kenneth Kellogg COSTA MESA, CA, SEPT. 25 The big story of the night was the return of World Speedway Champion Bruce Penhall. From the moment Penhall walked into the pits he was mobbed by well wishing fans and the young world champ handled all this very well, malting sure he had time to sign every autograph pc.ible and visit with old friends. When he was introduced the standing room only crowd was on their feet in recognition of the returning World Champion. During the intennillion Pcnhail . . b~~the.~~~~~