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Speedway Spring Classic: Final round Bast the best IMS at By Scott Daloisio SAN BERNARDINO, CA, MAR. 7 Seven-time National Champion Michael Bast scored 14 of a possible 15 points to pick up the victory in the Spring Classic this afternoon at John LaDouceur's Inland Motorcycle Speedway. Bast's main challenger was 1981 U.S. Long Track Champion John Cook, who rides for Ipswich in the British Speedway League. Cook (F.O .M. Racing/R&B Speedway Service Jawa) started on the pole in event one along with heavy favorite, World Champion Bruce Penhall (Bel-Ray/Off Shore Weslake), who was coming from the number three spot. Cook took the gate ahead of Penhall and Dave Sims (On Any Sunday II Godden). Cook began to open a lead when Sims shocked the crowd by taking second from Penhall in turn two on the opening circuit. Penhall, who apparently was geared wrong, dropped all the way to the back when his new teammate at Cradley Heath, Lance King (Bel-Ray/Off Shore Weslake) also got by. At the checkered, it was Cook with a comfortable lead over Sims, King and Penhall. Keith Larsen (Off Shore/Jones Goggl es Wealake); who won the Speedway On Ice title the previous weekend in Tucson, pulled off a major upset in event two when he passed both Ron Preston (Maximum Racing Weslake) and Dennis Sigalos (Orange County Food Service/Justice Brothers Weslake) on the way toa convincing victory. Preston, who sat out most of 1981 with a knee injury, grabbed the lead at the start over Sigalos, but once Larsen found the cushion, there was no stopping him. Sigalos was a distant second followed by "Flyin' Mike" Faria (Cycle Gear Jawa) and Preston. . Bast. aboard the Justice Brothers/ Simpson Jawa. led all the way .to defeat a determined John Sandona (Marquis Lounge/Rialto Truck Parts Jawa) in event three. Cook went wire to wire in event five to take the win over 'Da ve DeTemple (Dondero Goodyear/Dale's Modern Cycle jawa), who made it close coming off the final corner. Kelly Moran (Rovazzini Electric/ Vera 's Weslake) took the lead over Bast in event six, on the start. Moran stayed out front unril turn two when Bast blew by with Faria following by in the same lane. Faria pulled even with Bast using the outside but dropped back at the beginning of lap two. Bast led the final three laps to make it two in a row. Faria hung on for second followed by Moran and Sims. Penhall came back in event seven to erase the embarrassment of his first ride. The champ got the gate and proceeded to run away from the field . At the checkered, it was Penhall, who was still expanding on his half straightaway lead over Sigalos, . King took the lead at the tapes in event eight over Shawn Moran (PJl /Vera's Jawa) and Brad Oxl ey (Maxon Goggles Weslake). King moved away from Moran and Oxley as Larsen. who got a poor start, rode like a madman on the cush ion. Larsen got Oxley and then went by Moran for second in turn one on the final lap. He then set hi s sights on King a nd caught the 18-year-old in turn four. King barely edged Larsen at the line, but the huge crowd gav e Larsen a rousing ovation for his wild ride. After two rounds , Bast and Cook were tied with perfect scores of six points with Larsen one point behind in third. Cook led from the gate until one foot from the checkered flag in event nine. The Ipswich rider had an insurmountable lead when he brushed the wall coming out of turn four heading for the checkered flag. Cook slowed and bobbled all the way down the front chute letting Faria by one foot from the line. DeTemple got out first from the pole in event 12 with Bast getting by for the lead as usual in turn two. Sigalos challenged DeTemple for second for the next two laps with DeTemple taking second for keeps on lap three. After three rounds. Bast was the only rider with a perfect score. Cook was one point down in second with Penhall, Larsen, DeTemple and Faria all tied for third with six points. Sigalos got the lead at the tapes in event 13, but it was Cook moving by for the lead and the eventual victory in turn two. Event 14 proved to be the most exciting race of the day. Sims took the lead on the start from the pole over Larsen. Dubb Ferrell (Vera's ]awa) and DeTemple. Larsen again went to the cushion where he pulled even with Sims in turn four on the opening circuit. As Sims and Larsen battled it out, DeTemple closed on the pair and made it a three-man race as he pulled between the pair at the end of lap tWI? Larsen and DeTemple both got by Sims at the end of lap three as Sims' bike malfunctioned, and he dropped back. Larsen went into turn one inches ahead of DeTemple and managed to stay there the rest of the way to pick up his second victory of the meeting. Event 15 matched Penhall, Bast, Preston and Oxley. Penhall got the gate over Bast with Oxley, who rides for the Wimbledon Dons, momentarily edging ahead of Bast in turn one. Unfortunately for Bast, by the time he got by Oxley, Penhall was long gone, and in effect, it put the only blemish of the ~y on Bast 's record. • (Top. inset) Mike Bast won at IMS with 14 out of a possible 16 points. (Top) Bruce Penhall locked up third with 12 points. (Above) John Cook leads Dave DeTemple and John Sandona. Bobby Schwartz (Bel-Ray Godden) picked up his only victory of the day as he defeated King and Sandona in event 16. Entering the final round, Cook and Bast were tied for first with I I points, with Penhall in third with nine. These were the only riders in contention for first place. Penhall's only hope was for Bast and Cook to finish third and fourth in their heats while the champ would have to win his final race. If all of that had happened. Penhall still would have to win a run-off as he did Friday at Costa Mesa to take home first place. Penhall saw his hopes go down the drain ;IS he watched Cook jump into the lead from the pole spot in event 17. Schwartz broke out in second with Bast taking third from the outside spot on the starting grid. It was Bast's day as he rocketed by Schwartz and then Cook on the back chute on the opening lap. As Bast cruised the final three laps, Schwartz and Cook went at it side by side the rest ofthe way. Never more than half a foot separated the two British League riders with Cook nipping Schwartz at the line. The narrow second-place advantage for Cook assured him of an undisputed second-place finish. Sims crashed on the front chute as he took the checkered flag behind Sandona in event 18. Oxley had nowhere to go and nailed Sims, who was laying off the track. at near full throttle. Oxley was shaken but was able to walk off the track while Sims had a neck brace applied and was removed on a stretcher. Fortunately, Sims was walking around the pits under his own power after the races ended. Penhall went wire to wire in event 19 for his fourth straight victory and the lock on third place, while King closed the show with an impressive victory over Ferrell in event 20. The biggest season in the history of IMS will begin on Wednesday night, April 7. Tickets will be on sale at all the usual IMS pre-sale locations as well as the track the night of the race. Results • STANDINGS: 1. Mike B.at (l4t, 2. John Cook (l3t, 3, BrucePenhell112t 4.IT1EIDlNe DeT.m..../ Lanc. King (lOt 6, (TIEIKei1h Larsen/John Sen done (9t B. Dennis Sigelos 17);9. (TIE)Dubb F.rrell/ Bobbv Schwartz/Mike F.ri. 16t, 12. lTIE) Dave SimS/K.11y Mor.n 151: 14 , Shawn Mor.n 14); 15. Br.d Oxley 13t, 16. Ron Preston (1) , 17