Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

C. .ta Mesa - SaD Beraardlao - V.atara - Aabara - Napa - C. .ta M... - SaD Beraardlao - V.atara - Aabara - Napa - C.-ta M ... - . .a SPEEDWAY WEEK ~ 00 ""'"" Brad Oxley leads Andy Northrup and Gene Woods in action from Ventura's season opener. Oxley was runner-up in the Handicap main event. won his semi after battling Faria wheel-to-wheel for four laps by a length. Faria went around Moran on turn two of the main, but Moran not only didn't fold but did the unthinkable in Ventura - he passed Faria from behind with a nifty last-turn move to take the checkered. The last Lime Moran won on opening night here was back in 1977 - in Second DivisIOn. In D-2 racing, plenty of people fell over, thrilling to no end those who came to see just that. In one of the more spectacular soil samples, Donny Faulkner, back in the saddle for the first time since '79, fell all alone about 20 feet from the checkered £Jag, and his bike went flying end over end across the line, scattering any number of light-footed staff officials. Faulkner was unhurt. Ventura local Bobby Hill, riding for the fiTSt time in four years, wasn't so fortunate. Trying to avoid a fallen John Dunn in a heat race, Hill went around the prone rider, put hooked up and kamikazied into the bales. His bike appeared to move the bales aside beforehand and Hill hit the cement waH hard, breaking his wrist, two fingers and pos ibly two lumbar vertebra in his back. Mark Weaver, hot guy Randy Beddow and flashy former flat tracker Danny Perkins were heat winners. In the main, Perkins was gone, but somehow local Walt Farnum passed him on the outside where there was absolutely no room - seconds before Perkins' bike croaked. Farnum will be moved back to the 35-yard-line high rent distriCl for next time. John Mazzacane won D-3 honors and $250. Results SCRATCH MAIN: ,. Kelly Moran; 2. Mike Faria; 3. Buddy Robinson; 4. Ed Castro. HANDICAP MAIN: ,. Denni. Bransford; 2. Bred Oxley; 3. Buddy Robinson; 4. Mike Feira; 5. Jim Lawson; 6. Bob Ott. SECOND DIV: ,. Wa~ Farnum; 2. Mark Weaver; 3. Randy Beddow; 4. Mark Dwyer; 5. Danny Per· kins; 6. Russ Romero. THIRD DIV: ,. John Mazzecene; 2. Oscar Salina.; 3. Jim Peery: 4. Jeff Jones: 5. Tim Parsons; 6. Dennis Hall. MATCH RACE: Mike Feria del. Shawn McConnell. Mike Faria backs it in in front of John Sandona at San Bernardino. Faria wound up the winner in the Scratch main. Bast claims Costa Mesa Moran, Bransford star at Ventura By Scott Daloisio By Bill Locey VENTURA, CA, APR. 3 Speedway returned to Ventura as the 14th season opener turned out to be a pretty fair imitation of "Speedway 'Til Dawn." The 26 remains of a crowd that once numbered over 2000 saw National Champion Kelly Morgan get by Track Champion Mike Faria to take the Scratch main at 11:09 p.m. Dennis Bransford won the Handicap Main just like he did on opening night back in 1982. An initial delay to allow the large crowd (for us) to file in and also to let the victims of Quarter Beer Night crawl back to their seats, plus an overlong (and stupid) halftime radio promotion and an ambulance delay all added up to the long night. In Handicap racing, 50-yard-line regular Buddy Robinson made it look easy, winning his heat as did Faria after passing four riders on the home straightaway. Shawn McConnell, back from England and 'back on the 60, snuck by Randy Blevins on the last bend- to earn a' aansfer. Mean- while, Bransford had an ea y time in winning his heat off the 20.. Behind him, it wasn't so easy for Paul Orlandi whodrovedown all the way from Grass Valley only to have Bobby "Insane" McLain take him out big time in a spectacular turnthree spilJ. "I hUrt all over," said the 33-yearold Orlandi, who was history for the night. Bobb Ott, who last year said Ventura was too crazy for him, won his semi off the 10, just like he did in his heat. Brad OxJey, in a hot race, thrilled hi mom and dad and everybody el e, as he held off Faria for five laps to take the other semi. Ott was leading the main before the dreaded brainfade caused him to go too wide - a move that saw him go from first to sixth in about three seconds. Bransford was the happy beneficiary of Ott's error and won it despite last-lap heat from Oxley. The big story, however, was the emergence of Moran, fourth-best in the world on two occasions, but rarely even fourth-best in his races at Ventura the last few years. Anyway, Moran after a cruise in his Handicap heat, decided to go fast. First. he won his scratch heat by about 87 miles (plus wheelies), then COSTA MESA, CA, APR. 6 Speedway "Superstar" Mike Bast performed an unheard of feat when he won the Scratch main for the second week in a row from the number four starting slot at the Orange County Fairgrounds Friday night. After finishing second in both his heat and semi, Bast drew number four for the main, and it seemed like "the kiss o{ death" for his hopes of victory. After Bast almost broke the tapes twice, Buddy Robinson outran the rest of the field from the number twO spot and led into the first bend. By turn two, Wiley Bast had pulled even with Robinson, and he forged his way into the top spot by the time they reached turn three. As they came off turn four, Bast (Justice Brothers/Riverside Mitsubishi/Simpson) momentarily slowed, sending the rest of his competitors careening in various directions. Bast immediately got back on the throttle and opened up a lead while Alan Christian and Robinson banged elbows as they raced down the front straightaway. Christian got the best of that battle, but he was slowly losing the war to Bast. ChrisLian wasn't losing any ground on the "yellow leathered" leader but he was not able to make up much, either. As the exited tum four with the checkered £lag in sight, Bast raised a clenched fi t and flashed across the line, closely pU,Tsued by Christian. Robinson came home third, with Ferrell getting credit for fourth after falling on lap two. Sterling Cogar (Boot RanchlBell/ Oakley/Fat Performance) took the lead near the end of the first lap and went on to win the Handicap main on his Weslake, over a fast-closing Brad Osley. Mark Dwyer looked very impressive in winning his heat and semi, but his bike failed to fire for the main. He was forced to go to a backup, and held the lead for most of the first lap until 30 yard linestarter Cogar slipped by on the inside. . Dwyer stayed on Cogar's rear tire until turn three when he went wide and was freighttrained by the remainder of the field. Oxley then took up the chase and closed the gap on Cougar. The expectant father, Oxley, made several attempts to get by Cougar, but the leader was equal to the challenge and took the win by two lengths. Dave DeTemple continued to look good and took home third spot. Afterwards Cogar happily stated "I'm glad I got this win early in the season. Last year it took me a long Lime to get started." Last week's Third Division winner was bumped up to Second Division this week, and hi resuJts were the same. A win in his heat, followed by a win in the main, are becoming a habit for Jeff Springman. After the boys imitated Third Division with two restarts, it was time to get down to racing. Springman (Bill's Pipes/Troy Lee Design/Moto-Pro LubricantslTeam Tamm) started on the zero and the ex-class "C" rider showed perfect form as he led aU five laps. Andy Northrup was closing in on the leader at the finish but he ran out of time before the checkered flag. Randy Blevins raced home in third. Randy Roscamp (Jaw) took the win in the usual chaos-filled Third Division main. Roscamp kept his bike pointed in the right direction and took a win over Randy Beddow and Rick Vanderham. Defending National Junior Champion Jessee Finch repeated his Spring Classic victory by defeating a stellar field to win the Junior main. Finch took the lead from Billy Felts on lap two and proceeded to run away from the field. Greg Hancock finished second with Felts making a fine last lap pass to reclaim third. Results SCRATCH MAIN: ,. Mike Bast (Wes): 2. Alen Christian (Godd): 3. Buddy Robinson (Jaw): 4. Dubl> Ferrell (Jaw). HANDICAP: 1. Sterling Cogar (Wesl; 2. Bred O.ley (Wes); 3. Dave DeTemple (Jaw); 4. Dennis Brensford (Wes); 5. Shawn McConnell (Jaw); 6. Mark Dwyer (Jaw). SECOND DIV: ,. Jeff Springman (Wes); 2. Arwtv Nonhrup (Wesl; 3. Randy Blevins (Godd): 4. Pat Hawley (Goddl: 5. Tom Wa~on (Jaw): 6. Shane McDonald (Jaw). THIRD DIV: ,. Randy Roscamp (Jaw); 2. Randy Beddow (Wes); 3. Rick Vanderham (Jaw); 4. John Mazzecane (Jew); 5. Oscar Salina. (Jew); 6. Ban Onasch (Was). JR: 1. Jessee Finch; 2. Greg Hancock; 3. Billy Felts; 4. Jordan Duncan; 5. Tim Gewecke; 6. Billy Hamill. Faria fast at IMS By Scott Daloisio SAN BERNARDINO, CA, APR. 4 "Faria's on the run. Faria's kicking this year. I'm not messing around with these guys this season." Those were the comments of Mike Faria when he was

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