Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

~ SPEEDWAY WEEK .~ z ::::; :I: U cr: Z :I: o -, > CD 5 :I: lL Tocco (Wesl: 3. Randy Roscamp (Jaw); 4. Doug Greyson(Jaw); 5. Rex Smith (Jaw); 6. David Wysocki (Jawl. MATCH RACE: 1. Buddy Robinson (Jaw); 1. Sam Ermolanko (Wes) tie. 'Snakeman' kicks asp at Ventura By Bill Locey VENTURA, CA, AUG. 14 Keith "Snakeman" Larsen, mixing equal parts aggression and compression, won the Scratch main event for the David Faria (right) helps Paul Orlandi celebrate after the latter won the Napa Wine Cup Championship. Orlandi takes Napa Wine Cup By Jann Houston APA, CA, JULY 28 No one could have written a script for a better night of championship action as the apa Wine Cup Invitational Championship closed the book on another sea on. At the end of round one, Paul Orlandi, Duane Yarrow, David Faria Jr., and Mike Delacy had three-point perfect scores, and that was destined to be the tory of the evening. At the conclusion of round two, the ame situation was at hand. In the third round 17-year-old Bart Bast was the " poiler" with Orlandi the victim, as Orlandi went wide in turn four on the third lap allowing Bast to take the win and end a perfect IS-point night. In round four "the four" again posted perfect scores, a the evening built to the exciting finale in event 20, where all four were to meet for their final ride. Yarrow, Faria and Delacy still held perfect scores; Orlandi was down by one point. Faria had the pole position, Delacy had pot number two, Orlandi number three and Yarrow was on the wall. All Orlandi had to do was win to throw it into a run-off, which is exactly what hedid! Faria was second, Yarrow was third and Delacy did what he does not do very often, he went down! Orlandi was so elated he thought he had already won the championship. Someone in the pits had to explain that a run-off wa needed, to which Orlandi replied, "OK I'll go beat him (Faria) again." In the runoff the gate went up with Orlandi on the outside - exactly where he loves it - to take the lead and he beat Faria again! Paul Orlandi was the 1984 Wine Cup Champion. The Juniors had a Junior Wine Cup Championship (Grape Juice Cup? .. Editor.) of their own tonight. Scott Brant was the winner with a perfect score, and Bobby Hedden was second after a tie breaking run-off with Dustin Schroeder. Results 34· 1. Paul Orlandi (141; Oavid Faria (14); 3. Duane Yarrow(13); 4. Mike Delacy (12); 5. Rocky Robinson (10); 6. Ban Bast (9); 7. Harlan Bast Jr. (71; Steve Manin (71; Marc Prince (7); 10. Steve Crawford (6); Tom Ferris (61; 12. Bob Holmes (5); 13. Pat Linn (41; 14. John Volk (3); 15. Steve Elstins (1); 16. John Houston Jr. (11; Ron McGill (1). JR CHAMP; 1. Scott Brant; 2. Bobby Hedden' 3. Dustin Schroeder. ... I. ~. " , \ ~' .. ~ Chrisco greased lightning at Costa Mesa By Scott Daloisio COSTA MESA, CA, AUG. 17 The "Chrisco Kid," Keith Chrisco, was clearly on hi game as he made a clean sweep of the Scratch side of the program at the Orange County Fairgrounds. For Chrisco, who captured only one Co ta Mesa cratch main in 1983, it was his econd triumph in less than a month. After capturing his first two cratch rides, Chri co (Windlord Performance/Hancock Design/Jones Goggles gles Wes) took the gate over John Sandona and Brad Oxley. Sandona and Oxley became embroiled in a tremendous battle for second with Oxley edging ahead for good in turn twO on the second revolution. Oxlev then stayed close to Chrisco until th~ final circuit when theex-Birmingham Brummie opened it up to win by five lengths. Oxley took second with andona third and Criag Schader g tting the wrap up. Wayne Leuu (Bob Drake We ) raced home with a huge lead to win his first ever Costa Mesa Handicap main from the 20-yard line. Leutz took the lead early with a very gut y move. "Showtime" Bob Ott and Randy Blevins were first on the start and they were bumping in the first corner. While they were busy with each other Leutz moved into the lead unchallenged. Bott Ott and Blevins quickly forgot about each other and set out after Leutz. Coming from the back, Alan "Crazy" Christian moved through the pack and took third from Blevins on the third circuit. Ott stayed within shouting distance of Leutz and that wa about it until he hooked up and almost wheelied into the leader off turn two on the final lap. Ott quickly recovered and it was enough to keep him ahead of Christian to the checkered flag for second. Leuu took his innaugural win by some three lengths. Results SCRATCH MAIN: 1. Keith Chrisco (Wesl; 2. Brad Oxley (Wesl; 3. John Sandona (Wes); 4. Craig Schaefer (Jawl. HANDICAP; 1. Wayne Leutz (Wesl; 2. Bob Ott (Was); 3. Alan Christian (Gdn); 4. Randv Blevins (Gdn); 5. Jim Lawson (Jawl; 6. Tim McCasland (Wes). SEC DIV; 1. David Hancock (Wes); 2. Pat Hawley (Gdn); 3. Steve Murray (Jaw); 4. Bentley Barrett (Jaw); 5. Warren Reid (Jawl; 6. Mike Golightly (Mae). THIRD DIV: ,. Wayne TalkinQton (Gdn): 2. Bob' second time in three weeks here at Ventura, slithering into a rut that most others can only dream of. This time, Larsen even dusted off The King of Tuesday Night - "Flyin' Mike" Faria. And just back from a trial with Exeter in the British Speedway League, "The Flyin' Hawaiian," Buddy Robinson, smoked 'em all to take the Handicap main. Robinson, currently negotiating a long-term contract to ride in England, cameou! blazing and pas ed five guys so fast, they may well have been riding chwinns. . Filmore's Bobby "Insane" McLain won hi heat as did 50-yard man Andy Northrup and Joe Kriesberg. And after a few riders forgot where they were supposed to be on Tuesday night and/or how to dial a phone, that famous old guy, Bill Gray, got his first 0-1 ride since 1977. He was then hanging in there better than his bike, which croaked at a most inopportune moment. (Later in the geriatric match race, Guy Waterson blew away Battling Billy.) In the Handicap main, last week' winner Jeff Jones held everyone off for two lapsor until he went too wide around a turn, good for last. Robinson led the pardde of riders speeding bv on the inside and won comfortabi y for hi first Ventura win of the year. Larsen was econd. In the Scratch main, Faria surprised no one by taking a turn-two lead. but "Snakeman" hung tough on the inside, pulling even by turn three and taking the lead by turn four. And even "Flyin' Mike" couldn't get by. stayed on the pole and continually tried to beat Chri tian off the corner but the "Big Fella" held hi ground arid blocked every Sandona advance to the checkered flag. Faria ended up third with Robinson taking the wrap-up. Tim McCasland (Gene Thurman! Shoei/Frame Shop/Kid Love/Jones Goggles/Kal-Gard/Tsubaki Wes) captured his second win in six days from the Io-yard line. "Rocket Rodney" Sullivan, making his IMS debut, moved into the lead at the start over McCasland and Wayne Leutz_ McCasland slipped inside the impressive Sullivan for the lead as they exited turn two on the second go-'round. Bob Ott also got by Sullivan on the second circuit and was determined to add to his first and second place finish of the past twO weeks. Ott Went through all of his spectacularcontortions but there was no way to get near McCasland who ran all the way to the checkered flag by himself. Results SCRATCH MAtN: 1. Alan Christian(Gdnl: 2. John Sandona (Wes); 3. Mike Faria (Wes); 4. Buddy Robinson (Jaw). HANDICAP: 1. Tim McCasland (Wes): 2. Bob On (Wes); 3. Wayne Leutz (Wes); 4. Keith Larsen (Wes); 5. Rodney Sullivln (Wes); 6. Dennis Bransford (Wes). THIRD 'DIV: 1. David Hancock (Wes); 2. Todd Varner (Jaw); 3. Jeff Jones (Wes). JR: 1. Bobby cody; 2. Ryan Evans: 3. Greg Hancock; 4. Jessee Finch: 5. Tim G _ e ; 6. Billy Hamill. Sullivan, Ayers vie for Visalia wins By Bill Locey VISALIA, CA, AUG. II "Rocket Rod" Sullivan rode his back-up bike to victory in the Scratch main in Visalia, after his pretty new green one By Scott Daloisio got all bent out of shape after a Handicap main pile-up. Greg Ayers won the restart and the trophy. Scratch racing turned out to be a series of match races involving Sullivan and Rocky Robinson. Sullivan ended up taking two out of three, ending up second in the semi. In the main, Sullivan got a good gate and ran away, leaving Robinson to battle it out with Steve Crawford for second. It was Rocket Rod's third Scratch main win, and fifth Saturday night trophy. In the Randicapmain, young Jason Chism led the thing for three laps or until he overcooked it and fell around turn one. Baker field rider Ron Hardin, hot and heavy on Chism's case, suddenly found nowhere to go except into Chism's bike. 0 he did. A split second later, ullivan arrived at the same dilemma, and slammed into Hardin - the major casualty was Sullivan's ride. On the restart, Ayers led from start to finish and Sullivan's back-up bike wasn't fast enough to catch him. SAN BER ARDINO, CA, AUG. 15 Results Alan "Crazy" Christian ended a dry spell nearing two months by narrowly defeating John Sandona to win the Scratch SCRATCH MAIN: 1. Rod Sullivan; 2. Rocky Robinson; 3. Steve Crawford; 4. Greg Ayers. HANDICAP MAIN: 1. Greg Ayers; 2. Rod Sullivan; 3. RJ)Cky Robinson; 4. Ron Hardin; 5. Rick Hughes; 6. Jason Chism. SEC DIV: 1. Jordan Duncan: 2. Brian Ash; 3. Robert Fairchild. MATCH RACE: Buddy Robinson def. Randy Griffith. Results SCRATCH MAIN: 1. Keith Larsen, 2 Mike Faria; 3. Bob On; 4. Andy Nonhrup. HANDICAP MAIN: ,. Buddy Robinson; 2 Keith Larsen; 3. Don Butler; 4. Mike Faria: 5 Bob On; 6. Jeff Jones. SEC DIV; 1. Jeff Springman: 2. Walt Farnum; 3. Donny Faulkner; 4. Steve Flanigan; 5. RIck Vander· ham. THIRO OIV: ,. Warren Reid; 2. Rick Hughes; 3 Archie Perez; 4. Valerie Robledo; 5. Oscar Salinas; 6. Chris Balades. MATCH RACE' Guy Waterson def. Bill Gray. Christian back with IMS win main at Inland Motorcycle Speedway. Christian erved notice that he is ready for this week's National Qualifiers by holding back Sandona, Mike Faria and visiting Buddy Robinson all four laps. Chri tian (STP/Cirello Racing/Fiberglass Concepts/HiPoint/PBIIK&N /Bell/Valvol i ne/ Tsubaki Gdn) got a rocket gate from the pole and was chased by Sandona, Robinson and Faria. Christian rode a great race, hugging the pole the entire way to'hotd off, Bandona! 'Sandona Northern riders rule Visalia By Bill Locey VISALIA, CA, AUG. 4 Since Napa is history for the year, a number of NorCal riders were faced with the prospect of staying home to watch

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