Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

.9 I z -c ::; 0 w a: LL l!") 00 O'l :I: ~ ~ >co ,.....; ~ t- o I- ..... rJ':J 0 :I: 0- :3 M :3 ~ " Sudden Sam" Ermolenko won the Hand icap mains at Costa Mesa and Ventura th is week. and the Scratch race at Ascot South Bay Stadium . King beats Ermolenko at Costa Mesa By Scott Daloisio COSTA MESA , CA. J ULY 26 Lance King a nd Sam Ermolenko warmed u p for th is Sa tu rda v's Intercontinental Fina l in Vetla nda, Sweden with a kn ock- -: 26 d own, drag-o u t bat tle before th e jampack ed g ra ndsta n ds a t th e Orange County Fa irgrou nds Frida y n igh t. In th e en d it wa s King sco r ing h is first win o f th e seaso n at the popu la r beach -a rea o val. The Scra tch m ain was m ore like a stree t Iight rhan a race. King (STP/ O ff Shore/ JT/ N E B/Sco lt G o ggles/Tal lon Wesla ke) m ov ed into th e lead a t th e r ise o f th e tapes ah ead o f cro wd favori te Errnolenko, Steve L uce ro and Alan C hr istian . C h r istia n m ade it as fa r as turn o ne wher e h e was cro wded o u t a n d ended u p down aga ins t th e crash wa ll. Ermol enko th en m o ved up a nd bega n 10 lest King . Ermolen ko tri ed th e in side rou te as th ey ca m e o ff turn two o n th e seco n d lap but Kin g aggressiv ely closed th e door. Ermolenko moved a lon gsid e o n th e back ch ute and t he pair tr aded elbows as th ey approach ed turn three with King in th e lea d. Ermol enko aga in tried th e in side but Kin g sh u t him o ff aga in o ut o f three. As th ey entered turn o ne o n la p three Ermo lenko aga in gOI in sid e Kin g a n d was m ovin g a lo ngs ide as th ey ca me o ff two. Kin g block ed him o ne m ore time a nd a lmos t put hi m a ll th e wa y int o the infield. Erm o lenko reco vered , chased King int o turn three. wa s set 10 g ive King a sho t a nd kno ck him o u t o f th e wa y wh en he back ed it in too hard a nd sp u n a ro u nd . T ha r left Lucero in second, 100 far back 10 ca tc h King. Th e r ide rs finis hed 10 th e roa r o f the crowd with King taking the w in over Lucero a nd Ermol enko . Errno le n ko (P ick Yo ur Part Au to Sa lvage/ Pacific Coast Laminating / Arai .'jon es Goggl es/Ameri can Mi kuni / STP/Q&E/ R K Racing Chain/ AI Reed 's Polishin g /Frame Shop /Ca r Tunes/Kal-Gard Weslake) had a fin e run in th e H andica p m ain . wh ich he won from th e 40. Denn y Scopclli te led fro m th e ta pes o ver G reg Ayers and Tony Bri ggs. Errno lenko , much to th e de ligh t of th e cro wd. began 10 move through the pack wi th Chris- tian a t the o u tset . H e went w ide and moved into seco n d aft er m aki ng co n tact wi th Greg Ayers n ear the end of la p two . H e th en sho t pa st Scope IIite o ne la p la ter, sendin g th e crowd 10 th eir feel. Avers wen t down o n th e fourth circu it a nd becam e ta ngled wit h h is bik e, br in gi ng ou t the red a n d a ll o w ing Ermo lcnko 10 coast arou nd 10 th e chec ke red . Scopc llite too k second with Christian th ird . Do ug Bo wers (J awa ) ca m e into th e even ing as a reserve a n d wen t o n ( 0 ta ke th e wi n in th e Seco nd Divisio n m a in . Sha ne H a wl ey was a close second a ll the wa y with broth er P at H aw le y thi rd. Gary H ick s to o k an o th er vict o ry on th e M iln e Brot hers Maelv in Third Divisio n a head o f . j oh nDunn a nd G eorge Sugi ta in a race tha t sa w H arrv Ox lev breat he a si gh o f rel ief a fte r: h e re;diled th at th ere wer e n o cas ua lt ies. Onl v tw o o f th e o rig ina l six fini sh ed . . Results SCRA TCH M A IN: 1. La nce King (Wes) ; 2. Steve Lucero (W es); 3 . Sa m Ermol enk o (Wes); 4 . A lan Christ ian (GMI . HAN DICA P: 1. Sam Er mol enko (We s); 2. Denny Scopell ite (Wes); 3 . A lan Chri sti an (GM) ; 4 . Ton y Briggs (GM) ; 5. Ste ve Lucero (W esl; 6. Greg Ayrs (Wesl. - SECOND DIV: 1. Do ug Bower s (Ja w) ; 2. Shan e Hawley (Wes); 3 . Pat Haw ley (Gd nl; 4 . Moose Ken nedy (Jaw); 5. Loui s Kossut h (J aw ); 6. Kev in Kru gh (Jaw). TH IRD DIV : 1. Gary Hicks (M ae); 2 . Jo hn Dun n (Wes ); 3 . Groge Sug it a (Gdn ); 4 . Tom Se ttl emire (J aw ); 5. Du an e Blake (Wes) ; 6. An th on y Sanchez (W es). Ermolenko tops win column at Ascot By Scott Daloisio GA RDENA , CA , J U L Y 25 "Sudden" Sam Errn olenko took back the lead in Scra tch m ain event wins in southern Californi a with a deci sive ha lfstrai gh ta way win o ver Steve Lucer o a t Ascot Sou th Ba y S tad iu m Thursday ni g ht. The w in was number 14 for Ermo len ko in th e seaso n and m ov ed him o ne ahead o f Ala n Chrisrian . Errn ol enko (P ic k Yo u r P an Au to Sal vage/Pacifi c Coa st L am in a ting / Arai xjones G og gl es/Ameri can Mik un i/ STP/ Q &E/ R K R aci ng C hain / Al Reed 's Po lish in g /Frame Shop /Car T unes/Kal -G ard Weslakc) made it a ll the wa y to both m a ins bu t wa s particul a rl y impressive o n the Scra tch side o f th e program as h e went u ndefeat ed . In the main h e drew th e pole a n d that see m ed to be th e story o f th e race as he imm ed iat el y lea p t into th e lea d . Lance Kin g wa s o u t seco n d but was rel ega ted 10 third b y the e nd o f the firs t lap w hen h e was p assed by Stev e Lu cero. Lucero tri ed to cl ose the g a p o n Er m o len ko bu t co u ld not g a inan y g ro u nd and in th e end was a h alf ch u te behi nd th e ha p p y win ner. T hird spot we n t to Kin g just a hea d o f Mike Curoso in th e a ll -Wesla ke main . Loca l ace a nd su pe r ro okie Dou g Nicol (P ed co E ng i n ee r ing/Coast Gra in Co.lFMF/ Ca r lisle T ires /Ascot Th ursda y Ni gh t Speedway/Cham p ion / STP/ Im m ed ia to & Asso cia tes/ Ba les / T a yl or Conc ret e Pum p in g '1'&1\1 Cycle) n ot ched a ver y impress ive win in th e H andica p mai n from th e IO-yard line. Nico l im me d ia tel y found h i mself in th e lea d a head o f Wednesda y n ight IMS winn er Ma rk Weav er and "S how tirn e " Bobby Ot t. O tt q ui ck ly shot by Weav er for secon d a nd se t hi s sig h ts o n sh e h igh-fl ying rookie. Ott did everyth ing h e co u ld to close in o n Ni col but no thing worked . Whi le Ott was try ing to close in o n Nico l, Keith C h risco m ov ed in o n O tt a nd tr ied 10 sl ide by o n th e in side o n th e back ch u re o n la p four. Ott fought him o ff a n d cha sed N ico l hom e seco nd . The action was n ' t o ver as Mark Dw yer ch as ed down C h r isco a nd got al ongsid e hi m o ut o f fo ur o n th e fin al lap - Chrisco rook he th ird spot b y an eye la sh. Rook ie Gary Hicks (M ilne Bro th ers Ma el y) held th e lead fo r the firs t three la ps o f th e Seco nd Di vision m a in befo re bei ng p assed by Ronn ie Correv. Corre v seemed 10 h av e it in th e b< unti l: a s he ca me off turn fo ur ig h ead ing for th e white flag , hi s bike 's m otor began to sei ze. H icks cl osed o n every be nd but Correy would m o ve hack into the lead unt il th e fina l co rner when H icks sho t by for goo d a nd just beat Correy to Ro y R ussin g 's ch eckered fla g . Berni e T o sco (Jawa ) wore a pair of Bobby Sc h wa n z's o ld "lea th ers and too k the to p honors in Third Division . Ant hony Sa nc hezcla im ed seco nd wi th Mik e Stefa n thi rd . J essee Fi n ch (Spe ed wa y Mag azin e/ Ara i/J o nes Goggles/ House o f Suzuk i Tr iumph/ Morn & Dad / Sa m Erm o lenko ) ag-ain d om ina ted th e a cti on a nd sco red a big win in th e J un io r First Divisi o n m ain o ver Bill y H a m mil. Da n n y W right (H ig h la nd Fra mers) took ye t a no ther victory in th eir Second Div isi o n go. Results SCRA TCH MAIN : 1. Sam Er mo len ko (Wes); 2. St eve Luc ero (W es); 3. Lanc e King (W es); 4. M ike Curoso (Wes) . HAN DICA P: 1. Dou g Nico l (W es); 2 . Bob Ott (Gdn) ; 3 . Keith Chrisco (Wesl; 4 . M ark Dwy er (Gdn); 5. Sam Erm ole nko (W es); 6. Mark W eaver [Gdnl . SECOND DIV : 1. Gary Hicks (Mae); 2 . Ron nie Correy (Gdn ); 3 . Rick Vandce rha m (We s); 4 . Bobby Tocco (W es); 5 . Don Butl er (W es); 6. Doug Bowers (Jaw). THIRD DIV: 1. Bern ie Tusco (Jaw); 2 . A nthony San ch ez (Wes); 3 . M ike Stef an (J aw ); 4 . Ken Berry (Jaw); 5. Chris La nd (W es); 6 . Tad Bertrand (Gdn) . JR FIRST DIV: 1. Je ssee Finch; 2. Bill y Ham m il; 3. Billy Felts; 4 . Kelcey Gordon. JR SECOND DIV: 1. Danny Wrig ht; 2 . Brent Werner . Faria, Ermolenko win at Ventura By Mitch Friedman VENTU R A. CA. J U L Y 23 "Flyin ' " Mi ke Fa ria from Col ton an d Sudden Sam Emolenko fro m Cypress showed everyo n e that th ey were the men to beat at Ji m Na yl or's Ventu ra Racew a y eve n t, co m p eting fo r th e a tte nt io n of 1500 fans wi th th e Verv L ast Ventura T-Sh in Co ntest. Ala n Chris tian (G M ) bea t evervo ne to th e first turn . co ming o ut o fga re three wit h Faria (Shoei/ Torco / Wacy A rms trong /STP / Sco tty's Muffl er ) r ig h t o n his ba ck wheel. Fa r ia passed C hr is tia n co m ing o u t o f turn two a n d ran a wav from th e rest of th e field. It wa s La n ce Kin g (Wesla ke), C hr istia n a nd Er molen ko going three-a breast into turn three o n th e firs t la p ; la p two saw Ermolen ko g el by C h ris ua n co m ing o u t o f turn tw o a nd Kin g d o wn the back stra ig h t to lak e second p la ce. Er mo len ko th en g a ined o n Faria . p u lle d r ig h t up to hi m , then p ar ked it in th e second turn o f th e fourth la p to le t Fa r ia p u ll a wa y a nd wi n. Kin g a n d C hrstia n had th eir o w n race for th ird . a nd it see me d th at King would sl a y in th ird with a super ior drive o u t o f every tu rn . BUI o n th e fin a l lap Kin g pu ll ed o ff with m echa nica l p roblems to let C hristi an by fo r th ird . Erm o lenko (Arai/ P ick Your Part Stan ton / jones G o ggl s/Mikun i/ Hi -P oint/Terry Ca bles/ R K/ P C L / Q &E Cycl e/ Fram e Shop Weslake) ca me from th e 50-ya rd lin e 10 second behind J eff J ohnso n (We sla ke) on th e sta rt o f th e H andicap m a in , wi th C h r ist ia n , King a nd Steve Lucero follo win g . Bob Pfetzin g d ropped o u t wi th a fri ed cl u tch . J oh n son stayed o u t front u nti l la p four w hen ErrnoIen ko l ifted h is fro n t wh eel into tu rn two a n d p ushed J oh n so n wi de a t th e exi t; Erm o lenko pull ed a lo ngs ide J ohn son d own th e back stra ig h t a nd do ve undern ea th go ing ·into t u rn three. Ch ristia n go t by J ohnson down th e fro nt straigh t wi th King trying b u t n o t q ui te g ett ing by in turn o ne. Kin g fin all y go t past J oh nson by run n ing it in to turn three ha rd er. Th e Seco nd Divisio n main sta rted wi th a lill ie a rg u me nt o n th e IO-ya rd l ine wh en Mi ke Dw yer (Jawa ) a nd Steve Furma n (j a wa) bot h wan ted th e sa me starting spo t. Furm a n wo n th e sta rring sp o t an d the ra ce with J oe Kreishurg a nd Doug Bowers fo llo win g . Craig Furma n (J awa ) wo n th e Thi rd Divisio n ma in wit h M ike Broo ks a n d Mike Obrado vich third. Ve n tu ra Racewa y agai n held u p its rep u ta tio n of h a ving so me o f th e bes t " a fter races" co m pe titio n w ith a we t T -shi n co nt est. b ut evervo ne wi ll miss thi s a dde d a urar tion si n ce th e Fa ir Boa rd said it wi ll never let a nother s uc h co nt est to be hel d . Results SCRA TCH MAIN: 1. M ike Far ia (Ja w) ; 2 . Sam Er molenko (Wes); 3. Al an Chri st ian (GM) ; 4. Lanc e King (W es). HAN DICA P; 1. Sam Ermoten ko (W es); 2 . Ala n Chri sti an (GM) ; 3. Lance King (Wes) ; 4. Je ff Jo hn son (W es); 5. Stev e Lucero (Wes) ; 6. Rob ?f etzing (Wes ). SECOND DIV: 1. Steve Furma n (J aw ); 2. Joe Kri esb urg (W es); 3 . Dou g Bow ers (Jaw) ; 4 . Warre n Reid (J aw); 5 . M ike Dwy er (Jaw); 6 . John Du nn (We s). TH IRD DIV; 1. Craig Furman (Jaw); 2 . M ark Br ooks (Jaw ); 3. M ike Obradovich . Delacy wins Napa By Jann Houston NAPA , CA, J U LY 13 Mike Delacy, riding hard to rega in n u mber o ne in th e NorCa l Speed way point sta ndings [rom which Davi d Fari a j r., clim axed a perf ect week of NorC. 1 Scrat ch m a in wins with a victory in to n ig h t' s con trovers ia l Na pa event. On th e first sta rt P a ul Orla ndi go t a fantastic gate from th e pole. Delacy rook Pa t L inn o u t in tu rn two , GI US in g a restart w it h n o excl u sion s. Accordi ng 10 Referee Da ile Besneaue, th ere a re no exc l usion s w hen a resta rt is ca lled o n th e fir st la p in a Scr a tch event . On th e restart . it was Del acy fro m th e n um ber tw o p os itio n that

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