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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126919
leader. Langness once again followed Kla.ssen, waiting for a gap to pass which he eventually found. After tak· 109 control, Honda-mounted Langness began to pull out a comfortable cushion, and as the white flag appeared, Langness took a quick look back and saw Klassen in the distance. Langness decided to relax and cruise the last lap, but that was his big mistakel Klassen saw his chance when Langness slowed and came berserking his way past and surprised Langness to take the checkered flag and overall victory. "I thought I had the race ill the bag," said Langness, "but you can't afford to relax with a guy like Klassen in second place. I guess I paid the price." Results Winner Mark Hartley (45) and Ray West battle side by side in the 250Cc Pro short track at the Virginia State Fairgrounds. (76); 3. Brian Thompson (79). 250 C: 1. Lee Brumbaugh (144)' 2 Brad Albers (173). . . OPEN C: 1. J'. Dickerson (108); 2. Steva Barr (128); 3. Grog Johnson (148). Faria fakes Firecracker Derby Spdwy By Scott Daloisio COSTA MESA, CA, JULY II An amazing tradition continued in the sport of speedway at the Orange County Fairgrounds when, for the 14th consecutive time, a different ride~ won the annual Firecracker Derby. No rider has ever won this prestigious event twice and the winners' list contains the names of some of the greats of the sport. Names like Rick Woods, Bruce Penhall, Bobby Schwaru, Alan Christian Mike Bast, Lance King and Kelly Moran. You can now add another name to the list and that is "Flyin'" Mike Faria. Faria (on a Shoei/Oilzall/STP/ George Wenn/Carlisle Tires-sponsored jawa) blasted into the final round ,undefeated after scoring decisive wtnS 10 all four of his races. He had already met Christian, john Sandona and Brad Oxley but in the final round he would have his hands full. Also coming into the final round undefeated was current number three in the world, "Sudden" Sam Ermolenko. Like Faria, the Weslake-riding Ermolenko was flying. He had also won his four previous races in convincing style. . joining them was 1985 Fair Derby victor Rob Pfeuing. Pfetzing had only dropped one point all night long and that was to Oxley in event 14. Mark Dwyer was also in the field and he caJ?e in with nine points and a ~rth 10 t~e main was definitely with10 Dwyer s grasp but he needed a first or second-place finish. Th.e race was event 17 and it opened the fmal round of qualifiers. Faria was off the pole with Pfetzing in two Ermolenko in three and Dwyer o~ the outside. Faria rocketed out of the gate and into the lead. Pfetzing was ahead of Ermolenko. Ermolenko shot i~to second on~y to see Pfeuing repass him. By the ume the shuffling was done Dwyer roared into second. The racebelonged to Faria and he would enter the main with IS points and his choice of starting positions. Pfetzing now had 13 points and was assured of a spolin the main as was Ermolenko who still had 12. Dwyer had towai(t~ see what Oxley did in event 18. If Oxley won he went to the main. If he finished second they would have a runoff for the. lasL spot. No need for the runoff as Oxley passed Gene Woods in turn one and went on for the win. Faria wisely chose the pole for the main but it was Pfetzing who reacted to the gate first. Faria had the lead by tum one and that was all she wrote. He immediately began to build a big lead. Oxley challenged Pfetzing and pulled off a nice move to gain second on lap two. Ermolenko also got past Pfeumg and pressured Oxley. Faria crossed the line with a half straightaway to spare. Ermolenko rammed Oxley out of turn four the last time but Oxley held his ground and took second. As they went into turn one on the slowdown lap Ermolenko failed to slow down and it looked as though he was trying to give Oxley another shot. He ended up looping out and tagging the crashwall. His foot had been completely sucked into the rear section and was jammed between the wheel and the frame. It took close to five minutes to extricate his foot but he amazingly was not seriously injured. Margo King-Sandona thrilled the crowd of 8700 by winning the Donkey Derby for the fourth time in six years over Ermolenko, Brad Oxley, Alan Christian and Irwin Moon. Results MAIN: 1. Mike Faria (Jaw); 2. 8rad Oxley (Wes); 3. 58m Ermolenko (Wes). DONKEY DER8Y: 1. Margo King·Sandona· 2 Brad Oxley; 3. Sam Ermolenko. ' . Klassen claims OTHG Perris MX By Glenn Worrall PERRIS, CA, JULY 5 Randy Klassen Pipitalized on a last-lap mistake by fellow Honda rider Mike Langness to steal the Over The Hill Gang Amateur class win today at Perris Raceway. Greg Preston led the charge into turn one as the first moto got underway ahead of Klassen and KTM pilot Greg St. Clair with Langness charging hard after a slow start. The order stayed the same for the first three laps, but Preston could not hold off Klassen, who roosted by on the uphill to ta.ke over. the lead with Langness movmg up IntO second to challenge. Langness stuck to the rear fender of Kla~sen for a co,!ple of laps then deCided t? make hiS move in spectacu.lar fashIOn, pass 109 Klassen in the alT over the table top jump to inherit first place which he held to the flag. Klassen gated perfectly to grab the second moto holeshot followed by Pre~ton and Langness, who, once agall~, moved up quickly passing Preston and slowly reeling in the EX: 1. Scott Freeman (Hon); 2. Grog Humber (Yam); 3. Robert Fortier ISuz). AM: 1. Randy Klassen (Hon); 2. Mike Langness (Hon); 3. Grog St. Clair (KTM). INT: 1. Skip Skinner (Yam); 2. Mike Ishida (Hon)' 3. Wayne O'Bleness (Yam). • • NOV: 1. Glenn Worrall (Suz); 2. Relph Dickson (Han); 3. Mitch Langjahr (Han). Rain dampens RichmondST By Joe Kelly RICHMOND, VA, JULY 9 ~s the ~ich.mon.darea was get- tmg hit with fIerce hail and lightning storms, the riders showed up for the weekly Vir- ginia Fairgrounds short track racing. Promoter Louis Browing had the track crew working feverishly to make the track race perfect, and the show went on. Sixty-five riders were in attendance. Doug Elliott rode his Suzuki into the lead at the turn of the light in the 250cc Amate.ur heat. He was passed on the outSide by Kawasaki rider, Glenn Baar. Chris Rickman, riding a Honda, pressured Elliott, but had to be content with third. Baar took up the lead again in the main. For three laps Elliott and Rickman stayed close, but on the fourth lap, Rickman's machme br?ke.. Then on the eighth lap ElliOtt s bike broke. This gave second to Suzuki rider Ricky Hamilton. . Roben Lewis, riding a Honda held off the double onslaught of Mark Hartley and the Kawasaki of Ray West in the ~50cc Pro qualifying acuon. The malO had West in command for the first lap, then Hanley ~wered his Honda by on the outSide. On the next circuit, West was back 10 front again, but the first-year Pro rider held off the constant pressure of Hartley for five laps. Then the c:amel Pro regular used his expenence to get by on the inside. West stayed close, but never got the chance he needed again. Roben Lewis was a close third. Rickman came back strong after his Upsel in the 250cc events. He led Glenn Baar to the line in the 500cc Amateur heat, but in the main it was another story. Baar commanded the ev.ent from the turn of the light. Rickman gave a .good run early, then Baar stretched hiS lead at the halfway mark. je.ff jeter ran third, returninR to the falTgrounds racing after a season's lay-off. Ray West held off Mark Hartley and then Clayton Oliverfor the500cc Pro qualifier win. Oliver challenged West ":llh all he had for five laps in the mam, but Roben Lewis was nip. pmg at Clayton's heels all the time Lewis got .second at the halfway flags: and set sail after West. Lewis cut the dlsta!1ce and looked like he just migh t pUllllOff, but the laps ran out. Oliver was a close third: Results 125: 1. Jeremy Lucy (Yam); 2. DoU9 Elliott (Suz)' • 3. Wayne Eckert (Yam). 250 PRO: 1. Mark HtIrtley (Hont 2. "-v _ (~; 3. Raben ~s (Hon). . 250 AM: 1. Glenn Bur CK8wt 2. Ricky Hemi'(SuzI; 3. Bill Chaldey (SuzI. 500 PRO: 1. "-v west (Yemt 2. Raben ~ (Hon); 3. Clayton 01_ (Hon). 500 AM: 1. Glenn Baar (Yamt 2. Chris Riclunan (Han); 3. Jeff Jeter (yam). 50: 1. John Nickens (Suzt 2. Ryan Taytor (Yemt 3. Chros Copley (Yam). 60: 1. Travis Nuckols (Kaw); 2. Brian Strong (Yam); 3. John Nickens (Suz). 80: 1. Jeremy Lucy (Kew); 2. Brilln Strong (Kawt 3. Travis Nuckols (Kawl. Kovacs fops Claverack MX By John Spear . CLAVERACK, NY, JULY 6 Despite 100° heat, 220 riders went to the starting line at Brew's Claverack MX during the Fourth of July weekend, and the hottest race of the hot afternoon was the second 250cc Amateur moto. Frank Kovacs, Tom Povall and john Donovan, who have been battling for the class top spot mostof the. season, went at it again for the enure moto. It wasn't decided until Kovacs went from third to first in the final two comers to give himself the ?verall ~in with a perfect I-I day; the ImpreSSive move also earned Kovacs his Expert ranking. PovaIl, second in the first moto, settled for third in the final moto which gave him him second overall: Dontos in the Open Expert wllh Doug MllcheU's 2-2 giving him second overall and Mann's 3-3 in third. Wayne Edmonds had a per~ect I-I day in the Senior Expert while Buzz. Povall's I-I topping the Super SeDlor Expert class. In the Senior Amateur class, Rodolfo Amoresano got the checkered flag in first both times to take the overall. A full gate of 40 125cc Amateurs crowded the line and when everything had cleared, Tom Evagash, who bU.TD:ed up the track last year in the Mml class, wason top with a 1-2 day. Henry Dorschug, fourth in the first moto, spoiled Evagash's chan.ces for a perfect day by winning the second moto, giving him second overall. Ron Kerr took third with a 2-~ afternoon. Chad O'Hara surprised the 125cc Novices as he jumped from fifth in the first moto to win the second and take the overall. Brandon Gec was second with a 3-3 finish on the day as the Novices did their usual place swapping between the motos; In the Open Amateur class, Kevin Simmons didn't win either moto but he took the overall with a 2-2 afternoon. Kyle Ellefsen picked up second overall and with it his Expert card by way of a 4-3 aftpnoon.