Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Bobby Schwartz lets the champagne fly as he celebrates on the victory podium after winning ,he National Championship. Runner-up Robert Pfetzing is on the far left and third place finisher Gary Hicks is on the right. After they finished the regular program tied with 14 points each, Schwartz and Pfetzing competed in a four-lap run-off that saw Schwartz lead from start to finish to win the U.S. title. Coors National Speedway Championship_ .Schwartz wins title By Scott Daloisio COSTA MESA, CA, OCT. II Bobby Schwartz received two very big breaks at the annual running of the Coors National Speedway Championship at the Orange County Fairgrounds Saturday night and he 12 parlayed them into his first ever triumph in the autumn event. At the end of 20 heats, Schwartz and Robert Pfetzing were tied with 14 points each and Schwartz won the crown by defeating the surprising Pfetzing in a four lap run-off. The crowd was treated to a fantastic night of racing and controversy. In fact the evening came to an end with a near brawl on the track which quickly spread to the pit area. When many insiders looked at the program before the event they realized that Pfetzing had a good draw and would have to be reckoned with. He proved that in event one by winning from John Cook and pre-race favorite Mike Faria. Taking fourth in that race was Steve Lucero who had a fall but got back up to finish last. That fall cost Lucero at least a third place finish. Defending champ Alan Christian had a badly smoking bike as he came onto the track for event two. Christian took the gate but he fell while leading in turn three on lap <'Jne. That forced Keith Chrisco and Tuff McBride to lay it down and luckily for Christian he got a complete restart which he won handily. John Sandona, despite an overflowing carburetor, easily won event three.. Event four matched Schwartz with Sam Ermolenko. Ermolenko had the pole position but Schwartz beat him off the line. The "Boogaloo Kid" held off Ermolenko until they came off turn four on lap three. Ermolenko got inside Schwartz ·and gave him a hard bump to move him. Schwartz hung tough and stayed in the lead but Ermolenko got inside and took the lead as they raced into turn one I for the final time. Schwartz tried to come back on the outside as they came off turn two but Ermolenko hit his front tire and knocked him down. Ermolenko also went down and was disqualified, giving the win and the first break of the night to Schwartz. Pfetzing led Christian all the way to open round two while Schwartz passed John Cook on lap one and went on to win event six. Ermolenko got the gate over Sandona, wnose carburetor was still overflowing in event seven. Ermolenko ran away from the pack while Faria came to challenge Sandona on the outside. It took two laps but Faria .got the job done and raced by for second at the end of lap two. Lucero ended the second round with a win over impressive 17-year-old Gary Hicks who was appearing in his first National. The third round saw three riders drop from the title hunt. Pfetzing led all the way to take event nine over Hicks, but Sandona, on his back up bike, fell on lap one while. trying to make the outside work. His pit crew chief, wife Margo, said, "We blew it in the pits tonight." Christian was last out of the gate. in event 10 but he did manage to get back to third spot only to tangle with Cook on lap three and that was all she wrote. He finished last and everyone in the place realized that a new champion would be crowned in aboutan hour. The winner in that race was Ermolenko by a wide margin over Bart Bast. CTI Brace/Sil kolenel Justice Brothers/Oakley/Bell/Hancocksponsored Schwartz's biggest break came in event II. Faria finally looked. like he was going to take his first win as he had a huge lead over Schwartz, Brad Oxley and Lance King on the last lap. Bad luck then reared its ugly head and the motor blew on Faria's machine as he went into turn three on the last lap. That gave the win to Schwartz and kept him tied with Pfetzing. After the race Faria joked and said, "I thought about putting my foot down and trying to put it across the line and then I looked back and saw that three-rider freight train. I told myself 'No way.''' His pit man said, "We should suggest that these races last three laps. We would win everything." Lucero ended round three with a big win over Chrisco and northern California rider Jim Sisemore. The big event wasnumber 13 as it stuck Schwartz, out of gate three, with Pfetzing who was coming from four. Pfetzing got the gate but they were bumping before they got to turn one. Pfetzing got wide as they went into turn one and Schwartz quickly darted underneath for the lead. Pfetzingwas hoping to get the drive on the outside on the back chute but Schwartz shut the door and led the rest of the way for the win and more importantly he had a one-point lead. The crowd, which was already roaring,

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