Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126986
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Oxley celebrated after winning a
runoff with Bobby Ott.
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Brad Oxley gave himself an early birthday present by winning the National
Speedway Championship at California's Orange County Fairgro~nds.
Alan Christian (left) finished in a fifth place tie with Mike Faria, while
Steve Lucero (right) took third place honors in 'the championship chase.
Coors National S~edwaJ'
Cbampionsbi~
Oxley takes
the title By Scott Daloisio
COSTA MESA, CA, OCT. 3
The 1987 version of the Coors National
Speedway Championship had a little bit of
everything for the massive crowd that gathered at the Orange County Fairgrounds.
Great racing, a near brawl if).
the pits and a runoff to decide
the National Championship
for the second conseCutive season. When the final checkered flag
of the night had dropped and most
of the tempers had cooled, "Rad"
Brad Oxley had his hand raised in
victory..
Oxley, just three days shy of his
28th birthday and about four weeks
prior to the .birth of his second child,
was coming off third place finishes;
the Ascot Track Championship and
the California State Championship.
For the National he had drawn
position nine and he would have to
start out of· the brutal gate three
twice. Despite the bad draw he scored
14 points. At night's 'end he had a
runoff with "Showtime" Bobby Ott
for the crown and Ott drew the
inside, but it was Oxley who ended .
up on the top step of the rostrum.
Coming into the event most insiders predicted that event one would
be the pivotal race of the meeting.
It matched Ott off the pole against
Mike Faria, Lance King and defending National Champion Bobb}:
Schwartz. King was replacing Kelly
Moran, who had replaced Sam"
Ermolenko.
Faria, who got the biggest cheer
during the rider's parade, rocketed
out of gate two and took the point
.position over Ott, King and
Schwartz. Ott came under Faria at
the end of the opening circuit and
he ran away from the pack to score
his first convincing win:of the night.
Faria hung on for second while King
crashed across the line in third.
Schwartz took fourth and his chances
retaining the title were minimal
at best.
Robert Pfetzing won a history
making event two ahead of Tuff
McBride and Dubb Ferrell. Phil
Collins made the history by being
the first British rider to compete in
the U.S. National, unfortunately he
finished last.
Event three provided the first
con troversy of the !TIeeting as the
tapes were broken' on tbe start but
referee Irwin Moon didn't notice.
Oxley led all four laps to take the
win, but when the situation was
pointed out to Moon, he declared
that the race would be rerun at the
end of the opening round.
Steve Lucero and Billy Hamill, the
youngestrider in the field at 17, gated
in event four but Hamill parked in
turn one and was hit by ]985
National Champion Alan Christian.
Both riders went down and a Gomplete restart was ordered. Christian
gated on the restart, but a charging
Lucero ducked inside off turn four
on the opening lap. Lucero took the
lead and lengthened it outall the way,
to the Jerry King checkered:
When event three was rerun, Oxley
again led all the way and scored the
win by a comfortable margin. Bart
Bast, who got pinche(} off in the first
bend, came from last to take second.
Ott opened the second round with
a convincing win much to the
delight of his fans. The only other
rider to finish the event was Bast. Ed
Castro's machine called in sick just
after the start while Collins lost a
chain.
Event six was another big one as
-it matched Luc~ro with Faria, Oxley
. and Pfetzing. Lucero was off the pole
with Pfetzing out of four. Pfetzing
got another £