EVENTS' ..
Edned by Scott RousSeau'
Ove
rseasSpeedway Final
Americans shut
out a
tCoventry
By John Hipkiss
COVENTRY, ENGLAND, Jill·lE 11
t was a disappointment for the four
West Coa st speedway riders during
th~ Overseas Speedwa y Final at
Coventry Speedway Stadium.
Onl y Am erican Chris Manchester
salvaged so me pride, but he only qualified as a reserve for the next stage of the
com petition, the Intercontinental Final
at Elgaine, Norway, on August 19th.
The American quartet of Manchester,
Charle s Ermolenko, Mike Faria and
Brent Werner had hoped for more from
th is meet with the quality of rid e rs
being a little lower because of the Grand
Prix system this year, and it looked as
though a couple of them wo uld transfer
at the halfway s tage . But Fa ria and
We rner sco re d fou r p o ints a nd two
poi nts, respectively to rem ain ou t of the
hun t. Ermolenko ta llied eigh t to ti e
Manchester in a bid for the eigh th and
final slot.
A three- rider ru noff for the last place
sa w Ma nchester, Ermo lenko and Aus tralia 's Shane Par ker clash for the d ash
into th e n ext round. Manch ester sho t
fro m the sta rt to lead for three laps, wi th
Parker s na p pi ng a t hi s he e ls, w he n
Ermolen ko hit the fenc e in a big way,
destroyin g his own chances and those of
Man chester; in the rerun, Parker mad e
no mistakes to take the final spot.
Au stralia claimed the top three spots
as Ryan Sulli van won the meeting after
a runoff wi th cou ntryman Leigh Adams.
l~
Jason Lyons was third.
I
50
(Top) Bobby " BOO9aloo" Schwartz
(center) emerged victorious In the Scratch
Main at Costa Mesa.
(Above) Shane Parker (left) edged out
Chris Manc hester (ri gh t) for the final
'quall fy lng spot at Cove ntry Speedway
Stad iu m.
Results
O /A ·Q UAL: 1. Rya n Su lliva n (Aus): 2. Leigh
Ada ms (Aus); 3. Jaso n Lyons (Aus) ; 4. Mark Thorpe
(NZl; 5. Joe Screen (GBl;6. Martin Duga rd (GB); 7. Jason
Crump (Aus); 8. Sha ne Parker (Aus) .
Legal Rights Defenders LegendsN
ight
Davidson of Westminster/ STP/ Jack Jarboe /Bell / Quicksilver/ Gaeme / Russell
Racing-backed Schwartz darted from his
s ta r ti ng s p o t and into th e lead with
Venegas hanging just off his rig ht sho ulder. The aggressive riding Venegas then
dropped his rear wheel in the di rt and
go t a big drive , hoping to propel past
Schwartz on the outside as he had don e
to win the Scrat ch feature one wee k ago.
But unlike last week, the salty vet eran
com pletely closed the door on Venegas
and th en ran away with th e race. Th e
ou ts ide-ri d in g Venega s w ould drop
back to th ird behind the pole-hugging
Hicks at the checkered flag.
Hannah was able to let the Ha nd icap
main come to him. The former ice racer
got a good start off the 30 yard line and
then dogged race leader Rod "Sledge"
Sa unders for a bo u t fou r laps b e fore
Sa u nde rs m ad e a s lig h t bob bl e a nd
a llo wed H annah und ern e ath . Fr om
there, Ha nna h hogged the groove and
staved off the ad vances of a hard -charging Robert Pfelzing for the win. Pfelzing
wound up second just ahead of Hicks.
But it was also a nigh t to remember
the riders of yesteryear, and several former champions and flamboya nt personalities from the past swung a leg over
speedway bikes to ride Costa Mesa one
more time . Highlig h ts of the night
included closely fought match races
between Billy Gray and Sonny utter,
Keith Chrisco and Tom Bu rba, and
women racers Margo King and Pam
Bennett.
"Dangerous" Dubb Ferrell lived up to
his own nickname and paid homage to
former rider Danny "Berzerko" Becker
all at the same time by hooking up and
launching high. into the air off of turn
one before executing a quarter roll onto
his side and smacking the ground like a
slab of beef on the back straightaway
while match racing with Steve Nutter,
Ferrell walked away from the crash.
Former World C hampions Br u ce
"The Fox" Penha ll and Dennis "Siggy"
Sigalos brought the curtai ns down on
the legends activity by rna tch racing
aboard a pair of ancient JAP-p ower ed
speedway motorcycles..Owing to either
a display of genuine sportsmans hip or
ou trig ht fear for the beasts they were
pil ot in g, the pair rod e only two races,
splitting a win apiece before calling it a
night.
l.
Results
SC RATQI, 1. Bobby Schwartz (Wos); 2. Gary Hick..
(Wes l; 3. Charlie Venegas (jaw); 4. Shawn McCon nell
L g n sa o n t
e e d b u da
Costa Mesa Spdwy
(Gd n); 5. Jd (jaw).
HDCP: 1. Mark Hannab (W..); 2. Robert Pfetzing
(Wos); 3. Gary Hicks(Wos) 4. Brad Oxley(Wos); 5. Jim
Estes (jaw).
LEC ENDS: Tom Bu rba d el . Keith Chrisco; Pam
&nnett del . Margo King; Sonny Nutter del. Billy Gray ;
Steve Nutter del. Dubb Ferrell; Bruce Penhdlt IJrennis
By Scott Rousseau
Photo by Jim Th orn
SUP: 1. David Taylor (Jaw); 2 Jak l!' Zemke ewes); 3.
Randy Difrancesco; 4. Cra ig DePhillippi (ja w); S. Fred
Timberlake (W..).
SDCAR: 1. Lewis/ Moley; 2 . Hall/ Miller; 3 .
COSTA MFSA, CA JUNE 9
,
eg e n d s were abundant at the
Orange County Fairgrounds, and
an active legend capped off the
evening's richest ride when two-time
Wo rld Bes t Pairs and U.S . Natio na l
Cham pion Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz
to p ped th e Scra tch main du ring the
Legal Rights Defenders Legends Night.
Mark Hannah won the eight-ma n, eightlap Handicap main .
Schwartz failed to transfer direc tly
into the Scra tch main and was forced to
come th rough the Last Cha nce Scratch
heat in orde r to take his'place among the
top runners of the evening, drawing the
number two s po t, to the right of Jerry
Black . To Schwartz's right were Gary
H icks , Ch arli e Ve negas a n d Shawn
McConnell.
When the tapes went up, the Har ley-
L
Sig:alosdraw.
Morrow/Maggin; 4. Mcintyre / Germa n.
Frecker fast at McArthur MX
By Rupe rt F: Pellett
Photo by Mike Lewis
MCAR1lIUR, OH,JUNE:l-4
Jason Frecker had a terrific weekend 01 racin g .
success as he won both the 125cc A and School boy classes during Saturday's CVt..-nt, and went
on to conqu er the Schoolboy class during Sun day's Ohio State Cham pio nship race a t American Motorsports.
Over 400 riders turned out ove r the wt.'Ckend
to do battle a t this Sou the rn O hio facilit y, as
bea utiful weather and fine trac k cond itions were
the rule throughou t the program. While Frecker
had an easy· tim e on Sat urday , F&S Racin!: ' s
Chuck Reed was ab le to steal th e glory Irom
Frecker in Sunday's 12Sec A class by posting 2-1
moto finishes to take th e overal1. In th e first
125cc A moto Freck er was all business as he took
the holeshot and led with Da vid Vancuren in
second, Ree d in third and Bria n As hcraft in
lourt h. Reed quickly d ispa tched Vancuren and
set out after the fleeing Frecker as Vancuren set tled into third . Reed was on the serious gas as he
chased Frecker and was ab le to get within a few
bike len g ths, but as the checkers flew , it was
Frecker with the win.
Reed realized that if he wanted the seco nd
moto and the prestigious Ohio State Championship, he would have to get the holesh ot, and
holeshot he did, as the Hon da-mounted Frecker
would have to settle for a second- pl ace sta rt.
Frecker was able to stick wit h Reed lor a couple
01 laps, but at the finish Reed enjoy ed a healthy
lead. Geny Bennett was un doubted ly the ironman of Sunda y' s ra cing as h e ca p tu re d the
crown in 25+, 30+, an d 40+ classes to whip all
the old -timers.
Results
Saturday
so (UJ: 1. Zach Ames (KTM); 2 c:hrb Thom~ ( KTM); 3.
Billy 5pranlrJe (KTM) ; 4 . Eric Browning (Yam); 5. ToIm" Reoed.
(lEM).
50 (7-8) 1. Mic holcl Wi lla rd (KTM),; 2. J ~ Pellett (Cob ); 3.
Okey Johnson 4. Derek Stu rgt"lI ()(.aw l; 5. Dullon Cuttrill
nf;
lSuzl .
MINI SR: 1. c.,. Leach (Yam); 2. Scou Kuehll"I' (Kaw); 3. Justin
weber (K.tw); 4. J. !lOnSa und~ (Yam); 5. Shaun Kuchler (K.t w) .
SCH8Y: 1. J.l 'OOn Precker (Ho n); 2. Mark Burkhart CHon): 3_
Rob ert We lc h (Y. m); 4. Matthew Hudne ll ( Ka w ); 5. Auon
Tho mas (Yam).
125 B: 1. Chris Kuhn (K.1w ); 2. Robert Welch (Y am); 3. J.C.
Cravens (Yam); 4. JU( "",mey (Suz ); 5. Mark Burlr.h.lrt (Hon).
'
125 C: 1. Bub Thomas lSuz); 2. Harold Goin S" ; ... L.uTy Sh urN~ (Y.m,;5. Mark ~aion).
25+: 1. Eric Wentworth (Hon); 2. BiU ~ (Hon ); 3. Dan'
Hom (5uz); 4. Mark McIlanid (Yam) ; S. Troy Stanky (Yun).
30+ : 1. MMk Christian (Hon); 2. Bill Reis& (Ho n); 3. Mark
Laughlin ( Hon); 4_ M.lTk Mc Oanit"1 (Ya m); 5. Joh n RiUt"rbeck
(Youn),
•
Jim
Ad.J'fft$ CKaw) 2. laTTYShurnakn (Yam>; 1 Bob
;
J-> (KThO; 2. Clui!i Thompson (K1M); 3.
Billy Sprankk> (IC'TM); 4. r an nf'f' Tft'd (l£M); S. Duma J.cben
OCT'M).
•
50 (7-8): I .Jory PdIrtt (Cob); 2. Ky~ I'n5ton (Cob); 3. Mk:haotI
Will.ud (KTM); '" D.R.Arwoud {lCThO; 5. TyierGn.abb(Cobl.
65: 1. Om WhI ICT.dt O: 1 J U!ol:in Wlm (K.1wl; 2. c.J. Leach (Ya m); 3. Jacob
M.lt tMws (Ka w); 4. Srolt KuchJe'f' (Kolwl; 5. Shaun Kuchk't' ( K,aw ).
SC HBY: 1. Ja!iO Frt"Cker (I-Ion); 2. Out" Berry (Y am); 3. Mark.
n
Burk h.lrt (}Ion); 4. Robt' rt Wekh (YAm); 5. K"'''Rneth G.lrtia (Hon ).
;
;
125 C: 1. Hamld Goin~ (Su %) 2. Bub 'Thom&sCSuzI 3. Caw
Hom (SuzJ; 4. To ny Crus rry (Yam); 2. Chris Kuhn ()(a w); 3. Mark
Burkhart (Hon); 4. JlIl 'y Dev au lt (Ho n,; 5. j.C. Cr8Vl"n~ III (Yam).
2SO C: 1. Troy 5t.1nlt')' (Yam); 2. Brian Mal"lh (Hon); 3. Kevin
WoUe (Yam); 4. Ron Wl.' nd (Suz); 5. Juh n Hill Jr. (Su ...).
250 B: 1. Dal1.\!i AVl.'ry (Su%); 2. Billy Demastry (TM); 3. Greg;
H ubbs (Hon); 4. Aaron McCai n (Yam) ; 5. ]t-romie r t'il (t-fon).
OPEN B; 1. Eric Wentworth (Ho n); 2. Mo1rk Chrlo.tlan (Hon);
;
3. L.uT)' Shu ma kf'T (Ya m); 4. M.lTk Laug hlin CHon) 5. Mar k Calt"l!l
(Hn n).
17-24: 1. Bill y o..-ma~tr}· ITM); 2. Shane MeadoWli (""wI; 3.
Ch ris Kuhn ( Ka w); 4. Aaron McCain (Yam ); 5. Tuny Wit'l.."Rhahn
(KTMI.
25+: I. C~ Btomett CHonl; 2. Eric Wentworth (Hon); 3. John
Vanhorn (Yam) ;". Troy St.lnky CY<1m); 5. Bill R.M.Rt-w. !ian (Hon); 3. Bill
. Rei!is(Hon ); 4. 'df Atherton (J-It,"); 5. Br~ 8l'\>1y (y;lm) .
ID+ : 1. Gerry BPnnt'tt (Hon); 2. Larry Shumakn (Yam) ; 3. Jim
Adan'ul (K.Jw ); 4 . Bob J,IdJon a h (Hon); 2. Sleph.ani~ Amn (Hon); 3.
c
Melod y
Cam""""
