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INTERVIEW
By Scott Rousseau
Photos by Mike Basso and Scott Dalosio
T
hey were like peas and carrots,
and pepper, a burger and fries.
Now they are like oil and water~
They are reigning U.S. National Speedway Champion "F1yin'" Mlke Faria and
Costa Mesa Speedway.
In a move that is almost as stunning
as was seven-time champion Mike
Bast's decision to leave the sport for
good back in the mid-'80s, Faria, a longtime hero of Southern California and
American speedway racing fans everywhere, has elected to pack his bags and
leave Southern California for the apparently greener pastures of the Northern •
California. speedway circuit - with its
pair of regular weekly tracks. According
to the three-time U.S. National Champion, who now calls Reno, evada, home,
the combination of politics and infighting with Costa Mesa promoters International Speedway Inc., and a lack of race
venues (read m-o-n-e-y) were the major
influences behind the change. ow 41
years old, Faria sees the return home as
a fresh start, both for his career and the
sport that he loves so much. But one
thing remains the same: "Flyin'" Mlke is
still not afraid to tell it as he sees it.
So what's the deal with this move?
What was it that made you decide to
make such a drastic change?
Well, I saw a 180-degree turnaround.
Before, when I lived in Northern Califor. nia, Southern California was it. They had
five nights of racing and the big crowds,
they had this and that, and you had to go
there to make your living. And-so, for
the last 16 years I've been down there,
and every year it keeps going south - just
getting worse and worse. Now they're
down to one race track. These people up
here (in Northern California) - I see that
~ ~alt
they're more positive; I've already
picked up two new sponsors. People are
more enthused, and they're not negative.
They are trying to J:lliI1
