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/128178
the stops and the Costa Mesa points champion made the transfer to the LCQ. The pole went to Faria in the LCQ. with Castro in two and Larsen in three. On the outside were Brant and Manchester. Two riders would transfer to the main. and it was going to be a dogfight. Faria got the gate. with Manchester right behind him. The two locked up the top spots. and no one was going to get by. Brant was trying to find any opening he could but just couldn't find any racing room. Larsen had been running third but got caught outside and Castro got by. Faria and (Left! Reigning U.s. NatIonal Champion Chris Manchester (1) had to play catch-up all night. He made the National final bu1 finished fourth. (Left! American speedway veteran John Cook was perhaps the most exciting rider all night, running a 22-inch rear tire and making outside passes at will. Cook eamed a direct spot in the National final, bu1 he was disappointed after finishing a careerbest fifth. Charlie "The Edge" Venegas was nice and loose, busy building a shelf and visiting with everyone. "Flyin" Mike Faria and teammates Chris "The Kid" Manchester and "Fast" Eddie Castro were focused and ready to go for it. "Gorgeous' Gary Hicks and Randy "The Rocket" DiFrancesco were joking around. Scotty Brant and Josh Larsen were in full race mode. making last-minute adjustments to their equipment. Shawn "Mad Dog" McConnell. Bobby "Boogaloo' Schwartz and Andy "The Enforcer' Northrup were acting as if it was just another race night. Bryan Yarrow looked relaxed. which was more than could by said for Dad. It was the first National for Shaun Harmatiuk. and he bumed off his excess energy pacing the pits. Bart "Simpson" Bast was hungry. and John Cook was getting his goggles sorted out. Veteran Alan Christian was ready to go. Hamill was used to these big events and looked cool and collected. The most relaxed of the bunch seemed to be Brad Oxley. who said he would be happy to not finish last. and Danny Perkins. who came on as a last-minute reserve. It was a simple format: four rounds of Scratch racing with points scored 3-2-1-0. The top three in points would go directly to the main. The next four would go to the last-chance qualifer. and the final five would go to the semifinal. The winner of the semi transferred to the LCQ. The top two in the LCQ made up the final two riders in the main. Yarrow opened up the night's racing with the win in the first heat. Hamill woke up the crowd with a wire-to-wire romp in heat two. Hicks showed the fans that he had come to race by taking the win in the third heat. Faria was just as impressive with a win his heat-four ride. John Cook. the only rider running a 22-inch rear tire. showed the folks how to make the outside work as he won his opening heat. Hamill came right back in the first race of the second round and posted the win again. Hicks. Cook and Faria did likewise in round two. and Dukie Ermolenko got in the win column as he picked up the third-heat win. Three riders were perfect with two heat rounds left. Brant finally got on track as he opened up the third round with an impressive win. Manchester followed in his footsteps by winning the second heat. Hamill spoiled Faria's perfect score by topping him in the third (Left to rightt Hicks, Hamill and Faria take to the podium. Manchester took the final two spots in the main. The National Championship came down to five riders. Hicks was on the pole. with Hamill in two and Manchester in three. Faria and Cook were in four and five. Could Manchester defend his title? He had beat Hamill once already in an earlier heat race. Would Faria pick up his fourth title? Would Hamill pick up his first National win? Was Cook the spoiler? Was this going to be the night that Hicks finally had everything go his way? The answer was quick in coming. The tapes came up and Hamill lived up to his nick name. as he came off the line like a bullet and was gone. Faria got out second. and Hicks was right behind him. Manchester was riding double with Hicks but. for a change. the fickle finger of fate smiled on Hicks. and he didn't break. Hamill was showing the style that makes him one of the best around as he claimed his first U.S. National title. Faria would stand on the podium in the second spot. with Hicks getting third. Hamill got the blanket toss and the traditional champagne bath. eN heat. Schwartz rained on Hicks' parade as he took the win in the fourth heat. And Bast came up with a great ride to close out the final heat of the round. Now there was only one rider perfect on the night - Hamill. Hicks was one point back, and Faria two. with one round left. Faria got the holeshot. but it was Cook. on the outside. who came up with the win as the final round opened up. Hicks got back on track and finished off with a convincing win. Venegas finally put one together in the second heat of the round. He got the gate and led from start to finish. Unfortunately. it was too little too late. The defending champ was doing what he did last year - scrapping to make the semis. A win in the final round ensured him a spot. In getting that win. he also ruined Hamill's perfect score. as he would finish the night one point less than perfect. The final round went to fan-favorite Castro. It would be enough to put him in the LCQ. There were two runoffs. The first was between Cook and Faria. to determine who would go directly to the main. The nod went to Cook. while Faria would have to move up through the LCQ. Three other riders had a runoff for the final LCQ starting spot. It was between Brant. McConnell and Schwartz. Brant got that spot. while McConnell and Schwartz went to the semi. McConnell drew the pole for the semi, with Bast in two and Ermolenko in three. On the outside were Larsen and Schwartz. The gate went to Ermolenko. but Larsen pulled out all cue I • IInonge County Flllrgnlllllds Com M.... c.llfanIl. ResuUs: Octab.r 12. ZDD2 FINAL STANDINGS: I. Billy Homlll (OM): 2. Mike Feria (JIIIW): 3. G8ry Hicks (Jaw); 4. Chris Manchester (Jaw); 5. John Cook (Jew); 6. Scott Bront (GMI: 7. Ed Costro (GMI: 8. Josh Lorsen (Jow); 9. Dukie Ermolenko (Jow); 10. Bort Bost (Jow): 11. Shown McConnell (GMI: 12. Bobby Schwortz (Jow): 13. (TIE) Bryon Yorrow (Jow)/ Charlie Venegu (Jaw); 15. (TIE) Alan Christian (GDN)/Rondy DiFroncesco (Jow): 17. (TIE) Brod Oxley (Wes)/Andy Northrup (Jow)/Donny Perkins (Jow): 20. Shown Hormotiuk (Jow). PW50: 1. Dusty Phllres: 2. Devin Foremen; 3. Mikey Moreno; 4. Brad Pie!. n eo "" s ' OCTOBER 30, 2002 35