Costa Mesa Fall Classic
Try as they might, the locals can't stop the champ
points, with Hamill and Schwartz one
point back with one round left.
Schwartz opened up the final
COSTA MESA, CA, NOV. 2
V'"Ji1 he locals will be mighty happy
..1..1. when Billy "The Bullet" Hamill
returns to Europe, as he has been
cleaning house on the local tracks.
After winning the National Championship two weeks ago, Hamill
returned to the famous Bullring at the
Costa Mesa Fairgrounds and added
the Fall Classic to his list of titles.
It was an all-Scratch program, with
three rounds of five-rider heats.
Points were awarded 4-3-2-1-0, with
the top 10 moving on to the semis,
and with the final five moving on to
the main.
The first round saw the players
emerge. Chris "The Kid" Manchester
came to win, and he surprised Hamill
by beating him in his first heat. Other
winners of the first round included
Bobby Krips, Bobby "Boogaloo"
Schwartz and Josh Larsen.
Hamill got on track in the second
round as he won his heat. Manchester
was still hot and went two for two.
Charlie "The Edge" Venegas stirred
the pot even more as he came away
with a win. Larsen, like Manchester,
remained perfect as he won his heat.
Larsen and Manchester were tied in
22
NOVEMBER 20, 2002'
cue
•
Ryan Fisher, home from Europe, got
on track as he took the second heat.
Hamill was in winning form as he won
round with a win and, with 11 points,
ensured himself a place in the semis.
By ELAINE JONES
PHOTOS By MIKE BASSO
his final heat race, and "Fast" Ed
e
n
__
s
Castro got the outside working to win
(Below! Veteran speedway racer
Bobby Schwartz matched Hamill and
Larsen with 11 points, finishing third
In the Fall Classic main event.
