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/128402
which fortunately for me is what happened," Hancock said, explaining his move to the front in the 2005 season's pivotal race. For Hamill, it was an even easier explanation. "Hey, ya gotta hand it to Greg," Hamill said. "He's got winning this championship down. I gave him everything I had but still couldn't beat him." Even if Hamill won the extra point for scoring the most points in the heat races, which he accomplished, all Hancock had to do was finish third and the tide was his. But as Hancock will readily admit, he only races to win, and the results bore that out when he swept around the outside of the quick-gating Hamill and, despite Hamill pressuring for all four laps, claimed the title. Venegas was a distant third, and Fisher sputtered to fourth place. In the C final, Chris Kerr, who had only scored eight points coming into the final round, beat early-race leader Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz at the line to double his series point total. Veteran speedway icon Cook, whose appearance in the final round was a pleasant surprise after a two-year absence, wrapped up his spectacular yet checkered evening's work, with a victory in the 0 final, ahead of Buck Blair, Bryan Yarrow and J.J. Martynse. Oddly, Yarrow struggled at his home track in Auburn throughout the series, yet managed to qualify for the A final at The Grand, where he finished third, behind Hancock and Hamill. The former Junior Champion, Yarrow, finished tied for ninth in the series, with 22 points. Hancock's sixth title means he now trails AHA Hall of Famer Mike Bast by just one National Championship. "I talked with Mike on the phone yesterday," Hancock said of his boyhood speedway idol. "He wished me good luck tonight. He's such a class guy. It's an honor to even be mentioned in the same breath as him, let alone chasing his record." Bast won his tides in a nine-year period, from 1971 to 1979. Hancock started his run in 1995, and after II years he still has the desire and steam to chase the record that many speedway e>l>seNers fIgUred would never be broken - Hancock among them. "I really never thought I'd be in this position to even think about catching Mike," Hancock said, "but really, now I still gotta get two more to beat him, and there are a lot of good riders around here that want to have a say in that." GI FAST FRIDAYS 5P1EDWAY AUBURN, CALIFORNIA v_ REsuus: 0C!0eER 8, 2005 (ROUND 3 Of 3) A FINAC I. G.... Hancock (GH); 2. BiIty Hamill (GH); 3. Charlie 0-); 4. Ryan Fisher (Jaw). B FINAC I. Ilort Bast (Jaw); 2. Na.. Poricins 0-); 3. Tonvny Hedden (GH); 4. Eddoe e-ro (Jaw). C FINAC I. O>ris Kerr (Jaw); 2. Bobby Schwanz (GH); 3. Justin Boyle (Jaw). D FINAC I. John Cook (Jaw); 2. Buck 1lIa;, (Jaw); 3. Bryan y""", (GH); 4. j.J. Hanynse (Jaw). AHA NAnONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SPliEDWAY SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Ntor J of J rounds) I. G-eg Hancock (6213 _ ) ; 2. lily ~ (55); 3. Chrie Veneps (46); 4. Ryan FisI1e< (38); 5. Bart IIast (30); 6. HOb Faria ~); 7. Nale Pero>s (25); 8. Tonvny Hedden (23); 9. (TIE) Bod< IlIaF (22)1Bobby Schwanz (22~ Y""", (22); 12. Eddie Ustro (21); 13. O>ris Kerr (16); 14. (TIE) Shawn I-Ionnatiuk (8VJ"""" F _ (8); 16. j__ BoyIe (6); 17. john Cook (4); 18. lily Hies (3); 19.J.J. ~(I).