Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

'" Costa Mesa - San Bernardino - V iintara - Aubarn - Napa - COda Mea - Sa~"rnardln. - V.ntara - Auburn - Napa - COda Mea- eSPEEDWAY WEEK ; CN 00 ~ ,....,.-4 ,....,.-4 ~ Q.) ..0 S Q.) -.J c, -~ Q.) v: (Above) Stev e Lucero leads Mike Faria at Auburn . (Below) Polesitter John Sandona. Denny Becker and Mike Bast line up at Costa Mesa. Faria, M iller motivate to Costa Mesa w ins By Kenneth Kellogg COSTA MESA, CA, AUG. 20 John Cook returned tonight as Costa Mesa Speedway's guest rider, but also announced the good news for all speedway fans 34 that he is back in the U.S . to stay. Cook is a fabulous showman and a top racing professional. He made both mains, finishing fourth in the Handicap and third in the Scratch. . In the Third Division main, leading the race from start to finish was Ken Hansen; the battle for second place was between Cory Lussier and Keiffer. Keiffer passed to take over the number two position- and finishing fourth was Shane McDonald with Ron Williams fifth . In Second Division warfare, the name was Chris Mistretta who, riding from the 10 yard line, led the entire race and was basically unchallenged. Robin Bourgeios began the . race in second, which is where he finished. Reichardt worked his way into third , but there simply were not enough laps for him to gain any more ground. Scott Talkington Iin- , ished fourth with Rusty Jennings and Pat Hawley both out of the race. After two red-flagged starts, the Handicap . main was finally under way ; Dennis Abbott was out in turn three. Also not finishing the race was Gary Ford. When Ford went out Rick Miller took over first place: John Cook was third. He moved into second, riding hard, but, went too wide on turn four of lap four and Mike Faria took full advantage and moved into the number two spot. Alan Christian also took advantage and moved into th e number three posi~i~n leaving Cook in fourth place, Christian was the onl y 50 yard line rider -at Costa Mesa tonight. In the Scratch Consolation, Gen e Woods was actually out of the starting gate before the tapes had gone all the way up. Although he didn 't break the tapes , Irwin Moon declared it an unfair start, a ruling confirmed by other officials and several riders the Race was restarted and, as Barry Briggs said, it was poetic justice. Woods again took the gateshot and led the entire race for the win. Dave Sims was second, Mike Curoso third and Mike Bast fourth. . The Scratch main event had, in lane one, Alan Christian, lane two, John Cook, lane three, Dubb Ferrell and on the outside, Mike Faria. Faria took the gate, the lead and the win. Faria led from beginning to end. Christian did the same for second place. Cook started in third, fell behind Ferrell to fourth on the second lap, then, on the next lap, took third back. That's how it finished Faria Christian, Cook and Ferrell. ' . Next Friday night, the night before the World Final, will be a great speedway night with many overseas visitors to see the races -. Racing begins at 8:00 p.m. Friday and there are still "World" tickets available. Ferrell Handicap, Lucero Scratch at IMS By Scott Da loisio SAN BERNARDINO, CA, AUG . 18 Eighteen-year-old Steve Lucero became the ninth different Scratch main wi n ner of the season when he defea ted a bevy of speedway stars at John La Douceu(s Inl and Motorcycle Speedway tomght. · . Lucero, aboard the Lu cero Machine/ Super Seer Weslake, came from the number two spot to lead from the gate over Mike Bast (Justice Brothers/ Knobby Shop Jawa), Mike Curoso (B&B/ Carlisle Wes) and Ala n Ch ristian (ST P Godden ). The pack stayed tig ht wit h Bast trying th e outside over the first two laps. Ch ristian drop ped fro m the h unt with mechanical ills on lap two. Bast changed strategy on lap th ree and tried to muscle his way by on the inside, only to have Lucero hang tough and edg e th e wily veteran to starter Sid Sutton 's checkered flag. It was a doubly impressive win when yo u take into acco unt the fact that Lucero was 'sicker than a dog' a nd said th a t he should have been at home in bed. " Dangero us" Dubb Ferrell (Dean 's Independent Mazda/ Vera 's/STP Jaw ) came from the 30 to score a popular win in the :Handicap main. Phil Gagnon (Bionic Auto Body/Scotty's Muffler Jaw) was the initial lead er wi th Kurt Strommer (Mt. View Foreign Auto/Hair by Bev Jaw) sailing by on the backchute on lap one. Ferrell was funning third and moved into the second spot when he slipped by a stubbon Gagnon on lap three. Ferrell then went to work on Strommer with Mike Faria (Cycle Gear/ Cody Products/Jones Goggles Jaw) taking Gagnon for third at the white flag. Ferrell 's intense pressure on Strommer finally paid off as he slipped by on the inside in turn two on the final lap. Ferrell led the remainder of th e way to win his second IMS Handic ap main of the season over Strommer and Faria. First year rider Randy Blevins (Hancock Design /Grin Products Jaw) led wire-to-wire from the 10 to capture his second IMS Divi sion Two main of the season. A wild battle took place for second between Victor Robledo (Michaels Lapidary Jaw), Bob Ott (Jaw), Steve Murray (Malcolm Smith/C &M Tools Jaw), Chris Reichardt (Gene Plues Godd) and And y Northrup (J & M Trophies Wes). Murrary had second wrapped up when he bobbled on the final circu it, dropping from second to sixth. Reichardt made a fine drive from the 30 to finish second behind the streaking Blevins. Ott claimed third. " T he Magician" ScottTalkington (Auto's Unlimited/Carl isle Godd) took the lead from Bria n Speaks (Jaw) on lap two and went the rest of the way to win the Third Division main. Speaks hung on for second followed by Jon Pavano (Jaw). lack Ba~ett ~ F~og House Jaw) escaped serIOUS Injury when he catapulted over the wall and into a chain link fence, causing a red flag. . . Super hot Dave Busby (Schwartz/ . Busby) passed Warren Wilson (Hair by Bev) on lap one and then held off d~fending National Champion Ronme Corey (D & F Cycle) to claim his second IMS Junior main of the seas0!l' Greg Hancock (Pen hall) was thud followed by Wilson and Amy Alvarez in her first-ever main event . Result s SCRATCH: 1. Steve Lucero (Wes); 2. Mike Bast (J aw ); 3. M Ike Curoso (Wes ); 4. Alan Christian (Good). HAND ICAP: 1. Dubb Ferre ll (J aw ); 2. Kun Strommer (Jaw) ; 3 . M ike Faria (Jaw); 4 . Phil Gagnon (Jaw); 5. Guy Ermolenko (Good); 6. Dave DeTemple (Jaw) . 2ND DIV:· 1. Randy Blevins (Jaw); 2. Chris Rei· chardt (Good); 3. Bob On (Jaw); 4. Vietor Robledo (Jew); 5. Andy Nonhrup (Wes); 6. Steve Murray (Jaw) . 3RD DIV: 1. Scott Talkington (Good); 2. Brian Speaks (Jaw); 3. Jon Pavano (Jaw ); 4. Mark Rotondo (Jaw ); 5. Bob Bechtold (Mae); 6. Zack Barrett (Jaw) . J R: 1. Dave Busby; 2. Ronnie Corey; 3. Greg Hancock; 4. Wa rre n W ilson ; 5. Amy Alvarez; 6. Bobby Cody. . Robledo wins his first in Ventura By Bill Locey VENTU RA, CA, AUG. 17 " Fly in' Mike" Faria won hi 10th main event and Victo Robledo won his first on foggy , muggy night at the Ven- tu ra Raceway. It was Faria's n in Scratch main win here this year, an he finished second in the Handica ma in as well. Besides Faria, Buddy Robinson and Rob Pfetzing were pfast enough to make both ma ins. In handicap racing, things began on an omin ous no te in the first heat as Scott Talkington went over the handlebars and crashed hard in tum two and Australian rider, Neil Webb did likewise 20 feet down the track i~ an unrelated incident. The race was red-flagged and declared an "over" after three laps with Grey Ayers the winner. There were only five crashes thereafter with no injuries. In another heat, rookie Bob Ott stretched his First Division-unbeaten string to four by easily winning his heat, but faded like a swapmeet tshirt as the evening wore on. Dennis Abbott followed Ott across the line , and Pfetzing pflew out of nowhere to surprise Jeff Tomlin in the last tum for third. Local favorite Shawn Mc Connell broke his chain right when things got interesting and was history for the handicaps. Faria, flying on the outside in his semi, ran out of laps before he could catch Ayers and had to settle for second. In the other semi , the Bud Man got the holdshot riders dream of - he passed two riders by turn two, then nailed Ott and Pfetzing on the next lap and won by plenty. In the main, Robledo, riding his brother Mike's bike , cut underneath Chris Reichardt on the second lap, and was-never threatened thereafter. Robledo, after only about a month in First Division, will probably try life on the 30-yard-line next week. It was his first win here since May of last year when he took Second Divis ion honors. In Scratch racing, it was bas ic Faria - he won his heat by turn one and never looked back. But in the semi, Pfetzing, pflying pfenomenally pfast, outgated Faria from the pole and beat him convincingly for the pfirst time this year here. In the main, Faria drew the pole which is a lot like pitching underhanded to Reggie Jackson. It was another Faria rout. In the locals-only-department: Oxnard Shores local Guy Helderlein won the Second Divisi on main when . Russ Bacarella's bike died and Tommy Walton fell down in front of him. Helderlein won .by about .10 miles after finishing second in his heat. Jimmy O'Dell was second followed by Mark Weaver in his '82 Ventura debut. Norcal rider Kevin Krugh, now of Huntington Beach , won his first two rides as a southerner and took D-3 honors. There were so few Third Division riders that all six heat riders made the main. Next week it 's the Ventura Track Championship and the end of convenient speedway as we know it until April, 1983. Last chance for long track thrills - interested parties drive

• Cover