From Ryan Evans
sideways31@aol.com
Former World Number Three Lance King made a triumphant return to speedway by winning the Handicap Main at Costa Mesa. King, who hasn't raced in over two years, started alongside Chris Manchester, Jim Estes, and Randy DiFrancesco on the 40 yard line. The quartet battled into turn one with King coming out ahead of the others. King set his sights on second-placed Charlie Cooley and easily dispatched him. Mark Adams, who started on the 10 yard line, was all that stood between King and the lead. King reeled in Adams and made the pass on lap four. Meanwhile, Shawn McConnell had made his way up to second and looked to be a contender to King's lead. King maintained his comfortable lead and took the checkered flag in front of McConnell. Andy Northrup finished third, Estes was fourth, and DiFrancesco was fifth. King borrowed a bike from long-time friend Bobby Schwartz.
Defending National Champion Brad Oxley won a Scratch Main that took several attempts to complete. Gary Ackroyd, who had picked himself up off the deck to win his Scratch Heat, got a flying start on the first attempt, but the race was red-flagged as referee Bryan Galvin ruled that Ackroyd was moving at the start. On the second attempt, Ackroyd again was first to turn one, but this time Galvin ruled that Ackroyd had touched the tapes and penalized him 20 yards to the dismay of the obviously upset Ackroyd. The third attempt was not the charm as Charlie Venegas was the victim of a questionable tape-touching call. Venegas begrudgingly took his place next to Ackroyd on the penalty line for the fourth attempt. This time all was well at the gate as Oxley and Eddie Castro battled in turn one. Oxley led going down the back straight with Castro fighting him all the way. Oxley was able to take control of the lead and led all the way to the finish. Dukie Ermolenko passed Castro for second, Castro held onto third, Venegas was fourth, and Ackroyd was fifth.
Sixteen year old Shawn Harmatiuk used determination to win an exciting Support Main Event. Harmatiuk started alongside his father, Phil Harmatiuk, and Paul Hitchcock on the 10 yard line. Hitchcock took the lead and steadily stretched his lead for three laps. Harmatiuk began to reel in Hitchcock on the fourth lap, but looked to be too far behind to challenge. The white flag seemed to ignite the young rider as he closed fast on Hitchcock, they battled into the final corner and as they crossed the line it was Harmatiuk by a narrow margin. Frank Pecce finished third, Dave Delbridge finished fourth, and the proudest father in Costa Mesa, Phil Harmatiuk was fifth. Greg Starcevic took advantage of a restart and was an easy winner in the Support B Main Event. On the first start, Starcevic went into turn one too fast and laid it down. A crash in the next corner forced a restart. On the restart, Starcevic took the lead out of the gate and never looked back for the victory. Howard Larson finished second and Tom Collier finished third. In Junior Speedway action Skyler Greyson looked smoothe in winning the first heat. Miles Calvin finished second, Justin Boyle third, and Krystal Cramer was fourth. The second heat brought the crowd to its feet as Cramer held off Calvin all four laps to take win.
The evening did have one somber note. Gary Hicks, who had won the first two Scratch Mains and was leading last week before a mechanical failure cost him a victory, was injured in a crash during his Handicap Semi. Hicks, running fourth at the time, hit a hole that had developed between turns three and four and went straight into Charlie Cooley before falling hard on his right side. Hicks was down for several minutes and was taken off the track via stretcher and sent to the hospital. It was later determined that Hicks had a broken collarbone and will be out approximately four weeks.
RESULTS Support B Consolation 196 - Rod Lenz 10 180 - Malcolm Roe 20 331 - Peter Curtis 10 198 - Mike Boyle 20 178 - Eloy Medellin 20 153 - Craig Muzio 10 (non-starter) Support B Main (restarted) 197 - Greg Starcevic 10 168 - Howard Larson 20 141 - Tom Collier 20 107 - Monte McKeon 10 135 - Kerry Connor 10 249 - John Stunkard 10 (non-starter) Support Consolation 103 - Brent Smith 10 162 - Mike Lupo 30 177 - Mark Hitchcock 20 121 - Mike Mosby 20 219 - John O'Neill 20 200 - Gerry Duttweiler 30 Junior Race 1 Junior Race 2 2 - Skyler Greyson 27 - Krystal Cramer 99 - Miles Calvin 99 - Miles Calvin 198 - Justin Boyle 2 - Skylar Greyson 27 - Krystal Cramer 198 - Justin Boyle Handicap Main 24 - Lance King 40 6 - Shawn McConnell 60 166 - Andy Northrup 50 56 - Jim Estes 40 12 - Randy DiFrancesco 40 16 - Charlie Cooley 30 223 - Mark Adams 10 130 - Chris Manchester 40 Scratch Main (3 restarts) 1 - Brad Oxley 15 - Dukie Ermolenko 14 - Eddie Castro 43 - Charlie Venegas (penalty line - tapes) 8 - Gary Ackroyd (penalty line - tapes) Ryan Evans sideways31@aol.com
