From Ryan Evans
sideways31@aol.com
An exhibition of speedway racing was one of several attractions at the famous
Costa Mesa oval. 13 first division riders and eight sidecars along with
several freestyle motorcyle jumpers as well as skateboard and bicycle ramp
performers all performed to help kick off the annual Orange County Fair.
The Costa Mesa oval looked very crowded with a takeoff and landing ramp at each end of the infield as well as a half-pipe ramp in between. Although the speedway was an exhibition the riders put on a great show that featured some excellent inside, outside, and side-by-side racing that certainly entertained the crowd. Even the casual speedway fan could see that it was exhibition any newcomer would probably not have known and would certainly have been tempted to come back and the purpose of the exhibition was to gain more fans.
Although it was an exhibition I still kept results. There were no designated main events so these are all strictly heat races. Nine of the first ten races were scratch races with the only exception being a match race between Brad Oxley and Bobby Schwartz in which Oxley won. The last two races each had at least one rider starting ten yards back.
RESULTS
1: Brad Oxley, Gary Hicks, Shawn McConnell, Gary Ackroyd
2: Bobby Schwartz, Randy DiFrancesco, Eddie Castro, Dukie Ermolenko
3: Jim Estes, Josh Larsen, Chris Manchester, Andy Northrup, Johnny Walker
7: Brad Oxley, Eddie Castro, Dukie Ermolenko, Jim Estes
8: Gary Hicks, Bobby Schwartz, Chris Manchester, Andy Northrup
9: Randy DiFrancesco, Josh Larsen, Shawn McConnell, Gary Ackroyd, Johnny Walker
10 (Match Race): Brad Oxley, Bobby Schwartz
14: Gary Ackroyd, Jim Estes, Randy DiFrancesco, Eddie Castro
15: Shawn McConnell, Chris Manchester, Andy Northrup, Dukie Ermolenko
16: Josh Larsen, Gary Hicks, Brad Oxley, Bobby Schwartz, Johnny Walker
20 (6 laps): Shawn McConnell, Dukie Ermolenko, Jim Estes, Randy DiFrancesco-10, Eddie Castro, Johnny Walker
21 (8 laps): Gary Hicks, Gary Ackroyd-10, Randy DiFrancesco-10, Bobby Schwartz, Chris Manchester, Brad Oxley, Josh Larsen
Ryan Evans
sideways31@aol.com