From Ryan Evans
sideways31@aol.com
Gary Hicks returned to his early-season form by winning a Handicap Main at
Costa Mesa that was full of controversy.
The race was full of back yardage riders with four on the 40 and four on the 50. Ryan Fisher jumped the first start and was sent back 20 yards to the 60 yard line. On the second attempt, Randy DiFrancesco took the lead as the field entered turn one. Hicks was able to get into second place on the first lap and went after the leader. Hicks was relentless with his pressure on DiFrancesco and finally passed him on the fourth lap. Regular flagman Jerry King was absent and his replacement displayed the checkered flag at the end of the sixth lap obviously forgetting that the Handicap Main is eight laps.
Gary Hicks was the tentative winner and the riders assumed the race was over and began exiting the track with the exception of DiFrancesco who argued vehemently with the referee that the race had ended two laps early. The referee agreed and the field was called to the track for a staggered restart with two laps remaining. Hicks took his place at the tapes with the field behind him and as would be expected Hicks was an easy winner with DiFrancesco finishing second again and thereby gaining nothing for his arguing, Andy Northrup was third, and Dukie Ermolenko was fourth.
Chris Manchester made it two weeks in a row by taking the Scratch Main event. Manchester blasted into the lead at the start but there was some movement just prior to the tapes going up and Shawn McConnell and Bobby Schwartz were left behind because they were expecting a restart. Mancester was chased by Fisher all four laps but the sixteen year old couldn't gain any ground on the former National Champion. Manchester was an easy winner over Fisher with Hicks finishing third, McConnell fourth, and Schwartz fifth. After the race, Hicks took a minute to voice his displeasure to the referee about the movement at the tapes.
David Lynch got a great start and never looked back as he took an easy victory in the Support Main Event. Randy Skinner followed Lynch throughout the race and finished second, Gerry Duttweiler was third, and Sean Larned was fourth.
Northern California rider Jonathan Curry made a mockery of his obvious misplacement in Support B to score an easy win in his first visit to Costa Mesa. Curry was lined up on the 20 yard line but stormed through the field to take the lead at the end of lap one. Curry then ran away from everyone to take the victory. Howard Larson finished second, and Ed Martinez finished third.
Next week is Harley Night which will feature fans racing their stree-legal Harleys around the world-famous track and will no doubt attract a large crowd.
RESULTS Support B Consolation 239 - Philip Williams 10 178 - Eloy Medellin 20 135 - Kerry Connor 20 249 - John Stunkard 20 132 - David Moore 20 (fell) 125 - Johnny Lupo 20 (fell) Support B Main 31n - Jonathan Curry 20 168 - Howard Larson 10 269 - Ed Martinez 20 198 - Mike Boyle 20 293 - Rick Valdez 10 (fell, remounted) 107 - Monte McKeon 10 Support Main 131 - David Lynch 383 - Randy Skinner 200 - Gerry Duttweiler 226 - Sean Larned Handicap Main 3 - Gary Hicks 50 12 - Randy DiFrancesco 40 166 - Andy Northrup 40 15 - Dukie Ermolenko 50 36 - Ryan Fisher 40 (penalty line) 14 - Eddie Castro 40 1 - Brad Oxley 50 130 - Chris Manchester 50 Scratch Main 130 - Chris Manchester 36 - Ryan Fisher 3 - Gary Hicks 6 - Shawn McConnell 11 - Bobby Schwartz (retired) Ryan Evans sideways31@aol.com
