By: Ryan Evans
Mike Faria won the Scratch Main for the fifth time at Costa Mesa this season and Buck Blair captured his second Handicap Main of 2004 at the world famous oval on Saturday.
The action in the Scratch Main began before the tapes went up when former National Champion Charlie "The Edge" Venegas was penalized for touching the tapes. After the riders staged again, Faria trapped the field from gate five and secured the inside line and the lead. The three-time National Champion's grasp of the lead was never in doubt as he raced away with the main event. Bobby Schwartz finished second, Eddie Castro was third, Venegas finished fourth, and Randy DiFrancesco was fifth.
The Handicap Main began without 20 yard rider Justin Boyle who was involved in a crash in the Last Chance Race. This left three riders on the 30 to battle an important drag race to the first turn. Colorado native Buck Blair beat Andy Northrup and DiFrancesco to turn one and took the lead. Northrup emerged from the battle in second place and hoped to catch Blair. His hopes were never realized as Blair rode a fast and smooth eight laps to win the main. Northrup remained in second the entire race, Shawn McConnell was third, Castro finished fourth, and Faria was fifth.
Hideaki Ota jumped into the lead from gate four at the start of the Support Main Event with hopes of winning his first main of the season. Those hopes were ended on the second lap when Steve Murray took over the lead. Sixteen year old Skyler Greyson went by Ota as well and had visions of taking the lead. Murray never allowed Greyson an opportunity and he took his fourth main event win at Costa Mesa this season. Greyson had to settle for second, Ota hung to third, Carl Gazafy was fourth, and Rudy Laurer finished fifth.
Mark Sincavage won the three-rider battle of front yardage riders to take the lead in the Support B Main Event. His lead didn't last long because Robert Fiesler blasted underneath at the end of the first lap. Fiesler, a sergeant for the Los Angeles Police Department, never looked back as he scored a comfortable victory. Steve Dziadus was second, Sincavage finished third, Kim Stevens was fourth, Jim Lavender finished fifth, and Mike Boyle was sixth.
Jason Ramirez, who recently finished third in the Youth National Championship, won both heats and was well on his way to victory in the Youth Main when he fell on the third lap. Austin Novratil was in the right place at the right time as he took over the lead and held it to the checkered flag. Ricky Valdez was second, Joey Holt finished third, and Ramirez was fourth.
RESULTS Youth Speedway 8 - Austin Novratil 5 - Ricky Valdez 114 - Joey Holt 66 - Jason Ramirez (fell, remounted) Support B Consolation 185 - Keith Mullally 20 169 - Dan Wensloff 10 223 - Fred Schmitthammer 20 308 - Hugh Randolph 10 150 - Damon Barry 10 (fell) Support B Main Event 106 - Robert Fiesler 20 212 - Steve Dziadus 20 213 - Mark Sincavage 10 136 - Kim Stevens 10 102 - Jim Lavender 10 198 - Mike Boyle 20 (fell) Support Last Chance 182 - Rudy Laurer 107 - Monte McKeon 178 - Eloy Medellin 248 - Brian Starr (fell) Support Main Event 214 - Steve Murray 120 - Skyler Greyson 240 - Hideaki Ota 176 - Carl Gazafy 182 - Rudy Laurer Handicap Main Event 39 - Buck Blair 30 166 - Andy Northrup 30 6 - Shawn McConnell 40 14 - Eddie Castro 40 9 - Mike Faria 50 11 - Bobby Schwartz 40 12 - Randy DiFrancesco 30 (fell) 18 - Justin Boyle 20 (non starter) Last Chance (awarded) 11 - Bobby Schwartz 8n - Bryan Yarrow 166 - Andy Northrup 18 - Justin Boyle (fell) Scratch Main Event 9 - Mike Faria 11 - Bobby Schwartz 14 - Eddie Castro 43 - Charlie Venegas (tape penalty) 12 - Randy DiFrancesco
