Costa Mesa Speedway

Orange County Fairgrounds - Costa Mesa, CA

2001 Orange County Harley Davidson Night
Costa Mesa Speedway
August 25, 2001
From Ryan Evans

Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz used his vast experience and a bit of patience to capture the Handicap Main in front of a packed house on Orange County Harley Davidson/Buell Night at Costa Mesa on Saturday Night.

Kitt Nay was alone on the 20 yard line with the rest of the eight-man field starting on the 40 or 50 yard line. Nay has proven to be a tough customer in Handicap Mains this year, having won two mains in which he led all eight laps, so getting past him would be no easy task. Schwartz was the first of the 40 yard contingent to get to turn one behind Nay. Schwartz closed on Nay quickly and was within striking distance after a couple laps. Catching Nay and passing Nay are two different things, but Schwartz kept the pressure on the 20 year old rider for several laps. On the seventh lap Nay got off the inside line exiting turn two and Schwartz seized control of the lead. Schwartz rode off into the night with the victory, but exiting turn two on the last lap, Gary Hicks ran up the back of Nay and fell over the high side. Hicks was on the ground for several minutes before being removed via stretcher and transported to the hospital with a probable broken lower right leg.

The action did not stop with the red flag. Referee Bryan Galvin determined that Nay was the cause of the crash and that Nay would be placed last. Nay returned to the track and vehemently pleaded his case. Nay's argument lasted several minutes and included a couple gestures that will probably result in disciplinary action. The final results were Schwartz getting the victory, Eddie Castro finishing second, Randy DiFrancesco getting third, Brad Oxley, making only his third appearance of 2001 and riding a Weslake, was fourth, Dukie Ermolenko was fifth, Hicks was credited with sixth, Mike Faria was seventh, and Nay was eighth.

Faria used the pole to get the early lead of the Scratch Main. Hicks was right behind Faria coming out of turn two and immediately turned up the heat. Faria was not going to move from the groove, however, and held the lead through the second lap. Shawn McConnell went down going into turn one and Ermolenko was forced to lay his machine down. The red flag came out and because half the race was completed, it considered to be finished. Faria was credited with the victory, Hicks was second, Oxley was third, Ermolenko was fourth, and McConnell was credited with last for being the cause of the stoppage.

After Oxley, then Chris Manchester, and then Schwartz were eliminated, the last two riders in the Denim Doctor Challenge were McConnell and Faria. The two riders started evenly, but McConnell had the advantage of being on the inside and held a slight lead on the back straight. Faria tried the outside in turn three and was alongside McConnell exiting four. McConnell inched ahead and held Faria at bay on the last lap to earn the victory.

The Support Main Event would be showdown between David Lynch, who has the most Support victories at Costa Mesa this year, and Michael Mattocks, winner of two of the last three Support Mains. The showdown would never materialize as Lynch grabbed the early lead and Mattocks slid off, which allowed Lynch an easy victory, his fourth of the year. Tom Rossano was second, Mattocks remounted and finished third, and Hector Quevedo finished fourth.

A scratch format was used for Support B and Scott Tidwell found that much to his liking as he ran away with easy victories in his heat and the main event. Tidwell's main event victory was his second at Costa Mesa this year. Shane Kump finished second, Rohn Zellnerwas third, and Michael Novratil was fourth.

There will not be speedway at Costa Mesa next Saturday due to Labor Day Weekend. The speedway schedule will resume the following Saturday, September 8 when the Freestyle Motorcycle Jumpers make their second appearance of the season. The freestyle jumpers always put on a great show and have proven to be a great draw the past few years. They have drawn standing room only crowds each time they have performed so an early arrival is strongly suggested because there won't be any seats left. The speedway action should be excellent because the riders always seem to turn it up a notch when there is a full house watching.

RESULTS

Support B Consolation    (scratch)
197 - Kim Stevens
212 - Steve Dziadus
169 - Dan Wensloff
137 - Jeremiah LeBlanc   (non starter)

Support B Main Event     (scratch)
118 - Scott Tidwell
228 - Shane Kump
163 - Rohn Zellner
181 - Michael Novratil     (fell, remounted)

Support Main Event  (scratch)            
131 - David Lynch
296 - Tom Rossano
122 - Michael Mattocks   (fell, remounted)
161 - Hector Quevedo     (fell)

Denim Doctor Challenge
  6 - Shawn McConnell
  9 - Mike Faria
 11 - Bobby Schwartz
130 - Chris Manchester
  5 - Brad Oxley

Handicap Main Event
 11 - Bobby Schwartz          40
 14 - Eddie Castro            40  (started on the 50)
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco       40
  5 - Brad Oxley              40
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko         40
  3 - Gary Hicks              50  (fell)
  9 - Mike Faria              50  (retired)
216 - Kitt Nay              20  (excluded)

Last Chance
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko
130 - Chris Manchester
 11 - Bobby Schwartz
243 - Sean McDougall     (fell)

Scratch Main Event
  9 - Mike Faria
  3 - Gary Hicks
  5 - Brad Oxley
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko
  6 - Shawn McConnell    (fell, excluded)