Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California

Former National Champion Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz began his 30th year of racing speedway in spectacular fashion by capturing the Scratch Main Event at Costa Mesa's 35th Season Opener.

Schwartz drew the pole position for the main event and launched into the lead entering turn one. He held the lead exiting turn two, but had Spring Classic Scratch Main winner Gary Hicks on his back tire. Hicks applied the pressure to Schwartz, but couldn't force a mistake. In turn three on the third lap, Hicks brushed Schwartz slightly, but Schwartz remained poised while Hicks seemed to lose ground after the contact. That gave Schwartz some extra breathing room and he went on to the victory, much to the delight of the crowd. Hicks held on to second, Dukie Ermolenko was third, Mike Faria finished fourth, and Randy DiFrancesco was fifth. Schwartz began his speedway career in 1974 and his victory proved that he is still one of the men to beat after all these years.

16 year old Justin Boyle, who is Southern California's brightest young prospect in several years, found himself in First Division after an impressive Support Main Event victory at the Spring Classic last month. Boyle transferred to the Handicap Main Event in his first night, but he had a tough task in the main as he was lined up on the 10 yard line with seven riders coming from the 40 and 50.

Boyle held the lead for two laps, but lifted coming out of turn two and Ermolenko managed to get a lower line entering turn three. Ermolenko completed the pass at the end of the third lap and the rest of the freight train went under the youngster. Faria was immediately behind Ermolenko, but couldn't get past. Ermolenko held off the pack for the remainder of the race to earn the victory. Faria finished second, Shawn McConnell was third, Scott Brant was fourth, and Eddie Castro was fifth.

Rick Valdez and Doug Benjamin entered turn one handlebar-to-handlebar at the start of the Support Main, but Valdez used the inside line to surge into the lead on the back straight. Marco Morello went around Benjamin on the second lap and began to close on Valdez. Valdez went wide entering turn three on the third lap and Morello shot under him for the lead. Morello pulled away on the final lap and took the win. Benjamin was able to get past Valdez on the final lap to snatch second, Valdez settled for third, Dave Delbridge was fourth, and Gerry Duttweiler was fifth.

Jim Lavender held the lead in the Support B Main Event until Eloy Medellin stormed into the lead at the end of lap one. Medellin cruised the rest of the way to take the easy victory. DeWayne Stark barely beat Rusty Hall to the line for second, Brian Hunt was fourth, Jim Lavender finished fifth, and Tony Bracy was sixth.

The Youth Division had three riders and one machine making debuts at Costa Mesa. Dylan Stark, Tamara Krips, and Tyler Odom all made their first appearance at the world famous oval, and coincidentally, all are second-generation riders. Stark's father is Support B rider DeWayne Stark, Krips's father is "Cowboy" Bobby Krips, and Odom's father is former rider Donnie "Too Tall" Odom. The evening also marked the debut of the Robin two-stroke youth bike at Costa Mesa as Stark, Odom, and Dario Galvin were mounted on the bikes that are being imported by Donnie Odom.

In the Youth Main Event, Krips held the lead until Skyler Greyson went by on the inside on the second lap. Greyson was smooth and steady for the remainder of the race and took the victory. Krips held on to second, Jason Ramirez finished third, Stark was fourth, Odom finished fifth, and Galvin was sixth.

The evening began the 35th year of speedway at Costa Mesa, dating all the way back to 1969. Next week will be the always-popular Harley Night, which will include races featuring street-legal Harleys.

RESULTS

Support B Consolation
112 - Bryan Baichtal    	20
198 - Mike Boyle            	20
169 - Dan Wensloff         	10
105 - Michael Hernandez         20	(non starter)

Support B Consolation
339 - Sam Stavros          	10
155 - Kevin Templeton           20
193 - Billy Swaim           	10
111 - Joe Schultz       	10
185 - Keith Mullally         	10  	(fell)
188 - Nathan Smelser           	10   	(non starter)

Support B Main Event
178 - Eloy Medellin   	       	20
244 - DeWayne Stark           	10
164 - Rusty Hall       	       	20
332 - Brian Hunt       	       	20
102 - Jim Lavender          	10
194 - Tony Bracy            	10  	(fell, remounted)

Support Consolation (restarted)
148 - Chris Metoyer
228 - Shane Kump
100 - Phil Harmatiuk
117 - Billy Braden

Support Consolation
165 - Randy Kreps
212 - Steve Dziadus
389 - Nate Perkins    (fell, remounted)
106 - Robert Fiesler  (remounted)

Support Last Chance (restarted)
200 - Gerry Duttweiler
182 - Rudy Laurer
118 - Scott Tidwell   (retired)
269 - Ed Martinez     (fell, excluded)

Support Main Event
282 - Marco Morello
128 - Doug Benjamin
293 - Rick Valdez
338 - Dave Delbridge
200 - Gerry Duttweiler

Youth Main Event (restarted)
  2 - Skyler Greyson       	20
223 - Tamara Krips         	 0
 66 - Jason Ramirez        	20
 19 - Dylan Stark            	10
146 - Tyler Odom            	10
145 - Dario Galvin           	20	(fell)

Handicap Main Event
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko          	40
  9 - Mike Faria         	50
  6 - Shawn McConnell          	50
 10 - Scott Brant             	50
 14 - Eddie Castro          	40
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco         40
 11 - Bobby Schwartz           	40
197 - Justin Boyle           	10  	(fell, remounted)

Last Chance
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco
 14 - Eddie Castro
 24 - Bobby Krips
 10 - Scott Brant             	(engine failure)

Scratch Main Event
 11 - Bobby Schwartz
  3 - Gary Hicks
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko
  9 - Mike Faria
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco