Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California
Season Opener
May 7, 2005 - Costa Mesa
By: Ryan Evans
Chris Manchester and Bryan Yarrow each took home main event victories as International Speedway held its 37th annual Season Opener at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa on Saturday.
The Scratch Main event featured three former national champions and two up-and-coming Northern California riders. Mike Faria and Manchester were in gates four and five, respectively, and led the pack into turn one. They were shoulder-to-shoulder on the back straight but Manchester's wider line gave him just enough momentum to beat Faria to turn three. Manchester almost threw his lead away when he lifted coming out of four but he brought the front wheel down and was able to pull his bike in front of Faria as they hit turn one. Manchester settled into a comfortable lead and was first to the checkered flag. Faria was second, Yarrow finished third, Bobby Schwartz was fourth, and Chris Kerr finished fifth.
George Fox led the eight man field for two laps but had trouble on lap three and a pileup that included Randy DiFrancesco and left Schwartz down for several minutes brought a halt to the race. A full restart was ordered, however Schwartz didn't partake in the second attempt after feeling woozy from the crash.
Fox was the early leader again, but DiFrancesco relieved him of that position on the second lap. Yarrow also passed Fox and hunted down DiFrancesco for several laps. DiFrancesco drifted a little wide coming out of turn four on the sixth lap and Yarrow pounced on the opportunity and assumed the lead entering turn one and never looked back. Kerr finished second, Manchester was third, Faria finished fourth, and DiFrancesco was fifth.
The Support Main was a battle of Dream Team USA members Brian Starr and Neil and Dale Facchini and the Eagle Welding duo of Billy Braden and Scott Tidwell. Starr used gate one to his advantage as he launched into the lead and cruised to the victory. Dale Facchini was second, Braden finished third, Tidwell was fourth, and Neil Facchini finished fifth.
Veteran rider Mike Boyle grabbed the early lead in the Support B Main Event but was immediately pursued by Steve Dziadus, Sr. Dziadus, Sr. waited patiently for almost three laps but made an outside move as they took the white flag and passed Boyle for the lead. Dziadus held on for the last lap for the victory. Boyle finished second, Carl Gazafy was third, Dan Wensloff finished fourth, Damon Barry was fifth, and Steve Dziadus Jr. finished sixth.
The Youth Main Event had to be restarted with Jason Ramirez and Ricky Valdez having to start from the penalty line. Austin Novratil took advantage of his starting position and won the main easily. Valdez was second, Ramirez finished third, and Joey Holt was fourth.
This Saturday is the Jack Milne Cup. The event is held in honor of the late 1937 World Champion who was one of the sport's early pioneers and also helped to resurrect the sport of speedway in the United States in the late 1960s and helped Harry Oxley establish Costa Mesa as the mecca of speedway in the U.S. The defending champion is Mike Faria. In addition to the racing there will be a motorcycle show featuring many vintage bikes.
RESULTS
Sidecars (restarted)
16 - John DeFries/Jimmy Olsen
23 - Mark Adams/Jackie Bennett
44 - Danny Jones/Medberry
9 - Joe Jones/Brandi McElroy (non starter)
Pee Wee Race 1
195 - Dominic Manzares
12 - Austin Beaird
10 - Shane Terry
4 - Gaetano Scalzo
477 - Erika Lyons
Pee Wee Race 2
7 - Rocco Scopellite
38 - Lauren Hammond
22 - Joshua Melanson
6 - Hank Duncan
Youth Main Event (restarted)
8 - Austin Novratil
5 - Ricky Valdez (penalty line)
66 - Jason Ramirez (penalty line)
114 - Joey Holt
Support B Consolation
102 - Jim Lavender 10
313 - Robert Glamuzina 10
151 - Mark Skeels 10 (fell, remounted)
111 - Joe Schultz 20
308 - Hugh Randolph 20
185 - Keith Mullally 20 (fell)
Support B Main Event
212 - Steve Dziadus, Sr. 10
198 - Mike Boyle 10
176 - Carl Gazafy 20
169 - Dan Wensloff 10
150 - Damon Barry 10
272 - Steve Dziadus, Jr. 20
Support Consolation
131 - Troy McConnell
165 - Randy Kreps
178 - Eloy Medellin
107 - Monte McKeon
Support Last Chance
118 - Scott Tidwell
177 - Bryan Buffington
113 - Mike McCarthy (fell)
338 - Dave Delbridge (fell)
Support Main Event
248 - Brian Starr
301 - Dale Facchini
117 - Billy Braden
118 - Scott Tidwell
201 - Neil Facchini (fell)
Handicap Main Event (restarted)
8n - Bryan Yarrow 40
27n - Chris Kerr 40
130 - Chris Manchester 50
9 - Mike Faria 50
12 - Randy DiFrancesco 30
6 - Shawn McConnell 50
29 - George Fox 10
11 - Bobby Schwartz 40 (non starter)
Last Chance
11 - Bobby Schwartz
6 - Shawn McConnell
18 - Justin Boyle
389 - Nate Perkins (fell)
Scratch Main Event
130 - Chris Manchester
9 - Mike Faria
8n - Bryan Yarrow
11 - Bobby Schwartz
27n - Chris Kerr
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