Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California

Freestyle Motocross Back Flip Night
June 30, 2007 - Costa Mesa
By: Ryan Evans

Colorado native "Battling" Buck Blair took home the first Costa Mesa Scratch Main Event victory of his career in front of a packed house at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

On the first start Dale Facchini, Bobby Schwartz, and Shawn McConnell came together in turn one with McConnell being left on the ground before the red flag came out. Schwartz was deemed the cause of the stoppage and had to restart from the penalty line. On the restart, Blair launched off the line first while Shaun Harmatiuk's race ended at the line with an expensive engine failure. There was contact in turn one again which gave Blair an unsurmountable lead just half a lap into the race. McConnell came out of the scuffle in second, but couldn't gain any ground on Blair who cruised to the victory. Schwartz was third, Facchini finished fourth, and Harmatiuk was credited with fifth.

Mike "Spiderman" Bloom started on the ten yard line and at the front of the eight rider Handicap Main Event field. Bloom's lead was short-lived, however, as Jimmy Fishback went by at the end of the second lap and was followed by Harmatiuk. Fishback calmly held the lead in front of Harmatiuk before drifting wide at the end of the seventh lap. Harmatiuk tried to take the lead, but Fishback cut back to the inside as they entered turn one. Fishback's momentum took him wide again on the exit of turn two and Harmatiuk found better traction on the groove and went by on the back straight with "Fast" Eddie Castro in tow. Harmatiuk held off Castro in the final corner for the win. A disappointed Fishback had to settle for third, Tim Gomez was fourth, and Randy DiFrancesco finished fifth.

Randy Skinner led the Support Main Event into turn one where John Marquez went down. The race continued and Skinner held a comfortable lead over Rick Farron. Farron was unable to gain any ground on Skinner who was first to the checkered flag. Marquez remounted and finished third and Mark Lane was fourth.

Damon Barry led the Support B Main Event from the front and established a sizable lead. Steve Bowen worked up to second and began to close ground on Barry on the third lap. After taking the white flag Barry drifted wide in turn two and allowed Bowen to pull even with him on the back straight. Bowen stayed low in the final corner and beat Barry to the finish. Jim Painter finished third, Robert Glamuzina was fourth, while Tim Cochren and Charlie Ousley both went down in the first corner and failed to finish.

There won't be racing at Costa Mesa this Saturday. Speedway racing returns to the world famous oval on Friday, July 13 and coincides with the opening of the Orange County Fair with the annual Fair Derby. The Fair Derby is one of the most presitigious events in the U.S. and will crown a new champion this year since defending champion Bryan Yarrow is out for the season with a broken ankle.

RESULTS 

Support B Consolation 
288 - Rick Fritch 10
159 - James Ruhman     		10
303 - Bill Carr              	10
714 - Joe Dillard 20
152 - Fred Remington 20
300 - Jason Dupuy        	10	(fell) 

Support B Consolation 
134 - Lance Remington 10
357 - Airimis Santanta     	20
198 - Mike Boyle 20
169 - Dan Wensloff 10
 00 - Toni Hicks 20
308 - Hugh Randolph 10 

Support B Main Event 
177 - Steve Bowen 20
150 - Damon Barry 10
172 - Jim Painter 20
313 - Robert Glamuzina 20
210 - Tim Cochren 20  	(fell)
312 - Charlie Ousley        	10  	(fell) 

Support Consolation (awarded)
161 - Hector Quevedo 212 - Steve Dziadus
106 - Robert Fiesler 
117 - Billy Braden (fell, excluded)

 Support Consolation 
 309 - Vince Giamformaggio 
 113 - Mike McCarthy 
 176 - Carl Gazafy 
 182 - Rudy Laurer (tape penalty) (fell) 
 
 Support Main Event 
 383 - Randy Skinner 
 147 - Rick Farron 
 241 - John Marquez (fell, remounted)
326 - Mark Lane (fell, remounted) 

Handicap Main Event 
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 30
 14 - Eddie Castro 30
 25 - Jimmy Fishback 20
 30 - Tim Gomez 20
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco 30
 22 - Mike Bloom 10
 27 - Sterling Cogar 30
142 - Ricky Wells 30  	(retired)

Last Chance 
19 - Dale Facchini 
12 - Randy DiFrancesco 
24 - Bobby Krips 
142 - Ricky Wells (two minute exclusion) 

Scratch Main Event (restarted)
 39 - Buck Blair 
 6 - Shawn McConnell
 11 - Bobby Schwartz (penalty line)
 19 - Dale Facchini
 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk (engine failure)