By: Ryan Evans
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
