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)