Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds - Costa Mesa, CA

2000 Costa Mesa
Costa Mesa Speedway
August 5, 2000
From Ryan Evans

Chris Manchester Wins The Main and Josh Larsen Takes The Handicap Event!

Speedway racing returned to Costa Mesa after a three week layoff with former British League riders Chris Manchester and Josh Larsen each earning main event victories.

Manchester and Larsen were lined up next to each other in the Scratch Main with Manchester in gate five and Larsen in gate four. Manchester got the best gate and rode the outside through turn one and down the back straight with Larsen right behind. Manchester was able to get to the low line entering turn three but when Larsen attempted to follow him Shawn McConnell had a wheel underneath and took second. Manchester led at the close of lap one while McConnell was doing everything he could to stay ahead of Larsen. Manchester stretched his lead all the way to the checkered flag for his second Scratch Main victory of the season, McConnell held onto second, Larsen was third, Dukie Ermolenko was fourth, and Gary Hicks was fifth.

Jim Estes led the field into turn one in the Handicap Main from the 30 yard line but was immediately challenged for the lead. Larsen started on the outside of three other riders on the 40 yard line and got a great start and headed to the outside in turn one. Larsen used his momentum to mount an attack on Estes. Estes, riding a bike borrowed from Johnny Walker, tried valiantly to hold off Larsen but the former World Finalist was not to be denied. Larsen took the lead and was set for his first main event victory of the season until he exited turn four on the third lap. Larsen parked slightly forcing Estes to take evasive action. Estes ended up spinning around and back into the racing line. Eddie Castro and Andy Northrup were fortunate to get past but Randy DiFrancesco would not be as lucky. DiFrancesco hit Estes and tumbled down the front straight, Brad Oxley, left with nowhere to go, ran into DiFrancesco and went over the handlebars like a motocross endo and landed hard on his head. DiFrancesco came out the worst as his foot was caught up in his bike leaving him prone on the track for several minutes but was able to get up and participate in the restart.

Sorting out the mess proved no easy task and was bound to leave someone unhappy. The referee determined that Larsen was the leader and had right of way, therefore Estes was determined the cause of the red flag. Since the third lap had technically never been completed, the staggered restart would begin at the start of lap three and Larsen would line up at the front of the field.

Spotting a rider of Larsen's talent a lead in any race is a recipe for an easy victory and it proved correct as Larsen led the field into turn one and pulled away during the remaining six laps for an easy win. Castro held off Northrup for second, DiFrancesco finished fourth, and Oxley finished fifth.

Frank Pecce took the lead as the Support Main field entered turn one, but Gerry Duttweiler swept around the outside and they raced side by side down the back straight. Duttweiler was able to assume the lead in turn three with Pecce right behind. Pecce remained close throughout the race but was never able to provide enough pressure to rattle Duttweiler who scored his second main event win of the year.

Philip Williams, making his speedway debut, was very impressive in winning his heat race and repeated his success by taking the Support B Main as well. Williams had been a mechanic for former 2-time World Pairs Champion Bobby Schwartz during the 2000 season prior to Saturday Night and definitely benefited from his vast knowledge.

Charlie "The Edge" Venegas, who has won 10 main events this year, was absent from competition after taking a heavy spill at Auburn the previous night. Venegas, who had missed the previous weekend after a crash at the San Bernardino event in which he co-promoted, spent several hours at the hospital on Saturday and will most likely miss two weeks of competition.

RESULTS

Support B Consolation
161 - Hector Quevado        10
178 - Eloy Medellin         10
125 - Johnny Lupo           20
148 - Chris Metoyer          0  (fell, remounted)

Support B Main
239 - Philip Williams       0
198 - Mike Boyle            10
165 - Randy Kreps           0
103 - Monte McKeon          0

Support Main
200 - Gerry Duttweiler
234 - Frank Pecce
182 - Rudy Laurer
100 - Phil Harmatiuk

Handicap Main
  4 - Josh Larsen           40
 14 - Eddie Castro          40
166 - Andy Northrup         40
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco     40
  1 - Brad Oxley            50
130 - Chris Manchester      40  (fell)
 56 - Jim Estes             30  (fell, excluded)
  8 - Gary Ackroyd          30  (non starter)

Scratch Main
130 - Chris Manchester
  6 - Shawn McConnell
  4 - Josh Larsen
 15 - Dukie Ermolenko
  3 - Gary Hicks