Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California

Spring Classic
May 5, 2007 - Costa Mesa
By: Ryan Evans

The 39th season of speedway at the Orange County Fairgrounds began with Gary Hicks taking winning the Spring Classic at the world famous bullring oval in Costa Mesa.

Hicks started from gate three and was first to turn one. Josh Larsen tried to make a move up the inside on the back straight but was unable to get underneath the leader. Hicks led at the end of lap one and Larsen tried to shove a wheel inside Hicks, but came up short and parked in turn two which caused Shawn McConnell to bail off the high side. Hicks pulled away and Chris Manchester made a play for second on the outside. Larsen and Manchester battled over the runner up position for two laps with Larsen's inside line prevailing. Hicks was first to the checkered flag, Larsen finished second, Manchester was third, Mike Faria finished fourth, and McConnell was credited with fifth.

The first of three rounds of heats began with defending National Champion Charlie "The Edge" Venegas blazing to his first victory and Bryan Yarrow getting second after Jimmy Fishback went over backwards just shy of the finish line. Faria defeated McConnell in race two. Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz narrowly defeated Tommy Hedden after a great battle. Larsen closed out round one by beating Manchester.

Round two started with Larsen making it two in a row with a win over Venegas. Faria won his second straight ahead of Yarrow. McConnell passed Shaun Harmatiuk on the second lap to earn his first win. Manchester ended the second round by defeating Hicks.

Venegas began the final round with his second win and Buck Blair passed Faria on the last lap to get second. Schwartz earned his second win in race 17. Yarrow got the victory and handed Larsen his first defeat in the next race. Hicks held off McConnell to win the final heat.

A four-rider runoff was necessary to determine the final three slots in the semis. Manchester was victorious with Hedden and Blair, finishing second and third, respectively.

McConnell was victorious in the first semi with Hicks joining him in the main by finishing second. Manchester won the second semi with Larsen following him into the main. Faria was victorious in the Last Chance to fill the fifth and final spot in the main.

The $1,000 Western Blasting Last Man Out Challenge brought five riders to the tapes. Manchester was the first one eliminated. Venegas was squeezed out in turn one of the second start and was eliminated. McConnell was next to go which left Faria and Schwartz, the 50 year old warriors, in yet another battle. Faria got the best start, but Schwartz didn't give up despite being stuck on the outside. Faria surged ahead at the white flag and only left Schwartz to hope for a mistake that would never come. Faria was victorious over his long-time opponent.

Travis Henderson came from dead last in turn one to patiently work through traffic and pass Bryan Buffington for the lead and the win on the final lap of the Support Main. Buffington had to settle for second, Eloy Medellin was third, Mike Bloom finished fourth, and Vince Giamformaggio was fifth.
John Marquez put together four smooth laps to win the Support B Main Event. Bo Judge finished second, Damon Barry was third, Mike Boyle finished fourth, Steve Bowen was fifth, and Mark Lane was credited with sixth.

The action continues this Saturday with the 2007 Season Opener which will feature all divisions and the first appearance of the Juniors this season.

RESULTS
 
Pee Wee Race #1
  2 - Ben McConnell
  3 - Bryson Galvin
  7a - Dawson Moore
  4 - Bradon Rensink
 
Pee Wee Race #2
  7 - Mytchel Moore
 23 - Justin Hanson
  6 - Victoria Matthews
 11 - Michael Linn
 
Support B Consolation
187 - Blake Bowen        	20
288 - Rick Fritch              	10
157 - Tony DeAlmeida        	10
714 - Joe Dillard             	10
303 - Bill Carr            10	(fell, remounted)
102 - Jim Lavender            	20   	(non starter)
362 - Ralph Chudy             10   	(non starter)
 
Support B Consolation
149 - Philip Harmatiuk         		20
212 - Steve Dziadus           	20
155 - Scott York               	20
313 - Robert Glamuzina        		20
169 - Dan Wensloff             	10
308 - Hugh Randolph           	10
 
Support B Main Event
241 - John Marquez            	20
721n - Bo Judge                	10
150 - Damon Barry              	20
198 - Mike Boyle               	20
177 - Steve Bowen             	20	(fell)
326 - Mark Lane                	20  	(fell)
 
Support Consolation
290 - Harold Hartke            
161 - Hector Quevedo 
132 - Justin Hassan
107 - Monte McKeon
 
Support Consolation
147 - Rick Farron
383 - Randy Skinner
117 - Billy Braden
176 - Carl Gazafy
 
Support Last Chance
309 - Vince Giamformaggio
293 - Rick Valdez
182 - Rudy Laurer
163 - Rohn Zellner
 
Support Main Event
 55 - Travis Henderson
 77 - Bryan Buffington
178 - Eloy Medellin
 22 - Mike Bloom
309 - Vince Giamformaggio
 
Western Blasting Last Man Out Challenge
  9 - Mike Faria
 11 - Bobby Schwartz
  6 - Shawn McConnell
 43 - Charlie Venegas
130 - Chris Manchester
 
First Division Scoring	1  2  3    T
  2 - Josh Larsen             	4  4  3    11
  3 - Gary Hicks		1  3  4    8
  6 - Shawn McConnell       	3  4  3    10
  8 - Bryan Yarrow            	3  3  4    10
  9 - Mike Faria		4  4  2    10
 11 - Bobby Schwartz       	4  2  4    10
 12 - Randy DiFrancesco    	F  0  2    2
 13 - Nate Perkins        	2  2  F    4
 14 - Eddie Castro            	2  1  1    4
 18 - Justin Boyle             0  0  F    0
 24 - Bobby Krips              0  1  1    2
 25 - Jimmy Fishback    	1  N  N    1
 37 - Denny Scopellite	2  F  0    2
 39 - Buck Blair               2  2  3    7
 40 - Tommy Hedden        	3  2  2    7
 43 - Charlie Venegas       	4  3  4    11
130 - Chris Manchester     	3  4  F    7
142 - Ricky Wells          	1  1  0    2
248 - Brian Starr          	0  1  2    3
249 - John Stunkard         	0  1  -    1
 
Race Results
 1: Veengas, Yarrow, Scopellite, Fishback (fell), DiFrancesco (fell)
 2: Faria, McConnell, Blair, Harmatiuk, Boyle
 3: Schwartz, Hedden, Castro, Hicks, Starr
 4: (restarted) Larsen, Manchester, Perkins, Wells, Krips
 9: Larsen, Venegas, Hedden, Wells, Boyle
10: Faria, Yarrow, Perkins, Castro, Scopellite (fell)
11: McConnell, Harmatiuk, Schwartz, Krips, DiFrancesco
12: Manchester, Hicks, Blair, Starr, Stunkard (fell, remounted)
16: Venegas, Blair, Faria, Krips, Scopellite
17: Schwartz, Harmatiuk, Hedden, Stunkard, Manchester (fell)
18: Yarrow, Larsen, Starr, Perkins (fell), Boyle (fell)
19: Hicks, McConnell, DiFrancesco, Castro, Wells
Runoff: Manchester, Hedden, Blair, Harmatiuk
Semi #1: McConnell, Hicks, Blair, Schwartz, Venegas (retired)
Semi #2: Manchester, Larsen, Yarrow, Faria (tape penalty), Hedden
 
Last Chance (restarted)
  9 - Mike Faria
  8 - Bryan Yarrow
 39 - Buck Blair
 11 - Bobby Schwartz	(retired)
 
Scratch Main Event
  3 - Gary Hicks
  2 - Josh Larsen
130 - Chris Manchester
  9 - Mike Faria
  6 - Shawn McConnell  	(fell)