Speedway racing: Manchester united with national title

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Truth be told, Brad Oxley is the promoter of the Costa

Mesa Speedway, yet the slogan he shot off to a reporter at the 33rd

Annual National Motorcycle Speedway Championship was supported by the

action that unfolded Saturday night at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

“If you’ve never been to Costa Mesa Speedway, you’ve never been to the

races,” said Oxley, who also raced in the 20-heat format culminating in

an intense semifinal, a consolation-type heat and the “sudden-death”

final.

The races, which Oxley spoke of, featured a huge upset in the final.

Monrovia’s Josh Larsen, who had won every race, lost in the final and

was bitter because the underdog Chris Manchester won the national

championship.

Manchester, who took third in two races before winning the last two,

was at a disadvantage in the final. Positioned in the No. 5 slot, he had

to take the outside lane. But he found glory.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Manchester said. “The odds were stacked

against me. Who would’ve thought? I did. I kept a positive attitude and

came out on top.”

Manchester from Reno, Nev. was near tears as he wiped champagne from

his eyes and hugged his father, Wayne.

Meanwhile, Larsen, second at the nationals for the fourth straight

year, stormed off the track, describing his feeling as numb.

“This the fourth straight year I’ve won every race but the (final),”

said a disgusted Larsen. “I think (the nationals format) is absolutely

horrible.”

To the winner went, about $5,000 in prize money, Oxley said. “It’s

more about bragging rights than anything. The winner receives the

sponsors for the next year and that’s where the real money comes in.”

The sudden-death final also featured Costa Mesa’s Scott Brant, who

made his return from five years of retirement. He won the “last chance”

race, the aforementioned consolation event that sends its winner to the

final.

The majority of the estimated 5,500 spectators supported their local

favorite until the end. Bobby “Boogaloo” Schwartz also received loud

cheers. The 45-year-old Costa Mesa resident battled through the night and

qualified for the semifinals. After losing there, he could not break out

of the last chance heat.

In heat 17, the two Costa Mesa racers went at it, contending for an

all-important win, and a better starting spot in the semifinals. From the

start, Brant raced straight out and cut off Schwartz, who spilled, and

finished last. Brant took the checkered flag and an advantage into the

semifinal.

“I got (robbed),” Schwartz said. “I was on the receiving end of it.

But that’s speedway here. That’s the way it goes in the Nationals --

anything goes, man.”

Those words rang true for Brant, who took the road less traveled to

the final. His last chance victory sparked his confidence, but he could

not complete the storybook ending. Instead, Manchester wrote a special

chapter.

“When I came here tonight, my goal was to make the (final),” Brant

said. “Of course I wanted to win, but I came here and did what I wanted

to do. We’ll be back next year.”

Before the much-anticipated semifinals, young riders vied for the

Yamaha Pee Wee 50 National Championship and 8-year-old Dustin “Dusty”

Phares earned the title he also won in 1999.

Phares could not race in the 2000 competition because his father,

Marcus, was burned severely in a helicopter accident. But, Dusty came

back in 2001 and clutched his trophy with joy.

Dusty, who has been racing for the past three years, answered quickly

when asked how much longer he would be in the sport.

“Another 45 years,” the short blond-haired boy said. After his

celebration, he resumed his role as a spectator.

“Mean” Gene Sauter, 50, like Oxley, also put the night into

perspective when he described why he has been venturing to the Costa Mesa

Speedway since its inception.

“I’m here because of the racing, the excitement of it, the beautiful

women and the cold beer,” Sauter said. “Where else can you go for $10 and

enjoy yourself as much as here?”