Speedway Racing

[ChuckH]

Speedway racing is one of the things you must see live at least once in you're life, super light bikes, 500cc high compression methanol engines, and no brakes, oh yea...

Costa Mesa Speedway http://www.cmspeedway.com (http://www.cmspeedway.com/)

World rounds are on the Speed channel at 9am today ( edit, its on now)

http://www.mcnews.com.au/MotorcycleRacing2000/speedway/Images/AdamsInSweden.jpg

[John_Bitting]

I have attended speedway for many many years and love it, Costa Mesa is fun but to see them on the longer tracks like when they raced in Long Beach is way better. We actually have a family friend that went over to Europe and races and is always on TV. His name is Greg Hancock. Its amazing the stories you hear about sagotage on his bikes and his vans etc. They dont like the americans coming over and whooping up.

[ChuckH]

I haven't seen them on a long track, i bet its much better like you say, Europe.. while most of the people over there are cool there's a percentage that have a major superiority complex and we threaten that, i have seen that kind of thing many times, must be tough on them though since were good at so many things, haha.

[Rufrider]

Thats funny, I went to high school with Chris Manchester...92 and 01 world champ. They used to race in victorville.

[Tony_Barraza]

Back in the day, a group of friends and I would FAITHFULLY attend each and every race at the Orange Show Fairgrounds (and later at Glen Hellen).

Had lots of dirt clods splashed in our beers by legends such as Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz, Allen "Crazy" Christian, "Sudden" Sam Ermilenko and his bro "Dookie" Ermilenko.

And of course, the show wasn't complete without announcer Bruce Flanders!

Good times for sure!

[dezerts10]

my friend at work still has his bike. doesnt race much anymore and i have never gotten to see him ride it but the stories i have heard are great. does costa mesa still have races? hes told me he would go every weekend. elsinore has a track i beleive and the old comp park had one its pretty cool to watch.

Gregg

[uncledirty]

In the late 80's a good speedway racer could make so good money. Coata Mesa, Ascot, Ventura,Vctorville, and Glen Helen were all alive and well. I bought a Jawa speedway bike in '89, never raced it but rode a practice nite at Ascot and a few times at Maleys ranch in Corona. I had alot more respect for those guys that are good on those things after riding one, turn right to go left, gas it to slow down, it's a wild ride. They do put on a great show on long tracks as do the sidecars. Hey Tony what about "Rad" Brad Oxley and "Fly'n" Mike Faria. Billy Gray who played Buddy on Father Knows Best (remember that show) used to run too.

[ChuckH]

uncledirty

MX and Speedway both paid well in the late 70s - 80s, Back then you could make more winning a local MX race than you get paid now for winning a SX or national MX race, kind of sad big biz is getting so greedy, CCE sells 1 million plus $ in tickets at each SX and pays the winner about $1,500.


--00s10prerunner--

Yep their still racing at costa mesa just like for the last 35 plus years, a true Calif institution, you can find a list of tracks and race times here

http://www.speedwaybikes.com/tracks/index.htm
http://www.speedwaybikes.com

[Ryan_P]

My grandpa did it back in the day around the 50's when it was really popular, except he did it with a side car. He was really good and has won some national titles. He has his bike still and I see it every once in a while, but since he moved to oregon I don't see it as much. It's incredible that people would risk their lives for that stuff, these people and rally car racers are AMAZING drivers, I tip my hat to them.

-Ryan

[freddy]

Speedway is really big here in sweden where I live and we have several american riders in our series. Greg Hancock rides in team Rospiggarna and Sam Ermolenko rides in Luxo Stars. And we also have my local hero Billy Hamill in team Smederna or the Smiths in english. He has been with the team since 1991 and has taken over 2000 points so far and he is highly regarded here in Eskilstuna where I live.

[FABRICATOR]

I used to go to Ascot and Whiteman's. I remember when they setup a track outside the regular track for the first time at Ascot about a hundred years ago. I think it was a half mile. It was one of the very first times the Euroupeans ever came to the US. The Euro's were not interested in racing on the short tracks that were popular here. Haven't been to one of those races in many years. The kids would probably get a kick out of it.

[Vtr_Racing]

Back in the day, a group of friends and I would FAITHFULLY attend each and every race at the Orange Show Fairgrounds (and later at Glen Hellen).

Had lots of dirt clods splashed in our beers by legends such as Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz, Allen "Crazy" Christian, "Sudden" Sam Ermilenko and his bro "Dookie" Ermilenko.

And of course, the show wasn't complete without announcer Bruce Flanders!

Good times for sure!

Hey Tony, we were regualars at the San Bernadino track and at Glen Helen. We owned turn 4!!!!!!

Remember Hank The Crank? lol

[Waldo]

Been going to Costa Mesa speedway since I was a little guy with my dad! Gotta love the flyin' dirt in your mouth, beer, shirt, hair, etc.. Not to mention the smell of castor mixed with methonal!

Turn four was the hang-out! Anyone remember Mean Gene, The Dancin' Machine??? He would chug many beers and then walk the track wall. I watched him walk the entire wall once w/o fallin' on his @ss!!

Larry Huffman used to M/C there as well..

Good Memories.

[John_Bitting]

Larry Huffman was the man jumping up and down on the announcers table. Mean Gene was funny as hell. I remember hearing he passed away one race. Never saw him again so it might have been true.

Lets get a group, I am down to go watch some racing. We always sat turn 2 above where the riders come out just out of dirtclod range.