Bobby Ott

Bobby Schwartz won the scratch main event Friday night at the weekly speedway motorcycle program at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Steve Lucero was second and Charlie Venegas third. In a heat race for the main event, Bobby Ott beat Brad Oxley in their first head-to-head competition in four years. Ott lost the U.S. Championship in 1987 in a four-lap runoff against Oxley. Ott was second Friday in a scratch consolation race and didn't advance to the final.

Bobby Schwartz won the scratch main event Friday night at the weekly speedway motorcycle program at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Steve Lucero was second and Charlie Venegas third. In a heat race for the main event, Bobby Ott beat Brad Oxley in their first head-to-head competition in four years. Ott lost the U.S. Championship in 1987 in a four-lap runoff against Oxley. Ott was second Friday in a scratch consolation race and didn't advance to the final.

For Bobby Ott, speedway motorcycle racing's self-proclaimed showman, tonight's return to the Orange County Fairgrounds after a three-year absence is more than a homecoming. Ott, nicknamed "Showtime Bobby Ott" because of his daring and crowd-pleasing style of riding, returns from the British Speedway League, where he is the top rider for the Wimbledon Dons. He has appeared only four times on the tiny, 190-yard oval at Costa Mesa in the past four years.

For Bobby Ott, speedway motorcycle racing's self-proclaimed showman, tonight's return to the Orange County Fairgrounds after a three-year absence is more than a homecoming. Ott, nicknamed "Showtime Bobby Ott" because of his daring and crowd-pleasing style of riding, returns from the British Speedway League, where he is the top rider for the Wimbledon Dons. He has appeared only four times on the tiny, 190-yard oval at Costa Mesa in the past four years.

Speedway motorcyclist Brad Oxley realized a dream Saturday night when he won the U.S. Championships, but the magic moment will be debated for some time. Oxley was crowned the champion at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa before 8,253 fans when he was declared the winner by referee Irwin Moon during a runoff with Bobby Ott. Ott fell between Turns 3 and 4 on the first of four scheduled laps.

Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa won the four-lap scratch main event Friday in front of 5,919 spectators in the weekly speedway program at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Schwartz, a wire-to-wire winner, won the scratch main for the third consecutive week. Bobby Ott of Balboa was second, Steve Lucero of Riverside third and Tuff McBride of Ohio fourth. Jay Gianetti of Yorba Linda won the eight-lap handicap main event.

Scotty Brown of Garden Grove won the eight-lap handicap Speedway motorcycle race at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa Friday night. Brown was followed by Shawn McConnell, Brea; Allan Christian, Huntington Beach; Gary Hicks, Glen Avon; Dubb Ferrell, Whittier; Mike Faria, Colton; Randy Beddow, West Covina, and Mark Weaver, Elsinore. Bobby Ott of Balboa placed second in the four-lap scratch main event in front of 4,102. Ott followed winner Mike Faria of Colton.

Walt Farnum of Ventura won the eight-lap handicap main event in the weekly speedway motorcycle racing at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa Friday night in front of 3,264 spectators . Gary Hicks of Riverside placed second. Steve Lucero, also from Riverside, was third and Greg Hancock of Costa Mesa finished fourth. In the four-lap scratch main event, Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa was the winner. It was the first scratch main victory in a month for the defending U.S. champion.

Bobby Ott of Balboa won the handicap eight-lap main event of the weekly speedway motorcycle racing program Friday night in front of 5,225 at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Kevin Krugh of Huntington Beach was second, Jim Sisemore of Woodland third and Rob Pfetzing of Garden Grove fourth. Dubb Ferrell of Whittier won the scratch four-lap main event with Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa second, Alan Christian of Huntington Beach third and Steve Luvero of Riverside fourth.

Two-time world champion Bruce Penhall of Laguna Niguel defeated seven-time U.S. champion Mike Bast of Perris in a best-of-three match race Friday night to highlight the Great Speedway Reunion in front of 6,943 at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Penhall, world champion in 1981-82, won the four lap races consecutively. Dennis Sigalos, part of the World Best Pairs championship team in 1982, defeated Danny Becker and Sonny Nutter in match races.

Speedway motorcyclist Brad Oxley realized a dream Saturday night when he won the U.S. Championships, but the magic moment will be debated for some time. Oxley was crowned the champion at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa before 8,253 fans when he was declared the winner by referee Irwin Moon during a runoff with Bobby Ott. Ott fell between Turns 3 and 4 on the first of four scheduled laps.