Eddie Castro

About the only thing you'll see Eddie Castro tipping these days is his helmet to an adoring crowd at Speedway USA in Victorville. After he swept the Handicap and Scratch races at the Speedway last weekend, nearly 4,000 fans gave Castro a standing ovation. "He's one of the only riders I've ever seen to get a standing ovation like that," track owner Gene Woods said. But it hasn't always been that way for the 37-year-old motorcycle racer from Ojai.

Every Saturday between March and September, Eddie Castro of Ojai loads two speedway motorcycles and his three children into a van and makes a three-hour drive to Costa Mesa, where he races the 500cc alcohol-fueled machines with no brakes on a one-tenth-mile dirt oval. Castro, 41, who grew up in Garden Grove and has lived in Ojai for 15 years, will have a much easier commute this weekend.

Every Saturday between March and September, Eddie Castro of Ojai loads two speedway motorcycles and his three children into a van and makes a three-hour drive to Costa Mesa, where he races the 500cc alcohol-fueled machines with no brakes on a one-tenth-mile dirt oval. Castro, 41, who grew up in Garden Grove and has lived in Ojai for 15 years, will have a much easier commute this weekend.

About the only thing you'll see Eddie Castro tipping these days is his helmet to an adoring crowd at Speedway USA in Victorville. After he swept the Handicap and Scratch races at the Speedway last weekend, nearly 4,000 fans gave Castro a standing ovation. "He's one of the only riders I've ever seen to get a standing ovation like that," track owner Gene Woods said. But it hasn't always been that way for the 37-year-old motorcycle racer from Ojai.

Chris Manchester of Reno won the four-lap scratch main event in speedway motorcycle racing at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Eddie Castro of Ojai won the eight-lap handicap main.

At the Yorba Linda Heritage Museum's Monday meeting, Eddie Castro will recall Boyhood Memories of Bryant Ranch. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Yorba Linda Community Center, located at Imperial Highway and Casa Loma Avenue. Those attending are asked to park in the Imperial Highway lot. Membership for individuals is $15 and for families is $25. Information: (714) 694-0235.

Orange County Speedway Speedway motorcycle standings 1. Chris Manchester, Reno: 223 2. Gary Hicks, Corona: 165 3. Josh Larsen, Monrovia: 163 4. Mike Faria, Reno: 150 5. Bobby Schwartz, Costa Mesa: 146 6. Randy DiFrancesco, Bakersfield: 135 7. Shawn McConnell, Brea: 119 7. Ryan Fisher, Norco: 119 9. Dukie Ermolenko, Cypress: 118 10. Eddie Castro, Ojai: 107 Schedule SaturdayJack Milne Cup, speedway; 16--Father's Day, speedway, p.w.

Mike Faria of Colton won the four-lap scratch main event Friday in front of 6,347 in the weekly speedway program at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Steve Lucero of Riverside was second, Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa third and Eddie Castro of Ojai fourth. Bill Gray of Topanga won the eight-lap handicap main event. Walt Farnum of Ventura was second, Billy Hamill of Monrovia was third and Louise Kossuth of Brea fourth.

Chris Manchester needed a perfect start to end a perfect night Saturday and he got it to hold off Bobby Schwartz and win the four-lap Championship Speedway motorcycle race at the Orange County Fairgrounds at Costa Mesa. "The race was won in the first six seconds," said Schwartz, who started from Gate 2, just right of Manchester heading into the left-hand turn. "We both got there at the same time."

The first round of qualifying for American speedway motorcycle riders that ultimately leads to the World Championship event is scheduled for 8 tonight on the quarter-mile track at Long Beach Veterans Stadium. The race, the Nissan American Final, pits riders competing overseas in the British Speedway League against nine local riders plus two Canadians in 20 heats. Each rider will race in five heats, with four points awarded for a win, three points for second, two points for third and one point for fourth.