Speedway Notebook : Schwartz Top Qualifier for United States Title

Bobby Schwartz, the 1986 U.S. speedway motorcycle champion from Costa Mesa, is the leading qualifier for this year’s title following two rounds of racing in Southern California.

Schwartz totaled 41 points in meetings at Glen Helen Park in San Bernardino and South Bay Stadium in Gardena last week to lead Steve Lucero of Riverside (35 points), Dubb Ferrell of Whittier (30 points) and Bart Bast of Auburn, Calif. (27 points).

Schwartz won his ninth scratch main event in 17 weeks last Friday at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

The qualifying series resumes Saturday night in Auburn, where Bast, nephew of seven-time U.S. champion Mike Bast, is the leading rider.

“Bart is the most improved rider in the sport,” said Harry Oxley, Costa Mesa promoter. “He has excellent throttle control and complete confidence on the track. He’ll do very well in this year’s championship.”

The remaining qualifying rounds are scheduled Aug. 13 in Victorville and on Sept. 11 in Costa Mesa. The top 14 qualifiers will join Sam Ermolenko of Cypress and Robert Pfetzing of Santa Ana for the U.S. Championship Oct. 8 in Costa Mesa.

Ermolenko and Pfetzing already have qualified because of their 1-2 finish in the American Final on June 11 at Long Beach.

Ermolenko, who is attempting to become the first American to qualify for a fourth consecutive world championship race, will take a break from his busy European schedule to compete in the U.S. vs. the World competition Aug. 19-20 at Ascot Park in Gardena.

Ermolenko has finished third in the World Final in two of the past three years and is the only American still in contention for the 1988 World Final, which is scheduled Sept. 3 in Vojens, Denmark.

Ermolenko will captain an American team that includes British Speedway League riders Shawn and Kelly Moran of Huntington Beach, Ronnie Correy of Fullerton and Bobby Ott of Redondo Beach.

Former world champion Ivan Mauger of New Zealand will captain the world team that includes Preben Eriksen (Denmark), Kai Niemi (Finland), Armando Castagna (Italy), Phil Collins (Great Britain), Jeremy Doncaster (Great Britain) and Phil Crump (Australia).

Mauger also will race Bruce Penhall, 1981-82 world champion, in a best-of-three match race.

The series will begin Friday night on South Bay Stadium’s 1/8-mile track and shift to Ascot Park’s 1/2-mile track Saturday night.

Denmark, led by defending two-time world champion Hans Nielsen, swept to the World Best Pairs championship Sunday in Bradford, England, for the fifth straight year.

Nielsen scored 28 of a possible 30 points and teammate Erik Gundersen added 17 points as Denmark defeated Great Britain (41) and the U.S. (39). Shawn Moran led the U.S. team with 23 points. Ermolenko had equipment problems and managed only 16 points.

Saturday night, Ermolenko will be in Vetlanda, Sweden, for the InterContinental Final, the final qualifying round for the world championship. The top 11 riders in the event advance to the World Final.

Plans are being completed for the World Team Cup on Sept. 10 at Long Beach Veterans Stadium. Four teams--defending champion Denmark, Great Britain, Sweden and the U.S.--will compete in 20 heat races.

Great Britain was the first team to submit its four riders--Kelvin Tatum, Simon Cross, Simon Wigg and Chris Morton. Each team also will have a reserve rider.

A new format guarantees the final heat race will match the top scoring rider from each nation on the -mile track. The event probably will mark the first appearance of the 1988 world champion.

Fans at Costa Mesa raised $6,200 for the family of Ken Berry, who died of head injuries suffered in a crash at Glen Helen Park in San Bernardino two weeks ago. Berry, of Colton, was the first fatality since the sport was revived in Southern California 20 years ago. Bobby Schwartz and Brad Oxley of San Clemente each donated $500.

Speedway Notes

Among the rising stars in speedway motorcycle racing is 16-year-old Josh Larsen, a sophomore at Newport Harbor High School. Larsen, who recently finished second in a handicap main event at Victorville, is racing in the second division at Costa Mesa. . . . Anaheim’s Steve Russell, who finished second in the handicap main at Costa Mesa last Friday, is a protege of Schwartz’s and is a good bet to end Trinon Cirello’s two-week winning streak in Friday night’s race at the County Fairgrounds.