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Costa Mesa Speedway
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California
Jack Milne Cup - Legends of Speedway
June 23, 2007 - Costa Mesa
By: Ryan Evans
Former National Champion "Flyin" Mike Faria had a perfect night and became the first three-time winner of the prestigious Jack Milne Cup at the world famous bullring oval in Costa Mesa.
Faria launched out of his gate one starting position and into the lead entering turn one. Gary Hicks, who started in gate five was second into the first bend and slotted in behind Faria. Hicks, who is the grand-nephew of Jack Milne, chased down the leader to try to become the first three-time winner himself. Faria was not to be deterred, though, and never wavered en route to the victory. Hicks had to settle for second, Ricky Wells was third, Shawn McConnell finished fourth, and Shaun Harmatiuk was fifth.
Hicks began the first of three rounds of heat races with a win over Buck Blair. Faria scored his first win in heat two while McConnell snuck by Harmatiuk for second. Schwartz was awarded the win in race three after Sterling Cogarwas deemed the cause of the stoppage for bringing down Dale Facchini. Wells earned his first win ahead of Bobby Krips and Phil Collins, who made an unannounced return after sixteen years, to end round one.
Round two started with Neil Facchini getting the victory over Krips. Faria roared to his second straight win by defeating Wells in race ten. Schwartz beat Blair and McConnell for his second win. Harmatiuk defeated Mike Bloomto conclude the second round.
The final round started with Faria completing the heats undefeated with Jimmy Fishback finishing second. Harmatiuk was awarded the win in race seventeen, but all eyes were on Collins who turned in a vintage outside performance to pass Schwartz for second. However, he broke a primary chain in the final corner and fell, which cost him a spot in the semis. Hicks defeated Justin Boyleand Krips to win the next race. Wells was awarded the win in the final heat. Fishback and Neil Facchini finished one-two in a runoff with Bloom to earn the final two spots in the semis.
Schwartz led into turn one in the first semi, but went wide and found no grip in turn two and allowed Wells and McConnell to get by on the inside. Schwartz tried to make the outside work, but it was to no avail and Wells and McConnell were on their way to the main. The second semi was all Faria who led Harmatiuk into the main. Hicks held off every challenge Schwartz could muster in the Last Chance to take the final slot in the main.
Vince Giamformaggio put together four smooth laps to take home the Support Main Event victory. Bryan Buffingtonfinished second, Justin Hassan was third, Damon Barryfinished fourth, and Rudy Laurer was fifth.
Jim Lavender won his first-ever Costa Mesa Support B Main Event. Daniel Faria finished second, Fred Remington was third, Airimis Santana finished fourth, and Charlie Ousley was fifth.
Costa Mesa hosted a 50+ class for the first time in its 39 year history. The class was primarily filled by current Support and Support B riders, but Jim "The Animal" Fishback delighted the crowd and many in the pit area by competing. Unfortunately, he did not compete in the main because he was using his son's bike and he had a runoff just before the 50+ Main Event.
Rick Farron scored an easy win in the 50+ Main Event. Carl Gazafy finished second, Robert Glamuzina was third, and Fishback was credited with fourth.
The Jack Milne Cup honors the 1937 World Speedway Champion who was a pioneer of speedway in its early days and was also an integral part of its rebirth in Southern California in the late 1960s. Milne helped Harry Oxley bring speedway to the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa and was a fixture at the world famous track throughout the final years of his life.
RESULTS
50+ Main Event
147 - Rick Farron
176 - Carl Gazafy
313 - Robert Glamuzina
275 - Jim Fishback (non starter)
Support B Consolation
714 - Joe Dillard 300 - Jason Dupuy
00 - Toni Hicks (non starter)
159 - James Ruhuman (non starter)
Support B Main Event
102 - Jim Lavender 105n - Daniel Faria
152 - Fred Remington 357 - Airimis Santana
312 - Charlie Ousley
Support Last Chance
182 - Rudy Laurer
383 - Randy Skinner
241 - John Marquez
136 - Kim Stevens
Support Main Event
309 - Vince Giamformaggio
77 - Bryan Buffington
132 - Justin Hassan
150 - Damon Barry
182 - Rudy Laurer
Jack Milne Cup Scoring 1 2 3 T
3 - Gary Hicks 4 2 4 10
6 - Shawn McConnell 3 2 3 8
9 - Mike Faria 4 4 4 12
11 - Bobby Schwartz 4 4 3 11
18 - Justin BoyleR 0 3 3
19 - Dale Facchini 3 F 1 4
22 - Mike Bloom1 3 2 6
24 - Bobby Krips 3 3 2 8
25 - Jimmy Fishback 2 1 3 6
25E - Phil Collins2 2 1 5
27 - Sterling CogarX 1 1 2
37 - Denny Scopellite F 1 N 1
39 - Buck Blair3 3 2 8
48 - Chris Metoyer 1 2 2 5
55 - Travis Henderson 0 0 R 0
86 - Neil Facchini 1 4 1 6
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 2 4 4 10
142 - Ricky Wells 4 3 4 11
178 - Eloy Medellin 2 1 0 3
249 - John Stunkard 1 0 F 1
Race Results 1: Hicks, Blair, Fishback (tape penalty), Stunkard, Boyle (retired)
2: Faria, McConnell, Harmatiuk, N.Facchini, Henderson
3: (awarded) Schwartz, D.Facchini, Medellin, Bloom, Cogar (excluded)
4: Wells, Krips, Collins, Metoyer, Scopellite (fell)
9: N.Facchini, Krips, Metoyer, Fishback (fell, remounted), D.Facchini (fell)
10: Faria, Wells, Hicks, Cogar, Stunkard
11: Schwartz, Blair, McConnell, Scopelllite, Henderson
12: Harmatiuk, Bloom, Collins, Medellin, Boyle
16: Faria, Fishback, Blair, Cogar, Medellin
17: (awarded) Harmatiuk, Schwartz, Metoyer, Collins (fell)
18: (restarted) Hicks, Boyle, Krips (penalty line), D.Facchini, Stunkard (fell)
19: (awarded) Wells, McConnell, Bloom, N.Facchini (fell), Henderson (retired)
Runoff: Fishback, N.Facchini, Blooom
Semi #1: Wells, McConnell, Schwartz, N.Facchini (fell, remounted), Krips (fell, remounted)
Semi #2: Faria, Harmatiuk, Hicks, Blair, Fishback
Last Chance
3 - Gary Hicks
11 - Bobby Schwartz 86 - N.Facchini
39 - Buck Blair
Jack Milne Cup Final
9 - Mike Faria
3 - Gary Hicks
142 - Ricky Wells
6 - Shawn McConnell
139 - Shaun Harmatiuk
Past Winners
1998 - Bobby Schwartz
1999 - Gary Hicks
2000 - Charlie Venegas
2001 - Gary Hicks
2002 - Scott Brant
2003 - Scott Brant
2004 - Mike Faria
2005 - Mike Faria
2006 - Charlie Venegas
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