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Costa Mesa SpeedwayOrange County Fairgrounds Jack Milne Cup Costa Mesa Speedway 101 and the Jack Milne Cup
Much like the Groundhog predicts winters end many are convinced that Costa Mesa starts the official Speedway season. Arguably something that brings out passionate discussions as there are less than a handful of Speedway race facilities that are as famous and long lasting. So what does make racing in the Bullring so special.
It’s a combination of many things that has made Costa Mesa the gold standard of American Speedway racing. Like 50 years of events and a rich history. Started by promoters Jack Milne (1937 World Champion) and the “ Godfather” Harry Oxley their families now carry on the tradition.
Then there are the spectators who consider this a Saturday night ritual and in many cases have attended for decades. Newbies that love the fun and action and the studs who come for the babes that beach cities seem to draw.
Lets not forget the adrenaline junkies that enjoy noise and dirt in their beer as they stand just feet away from the racing action. Throw in a live band and Happy Hour at Baja Blues Cantina along with a few sponsored booths were you can get free branded swag and a free race program. It’s a party interrupted by a race every few minutes and those there would not have it any other way.
The track is only 185 yards long with a dirt/decomposed granite surface. Your first impression might be that it is way to small for racing but that quickly changes once the first heat runs. It’s no accident that the track is so good. A trained team with years of experience preps the surface weeks in advance. With the proper amount of water and wheel pack and of course no bad from Mother Nature in the way of rain, they develop a track that is scary fast and only a few can master. From there its spectators yelling ‘how do they do that and hey did you see that” and riders asking ‘how did you save it”.
The motorcycles used for this unique racing are light like a bicycle and weigh about a 170 pounds. Powered by a 500 cc four stroke engine and fueled by pure methanol they are nimble, swift and powerful. With high compression motors they have no kick starter and are pushed to get them running. There is no transmission so the clutch is only used at the start. And I almost forgot, they have NO Brakes.
Of course they crash. It’s a common and accepted part of the sport. Most are minor and the rider gets right back on their bike and continues racing. If that is not possible corner workers help them up and move their disabled machines onto the infield. An ambulance and trained paramedics are always on hand in case it is serious. Fortunately between the racers protective gear and racing attire and the safety checks that each bike must pass serious injuries are rare.
Then there are the racers. A special fearless breed of men and women they know the secrets of winning and losing in races that only last about a minute. But “ Oh My" how long a minute can be. Sliding and bumping are the norm as this is a contact sport. Maybe not intentionally as safety always comes first but contact is the norm that skilled racers use and the less experienced quickly learn. If a rider is knocked off, I mean falls off, a special dead mans switch kills the motor. There is nothing more ugly that a runaway bike racing down the track and crashing into a wall that has spectators on the other side of it. A serious offense any racer who does not have this feature working properly cannot race and if discovered on the track receives a hefty fine.
There you have it. Life under the big top, this is family entertainment that won’t break the bank. If you have been you know and if you don’t you should find out. And bring a friend cause you will be the hero when they enjoy it as much as you do.
So hold on. Don’t leave us in suspense Howie. How was the first night of racing you ask. Well, my friends the May 11th Jack Milne Cup was outstanding. Threats of rain were a no-show so the afternoon and evening weather was perfect. No jacket required, fact is many wore shorts.
The band played as the gates opened at 6:30. Spectators were treated to a large vintage Speedway Bike display that included both the Jack and Cordy Milne Championship winning JAP machines. This outstanding exhibit included pictures of the brothers racing, track programs and magazine articles telling of their wins and adventures. The exhibit was put together by Gary Hicks Sr, Russ Toepher and Cordy Milne’s daughter Sandra Hicks. All were there and gladly shared the family history. It is nice to see that Costa Mesa is still a family business that is operated by the relatives of it’s founding fathers.
The race card was a good one. National Champion Billy Janniro, Gage Geist, Mad Max and his brother Dillon, except for those that are currently racing in Europe most of Americas top dogs were there. D-1, D-2, and D-3 Speedway, 150 & 250 Juniors and Sidecars made up a 41 heat Scratch and Handicap race program. It produced good racing and although there were some gnarly crashes the ambulance never rolled.
Four time World Speedway Champion Greg Hancock was there. When Greg first started he learned how to slide here at Costa Mesa. Understanding the value of close contact racing he brought his young son Wilbur Hancock to race on the evenings program. Funny how things go full circle.
Of course track announcer Terry “Ike” Clanton kept the crowd abreast of all the action. A direct descendant of Ike Clanton from the famous Gunfight at the OK Coral and a former speedway racer himself, Ike does an outstanding job and is very popular with the spectators. When he does his “ who’s in the best grandstands and foot rumble skit the crowd goes crazy. It’s a show within a show that must be lived to be appreciated.
International Speedway promoters Brad and Jaleen Oxley confirmed an eleven event 2019 schedule. A former two time National Champion “Rad” Brad is a hands on promoter that does every job needed to keep the lights on. We were late releasing this years race dates because we were hoping to pick up an extra few weeks but this place is always booked solid Oxley told me. See the full 2019 Costa Mesa Race schedule: http://costamesaspeedway.net/
View all 250 photos on Facebook at: Speedwayzar. Thanks for Listing Below is the May 11, 2019, Main Events scoring Scratch Main Event Scratch Consolation (restarted) Second Division Main Event Second Division Consolation Third Division Main Event Junior 250 Main Event (restarted) Junior 250 Consolation Mini 150 Main Event Sidecar Main Event Sidecar Main Consolation 2019 Costa Mesa Race Dates:
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