Costa Mesa Speedway

Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California

John Matherson Cup
October 8, 2022 - Costa Mesa
Photo, story and results by Ryan Evans

The original start of the John Matherson Cup Final at the tapes (inside - outside):
Joe Jones/Tom Summers, Wade Boyd/Eric Lindauer, Ace Kale/Thomas Yergler, Robert Curry/David Bernardo.
After three restarts the finish was Jones/Summers, Curry/Bernardo, Kale/Yergler, Boyd/Lindauer

The Scratch Main Event at the tapes (inside - outside):
Shawn McConnell, Eddie Castro, Harold Hartke, Bobby Schwartz.
The finishing order was Castro, McConnell, Schwartz, Hartke

Joe Jones and Tom Summers ran through the program undefeated and survived a wild main event to capture the John Matherson Cup at the world famous Costa Mesa Speedway.

Joe Jones and Summers started from gate one but recently-crowned National Sidecar Champions Robert Curry and David Bernardo made the best start from gate four. Curry and Bernardo rounded the first bend on the wide line while their competitors were banging behind them. Joe Jones and Summers ended up on their side in turn two and Bernardo fell off on the back straight. The red light was turned on and a full restart was ordered.

Joe Jones and Summers led the restart but the battle behind them was fierce. The intense battle ended when Wade Boyd and Eric Lindauer exited turn four and were trying to perform a balancing act along the inside pole and they plowed into the bale of hay protecting the starting gate with such force that they still pushed the gate over. The riders were unscathed but the same could not be said for the starting gate as it was out of commission for the restart. Boyd and Lindauer were unable to restart and Ace Kale and Thomas Yergler suffered a mechanical issue that eliminated them as well. This left only two teams on the track.

The third start ended with Curry and Bernardo bringing out the red flag. They were banished to the penalty line for the fourth start. This made the outcome predictable and Joe Jones and Summers were in no mood for allowing any drama. They cruised from the start and led all four laps to claim the victory.

The John Matherson Cup honors a man who was a Sidecar National Champion and long-time sponsor of Costa Mesa Speedway as owner of Mission Motorsports. He tragically perished in a crash while on his way to the venue where he was to serve as Grand Marshall that night. The sidecar competitors cherish the trophy so much that it only ranks behind the National Championship in importance.

The sidecar heats opened with Boyd and Lindauer defeating Ace Kale and Yergler. Chris Jones and Johnny Glover defeated Kevin Kale and Tracy Gallagher in the second heat. Joe Jones and Summers finished the first round with a win over Curry and Bernardo.

Ace Kale and Yergler defeated Jeff Medberry and Mike North to start the second round. Joe Jones and Summers scored their second win in a row ahead of Lawrence McNutt and Dana Miller. Boyd and Lindauer beat Curry and Bernardo to end round two.

Round three began with Chris Jones and Johnny Glover scoring their second win ahead of Ace Kale and Yergler. Joe Jones and Summers won their third straight ahead of McNutt and Miller. Curry and Bernardo closed out the heats by defeating Boyd and Lindauer.

McNutt and Miller were victorious in the Sidecar Consolation. Chris Jones and Miller finished second, Medberry and North were third, and Kevin Kale and Gallagher finished fourth.

The first of three rounds of speedway heats commenced with Shawn “Mad Dog” McConnell beating 16-year-old Luke Whitcomb. Former two-time World Pairs Champion Bobby “Boogaloo” Schwartz was victorious ahead of Mark Fillebrown in the second heat. “Fast” Eddie Castro beat Justin Almon, who was celebrating his 17th birthday, in the third heat. John Wilder ended round one with a victory ahead of Harold Hartke.

McConnell opened round two by beating Archie Perez. Schwartz used the track craft of a two-time National Champion to simultaneously pass Hartke and Rudy Laurer on the final lap and score a very popular second win. Castro also earned his second win ahead of Wilder. Tyler Moszer scored an impressive victory ahead of Justin Almon to finish the second round.

The third round opened with McConnell scoring his third straight victory ahead of Laurer. Schwartz also remained perfect by beating Fillebrown. Castro matched the perfect scores of McConnell and Schwartz by defeating Kevin Fiore. Hartke ended the speedway heats with an important victory over Eloy Medellin that earned him a place in the Scratch Main Event.

Wilder was victorious in the Scratch Consolation with Fillebrown finishing second, Moszer getting third, and Laurer finishing fourth.

A trio of sexagenarians lining up at the tapes meant this Scratch Main would certainly have the highest combined age of any main event that’s ever taken the track. 63-year-old McConnell was lined up in gate one, 63-year-old Castro in gate two, 52-year-old Hartke in gate three, and 66-year-old Schwartz in gate four. Their combined ages are an astronomical 244 years. Castro made a great start, got across McConnell, and led into the first turn. McConnell chased Castro down the back straight but the diminutive leader led through lap one. McConnell continued to snap at Castro’s heels on the second lap while Schwartz was contending with Hartke. McConnell remained within striking distance but Castro was never bothered by his presence and led to the checkered flag. McConnell settled for second, Schwartz finished third, and Hartke was fourth.

Jordan Vanderham was victorious in his heat and topped that by winning the Second Division Main Event. Lawrence McNutt finished second, Isaiah Canales was third, and Dan Eddy finished fourth.

John Matherson Cup Final (restarted thrice)
7 - Joe Jones/Tom Summers
1 - Robert Curry/David Bernardo (penalty line)
357 - Ace Kale/Thomas Yergler (non-starter, restart)
88 - Wade Boyd/Eric Lindauer (non-starter, restart)

Sidecar Consolation
28 - Lawrence McNutt/Dana Miller
116 - Chris Jones/Johnny Glover
81 - Jeff Medberry/Mike North
07 - Kevin Kale/Tracy Gallagher

Scratch Main Event
14 - Eddie Castro
6 - Shawn McConnell
11 - Bobby Schwartz
290 - Harold Hartke

Scratch Consolation (restarted)
249 - John Wilder
168 - Mark Fillebrown (penalty line)
327 - Tyler Moszer
182 - Rudy Laurer

Second Division Main Event
123 - Jordan Vanderham
275 - Lawrence McNutt
106 - Isaiah Canales
349 - Dan Eddy

Second Division Consolation (restarted)
103 - Brent Smith
69e - Alan Bernklau
169 - Dan Wensloff
174 - Pat Hawley (non-starter, restart)
138 - Jim Sanders (non starter)