San Clemente’s Oxley Wins Handicap Main

How do you cure a slumping sports promotion? If you’re speedway motorcycle promoter Harry Oxley, the best remedy is to get back to basics.

Speedway racing, struggling for the past two years at the Orange County Fairgrounds, made a comeback in a big way Friday night for the opening of its 24th season.

A crowd of 5,105 saw Brad Oxley of San Clemente win the handicap main event and defending U.S. champion Mike Faria of Colton win the scratch main event on the 190-yard track.

Afterward, Harry Oxley said he anticipated a successful season for the weekly event.

“The crowd was a little better than what I expected,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a good crowd from the phone calls we had this week. We had a lot of brand new people here tonight.

“I said that if we had a good crowd tonight, then we’d have a good season. I’ve been upbeat ever since the first of the year. I’ve had a good feeling all the way.”

Oxley’s son, Brad, played a big part in the evening by winning the eight-lap handicap main event. He passed Charlie Vanegas on the fifth lap and took the checkered flag.

Faria, a favorite among the fans, went wire-to-wire in the scratch main event.

Mike Reed of Riverside won the second division main after three re-starts and Shawn McConnell of Brea won the scratch consolation race.

In the coming weeks, Oxley said riders will be allowed to use 22-inch tires on the small track, which should enable plenty of passing.

Former Costa Mesa favorite “Wild” Bill Cody of Garden Grove said the wider tires will improve the racing.

“The riders are the same, the tracks are the same, but the new tires are going to open up the sport,” Cody said. “The racing is only going to get better. It’s time for the sport to go back to basics.”