Motorcycle Qualifying Continues Tonight

The fourth round of the qualifying series for the U.S. Speedway Motorcycle championship is scheduled for 8 tonight at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

Two former national champions, Brad Oxley (1987) and Steve Lucero (1988), are in jeopardy of missing this year’s championship, which will be Oct. 3 at the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

Lucero is in 15th place with 24 points after qualifying rounds at Auburn, Sacramento, Lake Perris and Glen Helen. Oxley is tied with Shawn McConnell for 16th place with 22 points.

The top 14 riders will join British Speedway League riders Billy Hamill and Ronnie Correy in the 16-man championship field.

Oxley, a firefighter in San Juan Capistrano, missed the fourth qualifier at Glen Helen while helping put out a brush fire in Laguna Niguel.

“It doesn’t matter to me if I qualify first or 14th, as long as I make the national,” Oxley said. “There’s not that much distance between myself and the eighth and ninth qualifiers.

“I figure if I can make the main event at Costa Mesa, I’ll get a minimum 17 points, which should be put me in the national with one round remaining (Victorville on Saturday). I have a hard draw at Costa Mesa, but I also ride better there than any other track.”

Lucero missed qualifiers at Auburn and Sacramento after suffering a broken foot at Glen Helen. He returned to the weekly races at Costa Mesa two weeks ago.

The top qualifier entering tonight’s race is Scott Brant with 76 points, followed by Bobby Schwartz and Chris Manchester, each with 73. Two-time defending champion Mike Faria has 51 points and Northern California rider Bart Bast has 47.