Manchester, 19, Becomes U.S. Speedway Champion

Speedway motorcyclist Chris Manchester of Hesperia made history Saturday night by becoming the youngest rider to win the U.S. Speedway Nationals in the 24 years it has been held at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.

Manchester, 19, also became the first rider to win the championship in his first try by winning all five of his heat races and finished with 15 points. It marked the first time since Bruce Penhall scored 15 points in 1980 that a rider won with a perfect score.

Manchester was the leading qualifier going into the race but most expected two-time defending champion Mike Faria of Downey or British Speedway League star Billy Hamill of Monrovia to win the event.

Instead, Manchester survived three restarts in his opening two heats and then won a pressure-packed finale to win the title. Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa was second with 13 points, and Steve Lucero defeated Hamill in a runoff for third place after they had tied with 11 points.

Manchester credited countless hours of practice on a track he built near his home in the upper desert for his success.

Asked how many practice laps he had ridden the last three years to finally become a champion, Manchester said, “I couldn’t count that high. It wasn’t hours and hours, it was more like days and days. I lived on that track.”

Manchester said he felt sluggish when he awoke Saturday morning and began to wonder about his chances of winning the title when he was forced to restart three times when other riders crashed in his opening heats.

“I didn’t feel good at all, but then I took a nap and came out here to win,” he said. “I really didn’t feel any pressure until my last race.”

Schwartz, at 36 the oldest rider in the field, was involved in an accident with Faria in his last heat race. Faria forced Schwartz into the wall coming out of Turn 2 on the third lap and Schwartz’s arm caught under the wood cap when his throttle hit the wall.

Faria was disqualified by referee Jim Fishback for dangerous riding and Schwartz won the restart. Faria finished tied for sixth with Scott Brant and Louis Kossuth.