Bast Proves to Be Best at Speedway Nationals

The Bast name is legendary on the speedway track at the Orange County Fairgrounds, and the legend grew a little more Saturday night.

Bart Bast of Auburn, Calif., won the 30th U.S. Speedway National Championship, edging San Juan Capistrano’s Brad Oxley by a half-bike-length--or less.

It is Bast’s first title in 10 appearances. He is the cousin of Mike Bast, who won seven national titles in the 1970s, and Steve Bast, who won titles in 1969 and ’74.

Bast, disqualified for causing a three-bike accident in one heat, won his other three qualifying heats, took second in his semifinal, then survived a furious push by Oxley in the final.

“This means the world to me,” Bast said. “It’s been my goal since I started--my cousins, Mike won it seven times and Steve won it twice.”

“I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to win this race.”

He almost didn’t. Bast teetered on Turn 2 in the last lap of the four-lap championship, but Oxley couldn’t hold on to his slight advantage by the time they exited Turn 3.

Mike Faria of Reno, the defending champion and three-time winner, finished third. Faria reached the final by making a bold outside pass of Costa Mesa’s Bobby Schwartz in the last-chance qualifier.