Hicks Wins a Piece of Family Hardware

Speedway rider Gary Hicks turned Saturday’s race for the Jack Milne Cup into a family affair.

Hicks, 30, of Riverside, whose granduncle is Milne, a speedway racing pioneer who won the 1937 World Championship and played an important role in developing the Orange County speedway program 31 years ago.

Using every bit of his guile, Hicks surprised the field by winning from Gate 3 on a night when Gate 1 and 2 were the only places to be.

He got enough of an edge on Riverside’s Scott Brant through the first two turns to win the trophy named after the brother of Hicks’ grandfather.

“My Uncle Jack was the greatest speedway rider in the world at one time, and it’s great to bring it back to the family,” Hicks said.

Hicks, who began racing in 1985, is also grandson of Cordy Milne, a five-time U.S. national champion.

Hicks called his victory miraculous, the most sentimental and personally satisfying win of his career.

Hicks’ championship run came after a restart from which he greatly benefited. He was forced wide into Turn 2, causing Brad Oxley to lay down his bike. Before the first lap ended, Charlie Venegas lost control of his bike, causing a three-bike crash going into Turn 4 that took out Hicks.

Brant was the only rider who completed the first lap, and officials started the race again.

Brant, who had the choice of gates and started from Gate 1, had only himself to blame.

“I was a little bit late [on the start],” Brant said. “Gary got a wheel on me.

“Gary’s one of the best gaters, so wherever he starts, you have to consider him a threat. Coming from Gate 3, he was already in the racing line going into the first corner.”

Brant, Hicks, Andy Northrup and Venegas were four abreast coming out of Turn 2, but Hicks had the slightest edge, and once he seized the racing line, it was his title to win.

And he did.

Northrup was third, Oxley fourth and Venegas fifth.