Castro Works Hard to Hold Off Hamill

Ed Castro represents the working class at the weekly speedway racing events at the Costa Mesa Fairgrounds. The 40-year-old single father of three toils 40 hours a week as a mechanic, putting aside just enough money to keep his weekend hobby going.

At the Coors Light Spring Classic Saturday night, Castro surprised many by holding off former world individual champion Billy Hamill to win the eight-lap handicap main event.

“He was all over me like a rash,” Castro said. “I just tried to hold my line and keep twisting it on and not fade. I saw the white flag and I knew Billy was all over me pounding on the door, but I wasn’t letting up.”

Castro, who earned about $500 for the victory, was just happy to be in uniform.

“I just got my boots at the last second before the race,” said Castro, an Ojai resident. “I had to make a pit stop in Anaheim to get the boots.”

Hamill, who was racing for the first time since fracturing a vertebrae in his back during a Grand Prix event in Poland last September, won the four-lap scratch main over Brea’s Shawn McConnell, but fell in the first turn of the handicap main. A full restart was taken, but Hamill wasn’t feeling 100% after the spill.

“That hurt, but you’ve got to fall down sooner or later,” Hamill said. “My elbow is a little banged up, but hopefully it’s not too serious. I’ve got to race next weekend in England.”

Two other riders weren’t as fortunate as Hamill. Chad Newlee of Canyon Country suffered a fractured right ankle after his bike straightened out in a turn sending him straight into the wall during a support race.

Newlee went airborne over the wall and he struck his ankle on a railing in the seating area. Newlee’s crumpled bike had to be dragged off the track.

Two races later, Mark Hitchcock of Bakersfield slid to the ground in the first turn of another support race and Randy Skinner came up from behind and rolled over Hitchcock’s helmet. Hitchcock was knocked unconscious briefly, but was awake and moving his extremities afterward.