Monrovia’s Larsen Wins First Fair Derby Title

The Fair Derby has largely been dominated by a few veterans through the years at Costa Mesa Speedway. But Josh Larsen, a 29-year-old from Monrovia who has been riding at the Orange County Fairgrounds since 1988, delivered a breakthrough performance on Saturday.

Larsen made a calculated move underneath Corona’s Gary Hicks on the third of four laps, and came away with his first Fair Derby title.

“We were rubbing elbows pretty good,” said Larsen, who also beat Hicks in a match race earlier in the night and won the 25-Lap Classic a week ago. “It’s great to win something that so many legends of speedway have won.”

Larsen beat Hicks, the season points leader who started from the pole and was the most experienced rider to not win a Fair Derby title. Mike Faria of Reno was second and Bobby Schwartz of Costa Mesa was third.

Faria, 44, who won the scratch main event at Auburn on Friday, and Schwartz, 44, have each won a record four Fair Derby titles.

Hicks, bumped to the outside on Larsen’s pass, finished fourth and Reno’s Chris Manchester was fifth.

Brea’s Shawn McConnell, 42, has won the Fair Derby twice, but failed to make the five-man final. McConnell finished third in the eight-lap handicap main event. He finished behind winner Kitt Nay, 20, of Paso Robles and Randy DiFrancesco of Bakersfield.