Hicks Takes Home Milne Cup, Winning Wild Speedway Final

The Jack Milne Cup was decided Saturday after Josh Larsen broke his finger, Chris Manchester went to the hospital with a possible broken leg, local legend Bobby Schwartz kicked at Milne’s great nephew, and Gary Hicks had to be restrained as he tried to get at Schwartz.

When it was over, Corona’s Hicks was the Cup’s first two-time winner after a heated final that required three restarts.

“It’s exhilarating,” said Hicks, whose grandfather, Cordy Milne, was Jack Milne’s brother. “It’s a very personal thing because my Uncle Jack bought me a Weslake [motorcycle] when I was 16 and starting racing.”

Hicks was followed to the finish by Monrovia’s Josh Larsen, Schwartz and Norco’s Ryan Fisher. Reno’s Manchester, the points leader in the weekly Speedway standings, was taken to Hoag Hospital with a possible broken leg, track officials said. Manchester slammed into the wall following the main event’s second restart.

Larsen broke his finger on the initial start, when he and Manchester went into the wall.

Two laps were completed on the second restart when Schwartz crossed the start-finish line on the inside, Hicks was in the middle and Manchester outside. Schwartz and Hicks went for the optimum driving line, and all three went down.

Schwartz, livid because he felt Hicks had turned into him, walked over to Hicks and kicked at him while he was on the ground. Hicks was restrained by several people as he tried to get at Schwartz.

When the field started for the final time--minus Manchester--Hicks got the hole shot and held off Larsen and Schwartz.

“I’m sorry it happened,” said Schwartz, who shook hands with Hicks afterward. “It was the heat of the moment. But you can’t cross over and send a kid to the hospital.”