Brant Starts Well, Ends Well

Scott Brant of Riverside completed a perfect evening Saturday by winning the 35th annual U.S. National Speedway Motorcycle Championship in front of 4,500 at the Costa Mesa Speedway.

Making his sixth U.S. Nationals appearance, Brant, 34, was the only rider to win each of his four preliminary races. Starting on the inside position for the four-lap championship race, Brant took the lead at the start and was able to hold back a charging Josh Larsen for his first national title.

Larsen, of Monrovia, settled for his fifth runner-up finish in Nationals competition, while Hesperia’s Gary Hicks came home third for the third time in his speedway career.

-- Robert Mayson

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The 2003 Jani-King Super Late Model series concluded its season as Mike Duncan overtook David Gilliland to win the $4,000 200-lap feature in front of 5,149 at Irwindale Speedway.

Duncan took the lead on lap 150 by passing Gilliland on a restart after Gilliland banged Greg Pursley into the second turn wall on lap 146.

James Bruncati and Gilliland finished in second and third respectively.

Mark Cernicky won the 25-lap Super Moto TT Motorcycle feature.

The Ultra Wheel Super Truck Series completed its postseason mini-series with a 50-lap feature, won by Ron Peterson.

In the 50-lap West Coast Pro Truck series finale, Aaron Staudinger earned the 2003 title by holding off former Grand American Modified champion Dean Kuhn for his second win of the season.

-- Tony Solorzano