OWEGO, NY

For the past several years, Champion Speedway has played host to the Larry McBride Memorial event to pay tribute to and remember Larry McBride, the father of Speedway greats Tuff and Lenny McBride. Larry was a longtime track worker and videographer. The race always brings out a top field of riders and fans, and this year was no exception. The program always features Scratch and Handicap racing and it provides an exciting format.

The Handicap heats began with Mikey Buman taking a win all the way from the 50-yard marker. Dee Holden was second, with Andy Crawford third, Don Wheeland fourth and Dave Clark fifth.

In the next heat, Casey Donholt beat Craig Estelle, Shawn Engel, Jeff Garlinghouse and Josh Carr, in that order.

Next, it was Brian Hollenbeck and Tuff McBride (above) going one-two, with Lee Bailey, who had just returned from retirement, taking third. Brian Bailey finished fourth.

Jerry Harman closed out the first round of heats with a victory, over Adam Mittl. Ray Barondick was third, Russ Cornell fourth and Dwight Basa fifth.

The first Handicap semifinal saw Buman again come out on top. Harman was second for a transfer to the main, along with third-placed Estelle. Fourth went to Donholt, with Barondick fifth and Holden sixth.

Tuff was the first to the checkered flag in the second semi, with Bailey just behind in second. Hollenbeck and Mittl had a great drag race for third, finishing in what appeared to be a tie. Behind them was Engel.

Estelle was able to win his Scratch heat in a fine ride over Buman, who ended up second. Clark was third, with Barondick fourth.

Donholt and Harman transferred from the next heat with a one-two punch, while Basa and Crawford both DNFed.

Mittl made a nice start to win the next outing, over Bailey, who continued to be strong. Third was Carr, and fourth went to Cornell.

McBride could not be held back and concluded the heats with a win over Hollenbeck, Engel and Garlinghouse.

McBride kept getting hotter as the night went on, and won the first Scratch semi, against Donholt, who took second. Harman and Bailey would end up in the last-chance qualifier.

Mittl and Hollenbeck finished the second semi in that order, with third going to Buman and last to Estelle.

Buman gated strongly to win the LCQ, with Estelle in hot pursuit. Harman was third and Bailey last.

Donholt was not to be denied in the Scratch final and outgated the competition on his All Balls Racing Jawa. He rode a nice, tight inside line for four laps, with Mittl on him like a shadow, to take his third McBride Memorial Scratch win in a row. McBride was third, Hollenbeck fourth and Buman fifth.

In the Handicap feature, it was only fitting that McBride passed everyone from the 50-yard line in six laps to claim it for his dad on his JBR/Polito/Justice Brothers/Silco/NGK-backed Jawa. Harman was second, with Buman, Mittl, Estelle and Bailey following.

Results

SCR LCQ: 1. Mikey Buman; 2. Craig Estelle; 3. Jerry Harman; 4. Lee Bailey.

SCR MAIN: 1. Casey Donholt; 2. Adam Mittl; 3. Tuff McBride; 4. Brian Hollenbeck; 5. Mikey Buman.

HDCP MAIN: 1. Tuff McBride; 2. Jerry Harman; 3. Mikey Buman; 4. Adam Mittl; 5. Craig Estelle.

SUP: 1. Cole Farwell; 2. Don Wheeland; 3. Brian Bailey; 4. Ray Barondick; 5. Dee Holden.

JR SPEEDWAY: 1. Dakota Crone; 2. Spencer Portararo.

DIRT/BK: 1. Dylan Hawk; 2. John Eleven; 3. Roger Roberts.