Taking Off

When was the last time 45,000 fans stood and cheered wildly at the action inside Anaheim’s Edison Field?

It wasn’t last year for an Angel game. Their biggest crowd was 43,911 against the Dodgers on July 15. That was the night the Angels won when Mo Vaughn singled home Randy Velarde in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Even that scene fell short of the pandemonium last Saturday night when a sellout crowd responded to Jeremy McGrath’s come-from-behind chase around a Supercross track laid out in the baseball park. McGrath was fifth off the starting line, but after taking a couple of laps, he began picking off riders, one at a time.

By the time the motorcycling superstar had moved into second place and set sail for leader Ricky Carmichael, the stadium was rocking with anticipation. The roar that went up when he powered past Carmichael was the way it sounds when an Angel hits a game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth.

And when did that last happen?

More of the same is expected Saturday night when McGrath and the AMA’s cast of Supercross riders return to Edison Field before what promoters expect to be another sellout.

Supercross--stadium motocross--has become one of the most popular attractions in motor sports, drawing 752,124 spectators last year, an average of 47,000 for 16 events. The Pontiac Silverdome was tops with 62,698. Anaheim probably would have been higher had the stadium not been downsized from 65,000 to 45,000.

The single-event record is 79,000 at the Silverdome in 1973.

Despite its success, the sport has an identity crisis--it has yet to be accepted as a legitimate sport by much of the mainstream media.

“Unfortunately, it is the perception of some editors that Supercross is not a real sport,” said Gary Becker, president of PACE Motor Sports, promoter of 15 of the 16 events, during last Saturday’s program. “In some cities, our news is in the metro, or the entertainment section. We’re often treated like polo, or rodeo.

“Supercross can’t seem to get the recognition it deserves, based on our crowd appeal. Sports is TV-driven these days and our [Nielsen] ratings are improving. We averaged 3.2 to 3.7 for our network shows last year.”

As a comparison, Tiger Woods’ extra-hole win over Ernie Els in last Sunday’s Mercedes Championship drew a 3.2.

“Developing a stronger relationship with the national media, specifically USA Today, Sports Illustrated and the wire services, is one of the most important items on our agenda for 2000,” Becker said.

Hauling dirt in and out of stadiums is a major expense for Supercross, so Becker is making the most of it at Edison Field. After the two Supercross shows, he has scheduled a monster truck and an off-road racing program in the next two weeks before cleaning up the stadium floor for the Angels.

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With most of the world’s best Supercross riders settling in Riverside County to be near their manufacturers’ training tracks, McGrath is moving out.

A longtime resident of Menifee and Canyon Lake, the six-time champion has sold his Riverside area properties and bought a home in Encinitas.

“I’m half-owner of a motocross clothing business, No Fear MX Gear, in Carlsbad and I wanted to live closer to the company,” he said. “And I love being closer to the beach too. I’ve got an offshore boat I love to drive.”

NEVER TOO LATE

Remember when John Wayne made all those movies and was a legend in Hollywood long before he finally got an Oscar near the end of his career for “True Grit”?

It’s happened in racing.

Walker Evans, an off-road racer for more than 30 years and the winner of 20 major championships and 137 individual events, is finally getting his reward as a member of the 1999 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Assn. All-American team.

He was selected after his Walker Evans Farewell Tour ended with his winning the four-wheel-drive class in the Wisconsin-based CORR Exxon Superflo off-road series. Evans, 61, had announced that would be his final full-time competition.

He won it with a pass on the last turn of the last lap of the last race to finish second and claim a one-point championship margin. It was so close that only two points covered the first four drivers.

Earlier, Evans had won three races, at Crandon, Wis.; Joliet, Ill.; and Stafford Springs, Conn., and had 10 top-five finishes in 16 races.

“I was totally shocked, elated and shocked, when they told me I was on the All-American team,” Evans said Thursday from his home in Riverside. “I guess the best things happen to those who wait.”

Among Evans’ greatest achievements was the 1979 Baja 1000 where he became the first to drive a pickup to the overall championship. And he did it driving solo. Before that, winners had been on motorcycles or in dune buggies.

“That win in ’79 and the championship I won in the Mickey Thompson series in 1992, when I was the only team to beat the Toyotas, stand out. But last year was awful good.

“To announce I was going to retire, and take a farewell tour like Richard Petty, and then to win the championship against some great drivers was quite an accomplishment.”

Although it is Evans’ first time on the team, it’s not the first for his family. Walker’s son, Evan, was selected in 1996.

Evans and the 11 other All-Americans will be feted Saturday night at the Long Beach Renaissance hotel.

It will be a night for old-timers. Besides Evans, the 30th annual team includes Elliott Forbes-Robinson, 56; John Force, 50, and Paul Gentilozzi, who turns 50 on Feb. 6. Forbes-Robinson and Gentilozzi were selected for road racing. Force was chosen for the ninth time in drag racing, along with top-fuel champion Tony Schumacher.

Others on the team include Juan Montoya and Greg Ray, open-wheel racing; Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart, stock cars; Mark Kinser and Dale Earnhardt Jr., short track; and Tony Lazzaro, at large. None of the NASCAR drivers will be present, since they are testing in Florida.

Receiving special recognition awards will be NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dave Marcis, 58, and former Indianapolis Motor Speedway superintendent Clarence Cagle, 84.

Highlight of the evening will be the awarding of the Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy to the leading vote-getter in AARWBA balloting. Mario Andretti, a three-time Titus Award winner, will also be recognized.

The dinner is open to the public. Details: (818) 842-7005.

SLOW DOWN, PAUL

It was no made-for-the-movies crash when Paul Newman smacked the wall at Daytona International Speedway last week while practicing for the 24 Hours of Daytona, severely damaging a GTU Porsche.

“My ego is bruised more than my side, but my side hurts,” said Newman, 74. “I am not the fastest guy in the world, but I usually don’t crash.”

LAST LAPS

The U.S. Auto Club will fete its western division open-wheel champions Saturday night at the Wyndham Garden hotel in Monrovia. They are Bud Kaeding, sprint cars; Marc DeBeaumont, midget cars, and Josh Wise, TQ midgets.

The Sprint Car Racing Assn. got a boost when Ventura’s Cory Kruseman scored a wire-to-wire victory in the Chili Bowl--one of the year’s most prestigious midget races--last Saturday in Tulsa, Okla. Kruseman’s Bondido chassis was prepared by former SCRA champion Lealand McSpadden. More than 100 midget racers competed. Kruseman will be bidding for the SCRA title when the season opens Feb. 12 at Perris Auto Speedway.

Craig Breedlove, who still harbors hopes of attaining a world land-speed record of 800 mph in his Spirit of America, is recuperating from surgery to shave a bone spur in his right shoulder. Breedlove, 65, hopes to try again in September.

The Los Angeles Street Race, which has always been on Labor Day weekend, will be moved to Sunday, July 15, in hopes of attracting a number of Winston Cup drivers to race in the Featherlite Southwest Tour event. The site, Exposition Park, will remain the same, although the final race course has not been determined.

Vintage Racing Journal, in cooperation with Irwindale Speedway, will conduct a Vintage Racecar Show and Concours from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the track. It will be held in conjunction with the Vintage Auto Racing Assn.’s annual tech inspection.

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AMA Supercross

* What: AMA Supercross, second race of 16-race series.

* Where: Edison International Field, Anaheim.

* When: Saturday. Practice 12:30 p.m., opening ceremony 7.

* Defending series champion: Jeremy McGrath, Chaparral Yamaha.

* Defending Anaheim winner: Ezra Lusk, Honda.

* Injury report: Lusk, dislocated shoulder; Jeff Emig, two broken wrists. Both out 6-8 weeks.

* Tickets: Edison Field box office, Ticketmaster, participating Yamaha dealers.

* Prices: Adults, $75, $40 and $25. Children, $10.