Bobby Schwartz said what he’s doing every time he races a Speedway Motorcycle is “sort of riding myself into the sunset” after a long and distinguished career, and the final sunset may not be far off.
“This could be my last season, depending on which way my personal life goes,” said Schwartz, who will be back in action at Industry Speedway at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 20). “I can still ride smoothly, but I don’t have the desire to do it as hard as the guys that are really winning. I don’t have that drive at 52.”
It’s hard to believe that Schwartz, a Costa Mesa resident the fans cheered as “Boogaloo” and “Captain America” while he collected championship after championship, has become another middle-aged crazy, or that it’s been 20 years since he’s run a full season of racing in the U.S. and overseas.
Schwartz has accepted the changing priorities that come with aging and moving into another phase of life. His mother’s failing health and a fractured marriage have taken an emotional toll on him and much of his time is taken up in trying to be a single parent to daughters Ann Marie, 18, and Brianna, 16, and son Bobby, 4.
“I’m more family-focused now than I’ve ever been, and I want to be,” he said, and it would have been understandable if he had consigned Speedway to the past. He talks proudly of having won the World Pairs and World Team Cup titles with Industry Speedway principal Bruce Penhall, and his resume includes of two California state titles, a pair of national championships, a victory in the prestigious Jack Milne Cup, a U.S. Open win, three straight Brighton Pairs titles with Shawn McConnell and a second World Pairs championship with Dennis Sigalos.
But that was then and this is now and Schwartz knows better than anyone that there is a difference in the rider he was at 18, in 1974, and the rider he is today.
“I guess I’m doing it more as a hobby,” he said. “I don’t get too crazy at it, don’t maybe try too hard in the first corner like I used to. I’m not thinking about winning like I used to, but I do think about being safe, for myself and my family.
“I’m not trying to set some record for riding 100 years. I never could do (again) what I once did. I wouldn’t want the pressure of being the champion and all that. I’m very happy just showing up and hanging out.
“I know I’m not as good as I once was,” Schwartz said, “but people don’t expect me to be. I think they did for a while, but then they realized that I grew into an older man. Now they’d like see me pull one (main event win) off. I’ve become an underdog, in a way.”
Schwartz hadn’t planned to race at Industry Speedway this season. In fact, he said it “wasn’t until 3 in the afternoon on opening day (May 6) that I called them and said I wanted to show up, and I hadn’t even started the bike since October.”
Now, with just five races remaining in the season, he is the only rider to have raced in every event at The Grand arena in the Industry Hills Expo Center. His results have been mixed. Schwartz has won 12 heat races, ridden in 10 of the 14 semifinals, and advanced to five main events. The most recent main event appearance, Aug. 6, resulted in his best finish, a runner-up finish to rising star Ricky Wells (Brianna’s boyfriend), who Schwartz predicts is going to be a world champion, and Schwartz followed that with a strong performance Saturday night at Costa Mesa.
“There are nights when I don’t really feel like doing it anymore, to be honest, and then nights when I do,” said Schwartz. “My personal situation and what I’m going through in life has taken the focus off of racing, but I still can’t stop.
“I did good the other night (at Industry Speedway), then went to Costa Mesa and won four of five races (losing to McConnell in the main event), so I guess my form is coming back a little bit. But I still don’t feel any different than I did a month or so ago when I wasn’t doing any good.
“I’m at the twilight time. It’s probably five or six years past the time I should have stopped, realistically, but the sport was sort of needing some personalities. I love it. It makes me feel good. There’s nothing better than coming in (to the pits) after some good races. There’s a nice feeling of pride. And I think it’s kind of cool still being able to do it and racing with the young kids.
“I came from a great era in Speedway and all I hope is that by me being there the younger riders will take notice that they can last a long time if they stay focused and a little bit fit.”
Entrance gates at The Grand open at 5:30 p.m. and racing gets under way at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, students and military, and $5 for children 6-13.
