Victorville Speedway
Wheel2Wheel Raceway
Victorville, California

2008 Night Opener
March 22, 2008 - Victorville
By: Ryan Evans

Ricky “The Kiwi Kid” Wells continued his early-season domination of Southern California speedway by winning both main events at the 2008 Night Opener at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville.

Victorville Track Champion Buck Blair and Wells entered turn one side-by-side with Wells gaining a slight advantage on the back straight. Blair edged ahead at the close of lap one. Wells pulled even again and both riders remained handlebar-to-handlebar for two straight laps with Wells hugging the inside blue groove and Blair using the track’s steep banking. The duo stayed in tight formation until the final lap when Wells found enough traction exiting turn two to gain a bikelength advantage. Blair tried one last time in the final corner, but Wells was up to the task and beat him to the checkered flag. Dale Facchini finished third and Greg Ayers was fourth.

Donnie Robinson led the Handicap Main into turn one, but Wells was making a determined pursuit around the outside. Wells passed Robinson just after the completion of lap two, but Facchini fell as they entered turn three and brought out the red flag. Robinson was leading the last completed lap so he restarted at the front with Wells just ten yards back. Wells made quick work of Robinson on the restart and ran away with the victory. Blair finished second, Robinson scored an impressive third, Facchini was fourth, and John DeFries was credited with fifth.

The handicap portion of the program used a two-round point format instead of the traditional heat-semi format to determine the field for the main event. Blair used the outside in the first heat to get the victory. Robinson led from start to finish in the second heat, but Tim Gomez was involved in a crash with DeFries and had to withdraw from the meeting due to a broken bike. Wells found the outside to his liking to win the next heat. Blair made it two wins in a row in heat 12. Facchini held off Wells for a victory in the final heat.

Russell Green won both his heats and scored an impressive triumph in the Second Division Main Event. Steve Bowen finished second, Steve Dziadus was third, and Brad Moreau finished fourth.

Jonni Jade, a native of England, led the Third Division Main Event for three laps, but Jeff Remington chased him down at the end of the third lap. Jade left a small opening on the inside as they entered the final corner and Remington went by for the lead and the win. Jade had to settle for second, Tony DeAlmeida was third, Jeff Shaffer finished fourth, Paul Thornton was fifth, and Rick Huspek finished sixth.

Joey Holt defeated Dylan Black to win the Youth First Division Main Event and Major Davis beat Erika Lyons in her speedway debut in the Youth Second Division Main Event.

The Pee Wee Main featured four second-generation riders. Alyssa Bienert led the entire distance for the win, Lyons finished second, Troy Bienert was third, and Kylie Ayers finished fourth.

The next speedway event at Wheel2Wheel Raceway will be the High Desert Pairs Championship on Saturday, April 5.

RESULTS 

Pee Wee Main Event 
103 – Alyssa Bienert
 77 – Erika Lyons
  4 – Troy Bienert
  7 – Kylie Ayers 

Youth Second Division Main Event 
999 – Major Davis
 77 – Erika Lyons 
 
Youth First Division Main Event 
4 – Joey Holt 
7 – Dylan Black 

Third Division Main Event 
252 – Jeff Remington 20
266 – Jonni Jade                       	20
157 – Tony DeAlmeida 20
399 – Jeff Shaffer                    	10
124 – Paul Thornton                   	10
226 – Rick Huspek                     	10 

Second Division Last Chance 
153 – Brad Moreau
202 – J.C. Masters
168 – Matt Eddy 

Second Division Main Event 
321 – Russell Green 
177 – Steve Bowen 
212 – Steve Dziadus
153 – Brad Moreau 

First Division Handicap Scoring	1	2	T 
16 – John DeFries [20]              	2     	2      	4
 19 – Dale Facchini [30]              	2     	3     	5
 30 – Tim Gomez [30]                 	F     	N     	0
 32 – Billy Lyons [10]                 	1     	1     	2
 39 – Buck Blair [40]                   3     	3     	6
 52 – Marvin Sonnier [10]            	0      	R      	0
 99 – Greg Ayers [20]                 	1     	1     	2
142 – Ricky Wells [40]               	3     	2      	5
177 – Steve Bowen [0]                	2      	-     	2
232 – Allen Doss [10]                  	F      	1      	1
388 – Donnie Robinson [0]               3     	F     	3 

Race Results 5: Blair, Facchini, Ayers, Doss (fell)
 6: (restarted) Robinson, DeFries, Lyons, Gomez (fell)
 9: Wells, DeFries, Ayers, Sonnier
12: Blair, Bowen, Lyons, Robinson (fell)
13: Facchini, Wells, Doss, Sonnier (retired) 

Handicap Main Event (restarted)
142 – Ricky Wells 40
 39 – Buck Blair 40
388 – Donnie Robinson 0
 19 – Dale Facchini 30
 16 – John DeFries 20	(non starter) 
 
Scratch Consolation 
32 – Billy Lyons 
16 – John DeFries (retired)
388 – Donnie Robinson (fell)
232 – Allen Doss (non starter)

Scratch Main Event 
142 – Ricky Wells 
39 – Buck Blair 
19 – Dale Facchini 
99 – Greg Ayers