By: Steve Evans

Nate Perkins of Bullhead City, AZ, won a dramatic Main Event to take home 1st place in the 2007 New Years Classic, at Wheel 2 Wheel Raceway. Perkins shot out of gate 2 into the lead, with Buck Blair, winner of the last 2 Victorville Mains hot in pursuit. The previously unbeaten 'Fast' Eddie Castro who started from the penalty line after a tapes offense, made quick work of US Under 21 Champ Neil Facchini, though Castro's race ended after a rare lap three fall. Meanwhile, Blair chased Perkins hard, the two literally side by side for 4 laps. Perkins always had the edge though and won by half a bike length in a race that had the cold crowd on it's feet!
The Division One format was 10 riders, 4 heats per rider. Top 3 went to the A Main direct, next 3 to B Main, and lowest 4 to the C Main. The winner of the C main went to the B Main, the winner of the B to the A Main.
Michael Hull led home Tim Gomez for a dominating win in heat one. Eddie Castro headed Blair in close heat two, whilst JT Mabry made a lightening gate in heat three, only for Perkins to pass. Mabry, riding to master a track that is not amongst his favorites held on for a solid second. Castro beat Hull & Dale Facchini in heat 4, with Blair defeating Perkins and Gomez in 5. Castro won heat 6 and Perkins led the impressive and much improved Hull home in 7. Heat 8 was the heat of the night, Michael Hull passing Buck Blair around the outside to win. Blair hit back with a win in heat 9 over the Facchini's, with Castro staying unbeaten to defeat Perkins in 10.
Next was a three man run off for the last two automatic A Main spots as Perkins, Hull & Blair all had ten points. Perkins led home Blair. The C Main had Dale Facchini leading home the much improved Mabry. Neil Facchini, after a quiet night, beat Tim Gomez by 2 lengths to take the B Main. This set us up for amazing A Main!
In Division Two, first time rider Ian Foulds surprised the field by leading the Main for two laps, before falling and causing a restart. The Joker Machine backed rider is one to watch for 2007. In the restart the fast and unbeaten Allen Doss led home 'Bumblebee' Bryan Buffington, with the impressive John Marquez riding the dirt line for third. In Division Three newcomer Fred Remington led home Lance Remington and Joe Dillard.
The juniors gave a great show despite low entries with NorCals Thomas Riech edging out Russell Green. Biggest cheer of the night came for Erika Lyons in the PW50s, beating track champion Garret Nepi when it mattered.

Results

Pee Wee Main
 77 - Erika Lyons
  5 - Garrett Nepi
117 - Marina Braden

Youth Main Event
12n - Thomas Reich
 18 - Russell Green

Third Division Main Event
152 - Fred Remington
134 - Lance Remington
714 - Joe Dillard

Second Division Main Event
232 - Allen Doss
 77 - Bryan Buffington
241 - John Marquez
245 - Ian Foulds

First Division Points	1	2	3	4	T
 13 - Nate Perkins 		3 	2 	3 	2 	10 
 14 - Eddie Castro 		3 	3 	3 	3 	12 
 19 - Dale Facchini 		1 	1 	1 	1 	4
 30 - Tim Gomez 		2 	1 	2 	1 	6
 39 - Buck Blair 		2 	3 	2 	3 	10
 93 - JT Mabry 			2 	0 	0 	1 	3
201 - Neil Facchini 		1 	1 	1 	2 	5
238 - Travis Henderson 		0 	0 	0 	0 	0
320 - Michael Hull 		3 	2 	2 	3 	10
321 - Billy Lyons 		0 	0 	0 	0 	0

Race Results
 1: Hull, Gomez, N Facchini, Henderson
 2: Castro, Blair, D Facchini, Lyons
 3: Perkins, Mabry, N Facchini, Lyons
 4: Castro, Hull, D Facchini, Henderson
 5: Blair, Perkins, Gomez, Mabry
 6: Castro, Gomez, N Facchini, Mabry
 7: Perkins, Hull, D Facchini, Lyons (fell)
 8: Hull, Blair, Mabry, Henderson
 9: Blair, N Facchini, D Facchini, Henderson
10: Castro, Perkins, Gomez, Lyons
Run off: Perkins, Blair, Hull
C Main: D Facchini, Mabry, Henderson, Lyons
B Main: N Facchini, Gomez, D Facchini, Hull


 13 - Nate Perkins
 39 - Buck Blair
201 - Neil Facchini
 14 - Eddie Castro	(fell)