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Victorville Speedway Wheel2Wheel Raceway Victorville, California
Buck Blair went home with all of the gold after winning the main event and the Eliminapolis 500 Last Man Out Challenge at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville.
Blair drew the outside starting position for the main event and it worked to his advantage. Former Youth National Champion Ricky Wells left the line first but Blair used the banking of the track to garner enough speed to dive in front of the fifteen year old in turn one and take the lead. Wells tried to blast up the inside on the back straight but the Colorado native had him covered as they went into turn three. It proved to be Wells's only legitimate chance as Blair led the rest of the way. Tim Gomez, in his first meeting since returning from the Dream Team tour, finished third, and Eddie Castro was fourth.
The Eliminapolis 500 Last Man Out Challenge was filled with controversy. Brad Sauer was eliminated on the first start leaving Blair, Castro, and Neil Facchini for the second start. Castro got into the tapes which caused Facchini to move before the tapes went up and broke across Castro's bike. Blair and Facchini, as well as the spectators, expected Castro to at least be penalized, if not excluded. The referee did not agree and ordered a complete restart. The crowd responded with a chorus of boos and Blair objected vehemently, but to no avail. When the riders finally completed the second start it was Neil Facchini who trailed behind and was eliminated. Blair got the better start in the final two-lap battle with Castro and led the entire distance for the victory and earned a cascade of cheers from the crowd.
The format for the meeting was similar to the format used in the World Speedway Grand Prix for several years. To keep progressing through the program a rider needed to finish in the top two. A third and/or fourth place finish in consecutive races would eliminate the rider from any chance at the main event. Once the semis were set, the meeting followed the traditional format. In addition, the top two riders from Round Two would qualify for the Eliminapolis 500 Last Chance.
Facchini was leading the first semi when he fell in turn four. All three riders behind him went down, but Facchini got the worst of it. All four riders made the restart, but Facchini was penalized. Wells made the best start and led Blair all the way to the checkered flag.
In the second semi Gomez got the best start but spun around in turn four and brought out the red flag. Castro was an easy winner, but Gomez shrewdly worked past Travis Henderson and then Sauer to get second and the final transfer to the main.
John Marquez led the Second Division Main Event from start to finish to collect his fourth Victorville main event victory of the season. Allen Doss was second, Bryan Buffington finished third, and Billy Braden was fourth.
Brad Russell led the Third Division Main Event the entire way for his first main event victory. Jim Painter finished second, Rick Fritch was third, and Mike Nutting finished fourth.
Brad Pappalardo, in his first meeting on a Jawa 250, got the best start in the Youth Main. Joey Holt gave chase and took over the lead at the end of the first lap and cruised to victory. Pappalardo finished second, Richard Crocker was third, and Russell Green was credited with fourth.
The next speedway event at Wheel2Wheel Raceway will be the Firecracker Derby on Wednesday, July 4. Industry Speedway will be dark that night so there is no conflict on the speedway schedule.
RESULTS
Pee Wee Main Event
77 - Erika Lyons
Youth Main Event
4 - Joey Holt
611 - Brad Pappalardo
91 - Richard Crocker
18 - Russell Green (non starter)
Third Division Consolation
152 - Fred Remington
362 - Ralph Chudy
252 - Jeff Remington
312 - Charlie Ousley
Third Division Main Event
317 - Brad Russell
172 - Jim Painter
288 - Rick Fritch
218 - Mike Nutting
Second Division Consolation
212 - Steve Dziadus
171 - Kenny Hansen (retired)
Second Division Main Event
241 - John Marquez
232 - Allen Doss
77 - Bryan Buffington
117 - Billy Braden (tape penalty)
First Division Race Results
Round 1: First and second to Round 2, third and fourth to Round 1 Last Chance
12: Castro, Marquez, Lyons
13: Wells, B.Sauer, Henderson, D.Facchini
14: N.Facchini, Blair, Stunkard, Stasiefski
15: (restarted) Bloom, R.Sauer, Hull (penalty line), Gomez (non starter)
Round 1 Last Chance: First and second to Round 2 Last Chance, third and fourth to Consolation
20: D.Facchini, Hull, Stunkard
21: Gomez, Henderson, Stasiefski, Lyons
Round 2: First and second to Semis and Eliminapolis 500, third and fourth to Round 2 Last Chance
22: N.Facchini, B.Sauer, Bloom, R.Sauer
23: Castro, Blair, Wells, R.Sauer
Round 2 Last Chance: First and second to Semis, third and fourth eliminated
26: D.Facchini, Henderson, Bloom, R.Sauer
27: Gomez, Wells, Hull, Marquez
Consolation: Stasiefski, Lyons, Stunkard (fell, remounted)
Semi #1: (restarted) Wells, Blair, D.Facchini, N.Facchini (penalty line)
Semi #2: (restarted) Castro, Gomez (penalty line), B.Sauer, Henderson
Eliminapolis 500 Last Man Out
39 - Buck Blair
14 - Eddie Castro
86 - Neil Facchini
21 - Brad Sauer
First Division B Main
86 - Neil Facchini
19 - Dale Facchini
21 - Brad Sauer
55 - Travis Henderson (non starter)
First Division Main Event
39 - Buck Blair
142 - Ricky Wells
30 - Tim Gomez
14 - Eddie Castro
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