Victorville Speedway Wheel2Wheel Raceway Victorville, California
Harley Night
August 4, 2007 - Victorville
By: Ryan Evans
Buck Blair took home his fourth Victorville First Division Main Event with a brilliant performance on Harley Night at Wheel2Wheel Raceway.
Blair entered the main event with the most points and chose the pole. Dale Facchini then picked gate two, "Fast" Eddie Castro selected gate four, which left Bryan Buffington with gate three. Blair exploded off the line first and held a sizeable advantage after the first corner. Facchini and Castro battled for second with Facchini sticking to the low line while Castro used his custormary high line. Blair never offered a chance at the lead and went unchallenged to the victory. The battle for second continued until lap three when Castro nearly went down entering turn three. Facchini finished second, Castro was third, and Buffington finished fourth.
Blair blitzed the field to take the win in the first heat ahead of Facchini and Buffington. Castro cruised to victory in the second heat ahead of Jon Stasiefski and Billy Lyons.
The earned-handicap format inverted the field in rounds two through four. Facchini got past Lyons in race six with Castro charging hard from the back. Castro went down in the final corner and Facchini took the win. Blair went past Buffington and then Stasiefski to take the win in race eleven.
Castro put his twenty-yard advantage over Blair to good use and took an easy win. Facchini came from the back to beat Stasiefski and Buffington in race eighteen.
The final round began with Stasiefski working past Buffington and impressively holding off Castro before sliding off in the final corner and handing the win to Castro and costing himself a spot in the main. Blair beat Facchini and Lyons in the final heat.
The Consolation was the best race of the night with Stasiefski and Lyons trading the lead several times before Stasiefski got just enough traction in the final corner to get the win.
The Golden Helmet Match Race pitted defending champion Castro against Facchini. Castro got the best start in the first race and won easily when Facchini fell. Facchini struck back in the second race for the win and also force the deciding third race. Facchini trapped from the outside in the third race and Castro couldn't get close enough to put up a fight. Facchini took the win.
Allen Doss got the best start in the Second Division Main Event and established a comfortable lead for two laps. Doss began riding a wider line and Steve Bowen went on the attack on the final two laps. Bowen made one last attempt in the final corner, but Doss held on for the win. Kim Stevens finished third and Donnie Robinson was fourth.
Max Eddy got a great start from the twenty yard line in the Third Division Main and split the pair of riders starting on the ten to lead into turn one. Eddy never left any doubt and ran away with the win. Mike Boyle finished second, Tony DeAlmeida was third, Joe Dillard finished fourth, and Jason Dupuy was fifth.
Richard Crocker fought off every challenge that Russell Green could muster to win the Youth Main.
Erika Lyons scored an impressive win in the Pee Wee Main Event with Marina Braden finishing in second and Garrett Nepi coming in third.
Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen jumped into the lead and never looked back en route to victory in the Sidecar Main.
A hillside fire on Interstate 15 prevented some of the riders from getting to the track in time. However, the riders who made it to the track provided some entertaining racing for the fans.
The next event in Victorville will be the Advanced Performance Muffler 2007 Track Championship on Saturday, August 18. Eddie Castro is the defending champion and the field of challengers will comprise the deepest field the venue has seen this season. Track Championship titles will be up for grabs in all divisions.
RESULTS
Sidecar Main Event
15 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen
19 - Dale Facchini/Steve Bumpass
13 - Scott Driggers/Shawn Driggers (retired)
4 - Brian Motis/Loren Thurston (retired)
Pee Wee Main Event
77 - Erika Lyons
117 - Marina Braden
5 - Garrett Nepi (retired)
Youth Main Event
91 - Richard Crocker 0
18 - Russell Green 50
Third Division Consolation (restarted)
252 - Jeff Remington
152 - Fred Remington (penalty line)
362 - Ralph Chudy (non starter)
Third Division Main Event
148 - Max Eddy 20
198 - Mike Boyle 20
157 - Tony DeAlmeida 10
714 - Joe Dillard 20
300 - Jason Dupuy 10 (retired)
Second Division Main Event
232 - Allen Doss
177 - Steve Bowen
136 - Kim Stevens
388 - Donnie Robinson (fell)
Golden Helmet Match Race (2 out of 3)
19 - Dale Facchini 2
14 - Eddie Castro 1
First Division Scoring 1 2 3 4 T
14 - Eddie Castro 3 1 3 3 10
19 - Dale Facchini 2 3 3 2 10
32 - Billy Lyons 1 2 1 1 5
39 - Buck Blair 3 3 2 3 11
77 - Bryan Buffington 1 2 2 2 7
110 - Jon Stasiefski 2 1 1 1 5
Race Results 4: Blair, Facchini, Buffington
5: Castro, Stasiefski, Lyons
10: Facchini [20], Lyons [10], Castro [30] (fell)
11: Blair [30], Buffington [10], Stasiefski [20] (fell, remounted)
17: Castro [10], Blair [30], Lyons [20]
18: Facchini [30], Stasiefski [10], Buffington [20]
24: Castro [30], Buffington [10], Stasiefski [20] (fell)
25: Blair [20], Facchini [30], Lyons [10]
First Division Consolation
110 - Jon Stasiefski
32 - Billy Lyons
First Division Main Event
39 - Buck Blair
19 - Dale Facchini
14 - Eddie Castro
77 - Bryan Buffington
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