Victorville Speedway
Wheel2Wheel Raceway
Victorville, California
2008 Victorville Track Championship
August 9, 2008 - Victorville
By: Ryan Evans
Ricky Wells added another crown to his growing collection of titles by winning the Victorville Track Championship with a brilliant 15 point maximum.
The traditional 20-heat format was used instead of having a main event, however, the championship still wasn’t decided until the final race. Attrition eliminated two riders from the race and set up a two-rider duel to decide the title. Wells entered the race with a perfect 12 points, while Shawn McConnell had 11 and needed a victory to force a runoff with Wells for the championship. Wells held a slight lead going into turn one but McConnell closed ground on the back straight. The pair entered turn three very fast and very close before McConnell slid off effectively sealing the championship for Wells. McConnell remounted to take his second place points and clinch second place in the overall championship.
A three-rider runoff between 2006 Track Champion Eddie Castro, Neil Facchini, and Dale Facchini was required to determine third overall after each rider scored 11 points in their five races. Castro left the drama at the tapes as he jumped in front and led all four laps to clinch the podium spot. Neil Facchini was second and Dale Facchini was third.
Wells began the evening with a convincing win over Dale Facchini. Defending Track Champion Buck Blair cruised to victory ahead of Castro in the next heat. Neil Facchini scored his first win ahead of Robbie Sauer.
In the last heat of the first round McConnell was on the inside and Shaun Harmatiuk was on the outside in a side-by-side battle before McConnell secured the lead at the end of lap one. McConnell began stretching his lead on the back straight and Harmatiuk went too deep into turn three and fell. McConnell went unchallenged from there for the win.
Blair started round two with his second win. McConnell earned his second win while Dale Facchini made a fantastic outside pass of his brother for second. Harmatiuk beat Brad Sauer in the next heat. Wells led the final race of the second round before undergoing an outside attack by Castro. Castro seemed poised to take the lead before his bike began to sputter. Wells took his second win while Castro drifted back to fourth.
Tony Bienert opened the third round with a victory. Blair left everyone in his wake in race 23 for his third straight win. Castro beat McConnell in the next race. Wells matched the perfect score of Blair by defeating Neil Facchini.
After three rounds Wells and Blair were tied with perfect nine-point scores; McConnell had eight points; Bienert had seven points; the Facchini Brothers were each had six points; and Castro had five points.
The fourth round commenced with McConnell getting his third victory. Castro beat Dale Facchini in race 33.
The next race had dire consequences on the championship. Blair trapped from gate four, but Bienert missed the start then used the inside to go under Brad Sauer and Neil Facchini. Bienert then found too much grip exiting turn two, ran into Blair, and both riders went down hard. Bienert was down for several minutes before getting up with a noticeable limp. Blair was carried off on a stretcher, but was not transported from the track via ambulance. He was later diagnosed with a broken collarbone and is expected to be out of action for six weeks. Brad Sauer led the restart before Neil Facchini went by in turn three and took the lead and the win.
Wells ran away with his fourth win to complete round four.
Castro beat Neil Facchini to ensure a runoff for third overall. Dale Facchini, needing a win to join the runoff, passed the fast-starting Jon Stasiefski to collect his much-needed win. Brad Sauer beat Russell Green in the penultimate heat.
Phillip Harmatiuk won both his heats and took a convincing victory in the Second Division Track Championship Final. Steve Bowen finished second, Dylan Black was third, Rohn Zellner finished fourth, Bryan Buffington was fifth, and Rick Fritch finished sixth.
Jonni Jade used the outside to secure the lead ahead of Mike Schultz and capped his perfect night by winning the Third Division Track Championship Final. Schultz held on for second, Tony DeAlmeida finished third, Paul Thornton was fourth, and Rick Huspek finished fifth.
Rocco Scopellite matched his two heat victories with a win in the Youth Track Championship Final. Major Davis was second,
Erika Lyons finished third, and Nicky Reimer was fourth.
Nicky Varner defeated Erika Lyons to collect the Pee Wee Unlimited Track Championship.
Garrett Nepi won the Pee Wee Track Championship for the third straight year. Marina Braden finished second, Brandt Fletcher was third, Nathan Remington finished fourth, and Gino Scopellite was fifth.
The next event in Victorville will be 60s Night on Saturday, August 30 and will feature a Wheelie Contest. Any spectator born in the 1960s will receive $2 off admission.
RESULTS
Pee Wee Track Championship Final
5 – Garrett Nepi
117 – Marina Braden
7 – Brandt Fletcher
12 – Nathan Remington
7 – Gino Scopellite
Pee Wee Unlimited Track Championship Final
41 – Nicky Varner
77 – Erika Lyons
Youth Track Championship Final
9 – Rocco Scopellite
999 – Major Davis
77 – Erika Lyons
41 – Nicky Reimer (retired)
Third Division Track Championship Final
266 – Jonni Jade
292 – Mike Schultz
157 – Tony DeAlmeida 124 – Paul Thornton
226 – Rick Huspek
Second Division Track Championship Final
149 – Phillip Harmatiuk
177 – Steve Bowen
201 – Dylan Black
163 – Rohn Zellner
77 – Bryan Buffington
288 – Rick Fritch
First Division Scoring 1 2 3 4 5 T
6 – Shawn McConnell 3 3 2 3 2 13
14 – Eddie Castro 2 0 3 3 3 11
17 – Robbie Sauer 2 1 1 2 R 6
19 – Dale Facchini 2 2 2 2 3 11
21 – Brad Sauer 1 2 1 2 3 9
39 – Buck Blair 3 3 3 - - 9
52 – Marvin Sonnier 1 0 2 0 1 4
77 – Bryan Buffington R - - - - 0
86 – Neil Facchini 3 1 2 3 2 11
103 – Tony Bienert 2 2 3 - - 7
110 – Jon Stasiefski 1 2 0 1 2 6
139 – Shaun Harmatiuk 0 3 F 2 1 6
142 – Ricky Wells 3 3 3 3 3 15
163 – Rohn Zellner 1 - - - - 1
177 – Steve Bowen 1 - - - - 1
321 – Russell Green 1 1 1 1 2 6
Race Results 4: Wells, D.Facchini, B.Sauer
5: Blair, Castro, Sonnier
6: N.Facchini, R.Sauer (tape penalty), Stasiefski
7: McConnell, Bienert (tape penalty), Green, Harmatiuk (fell, remounted)
14: Blair, Stasiefski, Green
15: McConnell, D.Facchini, N.Facchini, Sonnier
16: Harmatiuk, B.Sauer, Zellner
17: Wells, Bienert, R.Sauer, Castro
22: Bienert, Sonnier, Bowen
23: Blair, D.Facchini, R.Sauer, Harmatiuk (fell)
24: Castro, McConnell, B.Sauer, Stasiefski
25: Wells, N.Facchini, Green
32: McConnell, R.Sauer, Buffington (retired)
33: Castro, D.Facchini, Green
34: (restarted) N.Facchini, B.Sauer, Blair (withdrew), Bienert (withdrew)
35: Wells, Harmatiuk, Stasiefski, Sonnier
40: Castro, N.Facchini, Harmatiuk
41: D.Facchini, Stasiefski
42: B.Sauer, Green, Sonnier, R.Sauer (retired)
43: Wells, McConnell (fell, remounted)
Runoff for 3rd Place Overall
14 - Eddie Castro
86 - Neil Facchini
19 - Dale Facchini Ryan Evans
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