2008 Night Opener - Victorville, CA, USA - March 22, 2008
    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                       F          1          1

    388 – Donnie Robinson               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



    Ryan Evans