SteveEvans

I actually think this result pretty much gives Freddie & Chris a GP spot. Reason? The organizers won't run the series without a full time Brit, and they will look for any plausible reason to make it happen. They won't want their jewel in the crown Cardiff round without a full time Brit. They can't justify Nicholls as he has been clear 15th all year. They can't justify Tai as he got eliminated too early. They can't justify Richardson as he didn't even do the qualifers. They can't justify Harris on GP form, but they could if they 'put the top 5 from the GP challenge in.' Holder, as expected, earned his spot. Hampel is no surprise. Zorro is a major shock, and though he is not my favorite rider by any means, the old romantic in me loves the fact that, just like the old world final days, there is a shock qualifier for the series. Reminds me of the likes of Rick Miller making a World Final when you could never say he was a top 16 rider, but like Zorro, no one can say he didn't rightfully earn his place. I don't think the organizrs will have a problem with 3 Swedes - there are 3 Dane's and 4 Poles right now. It's not like Zorro will be in for more than one year. I would expect, on tonights result, the bottom 3 excluding Harris to lose their GP spots in 2010 and the rest will be joined by tonights top 3. Chris Harris, IMO will be saved by the fact the series needs a Brit and right now there is no way you can explain any other Brit being in.

I think we need to go back to the old GP challenge system - seeding riders is wrong for a world championship, the only justifcation would be if a genuine top 8 rider is injured and misses the cut. I would suggest; Top 8 automatically requalify Bottom 7 plus 9 from qualifying rounds contest a GP challenge for last 7 spots. It stops the closed shop GP system, gives you 15 riders who deserve to be there and prevents the ludicrous situation of riders in the series fdoing the qualifiers. If the series is devoid of any Brits they still have a Cardiff wild cards and the chance to re-qualify next year.

You have 3 tracks in the area Rach - go to www.speedwaybikes.com or www.jbrspeedway.com We have 8 tracks in California, so be sure to come out West too! PM me if you need more info.

Race report from Ryan Evans Defending National Champion Billy “The Kid” Janniro captured the Spring Classic main event for the second consecutive meeting with another splendid performance at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville. Janniro had the first choice of starting position for the main event and he decided to pick gate four. 2007 Victorville Track Champion Buck Blair picked gate three. “Fast” Eddie Castro chose gate one which left Jason Ramirez with gate two. Janniro exploded off the line and immediately went to the outside in turn one while Ramirez stayed low and held onto second as they exited turn two. Blair tried to follow Janniro’s outside path on the back straight but Ramirez wisely pinched the line and Blair lost momentum entering turn three. Janniro had a big lead after one lap, but the battle for second was just heating up. Blair went to the outside again and remained there throughout the second lap. The Colorado native mustered enough speed at the end of lap two that he dropped down in front of the 2007 Youth National Champion with inches to spare as they entered turn one. Ramirez tried to get the position back but Blair held him at bay. Meanwhile, Janniro was long gone and cruised to the victory. Blair finished second, Ramirez was third, and Castro finished fourth. The first heat required two restarts as the riders struggled with the tricky track conditions. Tyson Burmeister won the third attempt to complete race one ahead of Ramirez. John Marquez withdrew from the meeting due to lingering effects from a crash. Janniro began his evening with a runaway victory in the second heat. Blair closed out the first round with his first win. The earned-handicap rounds began with Castro starting in the front and running away with a win. Perkins was leading the next heat with Janniro in pursuit when Ramirez went down in turn four. The red flag came out for the fallen rider with Perkins still leading. The referee declared the race to be complete and awarded the victory to Perkins, subsequently handing Janniro his first defeat of the season. Burmeister ended the round by coming from the back for his second win in a row. Blair started the final round with his second victory of the evening. Ramirez led the next race from start to finish with Perkins getting second. Janniro had nobody starting in front of him in the final heat and scored a runaway win to close out the heats. Jon Stasiefski defeated Billy Lyons in a runoff for the final spot in the semis. The first semi started with Janniro jumping into the lead ahead of Perkins. Janniro left little doubt as to the victor would be, but Castro made a fantastic outside pass on Perkins to take second and the transfer to the main. Blair and Ramirez ran one-two in the second semi to complete the main event field. Josh Abbott won his heat, his semi, and completed his perfect evening with a victory in the Support Main Event. Abbott, whose father is a former First Division racer, led all four laps to win the main in his first ever meeting in Victorville. Drew Coates finished second, Bubba Vazanna was third, Rick Fehrman finished fourth, Brad Moreau was fifth, and Rick Fritch finished sixth. Rocco Scopellite had a perfect evening with three wins, including a victory in the Youth Main Event. Maxwell Ruml finished second and Erika Lyons was third. Erika Lyons came from the back to narrowly defeat Summer Fehrman in the Pee Wee Main Event. Sahara McGuire finished third and Dakota Shockley was fourth. The next event at Wheel2Wheel Raceway is the Holeshot Challenge on Saturday, April 18. RESULTS Pee Wee Main Event 77 - Erika Lyons 8 - Summer Fehrman Sahara McGuire 34 - Dakota Shockley Youth Main Event 9 - Rocco Scopellite 356 - Maxwell Ruml 77 - Erika Lyons 22 - Samuel Ramirez (non starter) Support Consolation 157 - Tony DeAlmeida 10 266 - Jonni Jade 30 231 - Gene Stone 10 124 - Paul Thornton 10 223n - Michelle Fehrman 10 186 - Tim McGrath 20 (non starter) Support Main Event 141 - Josh Abbott 10 195 - Drew Coates 30 274 - Bubba Vazanna 20 240n - Rick Fehrman 30 153 - Brad Moreau 30 288 - Rick Fritch 30 First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T 1 – Billy Janniro 3 2 3 8 8j – Austin Novratil 2 2 1 5 13 – Nate Perkins 1 3 2 6 14 – Eddie Castro 1 3 2 6 32 – Billy Lyons 2 1 1 4 39 – Buck Blair 3 1 3 7 41 – John Marquez 0 N N 0 66 – Jason Ramirez 2 F 3 5 110 – Jon Stasiefski 1 2 1 4 177 – Steve Bowen 0 1 0 1 184 – Tyson Burmeister 3 3 2 8 Race Results 5: (restarted twice) Burmeister, Ramirez, Castro, Marquez (penalty line) 6: Janniro, Lyons, Stasiefski 7: Blair, Novratil, Perkins, Bowen 13: Castro [10], Novratil [20], Lyons [20], Marquez [0] (non starter) 14: (awarded) Perkins [10], Janniro [30], Bowen [0], Ramirez [20] (fell) 15: Burmeister [30], Stasiefski [10], Blair [30] (retired) 20: Blair [10], Burmeister [30], Lyons [10] 21: Ramirez [0], Perkins [30], Stasiefski [20], Bowen [10] 22: Janniro [20], Castro [30], Novratil [20] Runoff: Stasiefski, Lyons Semi #1: Janniro, Castro, Perkins, Stasiefski Semi #2: Blair, Ramirez, Novratil, Burmeister (retired) First Division C Main 32 - Billy Lyons 177 - Steve Bowen First Division Consolation 13 - Nate Perkins 8j - Austin Novratil 110 - Jon Stasiefski 184 - Tyson Burmeister First Division Main Event 1 - Billy Janniro 39 - Buck Blair 66 - Jason Ramirez 14 - Eddie Castro

Billy Janniro won Victorville Speedway's Spring Classic last night - here is the Main Event, report to follow;

You did go Billy, you rode Brighton and won a heat I recall!

I think the coverage does get better because from recollection at the beginning of the season we didnt know about the TV thing. Later in the year some events have live US commentary and whilst Alex is excellent with the voice over, you cant beat it coming live as the action is occuring.

It's a mystery why F1 would change their points system after the most exciting championship chase in history. I guess they want the top drivers to dice for wins rather than settle for points. In Speedway the system needs changing as for the last few years the title has been decided or been a formality with several rounds to go. Since they went to 16 riders it seems we all know who the winner will be by halfway through. The 16 rider format is fair but the 24 rider format was more unpredictable.

By: Ryan Evans Billy “The Kid” Janniro began the defense of his National Championship with a perfect night including a victory in the First Division Main Event at the Town & Country Tire Season Opener at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville. Janniro entered the main event as top scorer, thus earning the right to pick his starting position first, he chose gate three. “Battling” Buck Blair then selected gate four, “Fast” Eddie Castro chose gate one, which left Tyson Burmeister with gate two. When the tapes went up it was Castro and Burmeister off the line first with Janniro last entering turn one. The champion went deep into turn one and took away the outside line from Blair and swept around Burmeister. Castro tried to cut Janniro off in turn two, but the former Coventry Bees rider made a daringly squeezed through a tiny hole between Castro and the fence and took the lead on the back straight. The diminutive veteran didn’t give up the fight and chased Janniro in hopes of turning the tables. Castro remained within striking distance throughout the race, but was never afforded an opportunity to grab the lead. Janniro was first to the checkered flag, Castro was second, Burmeister finished third, and Blair was fourth. Janniro began his evening with a runaway win in the first heat. Blair claimed his first win in the second heat. “Nasty” Nate Perkins held off Castro to close out the round one with a win. The earned-handicap rounds started with Janniro weaving through the traffic for his second straight victory. Burmeister started in front of Blair and Perkins in the next heat and neither of the established stalwarts could gain any ground on the rising star who claimed an impressive win. Castro came from the back to end the round with a win. The final round of heats began with Blair in the lead, but Janniro used the cushion to get around the Colorado native on the second lap to take the lead and the win. Neil Facchini led the next heat for over three laps before Castro used the ample outside traction in the final corner to steal the win at the line. Jason Ramirez, who was plagued with mechanical failures in his first two races, ran away with the win in the final heat. Ramirez then defeated Bryce Starks and Billy Lyons in a runoff for the final spot in the semis. Janniro left little doubt as to the victor in the first semi, but an epic inside-outside battle for second was brewing behind him. Perkins stuck to the inside while Burmeister was on the high-banked outside line. After a great two-lap battle Perkins seemed to surge ahead for good, but didn’t give up and charged back into contention at the white flag. The battle continued into turn one before Burmeister found more speed exiting turn two and pulled ahead for good to take second and the important transfer spot into the main. Blair got the best gate in the second semi and led Castro all the way to the finish and into the main event. Austin Novratil won both of his heats handily and also claimed a runaway victory in the Second Division Main Event for the second week in a row. “Rattlesnake” Steve Bowen finished second and Rick Fehrman was third. Drew Coates remained unbeaten in 2009 and made his case for promotion into Second Division by winning his heats and the Third Division Main Event. Bubba Vazzana was second, Tim McGrath finished third, Billy Vaughn was fourth, and Tony DeAlmeida finished fifth. Rocco Scopellite was the early leader in the Youth Main Event, but Samuel Ramirez threatened his lead on the second lap. Ramirez almost ended his race early when he bounced off the wall on the back straight, but kept his bike upright and pressed on. Ramirez caught Scopellite on the next lap and used the outside to complete the pass for the lead. Ramirez led the rest of the way to take the win. Scopellite finished second, Maxwell Ruml was third, Erika Lyons finished fourth, and Ryan Vaughn was fifth. Erika Lyons started back in turn three but overcame the handicap to win the Pee Wee Main Event. Gino Scopellite finished second, Summer Fehrman was third, and Dakota Shockley finished fourth. The Season Opener was the first of eleven speedway meetings at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in 2009. The next event will be the Spring Classic on Saturday, April 4 at 6:00 p.m. RESULTS Sidecar Main Event 22 - Dave Alexander/Matt Davis 33 - Joe Petraglovic/Steven Bumpass 1 - Joe Jones/Jimmy Olsen 66 - Gerard Jackson/Dave German (non starter) Pee Wee Main Event 77 - Erika Lyons 7 - Gino Scopellite 8 - Summer Fehrman 34 - Dakota Shockley Youth Main Event 22 - Samuel Ramirez 9 - Rocco Scopellite 356 - Maxwell Ruml 77 - Erika Lyons 127 - Ryan Vaughn Third Division Consolation 124 - Paul Thornton 223n - Michelle Fehrman 231 - Gene Stone 226 - Rick Huspek Third Division Main Event 195 - Drew Coates 274 - Bubba Vazzana 186 - Tim McGrath 181n - Billy Vaughn 157 - Tony DeAlmeida Second Division Main Event 8j - Austin Novratil 177 - Steve Bowen 240n - Rick Fehrman First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T 1 – Billy Janniro 3 3 3 9 13 – Nate Perkins 3 1 2 6 14 – Eddie Castro 2 3 3 8 32 – Billy Lyons 1 1 1 3 39 – Buck Blair 3 2 2 7 41 – John Marquez 0 1 0 1 66 – Jason Ramirez R R 3 3 86 – Neil Facchini 2 R 2 4 184 – Tyson Burmeister 2 3 1 6 245n – Bryce Starks 1 2 F 3 321 – Russell Green 1 2 1 4 Race Results 5: Janniro, Burmeister, Lyons, Ramirez (retired) 6: Blair, Facchini, Starks 7: Perkins, Castro, Green, Marquez 13: Janniro [30], Green [10], Lyons [10], Facchini [20] (retired) 14: Burmeister [20], Blair [30], Perkins [30] 15: Castro [20], Starks [10], Marquez [0], Ramirez [0] (retired) 23: Janniro [30], Blair [20], Burmeister [30], Starks [20] (fell) 24: Castro [30], Facchini [0], Lyons [10] 25: Ramirez [0], Perkins [10], Green [20], Marquez [10] Runoff: Ramirez, Starks, Lyons Semi #1: Janniro, Burmeister, Perkins, Ramirez (fell) Semi #2: Blair, Castro, Facchini, Green (non starter) First Division Consolation 66 - Jason Ramirez 86 - Neil Facchini 13 - Nate Perkins (retired) 321 - Russell Green (non starter) First Division Main Event 1 - Billy Janniro 14 - Eddie Castro 184 - Tyson Burmeister 39 - Buck Blair

16 is the 500cc age over here. I will repost the links later. Message me off forum and I will gladly give you details on coming over.

By Ryan Evans "Nasty" Nate Perkins and Tyson Burmeister both scored impressive main event victories at the 2009 Joker Machine Season Opener at Perris Raceway. Former Youth National Champion Jason Ramirez entered the Scratch Main as the top scorer which earned him the right to first choice of starting position. Ramirez chose gate two and Perkins quickly picked gate one. Northern California's Bryce Starks selected gate four which left Burmeister with gate three. Perkins got the best start, led the field into turn one and down the back straight with his three younger contemporaries in tow. Perkins led at the end of lap one, but Ramirez separated himself from Starks and Burmeister and challenged the leader on the inside entering turn one. Perkins drifted off the inside exiting turn two and Ramirez tried the same inside move going into turn three. The veteran closed the door on the youngster and still led at the midway point of the four-lap race. Ramirez showed Perkins his wheel twice more but was unable to force a mistake. Perkins was first to the checkered flag, Ramirez settled for second, Starks finished third, and Burmeister was fourth. Three rounds of scratch heats began with Gary Hicks scorching the field for the opening victory. Each round featured one wild card rider who would compete in just one heat. The wild card rider for round one was Austin Novratil and he blitzed the field to take the win. Hicks began round two by pulling away to a commanding lead before suffering bike problems on the final lap that cost him the victory and ultimately ended his day. Ramirez benefitted from Hicks's misfortune and scored the win. Perkins held off Starks to end round two with his first win of the day. Starks started the final round by winning a hotly contested four-lap battle with John Marquez. The final heat began with Ramirez and Burmeister battling side-by-side for two laps before Burmeister found more grip on the outside cushion and pulled away for a very impressive heat victory. Burmeister, Starks, and Mike "Spiderman" Bloom lined up on the 20 yard line for the Handicap Main Event with Ramirez behind them. Burmeister used the wide line to secure the lead while Starks gave chase on the inside. Starks felt pressure from Ramirez, and his preoccupation with him allowed Burmeister to lengthen his lead. Burmeister scored the victory, Starks held on for second, Ramirez was third, and Bloom finished fourth. Novratil won his heat, his semi, and capped his perfect day with a dominant victory in the Second Division Main Event. Rudy Laurer was second, Youth National Champion Brad Pappalardo finished third, Bobby Campbell was fourth, Mark Baldwin finished fifth, and Kyle Hicks was sixth. Drew Coates put together four smooth laps to win the Third Division Main Event. Bubba Vazzana was second, Tom Bostic finished third, Billy J. Vaughn was fourth, Tim McGrath finished fifth, and Josh Abbott was sixth. Rocco Scopellite matched his success at the New Years Classic with another victory in the Youth Main Event. Samuel Ramirez finished second, Maxwell Ruml was third, Ryan Vaughn finished fourth, and Hayley Perrault was fifth. Kylie Ayers earned her first trophy with a win in the Pee Wee Main Event. Gino Scopellite finished a very close second, Keelan Venegas was third, and Abby Bostic finished fourth. RESULTS Pee Wee Main Event 17 – Kylie Ayers 7 – Gino Scopellite 43 – Keelan Venegas 15 – Abby Bostic Youth Main Event 9 – Rocco Scopellite 22 – Jason Ramirez 356 – Maxwell Ruml 127 – Ryan Vaughn 0 – Hayley Perreault Third Division Consolation 292 – Mike Schultz 217 – Justin Acselrod 157 – Tony DeAlmeida 226 – Rick Huspek 266 – Jonni Jade Third Division Main Event (restarted) 195 – Drew Coates 274 – Bubba Vazzana 222 – Tom Bostic 181n – Billy J. Vaughn (penalty line) 186 – Tim McGrath 141 – Josh Abbott (penalty line) Second Division Consolation 171 – Kenny Hansen 389 – Ryan Tovatt 326 – Mark Lane 240n – Rick Fehrman 153 – Brad Moreau Second Division Main Event 8j – Austin Novratil 182 – Rudy Laurer 145 – Brad Pappalardo 228 – Bobby Campbell 115 – Mark Baldwin 103 – Kyle Hicks (retired) Handicap Main Event (restarted) 184 – Tyson Burmeister 20 245n – Bryce Starks 20 66 – Jason Ramirez 30 22 – Mike Bloom 20 3 – Gary Hicks 40 (non starter) 182 – Rudy Laurer 10 (non starter) Scratch Heat Scoring 1 2 3 T 3 – Gary Hicks 3 E N 3 8j – Austin Novratil* 3 - - 3 13 – Nate Perkins 2 3 1 6 22 – Mike Bloom 0 2 0 2 41 – John Marquez 0 1 2 3 66 – Jason Ramirez 2 3 2 7 115 – Mark Baldwin* 1 - - 1 145 – Brad Pappalardo* 0 - - 0 184 – Tyson Burmeister 1 1 3 5 245n – Bryce Starks 1 2 3 6 *= Wild Card Race Results 11: Hicks, Perkins, Starks, Bloom 12: Novratil, Ramirez, Burmeister, Marquez 15: Ramirez, Bloom, Marquez, Hicks (engine failure) 16: Perkins, Starks, Burmeister, Pappalardo 23: Starks, Marquez, Baldwin, Hicks (non starter) 24: Burmeister, Ramirez, Perkins, Bloom Scratch Main Event 13 – Nate Perkins 66 – Jason Ramirez 245 – Bryce Starks 184 – Tyson Burmeister Courtesy of Bruce Hamilton, the Scratch & Handicap Mains http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=TIodUw6GRVU http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=A2DVrSPFnSI& feature=channel

I know that Swedish or Polish League would be awesome and hopefully they can be on TV at some point. Whatever the standard of the racing, the tight tracks and the American Razamataz will provide good viewing. I have a clip from the US Nationals last year plus a Main Event from August. The quality of racing in the 2nd clip is awesome! Note that this is the original footage that the TV company will use but is not necessarily the final Motors TV product. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1hk1bVRtZU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wKdAe1kn7A...re=channel_page

I think the British fans will get a kick out of this. The racing is good and competitive, and those nay sayers on American Speedway will get to see what it is really like. The footage is from the www.americanspeedwayonline.com website. It was fun to be a part of these broadcasts in the US and I'm sure it'll make good Sunday night viewing.

I think the World Team Cup would be awesome with real matches and real team riding, though much like the Rugby World Cup, some early round matches would be walkovers. I would suggest 8 Teams in the tournmanet: Matches are 6 man teams over 12 heats, with 4 rides per rider and two matches per night. Here is a sample format; Day 1 - Round 1 matches 1. Sweden Vs Russia, 2. Poland Vs USa (Winners to Day 4, losers to Day 3) Day 2 - Round 1 matches 3. Britain Vs Australia, 4. Denmark Vs Czecho (Winners to Day 4, losers to Day 3) Day 3 - Last Chance Round - 5. Losers of 1 Vs 2, 6. Losers of Vs 4. Winning teams to day 5, losers eliminated day 4 - Round 2 - 7. Winners of 1 Vs 2, 8. Winners of 3 Vs 4 Winners to semis (day 6) loers to day 5 Day 5 - Last Chance Round - 9. Loser 7 Vs Winner 6. 10. Loser 8 Vs Winner 5. Day 6 - Semi's - Winners to Final Day 7 - Bronze Medal Match (Semi Losers) Final (Winners of Semi's) The shorter matches mean the walkovers are not so painful and the system means the good teams meet more often and the bad teams get a chance of a win on day 3.

By: Ryan Evans Defending National Champion Billy “The Bullet” Hamill began his season in perfect style by going undefeated in front of a packed arena of fans at High Desert Spring Festival Invitational at the Desert Empire Fairgrounds in Ridgecrest. Hamill’s perfect evening earned him first choice of starting position in the main event and he selected the pole. Buck Blair chose gate two, Under 21 National Champion Ricky Wells picked gate four, which left Tim Gomez with gate three. When the tapes went up Hamill launched off the line and into the lead followed by Blair. Hamill eliminated any drama regarding the lead by pulling away from the field on the first lap. Blair, however, had to contend with Wells who was trying every line in an effort to get second. Hamill extended his lead all the way to the checkered flag and Blair was able to hold off Wells who made a great save after lifting in the final corner. Gomez finished in fourth. The first of three rounds of heats began with Gomez leading before Wells charged up the inside at the end of the second lap to take the lead and the win. The second race had to be restarted and the second attempt ended in Tommy Hedden being awarded the victory by the referee after Nate Perkins fell and brought out a red flag. Hamill closed out the opening round with a dominant win over Dale Facchini and Blair. Wells started round two by using the outside to pass Dale Facchini on the second lap for a hard-earned second victory of the evening. Blair kept the pesky Hedden at bay for his first win. Hamill trapped the field from the outside and scored his second straight runaway win ahead of Gomez to finish the second round. Blair and Wells started the final round of heats with a great battle that ended prematurely when Wells fell which allowed Blair an easier path to victory. Dale Facchini parlayed a great start into his first win in the next race. Hamill made it three for three with a win over Robbie Sauer in the final heat. Neil Facchini beat J.T. Mabry and Brad Sauer in a runoff to fill the final spot in the semis. Hamill won the first semi handily but Wells and Hedden had an awesome bar-to-bar battle for second behind him. Their duel ended when Hedden slid off and handed the main-event transfer to Wells. Blair led the second semi from start to finish and Dale Facchini seemingly had second wrapped up before a bobble in the final corner allowed the opportunistic Gomez to steal second at the line. Hedden was victorious in the Consolation over Dale Facchini, Robbie Sauer, and Neil Facchini. Mabry won the C Main with John Marquez finishing second, Brad Sauer getting third, and Nate Perkins being credited with fourth. The Last of the Mohicans Last Man Out Challenge saw Hedden get eliminated first, then Wells, which left Hamill and Blair for the final two-lap battle. Blair was first out of the gate and led Hamill into turn three. The former World Champion showed his mettle and charged up the inside for the lead. Blair tried to regain the lead, but his dive back to the inside found Hamill already there and the Colorado native ended up on the ground in turn one while Hamill finished the final lap uncontested for the victory. Blair got up with no injuries and both riders shook hands in a show of mutual respect for the effort. Marvin Sonnier was the early leader in the Second Division Main Event, but Steve Dziadus never gave up and on the final lap he closed Sonnier’s back tire. Sonnier made a mistake in the final corner and Dziadus made a one last charge for the lead. The pair drag raced to the finish and Sonnier was first to the line by inches over Dziadus. Tyler Hansen finished third and Dave Delbridge was fourth. Matt Davis, who usually competes as a sidecar passenger, made an auspicious debut with wins in both his heats and an easy triumph in the Third Division Main Event. Jeff Shaffer finished second, Tony DeAlmeida was third, Paul Thornton finished fourth, and Rick Huspek was fifth. The High Desert Spring Festival Invitational marked the first time that speedway was held in Ridgecrest since a handful of meetings were held there in 1983. Hamill, who competed as a junior that season, was the only competitor who had raced in Ridgecrest before. The event filled the bleachers full of enthusiastic fans whose satisfaction could clearly be interpreted by their loud ovations. The track was inside the same rodeo arena, but it was significantly smaller than the original layout. Promoter Steve Evans was very happy to report that the Desert Empire Fair Manager was so impressed that he immediately began trying to arrange multiple future dates for speedway to return. RESULTS Third Division Main Event 301 – Matt Davis 10 399 – Jeff Shaffer 20 157 – Tony DeAlmeida 20 124 – Paul Thornton 10 226 – Rick Huspek 10 Second Division Main Event 52 – Marvin Sonnier 212 – Steve Dziadus 104n – Tyler Hansen 338 – Dave Delbridge Last of the Mohicans Last Man Out Challenge 1 – Billy Hamill 39 – Buck Blair 142 – Ricky Wells 40n – Tommy Hedden First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T 1 – Billy Hamill 3 3 3 9 13 – Nate Perkins Fx R N 0 17 – Robbie Sauer 1 1 2 4 19 – Dale Facchini 2 2 3 7 21 – Brad Sauer 2 0 1 3 30 – Tim Gomez 2 2 0 4 39 – Buck Blair 1 3 3 7 40 – Tommy Hedden 3 2 1 6 41 – John Marquez 0 1 1 2 86 – Neil Facchini 1 F 2 3 93 – J.T. Mabry 0 1 2 3 142 – Ricky Wells 3 3 F 6 Race Results 1: Wells, Gomez, R.Sauer (tape penalty), Marquez (fell, remounted) 2: (restarted, awarded) Hedden, B.Sauer, N.Facchini, Perkins (excluded) 3: Hamill, D.Facchini, Blair, Mabry 6: Wells, D.Facchini, Marquez, Perkins (retired) 7: Blair, Hedden, R.Sauer, B.Sauer 8: (restarted) Hamill, Gomez, Mabry, N.Facchini (fell) 10: Blair, N.Facchini, B.Sauer, Wells (fell) 11: D.Facchini, Mabry, Hedden, Gomez 12: (restarted) Hamill, R.Sauer, Marquez (fell, remounted), Perkins (non starter) Runoff: (restarted) N. Facchini, Mabry, B.Sauer Semi #1: Hamill, Wells, N.Facchini, Hedden (fell, remounted) Semi #2: Blair, Gomez, D.Facchini, R.Sauer (fell, remounted) First Division C Main Event 93 – J.T. Mabry 41 – John Marquez 21 – Brad Sauer (retired) 13 – Nate Perkins (non starter) First Division Consolation 40 – Tommy Hedden 19 – Dale Facchini 17 – Robbie Sauer 86 – Neil Facchini First Division Main Event 1 – Billy Hamill 39 – Buck Blair 142 – Ricky Wells 30 – Tim Gomez (fell, remounted)

By: Ryan Evans Defending National Champion Billy “The Bullet” Hamill began his season in perfect style by going undefeated in front of a packed arena of fans at High Desert Spring Festival Invitational at the Desert Empire Fairgrounds in Ridgecrest. Hamill’s perfect evening earned him first choice of starting position in the main event and he selected the pole. Buck Blair chose gate two, Under 21 National Champion Ricky Wells picked gate four, which left Tim Gomez with gate three. When the tapes went up Hamill launched off the line and into the lead followed by Blair. Hamill eliminated any drama regarding the lead by pulling away from the field on the first lap. Blair, however, had to contend with Wells who was trying every line in an effort to get second. Hamill extended his lead all the way to the checkered flag and Blair was able to hold off Wells who made a great save after lifting in the final corner. Gomez finished in fourth. The first of three rounds of heats began with Gomez leading before Wells charged up the inside at the end of the second lap to take the lead and the win. The second race had to be restarted and the second attempt ended in Tommy Hedden being awarded the victory by the referee after Nate Perkins fell and brought out a red flag. Hamill closed out the opening round with a dominant win over Dale Facchini and Blair. Wells started round two by using the outside to pass Dale Facchini on the second lap for a hard-earned second victory of the evening. Blair kept the pesky Hedden at bay for his first win. Hamill trapped the field from the outside and scored his second straight runaway win ahead of Gomez to finish the second round. Blair and Wells started the final round of heats with a great battle that ended prematurely when Wells fell which allowed Blair an easier path to victory. Dale Facchini parlayed a great start into his first win in the next race. Hamill made it three for three with a win over Robbie Sauer in the final heat. Neil Facchini beat J.T. Mabry and Brad Sauer in a runoff to fill the final spot in the semis. Hamill won the first semi handily but Wells and Hedden had an awesome bar-to-bar battle for second behind him. Their duel ended when Hedden slid off and handed the main-event transfer to Wells. Blair led the second semi from start to finish and Dale Facchini seemingly had second wrapped up before a bobble in the final corner allowed the opportunistic Gomez to steal second at the line. Hedden was victorious in the Consolation over Dale Facchini, Robbie Sauer, and Neil Facchini. Mabry won the C Main with John Marquez finishing second, Brad Sauer getting third, and Nate Perkins being credited with fourth. The Last of the Mohicans Last Man Out Challenge saw Hedden get eliminated first, then Wells, which left Hamill and Blair for the final two-lap battle. Blair was first out of the gate and led Hamill into turn three. The former World Champion showed his mettle and charged up the inside for the lead. Blair tried to regain the lead, but his dive back to the inside found Hamill already there and the Colorado native ended up on the ground in turn one while Hamill finished the final lap uncontested for the victory. Blair got up with no injuries and both riders shook hands in a show of mutual respect for the effort. Marvin Sonnier was the early leader in the Second Division Main Event, but Steve Dziadus never gave up and on the final lap he closed Sonnier’s back tire. Sonnier made a mistake in the final corner and Dziadus made a one last charge for the lead. The pair drag raced to the finish and Sonnier was first to the line by inches over Dziadus. Tyler Hansen finished third and Dave Delbridge was fourth. Matt Davis, who usually competes as a sidecar passenger, made an auspicious debut with wins in both his heats and an easy triumph in the Third Division Main Event. Jeff Shaffer finished second, Tony DeAlmeida was third, Paul Thornton finished fourth, and Rick Huspek was fifth. The High Desert Spring Festival Invitational marked the first time that speedway was held in Ridgecrest since a handful of meetings were held there in 1983. Hamill, who competed as a junior that season, was the only competitor who had raced in Ridgecrest before. The event filled the bleachers full of enthusiastic fans whose satisfaction could clearly be interpreted by their loud ovations. The track was inside the same rodeo arena, but it was significantly smaller than the original layout. Promoter Steve Evans was very happy to report that the Desert Empire Fair Manager was so impressed that he immediately began trying to arrange multiple future dates for speedway to return. RESULTS Third Division Main Event 301 – Matt Davis 10 399 – Jeff Shaffer 20 157 – Tony DeAlmeida 20 124 – Paul Thornton 10 226 – Rick Huspek 10 Second Division Main Event 52 – Marvin Sonnier 212 – Steve Dziadus 104n – Tyler Hansen 338 – Dave Delbridge Last of the Mohicans Last Man Out Challenge 1 – Billy Hamill 39 – Buck Blair 142 – Ricky Wells 40n – Tommy Hedden First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T 1 – Billy Hamill 3 3 3 9 13 – Nate Perkins Fx R N 0 17 – Robbie Sauer 1 1 2 4 19 – Dale Facchini 2 2 3 7 21 – Brad Sauer 2 0 1 3 30 – Tim Gomez 2 2 0 4 39 – Buck Blair 1 3 3 7 40 – Tommy Hedden 3 2 1 6 41 – John Marquez 0 1 1 2 86 – Neil Facchini 1 F 2 3 93 – J.T. Mabry 0 1 2 3 142 – Ricky Wells 3 3 F 6 Race Results 1: Wells, Gomez, R.Sauer (tape penalty), Marquez (fell, remounted) 2: (restarted, awarded) Hedden, B.Sauer, N.Facchini, Perkins (excluded) 3: Hamill, D.Facchini, Blair, Mabry 6: Wells, D.Facchini, Marquez, Perkins (retired) 7: Blair, Hedden, R.Sauer, B.Sauer 8: (restarted) Hamill, Gomez, Mabry, N.Facchini (fell) 10: Blair, N.Facchini, B.Sauer, Wells (fell) 11: D.Facchini, Mabry, Hedden, Gomez 12: (restarted) Hamill, R.Sauer, Marquez (fell, remounted), Perkins (non starter) Runoff: (restarted) N. Facchini, Mabry, B.Sauer Semi #1: Hamill, Wells, N.Facchini, Hedden (fell, remounted) Semi #2: Blair, Gomez, D.Facchini, R.Sauer (fell, remounted) First Division C Main Event 93 – J.T. Mabry 41 – John Marquez 21 – Brad Sauer (retired) 13 – Nate Perkins (non starter) First Division Consolation 40 – Tommy Hedden 19 – Dale Facchini 17 – Robbie Sauer 86 – Neil Facchini First Division Main Event 1 – Billy Hamill 39 – Buck Blair 142 – Ricky Wells 30 – Tim Gomez (fell, remounted)

I am looking for contact details of any tracks / promoters in Belgium. Thanks!

Results from Ryan Evans The 2008 Southern California speedway season began the same way the 2007 season ended, with Billy "The Kid" Janniro winning the main event at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville. Ricky Wells entered the main event undefeated and used first gate choice to select the outside. Chris Kerr, who will be racing for the Redcar Bears in the British Premier League, picked gate one. Janniro, who just re-signed with the Coventry Bees of the British Elite League, chose gate two, which left Buck Blair with gate three. Janniro led the field in the New Year's Classic Main Event into turn one and he exited turn two with Kerr chasing him. Kerr was unable to mount a serious threat and Janniro was first to the checkered flag. Previously unbeaten Ricky Wells finished third and Buck Blair was fourth. Wells led Janniro in the first heat before falling in turn three, then Janniro and Billy Lyons tangled in turn one on the restart. Janniro was leading the third attempt before experiencing mechanical problems which handed the win to Wells. Kerr handily won his first race of the day in the second heat. Wells defeated Blair for his second win. Kerr beat Janniro into turn one and held off all of Janniro's efforts to score an impressive second consecutive win. Tim Gomez held off the dual efforts of Blair and Shaun Harmatiuk for three laps and appeared to have held off a last-corner charge by Harmatiuk for the victory. However, the referee declared Harmatiuk to be the winner. Janniro began the second half of the program with his first win of the day. Blair used a superb cutback move on Kerr in turn two to take the lead and kept him at bay for his first win. Wells scored an easy third victory in race 18. Blair narrowly led Janniro for three laps before the former SRA National Champion made a scintillating pass around the boards to take the lead and the win. Wells won the last heat over Kerr to finish the heats with a perfect score. Bryan Buffington led the Second Division Main Event, but Steve Bowen tried to charge underneath the leader coming off the final corner. Bowen clipped Buffington and hit the wall hard. Buffington held on and crossed the line first and was followed by Russell Green. Bowen walked off the track, but eventually went to the hospital and may have broken his ribs. J.C. Masters led the Third Division Main Event from start to finish to collect the victory. Brad Moreau was second, Danny Baker finished third, Mike Nutting was fourth, and Jonni Jade finished fifth. The next scheduled event at Wheel2Wheel Raceway is Saturday, March 1. RESULTS Third Division Last Chance 266 - Jonni Jade 157 - Tony DeAlmeida 226 - Rick Huspek 124 - Paul Thornton (non starter) 300 - Jason Dupuy (non starter) Third Division Main Event (restarted) 202 - J.C. Masters 153 - Brad Moreau 126 - Danny Baker 218 - Mike Nutting 266 - Jonni Jade (penalty line) Second Division Last Chance 321 - Russell Green 163 - Rohn Zellner 212 - Steve Dziadus Second Division Main Event 77 - Bryan Buffington 321 - Russell Green 177 - Steve Bowen (fell) 388 - Donnie Robinson (non starter) First Division Scoring 1 2 3 4 T 14 - Billy Janniro R 2 3 3 8 27 - Chris Kerr 3 3 2 2 10 30 - Tim Gomez 1 2 - - 3 32 - Billy Lyons 1 0 1 2 4 39 - Buck Blair 2 1 3 2 8 41 - John Marquez 1 0 2 1 4 52 - Marvin Sonnier 2 E - - 2 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk 2 3 1 1 7 142 - Ricky Wells 3 3 3 3 12 182 - Rudy Laurer 0 1 1 0 2 Race Results 3: (restarted) Wells (penalty line), Sonnier, Lyons, Janniro (retired) 4: Kerr, Harmatiuk, Gomez, Laurer 7: Wells, Blair, Marquez, Lyons 10: Kerr, Janniro, Laurer, Sonnier (engine failure) 11: Harmatiuk, Gomez, Blair, Marquez 14: Janniro, Marquez, Lyons 15: Blair, Kerr, Laurer 18: Wells, Lyons, Harmatiuk (fell, remounted) 21: Janniro, Blair, Marquez, Laurer 22: Wells, Kerr, Harmatiuk First Division C Main 32 - Billy Lyons 182 - Rudy Laurer First Division B Main 39 - Buck Blair 41 - John Marquez 32 - Billy Lyons 139 - Shaun Harmatiuk (fell) First Division Main Event 14 - Billy Janniro 27 - Chris Kerr 142 - Ricky Wells 39 - Buck Blair

This is a great idea. In the group round I would suggest that at 1 meeting there are 2 matches of 10-12 heats each. This would prevent interest being lost where you had Poland Vs Germany and you just know its going to be lots of 5-1s all the way. Maybe go up to 15-18 heats for the semi's and final. The current WTC format gives exciting racing so I don't see it changing. but I prefer the above so the world can see the art of team riding.

Was good to meet up with you at Industry Hills, and can't wait for a load of Brits to come to watch the racing at Victorville on next years tour. Anyone who wants to see the thrilling racing they can see live next year should go to www.xtremespeedwayaction.com

By: Ryan Evans Former Youth National Champion Ricky Wells won the First Division Main Event for the first time in his career with a superb performance on Victorville Harley Night at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville. Wells entered the main event as top scorer after four rounds of the earned-handicap heat format. Wells chose gate one. "Fast" Eddie Castro selected gate four, then Shawn McConnell picked gate two, leaving Justin Boyle with gate three. Wells was off the line first and led into turn one with Castro challenging on the outside. McConnell got a good drive exiting turn two and entered turn three high. McConnell's line slowed the momentum of Castro and allowed Wells to extend his lead. McConnell and Castro battled for second before McConnell slowed with a mechanical problem at the end of lap two. Castro chased Wells for another lap before sliding off in turn one. Wells was uncontested and took the checkered flag ahead of a distant Boyle. Castro was credited with third and McConnell with fourth. Wells began the four rounds of heats with a win over Castro. Boyle passed McConnell to win the next heat. Castro used the outside to take his first win. Jon Stasiefski impressively held off McConnell to earn the win in the next heat. Wells ran away with his second win ahead of McConnell. Castro made it two in a row by coming from the back to win race 22. Boyle withstood the challenges of McConnell and Castro for his second win. Wells closed out the heats by using the outside for his third win. Greg Ayers led all four laps to win the First Division B Main. Boyle handily won the first Last Man Out Challenge, defeating Stasiefski in the last match. McConnell trapped Wells in the finale of the second Challenge and used his vast experience to keep his fifteen year old competitor at bay. John Marquez made a great start and scored an impressive Second Division Main Event victory. Bryan Buffington finished second, Blake Bowen finished third, and Steve Bowen was fourth. Fred Remington won the Third Division Main for the second time this season ahead of Mike Boyle and Hugh Randolph. Gino Manzares patiently worked through traffic to take the lead and the victory in the Youth Main Event. Russell Green finished second, Dylan Black was third, and Brad Pappalardo finished fourth. The next speedway event at Wheel2Wheel Raceway is the Spring Classic scheduled for Saturday, April 14 at 6 p.m. RESULTS Pee Wee Main Event 1 - Braydan Galvin 3 - Bryson Galvin 77 - Erika Lyons 2 - Brandy Powell Youth Main Event 21 - Gino Manzares 40 18 - Russell Green 40 7 - Dylan Black 10 611 - Brad Pappalardo 0 4 - Joey Holt 40 (non starter) Third Division Main Event 152 - Fred Remington 198 - Mike Boyle 308 - Hugh Randolph Second Division C Main 187 - Blake Bowen 272 - Steve Dziadus Jr. 326 - Mark Lane (non starter) Second Division B Main 187 - Blake Bowen 217 - Ian Foulds 212 - Steve Dziadus Sr. 288 - Rick Fritch (non starter) Second Division Main Event 241 - John Marquez 77 - Bryan Buffington 187 - Blake Bowen 177 - Steve Bowen First Division Last Man Out Challenge 18 - Justin Boyle 110 - Jon Stasiefski 293 - Rick Valdez 321 - Billy Lyons First Division Last Man Out Challenge 6 - Shawn McConnell 142 - Ricky Wells 14 - Eddie Castro 99 - Greg Ayers First Division Scoring 1 2 3 4 T 6 - Shawn McConnell 2 2 2 2 8 14 - Eddie Castro 2 3 3 1 9 18 - Justin Boyle 3 0 1 3 7 99 - Greg Ayers 1 2 2 1 6 110 - Jon Stasiefski 0 3 0 0 3 142 - Ricky Wells 3 1 3 3 10 293 - Rick Valdez 1 1 F 2 4 321 - Billy Lyons 0 0 1 0 1 Race Results 9: Wells, Castro, Valdez, Stasiefski (tape penalty) 10: Boyle, McConnell, Ayers, Lyons 16: Castro [20], Ayers [10], Wells [30], Lyons [0] 17: Stasiefski [0], McConnell [20], Valdez [10], Boyle [30] 21: Wells [10], McConnell [20], Lyons [0], Valdez [10] (fell) 22: Castro [30], Ayers [20], Boyle [0], Stasiefski [30] 28: Boyle [10], McConnell [20], Castro [30], Lyons [10] 29: Wells [30], Valdez [0], Ayers [20], Stasiefski [0] (fell) First Division B Main 99 - Greg Ayers 321 - Billy Lyons 110 - Jon Stasiefski 293 - Rick Valdez (fell, remounted) Blue Collar Choppers First Division Main Event 142 - Ricky Wells 18 - Justin Boyle 14 - Eddie Castro (fell) 6 - Shawn McConnell (retired)

Interview and race highlights at www.xtremespeedwayaction.com

Report courtesy of Ryan Evans, www.speedwaybikes.com Former World Champion Billy "The Bullet" Hamill took home the main event victory in the Budget Inn Winter Shoot Out at Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville. Hamill had first gate choice and selected the outside starting position, but "Fast" Eddie Castro from gate three was the first to turn one. Hamill raced around the boards and passed Castro on the outside as they exited turn two and pulled away on the back straight. Castro tried to chase down the leader, but Hamill steadily lengthened his lead with each lap and ran away with the victory. Castro was second and Buck Blair edged Nate Perkins at the finish line for third. The first of three rounds of heats began with Castro being penalized for touching the tapes. The penalty did little to deter him, however, as he easily weaved through the field and blazed around Ricky Wells on the second lap for the lead and the win. Hamill scorched the field in the next heat for his first win of the day. Perkins held off Blair to close out round one. Round two began with Hamill racing away with his second straight win, this time over Castro. Blair took his first win in the next race. Perkins made it two in a row with a win over Michael Hull to finish the second round. The final round began with Castro beating Perkins for his second win. Hamill jumped to the front in the next race, but widened his line with each lap and allowed Wells to remain close to him. In the final corner, Hamill went too deep and lifted coming off turn four. He was forced to shut off to avoid hitting Wells and the youngster snuck by for the win. Blair held off a very game Hull in the last heat. Castro was an easy winner in the first semi with Blair following him into the main event by finishing second. Hamill disposed of his playful mood, put on his serious face, and blitzed the field for an easy win in the second semi while Perkins took the second transfer spot into the main. Wells got the start in the Consolation, but Hull valiantly went to the outside to try to get the lead. Hull was able to edge ahead of Wells on several occasions but never enough to secure the lead for good. On the final lap Hull backed his bike in a little too much in turn one and lost his momentum and any chance of winning the race. Wells won the best battle of the day while Hull was second and Dale Facchini was third. John Marquez jumped into the lead from the outside gate in the Second Division Main Event. Marquez put together four smooth laps and was first to the checkered flag. Bryan Buffington finished second, Blake Bowen was third, and Steve Bowen finished fourth. Speedway newcomer Mike O'Neil won both his heats and was victorious in the Third Division Main Event in his first race meeting. Fred Remington was second, Billy Vaughn finished third, Mike Nutting was fourth, Joe Dillard finished fifth, and Scott York was credited with sixth. Dylan Black jumped into the lead at the start of the Youth Main, but Russell Green fought through traffic to put the pressure on Black on the second lap. Green tried the outside several times, but couldn't get by. The final time down the back straight exploited an opening on the inside and stormed by as they entered turn three. Green held on for the win, Black was second, speedway debutante Danielle Diaz finished third in her first speedway meeting, and Kurtis Hamill was fourth. Speedway enthusiasts won't have to wait as long for the action to return to Wheel2Wheel Raceway. On the race calendar next week is the Joker Machine High Desert Pairs Championship. The sprint heats begin at 3:00 p.m. and the speedway heats begin at 4:00 p.m. RESULTS Youth Main Event 18 - Russell Green 10 7 - Dylan Black 0 86 - Danielle Diaz 0 104 - Kurtis Hamill 0 Third Division Main Event 243 - Mike O'Neil 0 152 - Fred Remington 0 181n - Billy J Vaughn 0 218 - Mike Nutting 10 155 - Scott York 10 Second Division Last Chance 177 - Steve Bowen 69 - Blake Bowen 288 - Rick Fritch 232 - Allen Doss (non starter) Second Division Main Event 241 - John Marquez 77 - Bryan Buffington 69 - Blake Bowen (tape penalty) 177 - Steve Bowen First Division Scoring 1 2 3 T 13 - Nate Perkins 3 3 2 8 14 - Eddie Castro 3 2 3 8 19 - Dale Facchini 1 1 1 3 39 - Buck Blair 2 3 3 8 86 - Neil Facchini 0 2 1 3 93 - J.T. Mabry 1 1 0 2 104 - Billy Hamill 3 3 2 8 142 - Ricky Wells 2 R 3 5 163 - Rohn Zellner 0 1 0 1 238 - Travis Henderson 1 0 1 2 320 - Michael Hull 2 2 2 6 Race Results 7: Castro (tape penalty), Wells, Henderson, N.Facchini 8: Hamill, Hull, D.Facchini, Zellner 9: Perkins, Blair, Mabry 15: Hamill, Castro, Mabry Henderson 16: Blair, N.Facchini, Zellner 17: Perkins, Hull, D.Facchini, Wells (retired) 24: Castro, Perkins, D.Facchini, Mabry 25: Wells, Hamill, N.Facchini 26: Blair, Hull, Henderson, Zellner Semi #1: Castro, Blair, Hull, N.Facchini (non starter) Semi #2: Hamill, Perkins, Wells, D.Facchini C Main 93 - J.T. Mabry 238 - Travis Henderson 163 - Rohn Zellner B main 142 - Ricky Wells 320 - Michael Hull 19 - Dale Facchini 86 - Neil Facchini (non starter) Winter Shootout Main Event 104 - Billy Hamill 14 - Eddie Castro 39 - Buck Blair 13 - Nate Perkins

We will be selling a nice range of merchandise, Silver Bee, just in case...

The plan is the 2007 Dream Team are going to stay in the UK this year, marry the best looking British speedway supporters and then come into the PL on 3 point averages next year (since they can ride on an ACU Lisense?. Any young ladies interested should write to myself or TMGRacing for consideration. Craziest idea since Rune Holta became Polish!