Victorville Speedway
Wheel2Wheel Raceway
San Bernardino County Fairgrounds
Victorville, California

2009 Town & Country Tire Season Opener
March 9, 2009 - Victorville
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