Victorville Speedway
San Bernardino County Fairgrounds
Victorville, California

Castro wins Victorville again, Raines shines!
September 3, 2011
Results By: Steve Evans
Photos by: Dorcey Wingo

It was the Third Annual Speedway Billy Memorial Trophy Night at Wheel to Wheel Speedway, and Co-Promoter Steve Evans was one of many sporting a Billy Huspek racing bib.	Warming up in the pit area, Pee Wee rider #34 Dakota Shockley, gets a ride from Junior Hot Shoe #18 Sebastian Palmese.	Since Pee Wee rider #000 Mikey Ortega is in last place, he decides, "What the heck; I'll go 4-wheelin'!"
Juniors: #18 Sebastian Palmese has company in turn three: #7 Gino Scopellite.	#317 Brad Russell leads #311 "Rip" Fife and #157 Tony DeAlmeida out of turn two.	Wheel2Wheel Co-Promoter John Aden was one of several very fast 500cc sprint car drivers who raced. John also groomed and watered the track between races. Busy dude!
In one of several Drag Races to the end of turn two, #14 Eddie Castro just nipped #48 Tyson Talkington at the line. #63 Michael Raines won the event by two bike lengths.	#63 Michael Raines leads #17 Robbie Sauer and #126 Rocco Scopellite in early First Division action.	Beat Castro seemed to be Raines' theme song Saturday, and he did!  Except in the Main Event.
First Division Scratch Main: #63 Michael Raines on the pole, #14 Fast Eddie Castro in two. #126 Rocco Scopellite is in three and #48 Tyson Talkington gates from four. Raines later dismounted in turn three, trying to keep pace with The Little Guy from Ojai!	Coming out of turn two, Eddie Castro is on his way to another Wheel2Wheel victory.	Victory Circle, and Eddie reminds us that we gathered to remember Billy Huspek and Family.

'Fast Eddie' Castro continued his season dominance with another Main Event win at Victorville on Saturday 3rd September, but it was far from easy with a host of young chargers, led by American Touring Team newcomer Michael Raines hot on his heels.

The Division One program featured 4 heats per rider with the top 4 on points going to the A Main. Castro started badly with a tape penalty and could make no impression on Russell Green and Rocco Scopellite, Green coming from the back for the win. Michael Raines won heat 2 and went onto score a perfect 12 points in the heats, including inflicting defeat on Castro in round 3. Tyson Talkington won a vital heat in round 3 to book his spot in the Main whilst 15 year old Rocco Scopellite made his first ever first division main after an aggressive but fair block on Robbie Sauer in the final round. As per usual the multi line Victorville track brought up some thrilling racing.

The Main saw Castro make the gate and the perfect on points Raines miss the start. Tyson Talkington slotted into second and was very close to Castro all race. Raines, who was in third gave it his all to pass Talkington but he eventually came to grief on turn three of lap two, putting MXRC team mate Rocco Scopellite on the podium in third.

The First Division riders also competed in a novel half time show called 'Speedway Drag Racing'. The races featured 8 riders in head to head elimination races with a finish line on the turn 2 exit, thus giving a 4 second or so race. There were some close finishes in the heats - Castro edged Talkington by inches in the semi final but once more it was American Touring Team rider Michael Raines who came out on top.

The Support Class had three heats and a Main - all races won by Brad Russell. Kevin Fife came second in all heats but third place in all heats man Tony DeAlmeida got second in the Main.

Gino Scopellite came from behind to beat Sebastian Palmese in all heats and the Main, though Palmese suffered a mechanical failure in the Main just as all riders were getting close. The Pee Wee class was won by Dakota Shockley after he and Sara Cords split the heats. The best Support riders and Division One bubble riders raced in one 2nd Division Heat and Main - Brad Russell won the heat, Rudy Lauer the Main.

This event closed out the regular season at Victorville and the 6 month long points series. The event was held in honor of 'Speedway Billy' Huspek, a lifelong fan who passed away in 2009 and was also a Fund raiser for the 'American Touring Team' who leave for England in four weeks. All riders in all Divisions were allocated to one of four teams for the night. The teams were named after Huspek and three Touring Team Sponsors. It was fitting that the 'Speedway Billy' team won by one point.

There are two 'post season' Championship events still to come at Victorville this year - October 22nd features the 'Sidecar National Championship' and 'Clubman Nationals' which awards National Titles for 2nd Division, Third Division, 200cc Juniors, Pee Wees and Powder Puffs. Saturday November 12th will be the 'Speedway Masters' Track Championship where it is hoped the Division One purse will be $3,000+

Scoring Details:

Division One Points - Michael Raines 12, Eddie Castro 9, Tyson Talkington 8, Rocco Scopellite 7, Robbie Sauer 5, Russell Green 5, Rudy Laurer 2.

B Main - Green, Laurer, Sauer
A Main - Castro, Talkington, Scopellite, Raines fell.

Speedway Drag Racing;
Heats;
Raines beat Huspek
Scopellite beat Sauer
Castro beat Laurer
Talkington beat Green

Semis;
Raines beat Scopellite
Castro beat Talkington

Main - Raines beat Castro

Division Two Main
182 - Rudy Laurer
157 - Tony DeAlmeida
317 - Brad Russell

Support Main
317 - Brad Russell
157 - Tony DeAlmeida
311 - Kevin Fife
226 - Rick Huspek
349 - Dan Eddy

Junior Main
7 - Gino Scopellite
18 - Sebastian Palmese

Pee Wee Main
34 - Dakota Shockley
14 Sara Cords
000 - Mikey Ortega

Open Pee Wee
30 - Jimmy Gillen

Team Scores
Team 'Speedway Billy' 37 (Green, Talkington, DeAlmeida, Huspek, Palmese)
Team Campbell 36 (Castro, Russell, Shockley, Ortega)
Team Fehrman 31 (R Scopellite, Laurer, G Scopellite, Gillen)
Team Paul & Elise 35 (Raines, Sauer, Fife, Eddy, Cords)