Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Elimination Challenge Series Round 1
May 16, 2003 - Fast Fridays, Auburn
By Gary Roberts

The second Fast Fridays meeting of the season went well with a number of good races. After a week of hot sun, it looks like summer has started, along with the challenge of track preparation. The track held up well on Friday, with hand-watering. However there was little dirt, a mild blue groove and some dust at the end of the evening.

The crowd was smaller than I expected, bearing in mind the warm weather. What is wrong with these people?

Scratch Main
1. Mike Faria
2. Bobby Hedden
3. Bart Bast
4. Bryan Yarrow
Mike Faria showed that he has lost absolutely none of the skill that have kept him at the top of American Speedway for the past 25 years.

Scratch Consolation
1. Bart Bardecki
2. Chad Felicio
3. Tommy Hedden
4. Charlie Venegas
Charlie Venegas was disqualified for jumping the start. Frequent visitor from Poland, Bart Bardecki, had a convincing win over long time Auburn experts Chad Felicio and Tommy Hedden.

Handicap Main
1. Jim Estes (20)
2. Bart Bast (50)
3. Greg Hooten Jnr. (0)
4. Mike Faria (50)
5. Bart Bardecki (30)
6. Ian Essary (10)
Jim Estes rode a great race, methodically passing Ian Essary and Greg Hooten, then holding off the approach of Bart Bast.

Handicap Consolation
1. Richard Christian (0)
2. Chad Felicio (40)
3. Bobby Hedden (50)
4. Charlie Venegas (30)
5. Tom Adams (0)
6. JJ Martynse (10)
Richard Christian started racing Speedway this time last year. He has cleared inherited valuable genes from his father, former National Champion, Alan “Crazy” Christian. Since Richard’s start in Division 3 he has been fast, but is now really mastering consistent control.

Division 2 Main
1. David Fonts
2. Mark Carrillo
3. Ron Woodsford
4. Dean Blankenbiller
5. Mark Thomas
6. Devon DeFreece

Division 2 Consolation
1. Mike Achilles
2. Shawn Eldridge
3. Doug Mignano
4. Brian Leventon
5. Greg Howell
6. Harlan Bast

Division 3 Main
1. Robert Christian
2. Dwight McBain
12 months later and another son of Alan Christian enters Division 3. Like older brother Richard, Robert is fast and will without doubt soon make it to Division 2.
The other competitors in this race included Treggan Mullunix, Lee Sharp, Bruce Bast and Kell Kerrigan. I hope to soon overcome my early season Div. 3 rider identification problem.

Division 3 Consolation
1. Greg Chacon
2. Danny Poli
3. Rich Mignano
4. Kimi Valentine
5. Clark Caravella
6. John Deatherage
7. Kjell Lovlien
8. Derek Sheppard

Youths Division 1
1. TJ Fowler
2. Danny Easley
3. Alex Marcucci
4. Paul Johnson
5. JT Mabry
One of the best races of the night, with Fowler and Easley swapping places several times. Danny lead out of the final turn, only for TJ to come through on the inside.

Youths Division 2
1. Ricky Felicio
2. Jay Ricketts
3. Tom Fuhrman

Youths Division 3
1. Ronnie Woodford
2. Tori Hubbert
3. Mike Bray
4. Bryce Olney
5. Trevor Searle
6. Dillon Peterson
Ronnie Woodsford had another win from the 50 yard line, after early leader Dillon Peterson fell, while leading.

Next week we will be without Bryan Yarrow and Eric Carrillo, who are going to Poole, England to compete in the World Under-21 Quarter Final.  Each has already won a Junior National Championship.  Now onto international recognition. Good luck to them both!

Gary Roberts - gary_rob@ix.netcom.com