Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Fast Fridays, Auburn, California USA - July 14, 2006
By Gary Roberts

Mike Faria got Fast Fridays 2006 season’s first double win, scoring victories in both the Scratch Main event and the Handicap Main event. He is also the first rider to score 2 Handicap Main events this season.

His handicap main event win was, by speedway standards, a marathon event, having two restarts. There were 3 front runners on the zero yard line, Josh West, Alex Marcucci and Ivan Sevart. Back on the 10 yard line were Kenny Ingalls and JT Mabry. Then there was a 40 yard gap before Faria, the only rider starting back on the 50 yard line. First time out Ivan Sevart fell in turn 1 and collected Kenny Ingalls, who fell hard and took a while before being able to restart. Sevart was moved back to the penalty line, this time the 50 yard line, beside Faria. Second time out Ingalls was rolling as the tapes went up and the race was red flagged, with Ingalls being moved back to the 40 yard line. The third attempt worked with Josh West taking the lead ahead of Alex Marcucci. By the end of lap 2 Faria had left Sevart at the start and was already past Ingalls. At the end of lap 3 he went across the line along side JT Mabry. Faria crossed the line next time along side Marcucci, then overtook West on the next lap. Each pass was on the outside.

Faria’s Scratch Main win took a bit more luck. He was assigned gate 3 beside Bryan Yarrow, who got the outside start position. Tommy Hedden took the pole with Charlie Venegas in gate 2. As the tapes went up Venegas got another of his famous lightning fast gates, with Faria close behind. But Tommy Hedden was finding traction on the outside which powered him past Faria and level with Venegas. This was short lived and Faria took back his second place. Just as it looked as Faria had settled for second, Venegas faltered, went wide and the field went past. Faria, continued with Hedden close behind, still trying an outside line, with Yarrow holding the pole. All three riders were close together. Even on the last corner Bryan Yarrow made an unsuccessful bid for second place inside Hedden.

Matt Becker took a hard fall in the Challenge Elimination race and that ended his evening. Having qualified for both the handicap and scratch consolation races it meant both races started one man short.

Auburn’s regular scratch consolation winner TJ Fowler, qualified for the scratch consi, but chose not to race, making the scratch consi (what I consider the second most important race of the evening) a match race between Chad Felicio and Nate Perkins. I understand (but do not agree with) high yardage riders missing the handicap consi, but come on, what does it say to the crowd when the second most important race of the night is missing 2 riders?

Josh Everle was awarded the division two main event in a race that finished when he and Jim Lewis, last week’s winner, became entangled in turn two on the last lap.

Sacramento’s Jeff Irwin won the division three main event.

Southern California’s Nate Perkins won the Challenge Elimination race and transfers to the season championship on August 18.

Unofficial results:

Scratch Main Event
1. Mike Faria; 2. Tommy Hedden; 3. Bryan Yarrow; 4.Charlie Venegas.

Scratch Consolation Event
1. Nate Perkins; 2. Chad Felicio

Handicap Main Event
1. Mike Faria; 2. Josh West; 3. JT Mabr; 4.Alex Marcucci; 5. Ivan Sevart.

Handicap Consolation Event
1. Nate Perkins; 2. Chad Felicio; 3. Shawn Eldredge; 4. Greg Hooten; 5. Matt Proto.

Division 2 Main Event
1. Josh Euerl; 2. Jim Lewis; 3. Steve Lewotsky; 4. Mike Achilles; 5. Danny Turnerr.

Division 2 Consolation Event
1. Tyler Hansen; 2. Bill Warnock; 3. Harlan Bast; 4.Rachalle Kerr; 5. Brian Leventon.

Division 3 Main Event
1. Jeff Irwin; 2. Paul Schoen; 3. Dennis Michel; 4. Rich Mignano; 5. Anthony Pizzarro.

Division 3 Consolation Event
1.Steve Rowett; 2. Johnny Frank; 3.Glenn Scott; 4. Tor Lovlien; 5. Kjell Lovlien.

Youth Main Division 1
1. Bryce Starks; 2. Ricky Felicio; 3. Cody Ciciarelli; 4.Ben Essary

Youth Main Division 2
1. Steven Reese; 2. Ben Turner; 3. Amber Felicio.

Youth Main Division 3
1. Tanner Kane; 2.Michelle Fehrman; 3.Eric Randolf.

Gary Roberts - gary_rob@ix.netcom.com