Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California
Fast Fridays, Auburn, California USA - August 18, 2006
By Gary Roberts
Three times National Champion Mike Faria cleaned up last night at Fast Fridays Motorcycle races, winning both the scratch main and the handicap main events. This was his second double win, he remains the only rider to have won a double at Fast Fridays this year.
His scratch main win started with a great gate from the inside pole position. Super-gater, Charlie Venegas was on the outside and although fast out of the gate, Venegas found little traction on the outside to carry his speed through the first corners. Faria’s closest competitor was Auburn’s Tommy Hedden, coming out of gate two, who rode level with Faria, through the corner and into the back straight. Hedden stayed close for a lap, then moved to an inside line behind Faria to protect his second place from gate three starter, Arizona visitor, Nate Perkins. This pattern was maintained for the rest of the race, each rider waiting for the one in front to make a mistake, which at this level of competition rarely happens and didn’t last night.
Faria’s handicap main took a little more luck. He started way back on the 50 yard line with Tommy Hedden. On the 40 yard line were Orangevale’s Chad Felicio and Palermo’s TJ Fowler. Nate Perkins was on the 30 yard line and Auburn’s Josh West on the zero. At the start West, who has progressed a long way this season, wasted no time in holding onto his advantage, with Perkins having minimal success in catching him. West held the distance until the fourth lap when Perkins, still holding second place ahead of Fowler, Faria and Felicio, fell down, forcing Tommy Hedden to lay his machine down to avoid hitting him. The restart order put Fowler and Faria just behind West, then Felicio and Hedden, with Perkins at the back, penalized for causing the restart. Felicio’s machine would not fire up, so the field was down to five. The restart gave West a smaller lead, bringing the heavy duty predators forward. In the restart Faria got a good gate enabling him to get clear of Fowler. This left only West between him and the win. First he tried the inside, but West held firm to the pole, then he used his 30 years experience to pick the right place to find outside traction, which gave him the win. West took second, Hedden third, and Perkins fourth. Fowler pulled off with machine troubles.
For the second week in a row, second division winner was Reno’s Tyler Hanson. Hanson also leads the division two points championship.
Third division winner was Jackson’s Paul Schoen. He took over from early leader Dave Joiner, the Fast Fridays promoter, who races about once a season to benchmark his skills.
Last night was also the final of the Challenge Elimination Series Championship, for which 5 riders have qualified from rounds throughout the season. The final winner was Citrus Heights’ Bryan Yarrow.
Scratch Main Event
1.Mike Faria; 2. Tommy Hedden; 3. Nate Perkins; 4. Charlie Venegas.
Scratch Consolation Event
1. Bryan Yarrow; 2. TJ Fowler; 3.Buck Blair; 4. Chad Felicio.
Handicap Main Event
1.Mike Faria; 2. Josh West; 3. Tommy Hedden; 4. Nate Perkins; 5. TJ Fowler;.
Handicap Consolation Event
1. Kenny Ingalls; 2. Matt Browne; 3. Buck Blair; 4. Greg Hooten; 5. Charlie Venegas.
Division 2 Main Event
1. Tyler Hansen; 2. Danny Turner; 3. Danny Poli; 4. Josh Everle; 5. Jim Lewis.
Division 2 Consolation Event
1. Steve Lewotsky; 2. Harlan Bast; 3. Rachalle Kerr; 4. Les Veale; 5. Brian Leventon.
Division 3 Main Event
1. Paul Schoen 2. Dave Joiner; 3. Adrien Contrerass; 4. Johnny Frank; 5. Rick Fehrman.
Division 3 Consolation Event
1. Doug Geist; 2. Steve Rowett; 3. Clark Caravella; 4. Lenny Bouressa; 5. Glenn Scott.
Youth Main Division 1
1. Ben Essary; 2. Matt Hilgenbery; 3. Bryce Starks; 4. Ricky Felicio.
Youth Main Division 2
1. Steven Reese; 2. Amber Felicio; 3. Thomas Reich.
Youth Main Division 3
1. Eric Randolph; 2. Tanner Kane; 3. Tyler Warren; 4. Michelle Fehrman; 5. Jamison Dilkey.
Gary Roberts - gary_rob@ix.netcom.com
| 