Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California
Fast Fridays, Auburn, California USA - July 18, 2008
By Gary Roberts
The North vs South, the annual Civil War took place at Auburn last night. The smokey air is beginning to show signs of clearing. The weather was hot and humid and there was some great racing.
The final result for the event was 76 to 65, a win for the North. But the Youth North vs South was a very conclusive 47 to 25 win for the South. More on that later.
Unofficial Results:
North
Bart Bast 3 3 2 3 3 3 17
Chad Felicio 0 1 1 1 0 2 5
Mike Faria 2 1 2 3 2 0 10
Tommy Hedden 3 0 1 0 3 2 8
Kenny Ingalls 3 2 1 2 2 2 12
Greg Hooten 1 0 0 1 1 3 6
South
Charlie Venegas 2 2 3 2 0 1 6* 16
Scott Brant 1 3 2 0 1 0 7
Nate Perkins 1 3 3 2 0 1 10
Eddie Castro 0 1 0 1 3 0 5
Bryan Yarrow 2 2 3 3 2 1 13
Jon Stasiefski 0 0 0 0 1 – 1
* joker = double score
At the end of the regular scoring it was 59-52 to the North. Then it got into the weighted scoring for the B and A main.
B Main : 1. Kenny Ingalls; 2. Nate Perkins; 3. Eddie Castro; 4. Greg Hooten.
This brought the score to 64-57
A Main : 1. Bart Bast; 2. Bryan Yarrow; 3. Tommy Hedden; 4. Charlie Venegas.
So the final score was 76 to 65 in favor of the North.
Overall, there were few surprises in the races. Bast was top scorer and A main event winner losing only one point to Nate Perkins in a heat where he got a lousy gate but still came back from last to second. He rode brilliantly, as he has done all season at Auburn . His team mate Felicio scored probably less than he deserved, making several very good gates but losing places during the race. Ingalls impressed. He was second highest scorer for the team and teamed up well with a determined Greg Hooten. Faria and Hedden were a strong pairing, being the only pair to take two 5-1s.
It was unfortunate the event clashed with the Costa Mesa Fair Derby, leaving only the pick of the non-Costa Mesa competitors. Charlie Venegas is a loyal Auburn rider, but lives down South, Eddie Castro had a disagreement with the Costa Mesa ref., Scott Brant is a retiree who used to live down South, Nate Perkins is a retiree who still lives down there, Jon Stasiefski lives down there and likes to ride at Auburn and Bryan Yarrow of course lives up here but was kind enough to be labeled a Southerner for the night. Hardly a dedicated team of warriors determined to fight to the end! Having said that, all put on a good show. Brant fell twice while trying too hard, both times while in good positions.
The Youth North vs. South was dominated by a very strong South team, which scored 5-1s in 6 of the 12 heats. After the North’s win last year this came as quite a shock. It also suggests that next month’s Youth National Championship (August 29 @ Fast Fridays) should be a very competitive event, with a good chance of a winner from the South.
Unofficial results:
North:
Thomas Reich 0 0 2 0 2
Cody Ciciarelli 2 2 3 1 8
Tanner Kane 0 – 1 0 1
Amber Felicio 1 3 0 1 4
Tyler Warren 2 1 0 0 3
Kendra Warren 1 0 1 2 4
PJ Bryne 2 2 (1 ride)
South:
Austin Novratil 3 3 3 3 12
Brad Pappalardo 1 2 2 2 7
Gino Manzares 3 3 2 2 10
Joey Holt 2 1 3 3 9
River McDougall 3 1 1 3 8
Samuel Ramirez 0 0 0 1 1
The depth in the North team was simply not there. At the start of this season, based on his result in last year’s North vs South and Youth National Championship, I would have considered Cody Ciciarelli as favorite to win the 2008 Youth National. Tonight he was top scorer for the North, but not in the same class as Novratil or Manzares. The longer season in the south and the relative abundance of practice facilities are once again proving that if Northern California speedway is ever to develop future world class riders, we need to find a practice track.
There is a lot going on in the next 7 days.
Tomorrow is the second annual Paul Orlandi memorial ride. See http://www.porlandibenefit.com
Next Friday, Fast Fridays hosts the second round of the AMA National Championship Series
Next Saturday is opening night at Charlie Venegas’s new track at Vallejo .
Why would anyone complain about living in Northern California ? (apart from the smoke).
The Youth North vs. South was dominated by a very strong South team, which scored 5-1s in 6 of the 12 heats. After the North’s win last year this came as quite a shock. It also suggests that next month’s Youth National Championship (August 29 @ Fast Fridays) should be a very competitive event, with a good chance of a winner from the South.
Unofficial results:
North:
Thomas Reich 0 0 2 0 2
Cody Ciciarelli 2 2 3 1 8
Tanner Kane 0 – 1 0 1
Amber Felicio 1 3 0 1 4
Tyler Warren 2 1 0 0 3
Kendra Warren 1 0 1 2 4
PJ Bryne 2 2 (1 ride)
South:
Austin Novratil 3 3 3 3 12
Brad Pappalardo 1 2 2 2 7
Gino Manzares 3 3 2 2 10
Joey Holt 2 1 3 3 9
River McDougall 3 1 1 3 8
Samuel Ramirez 0 0 0 1 1
The depth in the North team was simply not there. At the start of this season, based on his result in last year’s North vs South and Youth National Championship, I would have considered Cody Ciciarelli as favorite to win the 2008 Youth National. Tonight he was top scorer for the North, but not in the same class as Novratil or Manzares. The longer season in the south and the relative abundance of practice facilities are once again proving that if Northern California speedway is ever to develop future world class riders, we need to find a practice track.
There is a lot going on in the next 7 days.
Tomorrow is the second annual Paul Orlandi memorial ride. See http://www.porlandibenefit.com
Next Friday, Fast Fridays hosts the second round of the AMA National Championship Series
Next Saturday is opening night at Charlie Venegas’s new track at Vallejo .
Why would anyone complain about living in Northern California ? (apart from the smoke).
Gary Roberts - gary_rob@ix.netcom.com
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