Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Charlie Venegas and Billy Janniro Win Mains
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, August 27, 2010

A capacity crowd showed up Friday night filling the Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway stands to watch  racers challenge each other as the stakes are upped in the important few remaining 2010 season meetings.  Upcoming is the 2010 season final season point’s night and Challenge Elimination Series Championship next week, the Fast Friday’s Track Championship on September 10, and the final round of the 2010 AMA/USA National Championship on Oct 1.  With these important meeting in the near future riders in all divisions have been riding hard as they can pushing each other faster in some great racing.

Veteran speedway riders Billy Janniro and Charlie Venegas are really tuning it on at the Fast Friday’s Gold Country Fairgrounds track, and both Venegas and Janniro picked up main event wins Friday night.

In the Div. I scratch main event Bart Bast was inside in lane one, Tommy Hedden in two, Venegas was in three and Bryce Starks in four.  Hedden got the best start with Venegas just up on the dirt line as the two went at it.  In the second lap Starks fell and Bart improved his position challenging Venegas.  Hedden also went down on lap three leaving Venegas and Bast racing for the finish line.  Venegas was able to pull ahead of Bast and took the checkered flag.  Bast was second, Starks third and Hedden fourth.  Venegas, known for turning in great performances late in the season won the scratch main event for the second consecutive week.

Absent from the scratch main was Janniro who missed his first scratch main event appearance of the season.  Janniro did not go away empty handed Friday night pulling off a win in the Division I handicap main event from the 70 yard line after being moved back ten yards in a restart for a mishap with Greg Hooten on turn one in the first lap.  Skillfully picking up distance on leaders starting with much less yardage, Janniro rode like he was in freeway traffic weaving through riders and was in the lead after six laps for the checkered flag.  Alex Marcucci was second, Greg Hooten was third.

Division II was won by Matt Drury, Division III by Robby Northam, the Youth division was won by PJ Bryne, and Kevin Smith won the Won What U Brung program.

Scott and Casey Driggers won the always thrilling sidecars program.  A crowd favorite, the sidecar competitors made their third of four appearances at Fast Friday’s, putting on another exciting performance.

Next week is the last week for riders to tally 2010 season points and as of August 20, Janniro leads Division I with 1914, Bast 1781, Hedden 1690 and Venegas 1552.  Division II, in a close race, is lead by Richard Fehrman with 596, Mike Achilles 529, Matt Drury with 518.  Division III, in another close contest is led by Chris Popanz with 678, Glenn Scott 642, and Billy Vaughn 640.

Results from 8-27-10

Division 1 Scratch Main Event
1-Charlie Venegas, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Bryce Starks, 4-Tommy Hedden

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Alex Marcucci 3-Greg Hooten

Division II Main Event
1-Matt Drury, 2-Casey Cornilsen, 3-Mike Achilles

Division III Main Event
1-Robby Northam, 2-Glenn Scott, 3-Greg Lovlien

Run What U Brung
1-Kevin Smith

Photos By Michael Kirby

	The team of Scott and Casey Driggers won the popular sidecar program.  Noticeably absent from the sidecar main event was the team of Joe Jones and Jimmy Olsen who suffered mechanical problems and was unable to run.
	Billy Janniro won the Div. I handicap main event, but was absent from the Div. I scratch main event for the first time in the 2010 season.
	(L-R) Billy Janniro and Tommy Hedden race in the scratch semi-final heat.
	PJ Bryne won the youth main event.  Bryne has been a consistent youth rider this year.
	Charlie Venegas won the Division I Scratch Main Event for the second week in a row.