Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Bart Bast is Fast Friday's Ironman
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, JULY 27, 2012 - Fast Friday's Speedway

Youtube Fast Fridays July 27 From Anthony Bernardi

Friday night Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway staged an endurance event in Auburn equal to no other at Gold Country Fairgrounds. Auburn has long been known as the Endurance Capitol of the World for the interesting endurance challenges that are staged in its backyard. The Western State Endurance Run and the Tevis Cup Equestrian Ride, both 100 mile events, finish in Auburn. Numerous other physical challenges from triathlons to mountain bike races are staged in the nearby mountains and give Auburn their endurance capital distinction.

In the 25 lap speedway finale combining the handicap consolation and handicap main event riders into one endurance race brought twelve riders onto the track with their handicap yardage doubled. Riders Billy Janniro and Tommy Hedden for instance, lined up 120 yards from the starting gate, and other riders were started at twice their regular handicap yardage. Scratch speedway races are four laps and handicap speedway races are six laps on a normal night and these riders would be racing over four times that amount battling fatigue and mechanical failure. The tapes went up and the contest was on, who would be the strongest rider to endure? Would experience or youth be the deciding factor?

Within in several laps 2011 25 lap main event winner and current national speedway champion Billy Janniro dropped out with mechanical problems. As the race progressed several more riders ended up on the infield unable to go on, and Bob Hicks had a commanding lead over Bart Bast, Ryan Bast, and Alex Marcucci battling for second, third, and fourth place. Hicks who had a great night in the rest of the program, continued to dominate, and with Janniro out it was a four man race for most of the 25 laps. With just laps to go Hicks and Alex Marcucci tangled on turn three both losing valuable time and yardage that could not be made up late in the race and Hicks fell out of first place. That left Bart and Ryan Bast to duke it out for the remaining laps, and Tyler Warren now pulled into possible winning position. Bart Bast's decades of speedway experience and consistent riding ability proved the deciding factor in the race as he out lasted Ryan Bast for the checkered flag and the endurance title. Ryan Bast finished second and the 17 year old Warren grabbed third with in an impressive ride.

In the Division I scratch program Billy Janniro continued to dominate the scratch program with another main event win. Auburn's Tommy Hedden was second, and Bob Hicks who is on a tear, finished third after winning all his heat races in both the handicap and scratch programs. Bart Bast was fourth. The win gives Janniro 7 of 10 scratch main event wins at Fast Fridays this season, and sets him up as the man to beat as he defends his national speedway championship title later in the season.

First year rider Colton Duncan won the Division II main event. The 17 year-old steadily moved through the Division III ranks and has had solid performances in Division II in weeks past. Second was Jamison Dilkey and Chris Casey was third. Eddie Marsala was first in the Division III main event followed by Kurt Cornchuck in second and Kevin Smith in third. David Mersaroli won the Youth A main event, followed by his brother Louie Marsaroli in second and Jeremy Faria was third. Ten-year-old Colton Hicks won the Youth B main event, and Caleb Clinton won the Run What U Brung main event.

Next week the action continues at Fast Friday's as the Extreme Sidecars make another visit to the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Round Four of their series.

Results from Fast Friday's for 7-27-12

Division 1 Scratch Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Tommy Hedden, 3-Bob Hicks, 4-Bart Bast

Division I 25 Lap Handicap Main Event
1-Bart Bast, 2-Ryan Bast, 3-Tyler Warren

Division II Main Event
1-Colton Duncan, 2-Jamison Dilkey, 3-Chris Casey

Division III Main Event
1-Eddie Marsalla, 2-Kurt Kornchuck, 3-Kevin Smith

Youth A Main Event
1-David Mersaroli, 2-Louie Mersaroli, 3-Jeremy Faria

Youth B Main Event
1-Colton Hicks, 2-David Faria, 3-Daniel Casey

Run What U Brung
1-Caleb Clinton

Photos By Michael Kirby

	(L-R) Billy Janniro, Bob Hicks, and Daniel Faria round turn one in a heat race at Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway Friday night. Janniro won the Division I scratch main event.
	Auburn's David Mersaroli won the Youth A main event.
	Bart Bast won the 25 lap endurance handicap main event this year after finishing second last year.
	Bart Bast (L) and Ryan Bast (R), both part of the well know Bast speedway racing family ride side by side in an early heat race. They finished first and second in the 25 lap handicap main event with Bart taking the first place ironman honors.