Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Yarrow and Nicol Champions at Fast Fridays
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

For speedway fans it doesn't get much better than Friday night at Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway at Auburn's Gold Country Fairgrounds. With four championships up for grabs, forty plus scratch races and the Extreme Sidecars, the racing action was non. stop, fast and exciting. On the line for the racers was the 2012 Fast Friday's Track Championships in Division I, II and III. Sixteen of the top Division I riders and the top eight Division II and Division III riders were after the championship in their divisions. The Junior National Championship also brought together 15 of the best junior riders after the 2012 AMA Youth National Speedway Championship.

Bryan Yarrow came out on top in the Division I track championship after breaking a three way points tie in a run. off. Yarrow, Charlie Venegas and Auburn's Bart Bast were locked in a tie after 20 races with 13 points each. Yarrow racing out of the outside gate got a great start and was able to beat Bast and Venegas to the inside in turn one and skillful rode the four laps flawlessly to win the track championship. Bast finished second and Venegas was third. Auburn's Bob Hicks was fourth in points and 2011 AMA National Champion Billy Janniro was fifth. The evening was the final night of racing before the 2012 National Speedway Championship on September 28 at Fast Friday's when the top 16 riders will again face off in a similar format for the big prize. With the talent in Division I, all it takes is a small mistake or bike failure, losing a single heat race, to fall out of contention for a championship title. Yarrow, Bast and Venegas were all just two points off perfect nights with their 13 points, finishing with three first place and two second place finishes in the five rounds of racing.

Auburn's Jamison Dilkey won the Division II track championship. Dilkey has rode well all season starting out in Division III and advancing to Division II in June. He won his heat race to advance to the main event. He faced Colton Duncan, Derik Denzin and Auburn's Mike Achilles who also won his heat race to advance to the main.

It was Kevin Smith who took home the Division III track championship trophy. Smith was able to outlast Shane Szuh who finished second, Glenn Scott who finished third and Nick Dion who was fourth. This is only the second year Smith has been involved in speedway racing.

Southern California rider Broc Nicol won the 2012 Youth National Speedway Championship. The 14. year. old Nicol made the trip up north worthwhile as he picked up the championship trophy with a perfect evening of five first place finishes tallying 15 points. Brothers Max and Dillon Ruml, also from Southern California, chased Nicol closely throughout out the evening. The only time Max Ruml lost was when he met Nicol in heat race seven. Nicol has been racing since 2010 and is just coming off a second place finish in the California State Championship Youth 250cc division last week. Max Ruml was second with 14 points and Dillon Ruml was third with 13 points. Look to see many of these up and coming juniors in the adult divisions soon, there are some really talented young speedway riders moving up through the youth programs.

The Extreme Sidecars made their fifth and final appearance at Fast Fridays with an exciting program. The team of Joe Jones and Johnny Glover won the sidecar main event. Jones even took Fast Fridays announcer Mike Rooney on the back of his 1000cc three. wheeled bike for a heat race. The Extreme Sidecar thrill seekers put on a great show and are crowd pleasers at Fast Friday's.

It was an exciting night of racing and many Gold Country Fairgoers came over for a look, many for the first time, to see speedway racing at it's best. Up next on September 27 is the 2012 National Speedway Championship at Fast Friday's and on October 12 the USA will take on world riders in the season ending race.

EDITORS NOTE: Michael Kirby left out the results for one race that Dave Joiner put in for the kids. Since the small kids on the 200cc bikes had to race the big kids on 250cc bikes all night they really didn't get a fair chance or shot at a title. So they had raced with the 4 top scoring kids on 200cc bikes and that was called the 200cc Track Championship.

The results for the Youth 200cc Track Championship was:
1st - Colton Hicks
2nd - Sterling Martin
3rd - Daniel Casey
4th - Jeremiah Burrow

Results from Fast Friday's for 09/07/12

Fast Friday's Track Championships
Division I
1. Bryan Yarrow 13+3
2. Bart Bast 13+2
3. Charlie Venegas 13+1
4. Bob Hicks 12
5. Billy Janniro 12
6. Tommy Hedden 11
7. Mike Faria 8
8. Greg Hooten 7
9. Bobby Hedden 7
10. Alex Marcucci 6
11. JJ Martynse 5
12. Danny Faria 4
13. Ryan Bast 4
14. Tyler Warren 2
15. Devin DeFreece 2
16. Derik Denzin 1

Division II
1. Jamison Dilkey
2. Colton Duncan
3. Michael Achilles
4. Derik Denzin

Division III
1. Kevin Smith
2. Shane Szuh
3. Glenn Scott
4. Nick Dion

2012 Youth National Speedway Championship
1. Broc Nicol 15
2. Max Ruml 14
3. Dillon Ruml 13
4. Louie Mersaroli 11
5. David Mersaroli 11
6. Colton Hicks 9
7. Luke Becker 8
8. Sterling Martin 8
9. Jeremy Faria 6
10. Jeremiah Barrow 6
11. Daniel Casey 6
12. Amador Orosio 5
13. Dylan Wagner 4
14. Alex Martin 2
15. Logan Hedden 2

Photos By Michael Kirby

	Southern California rider Broc Nicol came out on top of the Youth National Speedway Championship with a perfect 15 point score and the championship.
	The Extreme Sidecar team of Joe Jones (driver) and Johnny Glover won the sidecar main event. The Extreme Sidecar teams visited Fast Friday's five times this year.
	Auburn's Jamison Dilkey won the Division II Fast Friday's Track Championship. Dilkey moved up to Division II from Division III mid. season and began racing in the peewee division.
	On the winner's podium with trophy presenters is the Youth National Speedway Championship winner Broc Nicol (C), second place finisher Max Ruml (L) and third place finisher Dillon Ruml (R).
	2012 Fast Friday's Track Champion Bryan Yarrow celebrates his win with his wife Lacy on the trophy podium. The Citrus Heights resident beat Bart Bast and Charlie Venegas in a run. off to win the championship.