Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Janniro Wins Big at Fast Fridays
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, May 31, 2013

Billy Janniro seems to have found his groove at the Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn. On Friday night at the Gold Country Fairgrounds Janniro picked up wins in both the handicap and scratch main events for the first time in the 2013 Fast Fridays season. In only the fourth week of the season and after struggling last week with only a fourth place finish in the handicap main event and a no show in the scratch main event, Janniro showed the crowd at Fast Fridays just how it's done. Recovering from injuries suffered in serious racing crash May 20th overseas in Hungary while competing on the USA World Speedway Cup team, Janniro seems to be nearly back to healthy racing condition in just two weeks of recovery.

In the Division I handicap main event Janniro, who rides off the 60-yard line, faced Bart Bast and Tommy Hedden who also ride off the 60-yard line, Alex Marcucci, Bryce Starks and Tyler Warren. Warren, starting on the scratch line, held the lead for three laps until Janniro worked his way through traffic to take the lead. Janniro then put a few bike lengths between himself and Bast and Hedden who were fighting for second and third places. Janniro held on for his first main event win of the night. Bast was second, followed by Hedden in third.

The scratch main event was more of the same for Janniro facing Hedden who was last week's scratch main event winner. Bob Hicks and Bryce Starks rounded out the field. Janniro cruised into the Division I main event winning his heat and semi-final races. Janniro drew lane two, Hedden was inside in one, Hicks sat in three, and Starks was outside in four. Janniro easily took the inside on turn one and Starks unfortunately went down. Hedden and Hicks rode tight in second and third but Janniro increased his lead with skillful riding on a track he knows too well. Hedden held off Hicks for second, Hicks was third and Starks unable to recover well from his fall was fourth. Janniro capped the evening with his second main event trophy and tallied five out of six first place finishes for the night in Division I racing.

In the Division I points race though it's Auburn's Bart Bast that leads all riders with 403 points after three meetings. Bast has yet to win a main event this season, but consistently finishes in the top three every time he races and is 58 points ahead of Charlie Venegas who has 345 points after three weeks. Hedden has 318.

The Challenge Elimination Series continued with Tommy Hedden picking up the second of five spots and joins Bryan Yarrow in the championship round scheduled for August 23 at Fast Fridays. Hedden outlasted Bryce Starks in the final two lap contest to secure the spot. Bob Hicks, Billy Janniro, and Alex Marcucci were eliminated in the single lap races before the final.

After placing second in the Division II main event last week, Kevin Chapman put it all together and pulled off his first main event win of the 2013 season. Chapman faced Paul Sanburn, Chris Popanz, Kyle Marsalla, Colton Duncan, and Jamison Dilkey. Duncan finished second, and Marsalla was third. Also riders were thrilled to see Marsalla's brother Eddie back at the track and on the mend after a very serious crash in week two. Still leading Division II in track points after three weeks is Auburn's Michael Achilles at 162 points-34 points over Chapman who could have made up the difference with this week's main event win. Sanburn sits in third with 125 points.

The trophy dash was won again by 14 year-old Luke Becker. Becker, riding his 250cc bike and proving his win last week was no fluke, repeated against the 500cc bikes last week. Division III was won by Louis Marsaroli, followed by his brother David Mersaroli who finished second. Kyle Porteous was third.

Colton Hicks won the Youth 250cc division with main event. Luke Becker had beat Hicks for the first three weeks at Fast Fridays in this division but Hicks took the main event this week. Becker finished second and Gage Geist was third. Sterling Martin was first in the Youth 150cc division main event. Caleb Clinton picked up his second Run What U Brung main event win of the season.

Results from Fast Friday's for 5-31-13

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

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Tommy Hedden

Division II Main Event
1-Kevin Chapman, 2-Colton Duncan, 3-Kyle Marsalla

Division III Main Event
1-Louis Mersaroli, 2-David Mersaroli, 3-Kyle Porteous

Youth 250cc Division Main
1-Colton Hicks

Youth 150cc Division
1-Sterlin Martin 2-Dylan Wagner 3-Alex Martin

Run What U Brung
1-Caleb Clinton

Challenge Elimination Series (Round Two)
1-Tommy Hedden 2-Bryce Starks, 3-Bob Hicks, 4-Billy Janniro, 5-Alex Marcucci

Photos By Michael Kirby

	Tommy Hedden (center) won the second spot in the five spot Challenge Elimination Series Championship with a win Friday night. Hedden outlasted Bryce Starks (right) in the two lap run-off to secure his spot. Bob Hicks (left) finished third in Friday night's second round.
	Billy Janniro won both the Division I handicap main event and also the Division I scratch main event. It was Janniro's first double main event win of the season at Fast Fridays.
	Auburn's own Kevin Chapman picked up his first Division II main event win of the season. Chapman finished second last week in the main event.
	Eleven-year old Colton Hicks beat Luke Becker for the Youth 250cc Division main event. Becker has had a lock on this division until Friday night when Auburn's Hicks won the main event.