Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Challenge Series Round 4
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds
Charlie Venegas picks up second scratch main event
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, July 11, 2014

YouTube Video By Anthony Bernardi

It was the cagey veteran Charlie Venegas' turn to take advantage of track conditions unfavorable to Billy Janniro to slide into victory in the Division I scratch main event Friday night at Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn. At the Gold Country Fairgrounds track the famous dusted blue groove showed riders the way around the track. Janniro who has lost only three of ten scratch main events this season favors a thick track allowing him to often work the outside deeper part of the track to power around inside riders.

Friday night was a no-go on the outside for Janniro and Venegas took advantage of the inside slick track to stay ahead of Bart Bast and keep Janniro behind and on the outside to score his second scratch main event of the season. Venegas and Bast are the only riders to hand Janniro loses at Fast Fridays this season. Venegas drew the inside lane, Bast was in two, Janniro sat in three and Bryce Starks was in four, all racing for the coveted fastest man of the night title. In a fast four laps to the finish line, Venegas was followed by Bast, then Starks and Janniro. "The track is pretty slick, it has been for the last few weeks, I knew it was going to come down to the draw," said Venegas. "Of course you have to back that up if you get the inside which they ended up leaving me with the gate one, but that's kind of part of the game," he said. "A little bit of luck, a little bit of skill because Bart was right there for a lap or two."

Tyler Warren picked up his second Division I handicap main event win of the season Friday night, further building his confidence, winning this time off the 10 yard line. Warren worked his way into the final win a win in his heat race and a third place finish in the semi-final to transfer. "During the main I just went as fast as I could, I'm really excited to win this one again," said Warren. Tommy Hedden was second, Bob Hicks third and Bart Bast was fourth.

Division II main event was won again by Colfax's Nick Dion for the second week in a row. Dion who was injured earlier in the season is back and seems to be currently dominating Division II. Dion was chased closely in a thrilling main event race by Jamison Dilkey, but he held on for the win. "Last week was great and this week the track was even better," said Dion. "I just kept hugging the pole, I heard him (Dilkey) behind me but I wasn't letting off." Dilkey was second, and David Mersaroli was third. Will "The Farmer" McCloskey picked up another Division III main event win, and also riding in Division II for the first time won the Division II consolation main event. It was second Division III main event win of the season and surly a step closer to riding in Division II for McCloskey. "It was my first D-2 ride and just mainly wanted to stay consistent, not hold up anyone, not crash, and show Dave (promoter Dave Joiner) that I can stay in traffic," said McCloskey. Matthew Bergland was second and Lars Kotrlik was third.

The fourth spot for the Challenge Elimination Championship was secured by Billy Janniro. Janniro joins Tommy Hedden, Charlie Venegas and Bob Hicks and the winner of round five in the championship run-off September 12 at Fast Fridays. Janniro won all of the one lap races and held off Bryce Starks in the final two-lap race to earn the spot.

Luke Becker won the Youth 250cc main event, his fifth for the season and Landon Norton picked up his first win of the season in the Youth A 150cc main event. Aidan McNutt won his second Youth B 150cc main event. Dan Cahoon won the Run What U Brung main event.

Next week the exciting and popular North vs. South Civil War Challenge returns to Fast Fridays. An all-star team from Southern California will journey north to face a super Northern California team. Riding for the north will be Billy Janniro, Bart Bast, Bryce Starks, Ryan Bast, Tommy Hedden and JT Mabry. Riding for the south will be Charlie Venegas, Max Ruml, Austin Novratil, Mike Faria and Tyson Talkington.

Fast Fridays Results for 7-11-14

Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Charlie Venegas, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Bryce Starks, 4-Billy Janniro

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Tyler Warren, 2-Tommy Hedden 3-Bob Hicks

Division II Main Event
1-Nick Dion, 2-Jamison Dilkey, 3-David Mersaroli

Division III Main Event
1-William McCloskey, 2-Matthew Bergland, 3-Lars Kotrlik

Youth A 250cc Main Event
1-Luke Becker, 2-Chase Guerrero 3-William Fike

Youth A 150cc Main Event
1-Landon Norton, 2-Kyle Cunningham

Youth B 150cc Main Event
1-Aidan McNutt, 2-Charlie Trana, 3-Greg Moore

Challenge Elimination Round Four
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Bryce Starks, 3-Tyler Warren, 4-JT Mabry, 5-PJ Byrne

Run What U Brung
1-Dan Cahoon, 2-Jay Fodrini

Photos By Michael Kirby

	Charlie Venegas won his second Division I main event of the Fast Fridays season Friday night in Auburn.
	Landon Norton (left) comes out of turn three just ahead of Dylan Wagner (right) in a Youth A 150cc heat race. Norton won his first Youth A 150cc main event Friday night.
	Aidan McNutt won the Youth B 150cc main event, his second of the Fast Fridays season.
	Will McCloskey (150) won the Division III main event and also riding in the Division II program for the first time won the Division II consolation main event.
	Nick Dion picked up his second Division II main event win in two weeks.
	Tyler Warren (front) leads Tommy Hedden in a handicap heat race Friday night. Warren riding off the 10 yard line won his second Division I handicap main event of the season.