|
|
Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California
AMA Speedway Under 21 National Championship and FIM Qualifier
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway,
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Ruml repeats as U-21 Champion
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, August 22, 2014
YouTube Video By Anthony Bernardi
It's championship time in Auburn at Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway. After last week's exciting AMA Youth National Speedway Championships, this week Fast Friday's hosted the AMA Speedway Under 21 (years old) National Championship and FIM Qualifier at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. These events featured riders under sixteen in three championships last week and this week riders 17- 21 years of age rode for a national championship. If speedway fans have any doubt about the future of speedway racing in America, these fears can be laid to rest. The last two weeks have showcased younger riders who will carry on the speedway tradition. Most of these young guns have come through the youth programs and represent the future of speedway and the future looks excellent. These young riders are good, skilled, fast and they rode aggressively putting on an exciting show for Fast Friday's fans.
Seventeen year-old speedway sensation Max Ruml rode through four rounds of heat races, a semi-final and then the national championship final winning every race he was in to capture the national U-21 championship for the second year in a row. Ruml is having one heck of a summer, winning the U-21 national championship for the second time and just returning from racing in Europe as a member of the USA World Cup team where he rode skillfully on the world speedway stage. "It's been an awesome experience and I'm glad I was a part of it with all these great people tonight. Riding with Broc Nicol, he was on it tonight, being tied all night and it came down to a one on one in the main event," Ruml said. "Broc ended up with a gate choice and drew the inside lane, I got unlucky and drew the outside, but I made the dirt work, got into first place and held it."
Ruml was locked in a tie with Broc Nicol after four rounds of heat races and the semi-finals. The two Southern California riders did not face each other all night until the national final when they entered the night's finale undefeated and with perfect scores of 15 points each. Rounding out the final was another So-Cal rider Rocco Scopellite, and hometown high scorer Tyler Warren. Nicol drew lane one and Ruml not so lucky drew the outside lane four, with Scopellite sitting in two and Warren in three. As the tapes went up it was Nicol taking the tight inside position in turn one and Ruml outside but right next to Nicol. Scopellite and Warren were following but the race was between these two youthful powerhouses. Ruml powered around Nicol by lap two and moved inside riding a skillful race, as he had all night, flawless. Ruml increased his lead to the finish line and Nicol, also riding a great race stayed ahead of Warren to take second place. Warren, also had a good night, finishing third in the final and with nine championship points and fourth place overall. Scopellite was fourth in the final and finished the night with 11 points for third place in the championship. Ruml finished perfect with 18 points and Nicol lost just one point to Ruml in the final and finished with 17 championship points good for second in the championship.
Ruml's brother Dillon won the 2014 AMA Youth National Championship last week for the second time along with Max Ruml who now has won the AMA U-21 championship for the second year in a row. "I could not be happier, I got to ride in Europe in the World Cup, and now winning my second Under 21 championship," Ruml said. "I believe my brother and I are the only brothers to win both the Youth national championship and the U-21 championships back to back," he said. Max Ruml is also tearing it up in the current AMA USA National Speedway Championship Series holding second place just16 points behind current national champion Billy Janniro after three meeting. The grand final championship will take place September 19 in Auburn at Fast Fridays. "When these younger guys get a little more experience, maybe a little better out of the gate they are going to be there, they're going to be real tough to beat, they're already real fast," said Janniro. The win also makes Ruml eligible to compete in the FIM Under 21 Qualifier next year in Europe.
Billy Janniro racked up another win in the Division I scratch main event with an impressive ride. Janniro came out of lane three real strong and gave Auburn's Bart Bast a run for his money. Bast has picked up back to back wins in the scratch main just two weeks ago and trails Janniro in national championship point's series by 25 points in third place. Bast also is in second place behind Janniro in the season Fast Fridays track points race just 58 points behind Janniro as of last week. Bast finished second, Bryce Starks was third and Tommy Hedden was fourth.
Auburn resident Thomas Reich who was competing in the Under 21 championship program and the Division I scratch and handicap programs found his way to the winners circle for the first time riding in Division I. Reich, who started at Fast Fridays as a youth rider, won the handicap main event as well had finishing fifth overall in the U-21 championship. Reich beat Broc Nicol who was second in the handicap main event and Bart Bast who was third. Eddie Marsalla was the Division II main event winner getting real comfortable on the winner's podium this year. Marsalla held off San Diego resident Mike Wiley who was second and Nick Dion who finished third. Local rider Lawrence McNutt won the Division III main event over John Gauthreaux who finished second and Harlan Bast who was third.
Luke Becker came out on top in the 250cc youth division, Blake Borello was second and Chase Guerrero was third. Becker finished second just last week in the 250cc Youth National Speedway championship. Auburn's Cameron Krezman won the 150cc Youth A main event Friday night following up his 150cc Youth Division 2 national championship last week. Dylan Wagner was second and Kyle Cunningham was third. Landon Collins was first in the 150cc Youth B main event for the second time this year. A strong Youth B rider Collins finished ahead of Charlie Trana who was second and Anthony Dion who finished third.
Fast Friday's results for 8-22-14
2014 AMA Speedway Under 21 (years old) National Championship
1-Max Ruml-18, 2-Broc Nicol-17, 3-Rocco Scopellite-11, 4-Tyler Warren 9, 5-Thomas Reich-8 6-PJ Byrne-7, 7-Dalton Leedy-6 (tie), 8-Colton Duncan-6(tie), 9-David Mersaroli-3(tie), 10-Gabe Price-3(tie), 11-Jamison Dilkey-2, 12-Hayley Perrault-0
Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Bryce Starks, 4-Tommy Hedden
Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Thomas Reich, 2-Broc Nicol 3-Bart Bast
Division II Main Event
1-Eddie Marsalla, 2-Mike Wiley, 3-Nick Dion
Division III Main Event
1-Lawrence McNutt, 2-John Gauthreaux, 3-Harlan Bast
250cc Youth Division
1-Luke Becker, 2-Blake Borello, Chase Guerrero
150cc Youth A Division
1-Cameron Krezman, 2-Dylan Wagner, 3-Kyle Cunningham
150cc Youth B Division
1-Landon Collins, 2-Charlie Trana, 3-Anthony Dion
Photos By Michael Kirby
|
