Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Military Appreciation and Sidecar Series Round 1
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds
Becker and Janniro score wins
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, May 22, 2015

YouTube Video - by Anthony Bernardi

There was no shortage of action at Auburn’s Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway Friday night at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. A thrilling speedway motorcycle racing program that included the first of five visits of the Extreme Sidecar teams, military appreciation night, and a visit by the Budweiser Clydesdales pulling their vintage beer wagon entertained a full stadium of Fast Fridays fans to kick off the long Memorial Day weekend.

Billy Janniro picked up his first scratch main event win of the young 2015 season in convincing style. The five time AMA National Speedway champion won his scratch heat race, placed second in his semi to advance to the main event with the other three fastest men of the evening. Janniro drew lane one, which Bart Bast won out of last week and Bryan Yarrow won out of the week before. In lane two was visiting Southern California rider Max Ruml who won big at Costa Mesa’s opener last weekend. In lane three was Auburn’s Bart Bast, winner of last week’s scratch main event. Way out in lane four lined up Auburn’s Bob Hicks.

As the gates went up Janniro grabbed all the dirt he could off the well worn track in lane one and took the inside line with the young Ruml nipping at his heels. Janniro and Ruml played cat and mouse for most of the four lap race but Janniro’s experience played big here as he muscled away for Ruml and Bast joined the fight right behind Ruml. Janniro held on holding close to the inside tube and with Ruml unable to pass outside took the checkered flag. Ruml was second, Bast third and Hicks fourth. “The track has been real slick each week, it’s been follow the leader, the draw is huge,” Janniro said.

Luke Becker, one of the most watched riders at Fast Fridays since moving up from the youth divisions, again struck gold in the handicap program for the second week in a row. Winning the handicap main event last week off the 10 yard line, Becker picked up additional yardage which did not slow him down as he again won this week off the 20 yard line. The sixteen-year old Becker held on and proved to be a rider young or old to deal with each week at Fast Fridays. Southern Cal’s Broc Nicol also riding off the 20 yard line was second, Auburn’s Tommy Hedden off the 40 yard line finished third. ”I’ve just got to work with it, (the extra yardage) I’ve got to make my decisions fast and go for it,” Becker said. Look for Becker in the winner’s circle next week as the young gun hones his skills in the big time and picks up another 10 yards off the start line in the handicap program.

Division II was full of excitement with their share of spills in the heat races. Weimar’s Derik Denzin climbed onto the winner’s podium for the first time this season. Eddie Marsalla has dominated the last two weeks with wins, but moved back to the 30 yard line this week he did not finish in the money. Denzin has improved each week making it into the main event last week, and winning the main event Friday night. He also will pick up extra yardage next week with his win and move back to the 40 yard line next week’s start. Second was Shawn Eldredge, and third was Michael Achilles.

Division III’s John Gauthreaux avenged his second place finish last week to Dorian Jewett by finishing first this week. Jewett finished second this week, but this rivalry will likely continue throughout the season for these two racers. Both riders will now start on the 10 yard line as their duels continue. Watch out for this rider-Auburn’s Colton Hicks is just on fire in the Youth 250cc division. The 13 year-old Hicks has only lost one 250cc race this season, a heat race in which he finished second, and has won all the 250cc main events this season. “It feels real good, (the wins) I started on the seventy yard line this week and next week I will be on the eighty,” said Hicks. “I have been practicing more and trying to go faster,” he said. Kyle Cunningham was second and Chase Guererro was third in the main.

In the Youth 150cc A division Auburn’s Cameron Krezman was first, Landon Collins second and Logan Hedden was third. Timmy Dion topped the Youth 150cc B division with a first place finish, Colton Nelson was second and Aidan McNutt was third. Robert Curry won the Run What U Brung, and David Mersaroli won the Trophy Dash.

The Extreme Sidecars on their first visit to Fast Fridays thrilled the crowd with on their three wheeled 1100cc bikes. Five two person teams raced in four heats to the delight of the Fast Fridays fans. The team of Bryan Motis and Josh Bennett won the sidecar main event.

Fast Fridays Results for 5-22-15

Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Max Ruml, 3-Bart Bast, 4-Bob Hicks

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Luke Becker, 2-Broc Nicol, 3-Tommy Hedden

Division II Main Event
1-Derik Denzin, 2-Shawn Eldredge, 3-Michael Achilles

Division III Main Event
1-John Gauthreaux, 2-Dorian Jewett, 3-John O’Neill

Youth A 250cc Main Event
1-Colton Hicks, 2-Kyle Cunningham, 3-Chase Guererro

Youth A 150cc Main Event
1-Cameron Krezman, 2-Landon Collins, 3-Logan Hedden

Youth B 150cc Main Event
1-Timmy Dion, 2-Colton Nelson, 3-Aidan McNutt

Sidecars
1-Bryan Motis/Josh Bennett

Run What U Brung
1-Robert Curry

Photos By Michael Kirby

	Current AMA National Speedway champion celebrates his scratch main event win Friday night at Fast Fridays.
	Robert Curry (front) won the Run What U Brung main event, and also participated in the sidecar action as driver of the Robert Curry/Laurie Curry team.
	Auburn’s Cameron Krezman won the Youth A 150cc main event. After second place finishes in week one and two, Krezman took the checkered flag Friday night.
	Derik Denzin topped the Division II main event.
	For the second week in a row Luke Becker has won the Handicap main event. Becker is in his debut Division I season after moving up from the youth division.
	Colton Hicks (right) continues his tear in the Youth A 250cc division with his third main event win of the season. Shown here in turn one with Blake Borello (left).
	The start of the Division I scratch main event Friday night. Lane one seems to be the best draw as all scratch main event winners have come out of lane one so far this season. Pictured are (left-right) Bob Hicks, Bart Bast, Max Ruml and Billy Janniro. Janniro picked up his first main event win of the season.