Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Challenge Series Round 3
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds
Rain Not a Factor -Bryan Yarrow Wins
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, June 5, 2015

YouTube Video - by Anthony Bernardi

Mother Nature threw a curve ball at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn. Forty five minutes before start time, black clouds rolled over the Gold Country Fairgrounds and a unseasonable thunder storm dumped buckets full rain on the track as lighting filled the darken skies. Die-hard speedway fans found shelter under the covered seating as Fast Friday’s owner Dave Joiner and his crew hustled to respond. The rain stopped and the tractor went to work pushing wet dirt away and spreading dry dirt on the soaked track. “I have to say the track is well groomed and well maintained and we have dry material in back for nights like this,” Joiner said. “I have to give a big thanks to the riders for hanging in there and giving it a go, because it started out looking impossible, we also have some loyal fans, the best in the world,” he said. Starting a little over an hour late and with an abbreviated program to make up for lost time, motors fired and racing began on a nearly perfect track on what became a fantastic night. A few of the consolation races were combined, the Youth program was shortened by one race and the third round of the Challenge Elimination Series was postponed for a drier night.

Bryan Yarrow, who seems to show up just to win the Division I scratch main event, rode like a true veteran. With a great attitude of having fun and accepting wins and losses as they come, Yarrow picked up his second main event win in three appearances at Fast Fridays. Out of the gate Yarrow won the scratch main event in week one, he missed racing in week two and week three and didn’t make the main event in week four then was the fastest man of the night Friday in week five. “The track is always tricky when it rains like this, we always ride cautious but it ended up being real good,” Yarrow said.

Yarrow was matched in the final race of an interesting night of speedway racing action with Billy “The Kid” Janniro, who has made every scratch main event of the season so far, Bart Bast, who has made four of five scratch main events and the young master Luke Becker. With the track moist and full of new dirt making any draw nearly equal, Janniro drew lane one. Becker picked the number two ball, Yarrow drew three and Bast was left with four. As the tape went up Yarrow got inside next to Janniro who was thriving on the deep track on the outside all night as Bast and Becker trailed. Unfortunately Becker got to far sideways in turn one on the second lap, over corrected and slammed hard headfirst into the wall. After a few tense minutes with the emergency personnel he stood but was unable to restart. That left Yarrow, Bast and Janniro to line up again. As the tapes went up again bad luck struck Bast and a broken chain took him out of the contest. Yarrow again moved to the inside line and Janniro worked the deeper track, but Yarrow rode the inside skillfully as Janniro gave it his all. In the end Yarrow held control and moved ahead finishing first, followed by Janniro in an exciting two man finale.

Young Gage Geist, just 15 years old from Temecula, was racing at Fast Friday’s for the first time this season, debuted in Division I and won the handicap main event. Geist, a member of a group of emerging underclassmen proving themselves in the show with veterans who have been riding for twenty plus years, made a statement. “This is my first time racing here this season, the track felt better than I thought it would with the rain and all,” Geist said. “We have the Under 21 national championship here so we are coming up for the next couple of weeks to check the track out,” he said. Gage, riding off the 10 yard line had an outstanding undefeated evening, winning his heat race, semi-final and the main event in the handicap program. David Mersaroli was second and Luke Becker was third.

Moving up to Division II this season, William “The Farmer” McCloskey, won his first main event of the season. A crowd favorite for his recognizable coveralls, Auburn’s McCloskey was second to Lawrence McNutt in his heat race to transfer to the main event. In the main event McCloskey held off McNutt for the win. McNutt was second and Shane Szuh was third. In Division III sixty-six year old Dorian Jewett again won the main event. Jewett also won last week’s main event. Jewett won his heat races both weeks making four straight victories for the sexagenarian rider.

The youth divisions were shorten by one race each to make up for the rain delay. Colton Hicks continued his winning streak regardless of his deep yardage starting position. Hicks did have a second place finish Friday night, only one of two for the season, but came back in the main event to win his fifth consecutive Youth 250cc A main event win at Fast Friday’s. Kyle Cunningham was second, and Chase Guerrero was third. Anthony Dion won the Youth 250cc B main event, followed by Rich Vandermeeden and Sammy Tetrault was third. In the Youth 150cc A division Auburn’s Cameron Krezman was first picking up his second trophy for the season. Sammy “The Bullet” Waddill was first in the Youth 150cc B division.

Next Friday June 12, be sure not to miss the return of the Extreme Sidecars who make their second of five season visits. Always crowd pleasers, the two person teams of riders power their 1000cc three wheeled machines at outrageous speeds around Fast Friday’s tricky dirt oval. Not to be missed.

Fast Fridays Results for 6-5-15

Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Bryan Yarrow, 2-Billy Janniro, 3-Bart Bast DNF, 4-Luke Becker DNF

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Gage Geist, 2-David Mersaroli, 3-Luke Becker

Division II Main Event
1-William McCloskey, 2-Lawrence McNutt, 3-Shane Szuh

Division III Main Event
1-Dorian Jewett, 2-Tim Dion, 3-John Peters

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

Youth B 250cc Main Event
1-Anthony Dion, 2-Richie VanderMeeden, 3-Sammy Tetrault

Youth A 150cc Main Event
1-Cameron Krezman, 2-Charlie Trana, 3-Logan Hedden

Youth B 150cc Main Event
1-Sammy Waddill, 2-Colton Nelson, 3-Timmy Dion

Photos By Michael Kirby

	Auburn’s Colton Hicks continues his winning streak in the Youth A 250cc division at Fast Fridays. Hicks has won all five of the main events in his division.
	Up in Division II for the first season Auburn’s William McCloskey won his first Division II main event.
	Youth division main event winners (left-right) Sammy “The Bullet” Waddill, Cameron Krezman and Anthony Dion beam with pride holding up their trophies.
	Dirk Rogers skillfully works on the Fast Friday’s track after a thunderstorm struck just before the races were set to start. Dry dirt was dumped and racing began an hour late.
	Fifteen year old Gage Geist won the Division I handicap main event Friday night. Geist moved up from the youth divisions this season.
	Dorian Jewett won the Division III main event for the second week in a row at Fast Fridays.
	Bryan Yarrow won the scratch main event for the second time this season. Yarrow missed two weeks of racing but has won two of three main events he has made.
	Anthony Dion won the Youth B 250cc main event.