Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

25 Lap Main Event
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds
Broc Nicol wins 25 Lap Endurance Feat
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, July 17, 2015

YouTube Video - by Anthony Bernardi

Auburn is the Endurance Capital of the World; known for physical endurance feats of all kinds and Friday night Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway added their brand of endurance stamina with a 25 lap main event Friday night at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. Fast Friday’s 25 lap handicap main event was the highlight of Friday night’s program pitting 16 riders in a race that is over six times longer that a scratch program race and over four times longer than a handicap program race, a very demanding task for any speedway rider.

For almost five minutes it was Broc Nicol that proved to be this year’s iron man of Fast Friday’s. Nicol survived the physical punishment of the long grueling race and avoided mechanical breakdown to take the checkered flag clocking a 4:51:50 finish time. “I was kind of looking forward to the race because I have never raced a 25 lap race before, to see what I could do,” Nicol said. In the final laps as riders rolled off the track with breakdowns, it was a youth verses experience showdown. Speedway veteran Bart Bast put a hard charging challenge on Nicol as the laps ticked by nearly catching Nicol at the finish. “I was just trying to last the 25 laps, people started pulling off and I just kept cruising. Bart (Bast) got on me in the last lap out of nowhere and I had to get on it,” he said. Bast was second, and Auburn’s Bob Hicks held on for third place. Yardage handicaps for the 25 lap main event were doubled as were season points.

Billy Janniro continued to dominate the scratch program, picking up another win in the scratch main event. Janniro was perfection again in the scratch program winning his heat race, and winning a thrilling semi-final race with Tommy Hedden that brought Fast Friday’s fans to their feet cheering to advance to the final. The win was the sixth scratch main event win of the season for “The Kid” so far this season. Janniro faced familiar foes Luke Becker, Bart Bast and Hedden in the main event. Janniro drew the number four lane, not known for many winning finishes, but riding the outside dirt and pulling every bit of power from bike passing on the outside cinched the deal. Becker followed for second, Hedden was third and Bast was unable to finish after a crash on the last lap.

Auburn’s Louie Mersaroli had a busy night racing competing in the Division I handicap and scratch programs, including the 25 lap handicap main event, and the Division II program, winning the Division II main event. For Mersaroli who’s engine barely had a chance to cool Friday night, it was his second Division II main event win this season, though he has also made a strong showing in the Division I programs this season. Mersaroli won his Division II heat race to transfer to the main event. Also having a good night, Jamison Dilkey took second place and Charlie Haines was third.

Division III was dominated this week by newcomers to Fast Fridays. John O’Leary in only his third Fast Fridays showing won the Division III main event for the second week in a row, this week riding off the 10 yard line. With the win earning him another 10 yards handicap for next week, it looks like O’Leary will not spend much time in Division III. If his winning ways keep up O’Leary will join the highly competitive Division II program before the season ends. Also, new to speedway at Fast Fridays, Peter Pecorilla finished in second place for the second week in a row and Cameron Beck who won the Division III main event on July 3 was third.

Auburn’s Colton Hicks continued his tear at Fast Fridays and after a week off last Friday, Hicks was back with a main event win in the Youth A 250cc division. Hicks, starting with very deep yardage managed to weave through traffic to catch Kyle Cunningham with less than a lap left to win the main event. Cunningham was second and Chase Guerrero was third. The win brings Hicks Youth A 250cc main event win tally to eight for the season.

Up from Southern California, Whittier resident Jake Isaac was checking out the Fast Fridays track and made quite an impression with a win in the Youth B 250cc main event. “Gentleman Jake” is looking forward to the youth national championships to be held at Fast Fridays on August 14 and made his first appearance at Fast Fridays this season. “This is my first time here on a 250cc bike, I’m just up here trying to get used to the track for this year’s youth nationals,” Isaac said. “Hopefully next time I come up I’ll be in division one (Youth A 250cc),” he said. Rich Vandermeeden was second and Anthony Dion was third.

The Martin brothers were back this week and Sterling Martin won the Youth A 150cc main event. Slater Nightcap was second and Alex Martin was third. Reaching the winner’s podium for the first time this season, Gregory Moore was first in the Youth B 150cc main event. A constant top three finisher in the Youth B 150cc division all season long Moore finally put it together for the win. Timmy Dion was second and Aidan McNutt was third. Jay Heidt was first in the crowded Run What U Brung field, and Robert Curry won the trophy dash for the second week in a row.

Next week at Fast Fridays one of the season’s most highly anticipated events comes to the Auburn. The North vs. South Speedway Challenge, an annual speedway grudge match with two very strong teams this year, will race against each other for year-long bragging rights. The action is spectacular, and team scoring interesting. Make sure not to miss this exciting match-up.

Results for July 17, 2015

Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Luke Becker, 3-Tommy Hedden, 4-Bart Bast

Division I Handicap Main Event (25 Lap)
1-Broc Nicol, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Bob Hicks, 4-Charlie Venegas

Division II Main Event
1-Louie Mersaroli, 2-Jamison Dilkey, 3-Charlie Haines

Division III Main Event
1-John O’Leary, 2-Peter Pecorilla, 3-Cameron Beck

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

Youth B 250cc Main Event
1-Jake Isaac, 2-Rich Vandermeeden, 3-Anthony Dion

Youth A 150cc Main Event
1- Sterling Martin, 2-Slater Lightcap, 3-Alex Martin

Youth B 150cc Main Event
1- Gregory Moore, 2-Timmy Dion, 3-Aidan McNutt

Trophy Dash
1-Robert Curry

Run What U Brung
1-Jan Heidt

Photos By Michael Kirby

	Broc Nicol takes cover with the trophy girls as champagne sprays on the winner’s podium. Nicol won the grueling 25 lap main event at Fast Fridays Friday night. Nicol outlasted Bart Bast in the finale.
	Broc Nicol in an early heat race. Nicol came out on top against 16 handicap riders to win the 25 lap endurance ride.
	After two double Division I main event wins in the past two weeks, Billy Janniro notched his third in a row scratch main event win Friday night.
	Auburn’s Louie Mersaroli was hard at it at Fast Friday’s with participation in the Division I programs, including the 25 lap main event and a Division II main event win.
	Colton Hicks won his eighth Youth A 250cc Main at Fast Friday’s Friday night.
	Carmichael’s Gregory Moore picked up his first Youth B 150cc main event win of the season.
	Back after a couple of weeks off, Sterling Martin 11, won the Youth A 150cc main event.
	A crowded Run What U Brung main event field was won by Jay Heidt.