Fast Fridays Speedway

Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California

Final Points Night
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds
Sidecars Return- Dillon Ruml wins scratch main
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, September 2, 2016

It was a beautiful Friday night in Auburn, perfect for an exciting night of speedway racing at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. The Extreme Sidecars returned for the final appearance of the season, the season long Challenge Elimination Series crowned a champion, and in division racing the action was competitive being the last night to accumulate points in the season point’s race leading to next week’s Fast Fridays Track Championships. It was an ambitious program in front of a full house at the McCann Stadium and a jam packed night of fast paced racing action.

All season long riders are awarded points for their finishes, the top 16 riders in Division I and the top eight riders in Division II and Division III will be eligible for the Fast Fridays Track Championships next week. This made the racing fast and competitive, some riders on the bubble for making the track championships. Dillon Ruml added a few points to his record by winning the scratch main event in convincing style. Ruml out of lane one grabbed the inside line first and held on for the ride just ahead of Bart Bast who drew lane four. Pulling ahead of Bast, Daniel Faria and Bryan Yarrow a bit each lap the skillful Ruml sealed the win. The big contest was between Faria and Bast for second. Both riders putting in excellent performances, but it was Faria who took second, Bast was third and Yarrow fourth. “Honestly I was stoked to make into the final, out of gate one I knew I could make a start but I had to beat everyone too,” Ruml said. “I knew once I got in the lead and as long as I held my line I was pretty confident no one was going around me.”

A big, happy congratulation to Jamison Dilkey who has week after week all season long has raced in the handicap program on the zero line. Always coming close to a main event win finally closed the deal Friday night. Dilkey will now find new ground on the 10 yard line next week. Always right there leading the handicap races until the last lap, skillfully defending his turf, Dilkey found a way to put it together and keep heavy hitters like Luke Becker, Russell Green, Tommy Hedden, Bart Bast and Dillon Ruml at bay on this night. Six laps is a long time with these deeper yardage guys breathing down your back, but Dilkey pulled it off. Luke Becker was second and Russell Green was third. “I’m sure that is the most fun I have ever had on a speedway bike in my entire life,” said a very happy Jamison Dilkey surrounded by family and friends after the races. “That was long overdue for me, I’ve been so close so many times,” he said.

The Challenge Elimination Series is a season long competition, one rider surviving a series of one lap races to be included in the championship with the five series winners. Friday the winners of the series rounds squared off in a championship finale racing for a $1500 purse, the winner carting off $900. Charlie Venegas, Daniel Faria, Luke Becker and Russell Green lined up for the final championship challenge. Billy Janniro qualified but was unable to participate due to an injury sustained last week in the Flat Track Stars Invitational.

So the deal is one lap races with the last finisher dropped until two riders remain for a two lap finale. In this format it’s not hard to figure out that the start is critical and mere seconds make or break a race. First to go down was Russell Green, followed by Daniel Faria. That left Becker and Venegas running for the championship. The veteran Venegas known for his great gates dug the dirt a little looking for the perfect start spot, as the young gun Becker waited for his chance. Engines roared but before the tapes went up, Venegas jumped the gun just a little trying for the slightest edge and went through the tapes. With Venegas disqualified Becker came away the 2016 Challenge Elimination Series Champion without having to run the race and pocketing a nice paycheck.

The Extreme Sidecars are always popular at Fast Fridays. Many speedway fans come to Fast Friday’s just to see this exciting racing. The bikes are three wheeled with 1100cc engines piloted by a driver and a rider on the back swinging from side to side dragging on the track keeping the rear end of the motorcycle grounded. The team of Joe Jones and Dave German won the main event after a great racing battle with second place finishers Jeff Medberry and Niki Davis. Medberry and Davis were first out of the gate leading for a lap or two, but passing on the outside were Jones and German leaving a close race for second between Medberry and Davis and Bryan Motis and Cody Brant. Jones and German sealed the deal followed by Medberry and Davis followed by Motis and Brant. “Fast Friday’s always has a great venue, the crowd is always into it, they love the sidecars and we feed off their yelling and screaming,” said Joe Jones. “We can’t complain twisting the throttle with smiles on our faces under our helmets.” All the sidecars teams did a great job all season on their four visits to Fast Fridays. (Scheduled for five, the first sidecar appearance was rained out) Their special brand of speedway racing is greatly appreciated by Fast Friday’s fans who cheered wildly every time the sidecars rolled onto the track.

Charlie Haines added a few more points to his season tally by winning the Division II main event. Eddie Marsalla was second. Eddie Luke also added points to his season total by winning the Division III main event, but unfortunately getting locked up with second place finisher Casey Cornilsen on the cool down lap fell hard and was injured and had to be helped from the track by first responders.

In the Youth 250 program it was a Dion family affair. Most fans at Fast Fridays are familiar with the Dion family with four Dion’s racing on any given night. Tim Dion racing in Division III, his brother Nick Dion in Division II, Division I, and the Run What U Brung program, Anthony Dion in the Youth 250 A division, and Timmy Dion in the Youth 250 B division. Friday night it was a Dion sweep in the Youth 250 division. Anthony Dion won his Youth 250 A division main event and his brother Timmy Dion won his Youth 250 B division main event. Adding to the Dion winner’s podium stand was uncle Nick Dion winning the Run What U Brung main event.

Auburn’s Colton Nelson won the Youth 150cc main event, and Monkey Butt Racing teammate Enzo Sorani finished second. Sammy Waddill was third.

Next week championship speedway action continues with the Gold Cup Fast Friday’s Track Championship during the Gold Country Fair in Auburn. Top riders in all three divisions will race for season championships. Because of the fair please note that racing will begin an hour earlier at 7:00pm and the Fast Fridays paid admission is also good for the fair admission.
Fast Fridays Results for 9-2-16

Scratch Main Event
1-Dillon Ruml, 2-Daniel Faria, 3-Bart Bast, 4-Bryan Yarrow

Scratch Consolation
1-Gage Geist, 2-Kurtis Hamill, 3-Russell Green, 4-Broc Nicol (tape)

Handicap Main Event
1-Jamison Dilkey, 2-Luke Becker, 3-Russell Green, 4-Tommy Hedden, 5-Dillon Ruml, 6-Bart Bast

Handicap Consolation
1-Kurtis Hamill, 2-Bryan Yarrow, 3-Eddie Marsalla, 4-Dalton Leedy, 5-Nick Dion

Division II Main Event
1-Charlie Haines, 2-Eddie Marsalla, 3-Cameron Beck, 4-Shawn Eldridge, 5-Matt King, 6-Nick Dion

Division II Consolation
1-Lawrence McNutt, 2-Mike Achilles, 3-John Peters, 4-William McCloskey, 5-Brian Leventon, 6-Jeremy Estes

Division III Main Event
1-Eddie Luke, 2-Casey Cornilsen, 3-Ray Holt Jr., 4-Harlan Bast, 5-Mac Henderson

Division III Consolation
1-Tim Dion, 2-Les Veale, 3-Joey Rosselit

Youth 250 D-1 Main Event
1-Anthony Dion, 2-Sammy Tetrault, 3-Kyle Cunningham

Youth 250 D-2 Main Event
1-Timmy Dion, 2-Aidan McNutt, 3-Greg Moore, 4-Logan Hedden, 5-Landon Collins

Youth 150 Main Event
1-Colton Nelson, 2-Enzo Sorani, 3-Sammy Waddill, 4-Gavin Geist

Sidecars Main Event
1-Joe Jones/Dave German, 2-Jeff Medberry/Niki Davis, 3-Bryan Motis/Cody Brant

Challenge Elimination Series Championship
1-Luke Becker, 2-Charlie Venegas, 3-Daniel Faria, 4-Russell Green

Run What U Brung
1-Nick Dion, 2-Pete Demas

Photos By Michael Kirby

	The sidecar team of Joe Jones and Dave German won the sidecar main event. It was the final appearance of the Extreme Sidecars of the season.
	Auburn’s Jamison Dilkey waits for one of two restarts in the handicap main event Friday night. Dilkey won the main event for the first time this season.
	Luke Becker won the Challenge Elimination Series Championship when Charlie Venegas blew through the tapes on the start of the two lap finale.
	Auburn’s Colton Nelson picked up a win in the Youth 150cc main event.
	It’s a green light go for the start of the sidecar main event Friday night. The team of Joe Jones and Dave German (far right) won the final.
	It was family time on the winner’s podium for the Dion family. Uncle Nick Dion (center) won the Run What U Brung main event and nephews Anthony Dion (left) won the Youth 250 A main event and Timmy Dion (right) won the Youth 250 B main event.