Fast Fridays Speedway

Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California

25 Lap Handicap Main Event
Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway, Gold Country Fairgrounds
Geist wins endurance 25 lap main event
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, June 30, 2017

In the city of Auburn we are known for our endurance events, we even carry the tag line of the “Endurance Capital of the World.” Athletes come from all over to test their physical skills in our canyon trails and on our back roads. Of the many endurance contests the Western States 100 mile endurance run finished here last weekend and in about a month the Tevis Cup 100 mile horse ride will finish on our race track.

Not to be outdone and adding to the endurance mix, Fast Friday’s stages their own version of endurance speedway racing. Friday night for the second year in a row Gage Geist proved to be Fast Friday’s iron man. The just turned 18 year old outlasted fifteen others riders on the track to win the special 25 lap handicap main event. The distance is over four times a regular handicap race and all the handicap distances were doubled meaning some of the more experienced riders started half way around the track. Officials kept track of the laps as it got confusing. The blue groove got wider and the dust flew. In the end and dripping in sweat Geist crossed the finish line first, Tommy Hedden was second, Bart Bast was third and Russell Green was fourth. It was the second time Geist took the iron man title in two years. “We have a second fuel tank on the bike for this race so I was just gunning it, we won it last year so it is one of the races we like to come up to,” Geist said. “Tommy (Hedden) was really moving, I was surprised.”

Auburn’s Tommy Hedden has come alive at Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn. Hedden began his career in 1983 racing in the junior program and he has been a fixture at the Gold Country Fairgrounds track for years racing weekly. Lately he has turned up his game to red hot. Last week Hedden finished second in both the scratch and handicap main events and this week he walked away with a convincing win in the scratch main event. Winning his heat race and placing second in his semi-final Hedden drew the outside lane four for the start and taking a high line slipped into the mix with Bryan Yarrow, Billy Janniro and Austin Novratil. Hanging tough with these guys Hedden worked his way to the lead and held on for the win. Yarrow was second, Novratil was third and Janniro finished fourth. At 44 years old the veteran Hedden is breathing new life into a long career on a speedway bike. “I’m really enjoying my riding, we made a few changes to the bikes and I went back to what used to work years ago,” Hedden said.

Will “The Farmer” McCloskey came out on top in the Division II main event. McCloskey won his heat race and kept the party going in the main event with the win. Blake Borello who has won the Division II main event three weeks in a row had to settle for second place this week. Borello has made a quick transition from Division III to now riding solid in Division II and just breaking into the handicap and scratch programs in Division I. Lawrence McNutt was third.

Visiting from Massachusetts, Dalton Brisbois won the Division III main event. Brisbois usually makes at least one visit to Fast Fridays taking a break from his flat track racing career to step out on a speedways bike. Brisbois made the most of his visit by winning his heat race and then the main event. Casey Cornilsen chased him but fell short and took second, Jon Curry was third.

Kyle Cunningham was the winner of the youth speedway main event. Cameron Krezman who entered the main with a perfect score placed second and Sammy Tetrault was third. Anthony Dion picked up the win in the youth consolation main event, Sterling Martin was second and Dakota VanderBroeder was third.

Mark you calendars for next week when those crazy adrenaline junkies riding the three wheeled motorcycles invade the Fast Fridays track. The Extreme Sidecars make the third of their five appearances at Fast Fridays next Friday. Hang on to your hat when these guys take to the track.

Fast Fridays Results for 6-30-17

Scratch Main Event
1-Tommy Hedden, 2-Bryan Yarrow, 3-Austin Novratil, 4-Billy Janniro

25 Lap Handicap Main Event
1-Gage Geist, 2-Tommy Hedden, 3-Bart Bast, 4-Russell Green, 5-Austin Novratil

Division II Main Event
1-William McCloskey, 2-Blake Borello, 3-Lawrence McNutt

Division III Main Event
1-Dalton Brisbois, 2-Casey Cornilsen, 3-Jon Curry

Youth Main Event
1-Kyle Cunningham, 2-Cameron Krezman, 3-Sammy Tetrault, 4-Greg Moore

Youth Consolation Main
1-Anthony Dion, 2-Sterling Martin, 3-Dakota VanderBroeder

Photos By Michael Kirby

	For the second year in a row Gage Geist was Fast Friday’s iron man, winning the special 25 lap handicap main endurance event.
	Kyle Cunningham won the Youth Speedway main event.
	The start of the scratch main event (left-right) Tommy Hedden, Bryan Yarrow, Billy Janniro and Austin Novratil. Hedden, out of lane four pulled off the victory.
	“The Farmer” McCloskey won the Division II main event.
	Hedden-Tommy Hedden leads Jeremy Estes out of turn three in a handicap race. Hedden won the scratch main event and was second in the 25 lap handicap main event.
	On the winner’s podium Gage Geist (left) and Tommy Hedden (right) celebrate their wins with the Fast Fridays trophy girls. Geist won the 25 lap handicap main event and Hedden won the scratch main event.