Fast Fridays Speedway

Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California

AMA Speedway Youth National Championship
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, August 29, 2020

Friday night Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway welcomed, hosted and presented the 2020 Kelley Wagner AMA Speedway Youth National Championships in Auburn California at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. The event highlighted and allowed America’s up and coming young speedway stars a chance to take center stage and showcase their talents. The event was dedicated to Kelley Wagner a loved member of a large speedway family who lost her fight with cancer last week and passed away. Wagner will be greatly missed and many of the youth riders remembered her support as they competed Friday night. Following Covid 19 county and state guidelines only crew members, race officials and riders were allowed in the pit area. No fans were allowed but the event was live streamed by Mind Meld Studio and available on the Fast Friday’s website.

The evening consisted of the AMA Youth 250cc and 150cc championships and a special first time Fast Fridays Pee Wee Track Championship. The 250cc championship included nine riders, the 150cc championship included 13 riders and the pee wee division brought 16 riders together. The 250cc and 150cc divisions ran a series of heat races scoring points with the highest points riders transferring to two semi finals and then a main event. The first and second place semi-final finishers then transferred to the main event and the winner of the main event becoming the national champ. The pee wee’s ran a straight 20 heat races with the champion accumulating the most points in the heat races. A Run-off for ties would be necessary. Riders received three points for a first place finish, two points for a second place finish, one point with for a third place finish and zero points for fourth place.

The 250cc division was loaded with talent and the tension in the pit area during the contest was intense. Wilbur Hancock 15 had a nearly perfect night winning all of his heat races and dropping just one point to Alex Martin 13, in semi-final 2. Martin also had a great night also dropping only one point in his heat races. Both Hancock and Martin transferred to the national final main event along with semi-final 1 winner Slater Lightcap and Charlie Trana. From the outside in lane four Hancock got a great gate and took an early lead just ahead of Martin a lead which he would not give up. Martin really worked hard behind Hancock but was unable to pass Hancock. Hancock took the 2020 250cc AMA Youth Championship with the win finishing with 17 points, Martin was second in the final in the championship finishing with 16 points, Trana was third in the final finishing with 11 points overall and third in the championship. Lightcap was fourth in the final and fourth in the championship finishing with 15 overall points. “This is my first national championship and it’s just amazing, I did it for Kelley (Wagner), it’s just been awesome,” said Hancock.

The 150cc division had 13 riders including two riders Nickson Shanks and Hank DuBois that traveled from Tennessee to Auburn for the championship. The 150cc division riders also rode in 12 heat races with high points riders transferring to the two semi-final races then the first and second place semi finishers transferring to a winner take all national final like the 250cc division. Navigating through the heats Nick Hohlbein 11, was perfect with four wins, Colton Nelson right behind him with 11 points in the heats, last year’s 150cc national champion Levi Leutz 11 made out of the heats with nine points and Owen Williams finished the heats with eight points. All of these boys transferred to the 150cc national final, Lightcap and Martin winning their semi-finals and Hancock and Trana finishing second in the semis.

Hohlbein making his night perfect won the main event and finished the championship with 18 points. Leutz wanting to keep the crown for another year was unable to take Hohlbein and carded 13 points overall and finished second with a very good night. Owen Williams was third finishing with 11 overall points and Navarette finished fourth in the main and finished with eight overall points. Both Hohlbein and Hancock were greeted at the finish line by crew members and hoisted up for three airborne celebratory heaves in the air, a championship speedway tradition.

The pee wee’s on 50cc bikes had their turn also Friday night. Sixteen riders in all turned out for the Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway Pee Wee track championship. Run in a similar format the pee wee’s ran 20 heat races each rider being able to ride against each other at least once. Asa Gonzalez, Dean Rabidness and Bryan Martin each finished the heats with 14 points necessitating a three way run-off with Martin coming out the victor, Rabidness was second and Gonzalez was third.

All the youth participants conducted themselves with the highest level of sportsmanship, and represent a fantastic group of up and coming speedway riders and the future of American speedway in fine hands.

Youth 250cc National Championship
1-Wilbur Hancock 17 Pts, 2-Alex Martin 16 Pts, 3-Charlie Trana 11 Pts

Youth 150cc National Championship
1-Nick Hohlbein 18 Pts, 2- Levi Leutz 13 Pts, 3-Owen Williams 11 Pts

Fast Fridays Pee Wee Track Championship
1-Bryan Martin 14 Pts, 2-Dean Rabidness 14 Pts, Asa Gonzalez 14 Pts (Three way run-off for first)

Photos by: Michael Kirby
	Celebrating with 2020 250cc AMA Youth National Champion Wilbur Hancock (center) is second place finisher Alex Martin (left) and Charlie Trana (right).
	2020 AMA 250cc Youth National Champion Wilbur Hancock in action in a heat race.
	2020 AMA 150cc Youth National Champion Nick Hohlbein in a heat race Friday.
	Pee Wee Bryan Martin takes a victory lap after winning the Fast Friday Pee Wee track championship.
	4 time World Champion Speedway Rider Greg Hancock (right) celebrates with his son Wilbur Hancock (left) after he won the 250cc AMA Youth National Speedway Championship Friday night in Auburn.
	Pee Wee track champions celebrate with their trophies. First place Bryan Martin (center) second place Dean Rabideau (left) and third place Asa Gonzalez (right).
	150cc AMA Youth National Speedway Championship winners celebrate on the Fast Friday’s podium. First place finisher Nick Hohlbein (center), second place finisher Levi Leutz (left) and third place finisher (right).
	2020 AMA Youth National Speedway Champions Nick Hohlbein 150cc (left) and Wilbur Hancock 250cc (right) celebrate their victories after being presented with trophies and number AMA champion plates.