Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California
Fast Fridays Season Opener
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
2021 Opening Night
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, May 28, 2021
Friday night Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway opened its 2021 season after being unable to run any programs in 2020 due to Covid 19 restrictions to slow the infection. The year off did not dampen the enthusiasm of the dedicated Fast Fridays fans or the riders that showed up in force to the Gold Country Fairgrounds track Friday night for a perfect night for racing. A good sized crowd filled the arena and right after Kenny Frye of the Kenny Frye Band finished a rousing version of the national anthem a fantastic night of racing got underway.
The staff of Fast Fridays did a good job of getting back into the swing of things putting on a full program including Division I, Division II, Division III, Youth 150, Youth 250 and even the pee-wee showed in full force.
Russell Green took top honors in the scratch main event, making the most of a great draw coming out in lane one. Also in the scratch main event was 10 time AMA National Speedway champion Billy Janniro in lane two, Louie Mersaroli in lane three and way out in four was track favorite and local racing legend Bart Bast. From the gate Green got out of turn one in the lead and just kept turning it on increasing his lead to a couple of bike lengths ahead of Janniro. Janniro was giving it all he had but could not get closer until somehow coming out of turn four on the last lap pulled nearly even with Green at the tapes almost pulling off a come from behind win. Janniro settled for second, Mersaroli followed him for third, and Bast was fourth. Turning in a perfect score card in the scratch program Green had a great night winning his heat, semi-final and the main.
Rheten Todd came out on top in the handicap program. Todd was digging in on the zero line but it doesn’t look like he will be there very long. Todd was third in his heat race, transferred to his semi and took first to get into the handicap main event for the win. Bast off the 60 yard line was second and Janniro way back on the 70 yard line third.
In Division II Greg Moore took the top honors. Moore has been perfecting his game for years working his way up from the youth program and through Division III. Riding off the zero line Moore did a great job hanging on to the lead and surviving a series of crashes and several restarts to take the flag. Moore also had to deal with the Todd brothers Rheten and Rees. New to the sport in 2019 the brothers did not let the off season deter their enthusiasm and have become a couple of exciting guys to watch in Division I and Division II.
John Peters started the season off right with a win in Division III. Peters finished second in heat race then transferred to the main and off the 30 line took the checkered flag. Back on the 40 yard line next week Peters should be an guy to look for in Division I before the season is over. Marc Denniston was second and Ray Holt Jr. Jr. was third.
In the youth programs Alex Martin who also has been at this for many years and will moving from the youth divisions soon took the trophy in the Youth 250 division. Martin won his heat race and the main event. A frequent Martin challenger in most races, Charlie Trana was second and Chase Kangas was third. Darren Armbruster was the winner in the Youth 150 division. Armbruster topped Caden Cavrikas who was second and Jameson Hutchinson who was third in the main event.
It was a great kick-off to the long awaited 2021 season and Fast Fridays has a full summer of outstanding speedway racing on tap. The sidecars will be back for three rounds and then on August 28 the AMA Extreme Sidecar National Championship. The Team SOS Team Challenge, 25 Lap Main Event, North vs. South Challenge, The Fast Fridays Track Championship, Flat Track Stars, The final round of the AMA National Speedway Championship and of course the season finale USA vs. The World will all be included in this season’s lineup. Information about the season can be found at www.fastfridays.com or 530 878-RACE.
Division II Main Event Winner Greg Moore
Vladimir Kruk Photo
Scratch Main Event Winner Russell Green, and Handicap Main Event Winner Rheten Todd
Vladimir Kruk Photo
Fast Fridays Results for 05-28-21
Scratch Main Event
1-Russell Green, 2-Billy Janniro, 3-Louie Mersaroli, 4-Bart Bast
Scratch Consolation
1-Charlie Venegas, 2-Blake Borello, 3-Daniel Faria, 4-Will McCloskey
Handicap Main Event
1-Rheten Todd, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Billy Janniro, 4-Daniel Faria, 5-Blake Borello, 6-Anthony Dion
Handicap Consolation
1-Dylan Wagner, 2-Louie Mersaroli, 3-Unknown, 4-Charlie Venegas, 5-Lawrence McNutt
Division II Main Event
1-Greg Moore, 2-Rees Todd, 3-Rheten Todd, 4-Will McCloskey, 5-Sammy Tetrault, 6-Fred Cook
Division II Consolation
1-Aidan McNutt, 2-John Peters, 3-Shawn Eldredge, 4-Charlie Haines, 5-Lawrence McNutt
Division III Main Event
1-John Peters, 2-Marc Denniston, 3-Ray Holt Jr., 4-Rees Todd, 5-Tim Rott
Division III Consolation
1-Jason Lundberg, 2-Dean Newnham, 3-Sebe Denniston, 4-Les Veale
Youth 250 Main Event
1-Alex Martin, 2-Charlie Trana, 3-Chase Kangas
Youth 150 Main Event
1-Darren Armbruster, 2-Caden Cavrikas, 3-Jameson Hutchinson
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