Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California
Fast Fridays Season Opener
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
2022 Opening Night
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, May 20, 2022
By Michael Kirby
With a near capacity crowd watching the Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce cut a red ribbon with a big pair of scissors to open the 2022 Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway Friday night and the racing began at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn Ca. As COVID has subsided a little the Fast Friday's fan base was ready to get out and back to some sense of a normal life which for this crowd was fast, exciting motorcycle racing and they were not disappointed.
Most of the riders in all divisions were a little shaky and were dusting the cobwebs off a little from the off season and there were a few mishaps. Nothing to serious just a few spills. 2021 AMA National Speedway Champion Max Ruml made every mile of travel from Southern California count winning the Division I scratch main event. Ruml came out on top in his heat race, semi final race and the main event. Ten time AMA National Champion Billy Janniro was second and Gino Manzares was third. Manzares also from Southern California has committed to making the journey north each week to race at Fast Friday's.
Alex Martin was riding in the Youth 250 class last season and has made a real name for himself in his first year in Division I. Martin up against the best riders in the country pulled off a first place finish in the Division I handicap main event. Martin also turned a perfect performance winning his heat race, semi-final race and the main event. Not a zero liner either, Martin started on the 30 yard line. Second was Bart Bast, third was Max Ruml.
Derik Denzin off the 40 yard line took home the Division II main event. Denzin also had a first place finish in his Division II heat race and the main event, off the 40 yard line. Denzin did double time also riding in the Division I program and it will probably become his home in the near future. Shawn Eldredge was second and Sammy Tetrault was third. Eldredge and Tetrault were also riding in the Division I program.
With just one ride under his belt in the 2020 COVID canceled season Everett Holmes won the Division III main event. Holmes also won his heat race to transfer to the main event. He was riding off the zero line but with just a one race history Holmes showed that he will probably not be in Division III for long. Second was Sam Richardson and finishing third was Tim Rott.
Exciting action rounded out the Youth Divisions. In the Youth 250cc division Charlie Trana made it look easy and started the 2022 season in a convincing way. Trana was perfect winning both his heat races and the main event. Pushing hard but not able to find a way to stop Trana, Chase Kangas finished second in all the Youth 250 races followed by Catherine Moore who was third.
The Youth 150 Division was a little more crowded. Seven rides lined up for the first heat race. In the main event it was Caden Cavrikas who came out on top. Cavrikas was second in the first heat race, then first in the second heat race and also took first in the main event. Jameson Hutchinson was second in the main event and Wesley Rearick was third.
Not to be left out of a great night of racing were the pee-wee's. Close to 20 little riders and future speedway riders took to the oval on their 50cc motorcycles to the crowds very vocal approval, parents and grandparents and family friends no doubt cheering the loudest.
It was a fantastic night of racing and if Friday night is any indication of support from the Fast Friday's community the 2022 Fast Friday's season is going to be one of the best yet. See you next week as the action continues all summer.
Scratch Main Event
1-Max Ruml, 2-Billy Janniro, 3-Gino Manzares, 4-Russell Green
Scratch Consolation
1-Blake Borello, 2-Alex Martin, 3-Louie Mersaroli, 4-Rheten Todd (ns)
Handicap Main Event
1-Alex Martin, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Blake Borello, 4-Max Ruml, 5-Rheten Todd, 6-Russell Green
Handicap Consolation
1-Rees Todd, 2-Anthony Dion, 3-Gregory Moore, 4-Derik Denzin
Division II Main Event
1-Derik Denzin, 2-Shawn Eldredge, 3-Sammy Tetrault, 4-Lawrence McNutt, 5-Dean Newnham, 6-Marc Denniston
Division II Consolation
1-Ray Holt Jr., 2-Aidan McNutt
Division III Main Event
1-Everett Holmes, 2-Sam Richardson, 3-Tim Rott, 4-Sebe Denniston, 5-Marc Denniston, 6-Brian Leventon
Division III Consolation
1-Mike Newnham, 2-Cody Aker, 3-Les Veale, 4-Pauly Good, 5-Ray Holt Jr.
Youth 250 Main Event
1-Charlie Trana, 2-Chase Kangas, 3-Catherine Moore
Youth 150 Main Event
1-Caden Cavrikas, 2-Jameson Hutchinson, 3-Wesley Rearick, 4-Joyce Ellis, 5-Leeann Emerson, 6-Riley Rearick (ns)
Vladimir Kruk Photos
Scratch Main Event Winner Max Ruml
Handicap Main Event Winner Alex Martin
Youth 150 Main Event Winner Caden Cavrikas
| 
