Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California
Harlan Bast Night - Fast Fridays, Week 5
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, June 17, 2022
Legends Night Honoring Harlan Bast
Story and Photos Michael Kirby
Friday night Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway presented Legends Night honoring and recognizing Auburn's Harlan Bast. The stadium in Auburn Ca. was filled with friends, family and acquaintances remembering Bast and the contributions he made to motorcycle racing not only in Auburn but all of California.
Bast began his racing career at age 20 in 1956. He has raced all disciplines throughout his career and was highly successful racing TT scrambles, hare and hounds, enduros and of course speedway. Harlan Bast 86 years old, raced until he was 81 years old many of those years right here in Auburn. Besides racing Bast was a mentor to many amateur and professional speedway riders making the Bast name synonymous with American speedway racing. His sons Harlan Bast Jr. and Bart Bast both took up the sport, with Bart a mainstay rider at Fast Fridays each week. His nephews Mike and Steve Bast were both AMA National Speedway Champions. Great nephew Ryan Bast also raced speedway along with several other Bast family members. “When I was a young man we raced five nights a week in Southern California, it never got old,” said Bast. Bast began his professional career at age 20 but his fascination with motors began much earlier. “My first motorbike when I was a kid was a Doodle Bug I think sold by Sears & Roebuck,” he said. “I just always liked anything with a motor.” Of all the racing disciplines Bast liked TT racing the best, “I like left and right hand turning, TT racing is my favorite.”
Before the racing began Friday night Harlan Bast was presented with a beautiful plaque as his family and all the racers from the pits gathered around a great gentleman who has meant so much to this family of motorcycle enthusiasts. It was a fitting and emotional tribute for a man who has helped so many and led by example. Bast has been an Auburn resident since 1976 moving here and opening Bast Brothers Welding with his brother Homer Bast.
When the racing got started Billy Janniro wasted little time getting to the scratch main event. Janniro was perfect in the scratch program winning his heat, semi-final and then the main in convincing style. Also in the running for the fastest man of the evening were Bart Bast in lane three, Louie Mersaroli in lane four and Rheten Todd in lane two. Right out of the gate Janniro got ahead and avoided a crash as Bast and Mersaroli got tangled in turn one. Both riders went down with Bast a little slow to get back on his feet and calling it a night. Mersaroli borrowed a bike and the race was restarted. Again Janniro got a good gate out of lane one and led all the way to the finish line with Mersaroli following for second place. Todd was third. It was the second scratch main event win of the season for Janniro who also won in week two.
Alex Martin who has just had a fabulous season so far in Division I, up from the youth leagues last season, won his second handicap main event of the season at Fast Fridays. Martin skillfully kept ahead of Louie Mersaroli and Bart Bast for the win. Mersaroli was second and Bast third. Martin is showing great control and skill for just coming out of the youth division.
Aidan McNutt picked up his first main event win of the season in Division II. McNutt, part of SOS Racing Team, was aggressive with wins in his heat race and the main event. John Peters was second and SOS teammate Sammy Tetrault was third. Tim Rott picked up another main event win in Division III. It was his third trip to the winner’s podium this season and he will now move back to the 40 yard line for his starts. Sam Richardson was second and Ray Holt Jr. Jr. was third. It would not be surprising to see Rott start getting a few starts in Division II.
Wesley Rearick is getting comfortable on the winner’s podium making his second trip of the season in the Youth 150 division. Rearick stayed ahead of Jameson Hutchinson who finished second and Caden Cavrikas who finished third. Charlie Trana continued his winning ways in the Youth 250 division with another main event win. That makes main event wins in four of the five weeks of the Fast Friday’s season so far. Darren Armbruster was second and Catherine Moore was third. That wraps up week five of the 2022 Fast Fridays season. Next week June 24 the Team Challenge continues with round three.
Results for 06-17-22
Division 1 Scratch Main Event
1-14 Billy Janniro
2-188 Louie Mersaroli
3-399 Rheten Todd
4-87 Bart Bast (fx)
Division 1 Scratch Consolation
1-27 Blake Borello
2-105 Daniel Faria
3-173 Rees Todd
4-242 Sammy Tetrault
Division 1 Handicap Main Event
1-30 Alex Martin
2-188 Louie Mersaroli
3-87 Bart Bast
4-27 Blake Borello
5-14 Billy Janniro
6-217 Timmy Dion (dns)
Division 1 Handicap Consolation
1-173 Rees Todd
2-399 Rheten Todd
3-105 Daniel Faria
4-275 Lawrence McNutt
Division II Main Event
1-288 Aidan McNutt
2-205 John Peters
3-242 Sammy Tetrault
4-275 Lawrence McNutt
5-365 Dean Newnham
6-288 Marc Denniston
Division III Main Event
1-160 Tim Rott
2-100 Sam Richardson
3-353 Ray Holt Jr. Jr.
4-359 Les Veale
5-289 Sebe Denniston
6-121 Cody Aker (fx)
Division III Consolation
1-305 Brian Leventon
2-501 John Gauthreaux
3-355 John Pavia (fx)
Youth 250 Main Event
1-66 Charlie Trana
2-23 Darren Armbruster
3-123 Catherine Moore
Youth 150 Main Event
1-50 Wesley Rearick
2-13 Jameson Hutchinson
3-119 Caden Cavrikas
4-123 Leeann Emerson
5-101 Jayce Preuss
6-5 Riley Rearick
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