Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, CA
August 29, 1997 - California State Championship
Fast Fridays, Auburn
From: RC Jones
Photos from California Championship / National Junior Championship (and Junior Results)
Unofficial Results
1. Charlie Venegas - California State Champion
2. Bart Bast
3. Jim Sisemore
Details:
Rider Points Total
Charlie Venegas 3 2 3 2 3 13
Bart Bast 2 3 2 3 3 13
Jim Sisemore 3 2 3 3 2 13
Bobby Heddon 3 3 2 2 2 12
Eddie Castro 0 3 2 3 2 10
Louis Kossuth 2 3 3 0 2 10
Pat Linn 2 2 1 1 3 9
Bob Hicks 1 0 2 3 1 7
Bobby Schwartz 2 1 3 T 1 7
Billy Janniro 3 2 0 2 0 7
Matt Becker 1 1 1 1 0 4
Chad Felicio 1 0 1 1 1 4
Steve Lucero E E 0 F 3 3
David Faria 0 1 1 1 0 3
Kelly Bennett 0 1 0 2 0 3
Gary Ackroyd 1 0 0 0 1 2
Vance Felicio - - - 0 - 0 ( Reserve )
(P) = Pole position start
Event Notes:
Event 1 - With Bobby Hedden storming to a win in the opening heat
the gauntlet was thrown down.
Event 2 - It took Jimmy Sisemore three laps before flying past
Kossuth taking the win over last weeks winner in the track
championship.
Event 3 - Charlie Venegas back from Great Britain tooled to an easy
win with a gate shot.
Event 4 - Billy Janniro surprised a few with his only win.
Event 5 - Hedden took a valuable point from Venegas in this heat.
Event 6 - Kossuth had no problems with his first of two 3 pointers.
Event 7 - Race of the night. Sisemore took the lead with Bart Bast doing everything to find a way past. On the last bend of the race
Bast had set up Sisemore beautifully and blasted past on the inside
30 yards from the finish line. Unfortunately Sisemore tried to shut
down the opening too late and hit Basts rear wheel sending Sisemore
head over heels at the finish line.
Event 8 - Eddie Castro blasts to his first of two wins.
Event 9 - Kossuth with an easy ride from the pole.
Event 10 - Schwartz, hard to beat from the pole.
Event 11 - Another great race. Lucero got the gate with Bast and
Venegas scratching to get past. Lucero's sad engine was still not up
to par and slipped backwards after two laps.
Event 12 - Sisemore out of gate 4 made it look easy.
Event 13 - The only tape exclusion came here with Schwartz too eager.
Hedden and Sisemore went at it tooth and nail in a great race.
Hedden almost ended on his head while running his front wheel inside
the rail trying everything to get past Sisemore.
Event 14 - Pole man Bob Hicks easy win after Lucero fell.
Event 15 - Bart Bast had no problems here.
Event 16 - Eddie Castro looked like a man possessed in this heat taking
another valuable point from Venegas.
Event 17 - With Steve Lucero's running properly Hedden had no chance
in this one and loosing a chance for a run off spot.
Event 18 - Venegas and Sisemore, critical race. Sisemore would be
the State Champ with a win. Venegas used the pole to its full
potential causing a run off.
Event 19 - Bast needed a win to join a run off and made it even with
Kossuth trying everything to get past.
Event 20 - Pat Linn's only win.
Run off:
1. Charlie Venegas, 2. Bart Bast, 3. Jimmy Sisemore
Pole sitter Jimmy Sisemore had to be the favorite in the last race of
the night but Venegas got a gate that was unbelievable, I think
Venegas had to duck his head to miss the tapes and was gone.
Comments:
Great night of racing. Last years State Champion Steve Lucero never
got untracked with a sour engine, working late the night before they
were unable to get it right until the last heat.
Sisemore, Bast and Hedden rode great all night but Charlie Venegas was the comeback kid tonight. Down but never out Venegas got the
wins when needed and is now the California State Champion.
I had the opportunity to chat with Charlie Venegas before racing
started and it appears that he is glad to be back in the USA after a
tour in England. I asked him if he missed the British League and I
think that I will just say that he is happy to be here now....
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