Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

1999 Week 11
Fast Fridays Speedway, Auburn, CA
Friday July 16, 1999
From Gary Roberts

Another great evening of racing at Fast Fridays. Following his success here in the 1998 AMA National, Greg Hancock returned, but his first 1999 visit to Auburn was not among his most successful. A valve spring broke while was warming his bike up and Rick Shafer kindly came to the rescue with the loan of his Jawa laydown. After his first race, Greg took the carburettor off his own bike and put it on Rick's.

Unofficial results:

Scratch Main
1. Mike Faria
2. Greg Hancock
3. Charlie Venegas
4. Bobby Hedden
Mike Faria demonstrated the same form that earned him the US National title in 1997, when he beat both Billy and Greg, each no less than four times. He gated well and stayed ahead for four laps. Greg had won his scratch heat and beat Mike in the semifinal. In Mike's scratch heat, he was beaten by Ryan Fisher. Ryan continues to improve every week. Next Friday he is riding for the North in the Civil War, and his team partner is Mike Faria.

Scratch Consi
1. Bart Bast
2. Billy Janniro
3. Ryan Fisher
4. Robert Curry

Handicap Main
1. Robert Curry
2. Ian Essary
3. Ian Ferris
4. Mike Faria
5. Jim Sisemore
6. Bart Bast

Handicap Consi
1. Greg Hancock
2. Charlie Venegas
3. Bobby Hedden
4. Chad Felicio
5. Ryan Fisher
6. Matt King
In the first run of the Handicap Consolation Chad Felicio was deemed the cause of an accident in which Ryan Fisher and Greg Hancock went down. Chad was moved to the back for the restart. In his handicap semifinal Greg showed that he hasn't been doing too many handicap races recently when he rolled at the start. No-nonsense referee Harlan Bast Jnr. moved him back from the 40 yard line to the 60 yard line, behind 50 yard men, Hedden and Venegas. Greg was unable to make up the ground, so failed to qualify for the main.

Division 2 Main
1. Donny Robinson
2. Rachalle Kerr
3. Tom Adams
4. Josh West
5. Ivan Sevart
6. Mike Browne
Donny Robinson left it to turn four of the last lap to take the win from Rachalle Kerr, with a fast burst to overtake her on the outside. Donny has been riding at Costa Mesa each week this year, after riding as a junior at Auburn last year.

Division 2 Consi
1. Don Webster
2. Tom Odekirk
3. Eric Veale
4. Scott Olney
5. Terry McCurdy
6. Harlan Bast

Division 3 Main
1. Robert Mellor
2. John Knapp
3. Jamie Hughes
4. Vince Bertolucci
5. Greg Hooten
6. Chris Hall
7. Brian Leventon
8. Clark Caravella
This was a great race. The front three continued to swap places until the exit of the last turn.

Division 3 Consi
1. Ron Woodsford
2. Mark Blasey
3. Mike Achilles
4. Chris Orlandi
5. Bill Dixon
6. Les Veale
7. Bill Warnock
8. Kevin Fereira

Division 1 Juniors
1. Eric Carrillo
2. Bryan Yarrow
3. JJ Martynse
4. Chris Kerr
5. Robert Curry

Division 2 Juniors
1. Brenton Bast
2. JT Mabry
3. Greg Hooten
4. Alex Marcucci

Division 3 Juniors
1. Danny Easley
2. Chris Olney
3. Mark Carrillo
4. Paul Johnson
5. Jeff Butler

Next week Fast Fridays holds the Civil War. It is traditionally one of the biggest events of the year in California.

Gary Roberts - gary_rob@ix.netcom.com