Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Sidecars Return and Bast Wins Three
By Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA,August 6, 2021
Five Extreme Sidecars teams made the journey to the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn and the Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway for round three of the 2021 speedway season. Their enthusiastic fan base welcoming them to the arena braving the lingering smoke from local wildfires with wild applause excited for their special brand of speedway racing. Their appearance is the last round before they meet for the AMA Extreme Sidecar National Championship on August 28 at Fast Fridays.
The teams race three wheeled specialized 1000cc brakeless motorcycles with one of the team driving and the other team member hanging off the back. The team of Joe Jones and Tom Summers won the sidecar main event. Jones and Summers won three of the four races Friday night. In the main event finale Jones and Summers fought off the hard charging team of Smylie Kinne and Josh Bustos who finished second. The team of Ace Kale and Chuck Heider was third.
Bart Bast is having a great season, picking up this third scratch main event win of the season. Bast 54, one of the most recognized names in California speedway and a Fast Friday’s fan favorite with well over 40 years of racing experience is on fire this season. Bast had a first and second place finish in his heat and semi-final races leading up to the main event. Breaking the scratch main event winning streak out of lane one, Bast drew lane two. In lane one was Anthony Dion, in lane three was Charlie Venegas winner of two scratch main events this season, and in four was Louie Mersaroli.
Bast survived two restarts for his win. First all the riders moved before the start and referee Steve Lucero called them back. On the second start Venegas and Mersaroli got tangled up in some aggressive racing in turn one and went down. On the third start Bast got inside and took the lead. Venegas, nipping at his heels made a very hard charge trying to slingshot past him on the outside but the attempt fell short. Bast maintained his lead for the win. Venegas was second, Mersaroli was third and Dion fourth. “I think this season I’m riding a lot more relaxed, also we have made some changes kind of brainstorming on the bike,” Bast said.
Rheten Todd, a man of many talents, opened the program singing the national anthem with his sister Manah Todd then proceeded to win the handicap main event for the second time this season. Off the ten yard line Todd was perfect in the program winning his heat race and the semi along with the main. “I did change to different tires but I just try to ride hard and try not to think too much.” Looks like Todd will be checking out some new real estate on the 20 yard line next week.
Highlighting a couple of firsts in Division II and Division III, Derik Denzin won the main event in Division II his first of the season. Denzin won his heat race and the main, turning in a perfect night in the program. Greg Moore was second and Rees Todd was third. Also picking up his first win of the season, Jason Lundberg won the Division III main event. Lundberg was also perfect in his program winning his heat race along with the main. Jeff Powell was second and Richard Perkins was third.
It was all Alex Martin in the Youth 250 program. Martin won his two heat race and the main event in convincing style having a nearly flawless evening. Martin kept Charlie Trana, Chase Kangas and Catherine Moore at bay for the three races. Trana was second and Kangas third in the main. Speedster Darren Armbruster took the Youth 150 main event. Armbruster joined the perfect night club with wins in his heat races and the main. Armbruster now has four Youth 150 division main event wins this season. Jameson Hutchinson was second and Wesley Rearick was third.
Fast Fridays Results for 08-06-21
Scratch Main Event
1-Bart Bast, 2-Charlie Venegas, 3-Louie Mersaroli, 4-Anthony Dion
Handicap Main Event
1-Rheten Todd, 2-Louie Mersaroli, 3-Tyler Warren
Division II Main Event
1-Derik Denzin, 2-Greg Moore, 3-Rees Todd
Division III Main Event
1-Jason Lundberg, 2-Jeff Powell, 3-Richard Perkins
Youth 250 Main Event
1-Alex Martin, 2-Charlie Trana, 3-Chase Kangas
Youth 150 Main Event
1-Darren Armbruster, 2-Jameson Hutchinson, 3-Wesley Rearick
Sidecars
1-Joe Jones/Tom Summers, 2-Smylie Kinne/Josh Bustos, 3-Ace Kale/Chuck Heider
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