Fast Fridays Speedway

Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California

Speedway, Week 8
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, July 08, 2022
Story Michael Kirby

Congratulations Gino Manzares Scratch Main winner and Rees Todd Handicap Main winner
Vladimir Kruk Photo

Southern California rider Gino Manzares made the most of every mile he traveled from down south to Auburn this week taking the scratch main event. Manzares spoiled Billy Janniro's winning streak in the scratch program at Fast Friday Motorcycle Speedway. Janniro had notched three scratch main event wins in a row and was looking at four until Manzares took control of the finale event Friday night at the Gold Country Fairgrounds as the fastest man of the night. It was Bart Bast that gave Manzares the most trouble in the main riding on his tail close enough to hear Manzares breathing. Bast did everything he could to pass but had to settle for second place after a great race. Manzares drew lane two, Bast was in four, Janniro came out of three and Louie Mersaroli lined up in four. It was really a two-man race between Manzares and Bast with Manzares in the drivers seat from the gate. Janniro was third and Mersaroli was fourth.

Rees Todd showed he has what it takes at Fast Fridays winning the handicap main event Friday night. It was Todd's first main event win of the 2022 Fast Friday's season. Todd is handicapped off the 10 yard line and likely will be starting on the 20 yard line after his performance Friday night. Louie Mersaroli was second and Billy Janniro was third. Todd won his heat race and finished third in the semi-final to advance to the main event.

Rick Shafer had a burst of energy riding in six races in both the Division I, Division II and the Team Challenge programs. But it was in Division II that Shafer made the most impact winning the Division II main event. Shafer won his first and second heat race, transferred to the main and also won that race. Mark Denniston was second and John Peters was third. Cody Aker riding on the zero line won the Division III main event. It was Aker's first main event win of the season after finishing third twice this season. Aker was first in his heat race and transferred to the main for the win. Mike Newnham was second and John Peters was third.

The Youth 150 division is really heating up with several great races. With seven riders in the division the riders were divided into an A group and a B group. The Rearick brothers, Riley and Wesley, had this week wrapped up with a family affair as both Riley and Wesley stood on the podium with trophies at night's end. Riley took the A group main event and Wesley won the B group main event. In the A group Matthew Wright was second and Leeann Emerson was third. Behind Wesley Rearick in the B group Caden Cavrikas was second and Jameson Hutchinson was third.

Making it interesting Southern California youth rider Levi Leutz made the trip north to Auburn and shook up the mix in the Youth 250 division. It was Charlie Trana though that came out on top Friday night. Both Leutz and Darren Armbruster had a tough main event both taking tumbles and did not finish leaving Trana, Chase Kangas and Catherine Moore on the track. Trana finished first Moore was second and Kangas third as the dust settled.

It was round four in the Team Challenge Series between Team SOS and Team AR-17. Coming into round four Team AR-17 brought a commanding lead over Team SOS 27-15. Team SOS came on strong and kept the Team AR-17 lead from expanding too much. Team SOS scored eight points behind a strong performance by Louie Mersaroli who picked a win and three points in heat two. Team AR-17 scored ten points with two first place finishes by Gino Manzares and Greg Moore adding six points to their tally. Billy Janniro added two points and Timmy Dion added another point for AR-17. Bart Bast and John Peters had second place finishes adding two points each and Derik Denzin chipped in one point for Team SOS. Final score for round four was Team AR-17 10 points and Team SOS eight points. After four rounds Team AR-17 still with a good lead over Team SOS 37-23. There are still two more rounds left so still enough time for Team SOS to tighten it up.

Fast Fridays season points leaders after the July 1 races are Blake Borello in Division I with 788 points, John Peters with 367 in Division II and Tim Rott with 373 in Division III.

Next week July 15 the longest running speedway grudge match in America will take place at Fast Fridays pitting the best riders from Southern California who will travel north to challenge the best riders the North has to offer. One of the most popular events of the season, surely not to be missed.

Results for 07-08-22

Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Gino Manzares, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Billy Janniro, 4-Louie Mersaroli

Division I Scratch Consolation
1-Tyler Warren, 2-Rheten Todd, 3-Rees Todd, 4-Daniel Faria

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Rees Todd, 2-Louie Mersaroli, 3-Billy Janniro, 4-Blake Borello, 5-Rheten Todd, 6-Gregory Moore

Division I Handicap Consolation
1-Daniel Faria, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Tyler Warren, 4-Timmy Dion, 5-Derik Denzin

Division II Main Event
1-Rick Shafer, 2-Marc Denniston, 3-John Peters

Division III Main Event
1-Cody Aker, 2-Mike Newnham, 3-John Gauthreaux, 4-Everett Holmes, 5-Brian Leventon, 6-Ray Holt Jr.

Youth 250 Main Event
1-Charlie Trana, 2-Catherine Moore, 3-Chase Kangas

Youth 150 A Main Event
1-Riley Rearick, 2-Matthew Wright, 3-Leeann Emerson

Youth 150 B Main Event
1-Wesley Rearick, 2-Caden Cavrikas, 3-Jameson Hutchinson

Team Challenge (Round Four)
Team AR-17-10 Team SOS-8
Total after Four Rounds
Team AR 17-37 Team SOS-23