Fast Fridays Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
Auburn, California

Kane wins 2011 Youth National Championship
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Michael Kirby (Story & Photos)
Auburn, California - August 19, 2011

If you missed the action at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn California Friday night, you missed a great night of action packed speedway racing. Fast Fridays hosted the 2011 U21 US National Championship (under 21), the 2011 Youth US National Championship (under 16), and ran a full program of points division speedway racing. By the end of the evening a total of 56 racing events were staged and new US National Youth and US U21 National champions stood on the winner's podium. The evening was everything a speedway fan could have asked for with all the drama of championship racing displayed as riders put it all on the line with the possibility of becoming number one.

When the dust settled Meadow Vista's Tanner Kane was the new 2011 US Youth National Champion turning in a perfect night with 15 points after the semi-final round before squaring off against powerful Southern California rider Max Ruml, Jamison Dilkey and Dillon Ruml. "I knew I had a shot at it, I just needed to get a good gate, I had a perfect score tonight and feel real good about it," said Kane. Max Ruml ran into some bad luck falling in turn one of the final which left open the door for Kane to show how it's done. Kane lead the rest of the race riding flawlessly as Ruml, who also went into the final with a perfect 15 points, got back on his bike and tried to make up lost ground. He rode well but was not able close the gap and finished third. His younger brother Dill ion Ruml finished second and Jamison Dilkey was fourth. It was a tough break for Ruml who has rode great all season but in championship racing anything can happen and Kane proved he had what it takes to hoist the trophy at nights end.

The U21 National Championship was also an exciting program as Austin Novratil capped another impressive season with top honors. Novratil, the 2010 Youth National Champion, also had a rough race early in the program in Round 2 unable to finish the heat race with bike problems. The 16 year-old Novratil did not give up and was able to finish all his other races including the semi-final with wins and wound up in lane two for the final with 12 points. In lane one was Russell Green who came in to the final with 14 points; Gabe Price had 11 points and sat in lane 3, and last year's U21 winner Bryce Starks was dug into lane four with nine points. Novratil's experience proved overpowering and he led from beginning to end, riding perfectly. Starks finished second, Green was third and Price was fourth. The championships are decided by total points and after the final it was determined that Green and Novratil were tied and a run off was needed to determine the winner. Green and Novratil squared off in a two man duel for the championship which Novratil won. With his win Novratil will qualify for a spot in the U21 World Qualifier held in Europe next year.

In the Division I scratch program Billy Janniro continued to struggle and was involved in a serious crash in the scratch semi-final hitting the wall very hard after getting a little too close to Tommy Hedden's rear wheel on turn two. Janniro got up after a few tense minutes on the track okay but out for the night.

Bryan Yarrow won his second Division I scratch main event in three weeks, after a crash between Bart Bast and Tommy Hedden caused a restart in the Division I finale. Yarrow finished ahead of Bast who was second, Charlie Venegas in third and Hedden in fourth. Bast still leads all Division I riders in season points with 1,950 ahead of Janniro who has 1,846, as of August 12. Alex Marcucci continues to ride hard and won the Division I handicap main event. Marcucci, riding off the 30 yard line, held off Greg Hooten who finished second and Hedden who finished third.

Rachalle Kerr picked up her third Division II main event win of the season further proving she is back in big way as she gave up no ground against Mellor and Ryan Bast who finished second and third. Chris Casey won his second the Division III main event of the season, Bryce Taddy was second and Billy Vaughn was third.

It was an excellent night of speedway racing and next week the action continues at Fast Fridays as the Freestyle MX Jumpers will bring their exciting high flying show to the Gold Country Fairgrounds.

Results 2011 U-21 National Championship
U-21 Final Race
1-Austin Novratil 2-Bryce Starks 3-Russell Green 4-Gabe Price
Run-off
1-Austin Novratil 2-Russell Green
Overall Total Points (including final and run-off)
Austin Novratil 3 0 3 3 3 3 3-18
Russell Green 3 2 3 3 3 1 2-17
Bryce Starks 2 3 2 0 2 2-11
Gabe Price 1 3 2 3 2 0-11
PJ Bryne 2 1 3 2 1-9
Ricky Felicio 2 3 1 1 0-7
Tyler Warren 1 2 2 1-6
Bryce Taddy 0 2 1 1 1-5
Brandon Leedy 0 1 1 2 0-4
Gino Manzares 3 retired-3
Michelle Fehrman 0 0 0 2-2
Will McCloskey 1 1 0 0-2

Results 2011 Youth National
Final Race
1-Tanner Kane 2-Dillon Ruml 3-Max Ruml 4-Jamison Dilkey
Overall Total Points (including final)
Tanner Kane-3 3 3 3 3 3-18
Max Ruml-3 3 3 3 3 1-16
Dillon Ruml -2 1 3 2 2 2-12
Broc Nicol-3 3 3 2 1-12
Jamison Dilkey-2 2 2 1 2 0-9
Luke Becker 2 2 2 3 0-9
Colton Hicks 1 2 1 1 0-5
Kurtis Hamill 0 0 1 2 1-4
David Mersaroli-1 1 1 0-3
Joseph Hernandez 1 0 0 1-2
Daniel Casey 0 1 0 0-1
Louis Mersaroli 0 0 0 0-0

Division 1 Scratch Main Event
1-Bryan Yarrow, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Charlie Venegas, 4-Tommy Hedden

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Alex Marcucci, 2-Greg Hooten 3-Tommy Hedden

Division II Main Event
1-Rachalle Kerr, 2-Robert Mellor, 3-Ryan Bast

Division III Main Event
1-Chris Casey, 2-Bryce Taddy, 3-Billy Vaughn

Photos Michael Kirby

	(L-R) Podium shot of Max Ruml, Russell Green, Austin Novratil, and Dillon Ruml with the trophy presenters. Hope this works for you.
	Tanner Kane stands on the winner's podium with trophy presenters Briana Snell (L) and Jessica Snell (R) to accept his award after winning the 2011 Youth National Championship Friday night at Fast Fridays. The 15 year-old Meadow Vista resident capped a great season with the championship.
	Austin Novratil, of Southern California, won the U-21 US National Championship.  Novratil was the 2010 Youth National Champion. Novratil won the championship in a run-off against Russell Green.
	Auburn's Rachalle Kerr picked up her third Division II main event win of the season.
	Meadow Vista's Tanner Kane won the 2011 Youth National Championship.
	(L-R) Austin Novratil, Bryce Starks, and Brandon Leedy go into a turn during the first semi-final in the U-21 National Championship. Novratil went on to win the championship.
	Bryan Yarrow picked up his second Division I main event win in three weeks.

By: Ryan Evans

Under 21 National Overall Results
Austin Novratil
Russell Green
Bryce Starks

Youth National Overall Results
Tanner Kane
Max Ruml
Dillon Ruml

Under 21 National Championship Final
Austin Novratil
Bryce Starks
Russell Green
Gabe Price (fell)

Under 21 National Championship Runoff
Austin Novratil
Russell Green

Youth National Championship Final (restarted)
Tanner Kane
Dillon Ruml
Max Ruml (fell, remounted)
Jameson Dilkey

U21 Semi #1: Green, Starks, Byrne, Leedy
U21 Semi #2: Novratil, Price, Taddy, Felicio (fell), Warren (non starter)

Youth Semi #1: M.Ruml, D.Ruml, Hamill, Becker
Youth Semi #2: Kane, Dilkey, Nicol, Hicks

Under 21 National Round 4
1: Green, Starks, Warren, Taddy
2: Manzares, Byrne, McCloskey, Fehrman (fell)
3: Novratil, Felicio, Price (fell, remounted), Leedy (fell)
4: Felicio, Green, Byrne, Novratil (engine failure)
5: Price, Warren, McCloskey, Fehrman
6: (restarted) Starks, Taddy, Leedy, Manzares (non starter - restart)
7: Green, Warren, Felicio, McCloskey
8: (restarted) Byrne, Price (penalty line), Taddy, Fehrman
9: Novratil, Starks, Leedy
10: Green, Fehrman, Felicio (engine failure), Starks (fell)
11: (restarted twice) Price (penalty line), Leedy (penalty line), Taddy, McCloskey
12: Novratil, Byrne, Warren

Youth National Round 4
1: (restarted) M.Ruml, D.Ruml, Hernandez (penalty line)
2: Nicol, Dilkey, Hicks, Hamill
3: Kane (tape penalty), Becker, D.Mersaroli, Casey
4: Nicol, Becker, D.Mersaroli, L.Mersaroli
5: M.Ruml, Hicks, Casey, Hamill (fell)
6: Kane, Dilkey, D.Ruml, Hernandez
7: M.Ruml, Becker, Hicks, L.Mersaroli
8: D.Ruml, Nicol, Hamill (tape penalty), Casey (fell)
9: Kane, Dilkey, D.Mersaroli, Hernandez
10: Becker, Hamill, Hernandez, L. Mersaroli
11: Kane, D.Ruml, Hicks, Casey
12: M.Ruml, Nicol, Dilkey, D.Mersaroli

Under 21 National Round 3
1: Green, Starks, Warren, Taddy
2: Manzares, Byrne, McCloskey, Fehrman (fell)
3: Novratil, Felicio, Price (fell, remounted), Leedy (fell)
4: Felicio, Green, Byrne, Novratil (engine failure)
5: Price, Warren, McCloskey, Fehrman
6: (restarted) Starks, Taddy, Leedy, Manzares (non starter - restart)
7: Green, Warren, Felicio, McCloskey
8: (restarted) Byrne, Price (penalty line), Taddy, Fehrman
9: Novratil, Starks, Leedy

Youth National Round 3
1: (restarted) M.Ruml, D.Ruml, Hernandez (penalty line)
2: Nicol, Dilkey, Hicks, Hamill
3: Kane (tape penalty), Becker, D.Mersaroli, Casey
4: Nicol, Becker, D.Mersaroli, L.Mersaroli
5: M.Ruml, Hicks, Casey, Hamill (fell)
6: Kane, Dilkey, D.Ruml, Hernandez
7: M.Ruml, Becker, Hicks, L.Mersaroli
8: D.Ruml, Nicol, Hamill (tape penalty), Casey (fell)
9: Kane, Dilkey, D.Mersaroli, Hernandez

Under 21 National Round 2
1: Green, Starks, Warren, Taddy
2: Manzares, Byrne, McCloskey, Fehrman (fell)
3: Novratil, Felicio, Price (fell, remounted), Leedy (fell)
4: Felicio, Green, Byrne, Novratil (engine failure)
5: Price, Warren, McCloskey, Fehrman
6: (restarted) Starks, Taddy, Leedy, Manzares (non starter - restart)

Youth National Round 2
1: (restarted) M.Ruml, D.Ruml, Hernandez (penalty line)
2: Nicol, Dilkey, Hicks, Hamill
3: Kane (tape penalty), Becker, D.Mersaroli, Casey
4: Nicol, Becker, D.Mersaroli, L.Mersaroli
5: M.Ruml, Hicks, Casey, Hamill (fell)
6: Kane, Dilkey, D.Ruml, Hernandez

Under 21 National Round 1
1: Green, Starks, Warren, Taddy
2: Manzares, Byrne, McCloskey, Fehrman (fell)
3: Novratil, Felicio, Price (fell, remounted), Leedy (fell)Youth National Round 2
1: (restarted) M.Ruml, D.Ruml, Hernandez (penalty line)
2: Nicol, Dilkey, Hicks, Hamill
3: Kane (tape penalty), Becker, D.Mersaroli, Casey
4: Nicol, Becker, D.Mersaroli, L.Mersaroli
5: M.Ruml, Hicks, Casey, Hamill (fell)
6: Kane, Dilkey, D.Ruml, Hernandez

Youth National Round 1
1: (restarted) M.Ruml, D.Ruml, Hernandez (penalty line)
2: Nicol, Dilkey, Hicks, Hamill
3: Kane (tape penalty), Becker, D.Mersaroli, Casey

Under 21 National Round 1
1: Green, Starks, Warren, Taddy
2: Manzares, Byrne, McCloskey, Fehrman (fell)
3: Novratil, Felicio, Price (fell, remounted), Leedy (fell)