Fast Fridays Speedway

Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California

Extreme Sidecars
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, May 19, 2023
Story and Photo by Michael Kirby

The 2023 Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway season is off and running with exciting racing at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn Ca. In its second week the Extreme Sidecars made the first of five appearances at the tricky dirt oval in Auburn one of which will be the AMA National Sidecar Championship on September 2. To say the local speedway fans enjoy the sidecars would be an understatement. The near capacity crowd welcomed the seven sidecar teams enthusiastically with loud applause throughout the night. In the sidecar mix was the team of Robert Curry and Laurie Curry current AMA National Sidecar champions and the local team of Peter Konrad and his rider Auburn Chief of Police Ryan Kinnan who was on a 1000cc three wheeler for the first time.

The format consisted of the teams running in five heat races collecting points for first, second, and third place finishes then transferring to a last chance heat and final race based on accumulated points. At the end of the heat races four teams transferred to the final race to decide the night's fastest pair. The Curry's were in with seven points, Lawrence McNutt and Dana Miller were in with seven points, Smylie Kinne and Johnny Glover were in with seven points also and the team of Wade Boyd and Eric Lindauer rolled to the line with a perfect nine points. In lane two the Curry's showed why they wear the number one plate and cruised to a first place finish ahead of team Boyd/Lindauer who finished second followed team Kinne/Glover. McNutt and Miller did not finish with mechanical problems.

Broc Nicol who makes the trip up north to Auburn from Southern California each week to compete at Fast Fridays made every mile count and was unbeatable Friday night, perfect in the scratch program winning his heat race, semi-final and then being crowned the fastest man of the night winning the scratch main event. Bart Bast was second, Blake Borello was third and Billy Janniro was fourth.

In the handicap program current AMA National Speedway champion Billy Janniro got back in the winners circle at Fast Fridays winning the handicap main event. Janniro, handicapped on the 30 yard line was first in his heat race, third in his semi-final and then worked through heavy traffic to take the checkered flag for the first time this season at Fast Fridays. Bart Bast turning in a rock solid night took another second place finish behind Janniro. Bast also is handicapped on the 30 yard line. Broc Nicol, picking up another podium finish was third. Nicol starts on the 40 yard line in the handicap program.

Chase Kangas, up from the youth program this season, and racing in Division III last week was moved up to Division II. On the zero line this week in Division II Kangas repeated his performance last week in Division III winning the Division II main event. Looks like Kangas will be checking the dirt around the 10 yard line next week in Division II. This kid looks like he is going to be some to contend with in Division II and maybe Division I before the season is finished. Aidan McNutt was second and John Peters was third.

Catherine Moore who has become a fan favorite at Fast Fridays picked up her first win of the season in Division III and was warmly cheered on her victory lap. Moore, riding off the zero line was second in her heat race then first in the main event. She kept Cody Aker who was second and John Peters who was third at bay in the win.

Darren Armbruster seems to have a lock on the Youth 250 division repeating his main event win last week. Armbruster was undefeated not only Friday night but so far this season has not lost a race in the Youth 250 division. Jameson Hutchinson was second to Armbruster in both races Friday night. Matthew Wright continued his winning ways in the Youth 150 division winning the main event. Wright is another youth rider that is undefeated so far this season in his division. Riding off the 40 yard line Wright seems to have a lock on the Youth 150 division. Wesley Rearick was second and Leeann Emerson was third in the Youth 150 main event.

The racing action continues all summer at Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway with the team challenge starting next week. Team M-45 will take on Team Law Tigers in season long team racing grudge match ending with the challenge championship on August 19.

Results for 05-19-23

Division I Scratch Main Event
1-Broc Nicol, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Blake Borello, 4-Billy Janniro

Division I Scratch Consolation
1-Louie Mersaroli, 2-Timmy Dion, 3-Aidan McNutt, 4-Chance Grove (DNS)

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Billy Janniro, 2-Bart Bast, 3-Broc Nicol, 4-Louie Mersaroli, 5-Chance Grove & Justin Almon (DNF)

Division 1 Handicap Consolation
1-Gregory Moore, 2-Blake Borello, 3-Timmy Dion, 4- Daniel Faria (DNS)

Division II Main Event
1-Chase Kangas, 2-Aidan McNutt, 3-John Peters, 4-Lawrence McNutt, 5-Davey Shaw

Division III Main Event
1-Catherine Moore, 2-John Gauthreaux, 3-Brian Leventon, 4-Cody Aker, 5-Ray Holt Jr., 6-Antonio Coffman

Youth 250 Main Event
1-Darren Armbruster, 2-Jameson Hutchinson

Youth 150 Main Event
1-Matthew Wright, 2-Wesley Rearick, 3-Leeann Emerson, 4-Riley Rearick, 5-Wesley Schweitzer

Extreme Sidecar Main Event (Round One)
1-Robert Curry & Laurie Curry 2-Wade Boyd & Eric Lindauer, 3-Smylie Kinne & Johnny Glover, 4-Lawrence McNutt & Dana Miller

Michael Kirby Photos
	Current AMA National Sidecar champions Robert and Laurie Curry won the sidecar main event Friday night at Fast Fridays. The Curry's were the fastest sidecar team of the night.
	Billy Janniro (near) and Broc Nicol race in a early heat race. Nicol later won the scratch main event and Janniro later won the handicap main event.
	Chase Kangas moved up to Division II and won the main event.
	Darren Armbruster won the Youth 250 main event for the second week in a row.
	Matthew Wright continues to win handicapped on the 40 yard line in the Youth 150 division. Wright won his second Youth 150 main event of the season.
	Peter Konrad (left) and Ryan Kinnan (right) are interviewed by track announcer Mike Rooney after the sidecar program. Konrad and Kinnan are a local Auburn sidecar team and Kinnan is the Auburn Chief of Police and on a sidecar for the first time.
	The start of the scratch main event. Broc Nicol, gate 3, won the event.
	Sidecar Main Event-The start of the sidecar main event. Winner was the team of #1 Robert Curry and Laurie Curry, gate 2.