Fast Fridays Speedway

Gold Country Fairgrounds
1273 High Street
Auburn, California

Vintage and Legend Night
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Gold Country Fairgrounds
AUBURN, CALIFORNIA, June 9, 2023
Story and Photos by Michael Kirby

Already five weeks into the 2023 season at Fast Friday's Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn Ca., and the exciting speedway racing continues on the famed dirt oval at the Gold Country Fairgrounds. This week Fast Friday's presented Racing Legends and Vintage Night. Joe Petrali was honored and remembered for his prolific motorcycle racing career.

A local racer who called Sacramento his home, Petrali was born in 1904 and had a decade’s long extensive racing career winning his first national competition at 14 years old. Petrali won the AMA National Championship six times and the AMA National Hill climb Championship eight times. In 1937 Petrali set the land speed record of 136.183 mph at Daytona Beach. Not limiting his accomplishments to motorcycles, Petrali was also the flight engineer on the Spruce Goose in1947, built by Howard Hughes. The largest plane ever built at the time the Spruce Goose made only one flight. Petrali's great nephew Paul Petrali and his family, local residents of Lake of the Pines, greeted guests all night talking about one of the most famous motorcycle racers that ever lived. More information about Joe Petrali can be found at joepetrali.com.

A vintage flat track bike and upright motor speedway bike were displayed giving fans a glimpse of the sports past. Eleven time AMA National Speedway champion Billy Janniro hopped on a 70s era two valve upright motor speedway bike for a heat race in the handicap program demonstrating that even though these bikes are vintage they still are competitive.

Billy Janniro picked up his second main event win of the season this time in the scratch main event. Janniro has made every scratch main event this season and Friday night put it all together for the win. After one restart and riding out of lane one Janniro took the inside line and after turn two was in the lead for good despite pressure from Blake Borello and Broc Nicol. Janniro increased his lead to the finish line, Borello was second, Nicol was third and Louie Mersaroli was fourth.

Blake Borello had a very successful night coming in second in the scratch main event and winning the handicap main event. Handicapped on the 30-yard line Borello was second in his heat race, first in his semi-final then on to the main event which he won. Borello worked his way through traffic and set his sights on Chase Kangas the only rider between him and the finish line. Kangas, a youth rider in his first season on a 500cc bike held his own but was not match for Borello who soon passed him for the win. Louie Mersaroli was on his tail in the end but Borello's lead was too much to overcome. Mersaroli was second and Broc Nicol was third.

A temporary drop in the number in riders due to injury and other racing commitments as led to the creation of a Support Class made up of Division II and Division III riders. Cody Aker came out on top in the main event. Aker made the most of his two rides with a win in his heat race and then a win in the main event. Handicapped on the 20-yard line Aker stayed ahead of Davey Shaw who finished second, John Peters in third, Hunter Castillo was fourth and Catherine Moore was fifth.

Jameson Hutchinson ruled the Youth 250 division, winning all his heat races and the main event. Caden Cavrikas was second in the main event. It was the first main event win of the season for Hutchinson. The great highly competitive racing action continues in the Youth 150 Division with the Rearick brothers, Riley and Wesley putting quite a show each week. This week it was Riley Rearick that took home the gold. In a tight race with Brother Wesley Rearick, Riley held on in another neck and neck race for the win. Wesley was second and Matthew Wright was third. In the last three weeks one of the Rearick brothers has stood on the winner’s podium in the Youth 150 division, Riley twice and Wesley once.

John Peters came out on top in the Trophy Dash. Davey Shaw was second, Catherine Moore was third and John Gauthreaux was fourth.

Be sure to make the action at Fast Friday's June 16 as the Extreme Sidecars blow into town with their special brand of three wheeled speedway racing. It is round two of their five appearances at Fast Friday's including the AMA Extreme Sidecar National Championship on September 2.

Results for 6-9-23

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

Division I Scratch Consolation
1-Timmy Dion, 2-Daniel Faria, 3-Gregory Moore, 4-Chase Kangas

Division I Handicap Main Event
1-Blake Borello, 2-Louie Mersaroli, 3-Broc Nicol, 4-Chase Kangas, 5-Gregory Moore, 6-Billy Janniro

Division 1 Handicap Consolation
1-Timmy Dion, 2-Daniel Faria

Support Class Main Event
1-Cody Aker, 2-Davey Shaw 3-John Peters, 4-Hunter Castillo, 5-Catherine Moore, 6-Ray Holt Jr.

Youth 250 Main Event
1-Jameson Hutchinson, 2-Caden Cavrikas

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

Trophy Dash
1-John Peters, 2-Davey Shaw, 3-Catherine Moore, 4-John Gauthreaux