2023 NORTH vs SOUTH - Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway Auburn CA

The iconic North vs. South Challenge returned to Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway for the 32nd version of the event. This year the South Team came out on top.

July 21, 2023

Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway

Auburn Ca.

Michael Kirby Story and Photos

The North vs. South Challenge rivalry continues in its 32nd year at Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn Ca. The longest running team grudge match in American speedway history brings the best speedway riders from Southern California to the Fast Friday’s tricky dirt oval to race against the best speedway riders in Northern California in a once-a-year thrilling night of speedway racing. The North vs. South Challenge is one of the most anticipated speedway racing events of the season at Fast Friday’s and certainly one of the most popular for speedway fans.

This year the South team was able to avenge their loss last year with a convincing win over the North team with a score of 77-62. The challenge is the best in team racing with the teams’ sending pairs of riders to the start line to score points for finishing position in 18 scratch heat races. Riders score three points for a win, two points for second place, one point for third place and zero for a fourth place. More points can be gained in the A and B main events with the scoring points increased and if the score is close enough the meeting can be won or lost in these races.

With this season’s win for the South team the challenge series total now sits at 20 wins for the North and 12 wins for the South. Billy Janniro was the high scorer for the North with 25 points and Dillon Ruml was the high scorer for the South with 22 points.

This year’s team for the South was Max Ruml, Wilbur Hancock, Dillon Ruml, Alex Martin, Chris Kerr and Aaron Fox. For the North Billy Janniro, Timmy Dion, Bart Bast, Louie Mersaroli, Broc Nicol and Blake Borello.

After a grand opening ceremony, coin toss and a stirring rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner by local resident Melanie Madison the 32^nd running of the North vs. South Challenge was under way.

After the first three heats and behind first place finishes for Max Ruml and Dillon Ruml for the South and a first-place finish by Broc Nicol for the North the score was knotted at 9-9. The North would not get closer or hold the lead for the rest of the night as the South kept the pressure on. Heats four through six brought another two first place finishes from the Ruml’s for the South and Billy Janniro added three points for the North along with two second place finishes by Bart Bast and Blake Borello but the South was pulling away and after six heat races still led 20-16. They would not look back and the North would always be in their rear views for the rest of the night.

Heat seven was a tie but in heat eight Janniro scored three and Timmy Dion scored one and the North picked up four points. At the end of heat nine the North still trailed by four points 29-25. Heat ten was again a tie 3-3, but in heat 11 the South really began to pour it on and at the end of heat 12 increased their score leading the North 42-30. Another tie in heat 13 but in heat 14 again the South dominated with grabbing five points with another win for Dillon Ruml and a second place finish for Alex Martin leaving the score 50-34.

The rules state that if a team is down by six or more points the use of a Joker can be utilized. Using a Joker can only be done once during the challenge but the advantage of using the Joker doubles the points the Joker scores in that heat which the North was in dire need of. In heat 15 the North made Janniro the Joker and he made the most of it by winning the heat and picking up six points along with teammate Dion adding another point with a third-place finish. It was a great effort and pulled the North closer but still left them short at 52-41. At the end of the heat races and going into the B and A main events with the score 62-49, the South still securely in the driver’s seat, the North was in trouble because mathematically it was over barring a miracle.

In the B main event the scoring increased to four points for a win, three points for second, two points for third and one point for a fourth-place finish. Lining up for this race the South sent out Chris Kerr and Alex Martin. The North sent Bart Bast and Louie Mersaroli to the line. A great race that had Kerr picking up the win for the South and Mersaroli turning in it on for a second finish for the North, Martin was third and Bast fourth. Now the score was 68-53.

In the finale A main event the scoring again increased to six points for a win, five points for second, four points for third and three points for a fourth-place finish. If the score was closer, you can see how this race could turn the tide one way or another with 11 points up for grabs, but even with heroic efforts by the North the win was out of reach. But these guys are competitors and getting closer was now the goal. Out on the line were Janniro and Blake Borello for the North, and both Ruml’s Max and Dillon for the South. Off the line Janniro got inside and Max Ruml was on his tail and the battle was on. Janniro held his line with Max trying everything to get around him in a great race between these two national champions, but in a hard charge near the finish Dillon edged his brother but fell short of Janniro. Janniro was first, Dillon Ruml second, Max Ruml was third and Borello was fourth. Both teams picked up nine points and the final score settled at 77-62.

It was a great night racing and there were really no loser’s only handshakes on the track when the dust settled. The rider efforts were greatly appreciated by the Fast Friday’s fans that came out for the 32^nd running of the iconic North vs. South Speedway Challenge.

There was a youth and pee-wee program, Jameson Hutchinson won the Youth 250 main event and Riley Rearick won the Youth 150 main event.

North vs. South Challenge Results 7-21-23

South 77 North 62

South 77

Dillon Ruml 3 3 2 3 3 3 5-22

Max Ruml 3 3 3 2 3 3 4-21

Chris Kerr 1 2 3 3 2 3 4-18

Alex Martin 1 1 0 2 2 1 2-9

Aaron Fox 0 1 1 2 0 0-4

Wilbur Hancock 1 1 0 1 0 0-3

North 62

Billy Janniro 2 3 3 3 3+3 2 6-25