August 7, 2026

Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway

Auburn Ca.

Michael Kirby Story and Photos

The weather may have be hot but the racing at Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn at the Gold Country Fairgrounds was even hotter. When the first tapes went up the weather was perfect for some first-class racing, sidecars and a full regular speedway program. This week, week 12 of the 2026 season, the Extreme Sidecars returned to Fast Fridays tricky dirt oval for round three of their five visits including the AMA Extreme Sidecar Championship on September 26.

What a show these four sidecar teams put on for the Fast Fridays fans. These sidecar machines and teams are a breed all their own, not everyone wants to hop on a three-wheeled motorcycle equipped with a 1000cc engine and no brakes. Traveling in the opposite direction of speedway bikes they carry a driver and a rider on the back of of the bike typically called a “monkey” who swings from side to side balancing the trike in the corners. It is really something to see and and reason the McCann Stadium at Fast Fridays was nearly filled Friday night for the action.

Of the four teams that were on the program Friday night all are veterans of the sidecar circuit and including 2022 AMA Extreme Sidecar Champions Robert Curry and Laurie Curry. Also on the track for the evening were the teams of Wade Boyd and Eric Lindauer, Matt Walters and Jonny Estrada and Jason Fritze and Hannes Ots. From the first of the five races the action was edge of your seat exciting.

It was the team of Boyd and Lindauer though who hung in there through the rounds to win the main event. In the first round Fritze and Ots took the checkered flag. In heat race two Boyd and Lindauer got a feel for the track won heat two. The pair stumbled a little in heat race three and finished fourth, with the Curry’s picking up that win. After that Boyd and Lindauer had a groove going and controlled the rest of the program winning heat four and the main event. In the main event Boyd and Lindauer led from the gate but the Curry’s would not go down easily and they never do. Boyd and Lindauer held their position and four laps later they took the checkered flag for the main event.

To see more of these wild riders and their special brand of speedway racing they will be back for one more round on August 29 before the championship on September 26.

In the regular speedway program many of the riders were tuning up for the first round of the 2026 AMA National Speedway Championship that was being held the following evening in Southern California on Saturday August 8. Billy Janniro sure seemed ready for the challenge and the eleven-time AMA National Speedway Champion was in great form winning the scratch main event, his second scratch main event of the season.

Janniro was perfect in the scratch program winning all his heats and the main event. In the main Janniro faced big challenger Broc Nicol, current national champion, and young guns Darren Armbruster and Timmy Dion. Janniro got a good gate and was first to turn one but Nicol was right on his tail. Taking a middle of the track line Janniro did not leave much room for Nicol on the inside so Nicol had to go deeper on the track. This might of worked on another rider but not Janniro who was able to keep Nicol a bike length back to the finish line. Janniro was first, Nicol second, Armbruster was third and Dion fourth.

Wilbur Hancock picked up his first main event win of the season in the handicap program winning the handicap main event. Off the 20-yard line Hancock was second and third in his heat races to transfer to the main event. From the gate Hancock had the lead ahead of Darren Armbruster with Billy Janniro and Broc Nicol battling for third and fourth place. As the six-lap race progressed Janniro was able to move ahead of Nicol for good but could not catch Armbruster or even get close to Hancock. Hancock was first, Armbruster was second, Janniro was third and Nicol fourth.

In the Support D2 Division Cody Baugh got his second main event win and second in a row main event win. Baugh has really improved since moving up from the Support D3 Division early in the season. Antonio Coffman was second and Catherine Moore was third. Tim Dion grabbed his first main event win of the season in the Support D3 Division. Dion won his second heat race then the main event. Hannes Ots who is also half of the sidecar team with Jason Fritze came in second and LC Veale was third.

Jameson Hutchinson was leading the Youth 250cc D1 main event and in a intense battle with Wesley Rearick had the lead and was set for the win until he looped on the last lap in the last turn spinning around and falling. Though he gained his composure quickly Rearick was able to pass him and take the win. Also passing Hutchinson as he got up was Caden Cavrikas who finished second and Justin Gist who finished third. Hutchinson did get up and on his bike again and crossed the finish line fourth.

Colton Cooper won the Youth 250cc D2 main event, his second for the season and second in a row. Leeann Emerson was second and Baylee Evans-Seeley was third.

Brady Wills, a consistent top three finisher in the Youth 150cc D1 division won the main event, his first of the season. Mason Howell was second and Zander Schroeder was third. Kaiden Boyd-Bews won the Youth 150cc D2 main event. Boyd-Bews led most of the race with pesky Chance Farrow close behind trying to pass until the last lap when Hank Hanaway made a fantastic effort and passed Farrow on the last lap, last turn for second place. Farrow was third. Kaydence Craw was the winner of the Youth 150cc D3 division main event, her second in a row. Kinsley Stephenson was second and William Bruce was third.

Next week at Fast Fridays the Team Challenge concludes with the final round. Team Law Tigers leads Team IFC by just one point, the closest score ever going into the final championship round. Should be some fantastic racing. Next Friday August 14 is also the last night for riders to tally Fast Fridays season points. As of July 31 Broc Nicol leads Division I with 1308 points followed by Billy Janniro with 1218 points. The Support Divisions are really close with Catherine Moore leading D2 with 476 points followed by Brandon Hendrickson with 470 points. In D3 Sean McAndrew leads with 516 points just one point over Cody Baugh with 515 points.