June 19, 2026

Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway

Auburn Ca.

Michael Kirby Story and Photos

June 19 and week five of the 2026 season had a touch of nostalgia along with the fast action racing program racing at Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn Ca. Presented one evening during the season Fast Fridays honors a racing legends and showcases vintage speedway motorcycles from yesteryear.

Speedway legend Billy “The Bullet” Hamill was recognized for his decade’s long motorcycle speedway racing career. Hamill was the FIM World Speedway Gran Prix Champion in 1996 and a also five-time AMA USA National Speedway champion in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2012. His racing career began in the junior ranks in Southern California in 1983 and continued for 32 years. Hamill spent 18 years living and racing in Europe where he found success as a four-time FIM Team Cup winner as a member on the US National team. He also rode professionally with great success riding for several teams in the UK.

He is truly a legendary champion and one of the best speedway riders in too ever climb on a speedway bike, not only in the USA but also overseas. It was an honor and a privilege to have him at Fast Fridays sharing stories and signing autographs for Fast Friday’s fans. Hamill now resides in Foresthill, Ca.

As part of vintage night two riders, current AMA National Speedway Champion Broc Nicol and 11-time AMA National Speedway Champion Billy Janniro each rode vintage 1990s era upright engine motorcycles throughout the program.

Riding these throw-back motorcycles did not slow down Nicol one bit as he was the first rider of the 2026 season to accomplish a double-double, winning the scratch main event and the handicap main event. Janniro was also not too shabby on the vintage bikes winning both his scratch heats then placing second in the scratch main event and third in the handicap main event.

In the scratch program Nicol was flawless winning his two heat races easily to transfer to the main event. There he faced Janniro, Dan Faria and Darren Armbruster. Out of the gate it was battle between Nicol and Janniro both on the vintage bikes. Nicol led the entire race but Janniro, not one to go down without a fight, dogged Nicol in the outside lane for the entire four laps just off his rear tire. At the finish line though, it was Nicol, Janniro, Faria and Armbruster. It was a fantastic race. The win gives Nicol four scratch main event wins for this season. Janniro is the only other rider to win a scratch main event this season which he did in the second week.

Nicol, was also successful in the handicap program racing off the 30-yard line. Winning his heat races then transferring to the main event which he also won, but not without quite a challenge from Dan Faria. Faria, riding off the 10-yard line led the race without challenge until lap four when Nicol working through the lower yardage traffic took on Faria and passed him for the win. Faria was second, and Janniro was third.

Marc Denniston was successful in the D2 Support program winning his first main event of the season. Marc and his brother Sebe Denniston were regulars at Fast Fridays then took a two year break returning this season, both doing very well. Denniston won the D2 support main event and his two heat races. Catherine Moore was second and Antonio Coffman was third.

Jeff Schoenstein won his third main event win of the season in the Support D3 program. Schoenstein was first and second in his heats to transfer to the main event. After a crash and a restart Schoenstein found his groove and won the main event. Sean McAndrew was second and Cody Baugh was third.

Mason Howell continues to do well in the Youth 150cc D1 division. Howell finished first in the main event; his second in a row main event win and his third overall main event win of the season. After two second place finishes in his heat races to Liam Falcon, he was able to pull off the win in the main event after a crash caused a restart. Liam Falcon was second and Chance Farrow was third.

After several top three finishes in the Youth 150cc D2 program, Ryder Faria passed Dexter Orlando on the last lap of the main event to pick-up his first main event win of the season. Hank Hanaway was second and Dexter Orlando was third. Luke Seeger won the Youth 150cc D3 main event. Seeger led by wide margin in the main event from the start gate. Kaiden Boyd-Bews was second and Kaydence Craw was third.

Wesley Rearick was first in the Youth 250cc main event. Rearick has been very strong in the past couple of weeks in the 250cc program and this week referee Steve Lucero had Rearick handicapped, starting a half a track back from the start line. Rearick caught the other riders one by one until he was in first place. Moving through traffic Rearick used five of the six lap race to get to the lead which he held until the finish line. Leeann Emerson was third and Colton Cooper was third.

Next week at Fast Fridays the speedway racing action continues with the third round of the Team Challenge Series. It’s team racing at its finest, with Team Law Tigers leading Team IFC 23-13 in the six-round series.