September 23, 2023
Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway
Auburn Ca.
Michael Kirby Story and Photos
Racing in a unique format designed by Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway owner David Joiner the best professional flat track motorcycle racers in California made their way to the Fast Friday’s and the tricky dirt oval at the Gold Country Fairgrounds September 23 for an exciting motorcycle racing event. The Flat Track Stars Invitational is a once a season racing event at Fast Friday’s that puts flat trackers racing in a speedway championship racing format with 16 riders racing in 20 heats racing against each other at least once. Points are added up for finishing positions in the heats scored three points for first, two points for second, one point for a third-place finish and zero for a fourth-place finish. The top eight finishers are then seeded in two semi-final heats with the top two finishers in each heat moving on to the main event final. The races are really quick, just four laps each lasting under a minute long. The start out of the gate is everything and getting the holeshot first in turn one is crucial. These riders are riding on flat track 450cc motorcycles and usually race on tracks longer tracks up to a mile long, much longer than the eighth mile track at Fast Fridays. That is what makes racing on this track fun and exciting not only for the riders but also the spectators.
Of the sixteen riders pre-seeded in the heat races Tarren Santero finished the heat races with a perfect score 15 points and won semi-final one then advanced to the Grand Final. Along with Santero Dom Dias was second in semi-final one and punched his card for the final. In the second semi-final Christian Spurgeon was first and Gage McAllister was second and filled the other two spots for the Grand Final. Lining up for the Grand Final, Santero with the perfect night choose lane one, Spurgeon was in two, McAllister was in lane three and outside in lane four was Dias. As the tapes went up Santero continued his perfect night with a great ride and a win to put the icing on the cake. Spurgeon was second, Dias was third and McAllister was fourth.
Also on the program was the Young Gun Youth 250cc contest. These young up and coming riders are putting it all on the line in two eight lap heat races then to a 10-lap main event. The bikes are similar just a little smaller in horsepower but still very quick. All five 250 riders transferred to their main event drawing for starting positions. Ryder Bliz-Hay who won both his heat races also was the winner of the main followed by Colton Shafer and Joe Hendrick.
The Running of the Buls ran a similar program on vintage Bultaco 250cc or 360cc bikes, eight laps then to a 10-lap main event. All the 13 vintage riders were seed in the main event in two rows for their start. It was a run-away win for Dom Monaco who cruised to a victory followed by Michael Rodigues in second and Jon Schaefer in third.
It was a different type of racing at Fast Fridays and is becoming a very popular and fast paced event for fans and riders. There is just one last race of the season and as always Fast Fridays saves one of the best for last. The popular USA vs. the World closes out the season on October 14. Coming from Europe a very talented team of professional riders will travel thousands of miles to challenge our best riders on the tricky dirt oval at Fast Fridays. This event is always a fantastic evening of racing and international camaraderie not to be missed.
Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway Flat Track Stars 9-23-23
Flat Track Stars Invitational Final
1-Tarren Santero, 2-Christian Spurgeon, 3-Dom Dias, 4-Gage McAllister
Semi-Final 1
1-Tarren Santero, 2-Dom Dias, 3-Dom Monaco, 4-Chris McDougal
Semi-Final 2
1-Christian Spurgeon, 2-Gage McAllister, 3-Michael Rodrigues 4-Kyle Anselmi
Young Gun Youth 250 Class
1-Ryder Bliz-Hay, 2-Colton Shafer, 3-Joe Hendrick
Running of the Buls (Vintage Bultacos)
1-Dom Monaco, 2-Michael Rodrigues, 3-Jon Schaefer
