Billy 'The Kid' Janniro matched his first round performance by running through evening undefeated to win Round 2 of the AMA Sports/USA Speedway National Championship Series at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn, California.
Janniro's perfect score in the qualifying rounds earned him the right to pick his starting position first. After a little debate, Janniro chose the pole position. Bart Bast's 12 points gave him second choice and he picked gate two. Charlie 'The Edge' Venegas selected gate three which left Bryan Yarrow starting against the wall.
The first time the riders staged the race never got started as Venegas jumped into the tapes. Venegas pleaded his case with the referee, but could not persuade him to give him a second chance. The race was restarted with the three remaining riders already guaranteed a podium finish.
When the tapes went up Janniro exploded from the line and into the lead. Yarrow tried to come across Bast in turn one but didn't have quite enough to secure the inside line and tried to find traction on the outside. Janniro led down the back straight while Bast found more grip on the inside and held second. Janniro appeared to be cruising to the win, but he went a little wide exiting turn four the second time. Bast made a run up the inside but Janniro recovered in time to dive back in front entering turn one. The Coventry Bees rider made no mistakes on the final two laps and was first to the checkered flag. Bast finished second, Yarrow was third, and Venegas was credited with fourth. Janniro's victory made him perfect not only in Round 2, but undefeated in all 12 of his races in the 2008 National Championship Series.
The evening began with eight riders competing in the Elimination Round for a chance to fill the final two spots in the 16-rider Championship field. J.J. Martynse rode a smart race to win Elimination Race 1 and moved to the pivotal Elimination Race 4 while Bryce Starks and Devin Defreece moved into Elimination Race 3. Former Youth National Champion Alex Marcucci was victorious in Elimination Race 2 with J.T. Mabry and Ben Essary going to Elimination Race 3.
Elimination Race 3 serves as a 'last chance' race and the riders showed their desperation in turn one. Some bunching in the corner didn't leave anyone on the ground but two riders were effectively taken out of the race by the physicality and the referee ordered a restart. Defreece led the restart and appeared to be on his way to Elimination Race 4, but he fell, brought out the red flag, and was excluded. The third try found Essary in the lead followed by Starks. The two teenagers remained in those positions to move into Elimination Race 4.
Elimination Race 4 was filled by former Youth Division Riders. Martynse, the oldest rider in the race at 23 years of age, showed his younger competitors the way as he won going away. Essary finished second to join Martynse in the Championship field. Marcucci and Starks finished third and fourth, respectively, and were the reserves for the evening.
The qualifying rounds began with Hedden rolling into the tapes and getting excluded. On the second attempt Buck Blair jumped into the lead followed by Mike Faria. Faria chased Blair for two laps but then found himself under attack from Bast, who went underneath the three-time National Champion on the back straight. Bast couldn't catch Blair, though, who took his first win.
Yarrow trapped from gate four in the next race and pulled away for the win. Fishback got the best start in race three and scored the win. Janniro was fast from the tapes and ended the first round with a runaway victory over Kenny Ingalls.
Venegas, who finished last in the first round, got his evening on track by starting the second round with his first win of the night. 'Nasty” Nate Perkins led all four laps of race six to record the win.
Ingalls absolutely dominated race seven, but came into turn one too fast on the last lap, hooked up and went straight toward the wall in turn two. He did a superb job avoiding the wall and staying upright, but everyone was past him by the time he recovered. Bast collected the gift-wrapped win ahead of Fishback.
Janniro trapped from the outside at the start of event eight and left everyone in his wake to complete round two with his second consecutive win.
Round three commenced the same way round two concluded, Janniro romping to victory. However, Eddie Castro won the respect and encouragement of the fans. He pushed his bike across the line for third place after a broken chain caused him to crash in turn two on the final lap.
Wells, suffering from two fourth-place finishes, got on the board with a victory in event 10. Yarrow held off Bast for his second win in the next race. Venegas made it two in a row with a win over Faria to end the third round.
At intermission Janniro led all scorers with nine points; Bast, Blair, and Yarrow each had seven points ; Venegas had six points; and Faria and Fishback both had five.
Wells made it two straight wins to start the fourth round. Venegas defeated Yarrow for his third straight win in event 15. Janniro led Bast all the way to collect his fourth straight win. Faria scored his first victory of the evening to close out round four.
Heading into the final round Janniro had a perfect 12 points and already had a place in the A Final and the bonus Series point for being top scorer in the qualifying rounds; Bast, Venegas, and Yarrow each had nine points; Faria had eight points; and Blair had seven points.
Blair opened the final round with his second win and was followed by Yarrow. Both riders would have to wait to see if they made the A Final. Jan niro made it five for five with another runaway win in event 18. Wells gated ahead of Bast and Venegas in event 19, but Bast charged up the inside at the end of lap one for the lead and Venegas passed the Under 21 National Champion for second on the next lap. Bast locked up a spot in the A Final with the win and Venegas did the same by finishing in second.
A victory in the last heat race would put Faria in the A Final, anything less would send Yarrow instead. Faria made the start from the outside, but Fishback blasted by in the inside for the lead. Faria tried to make the outside work, but Bobby Schwartz also went by on the inside to end any hopes Faria may have had of making the A Final. Fishback held on for the win with Schwartz finishing second.
The Championship Round began with Ingalls, who would've been in the B Final had it not been for the disastrous even t 7, handily winning the D Final. Hedden took the win in the C Final and Essary beat Perkins to the line by inches for second.
Faria led all four laps to win the B Final, but there was plenty of action behind him. Fishback was second before Blair went by on the inside at the end of lap two. Fishback kept his composure and returned the favor by passing Blair on the back straight and secured second the rest of the way.
Janniro holds a commanding lead in the Championship Series with 42 points. Bast is second with 28 points, Faria and Venegas are tied for third with 26 points apiece, and Wells is fifth with 25 points. Defending National Champion Billy 'The Bullet' Hamill, who finished second in Round 1 at Costa Mesa, withdrew from Round 2 due to injuries suffered earlier in the s eason.
The final round of the National Championship Series will be held at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway on Saturday, September 20.
