PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Some of the most thrilling racing on two wheels gets under way Friday night when the opening round of the 2010 AMA/USA Speedway National Championship kicks off at Fast Friday’s Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn, Calif.
“Speedway racing is tight, close, unpredictable and, above all, fast,” said American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Director of Racing Joe Bromley. “With so much talent on the track, this should be one heck of a championship battle.”
With 2009 series winner and eight-time champion Greg Hancock racing in Europe this season, the favorite for the 2010 title is 2008 champion Billy Janniro. Janniro has been the top rider in early season non-championship competition, winning eight of 10 scratch main events this season at the Fast Friday’s complex.
Other riders to watch include Charlie Venegas and Scott Brant, who have both won over Janniro, as well as Tyson Burmeister, Jimmy Fishback and Gary Hicks. Meanwhile, no one is counting out veteran rider Bobby Schwartz, who has more than 36 years of speedway racing experience, with titles in 1986 and 1989.
This year’s national championship will be a two-series event with both rounds staged at Fast Friday’s. The riders will be assigned to one of four main events, seeded according to their finishes in the 20 heat races earlier in the night. Points accumulated in these main events will go toward the championship series total points. The final round will be Oct. 1 at Fast Friday’s.
The total rider purse for each round is $10,000, with the high-points rider of each round receiving $2,000.
Racing kicks off at 8 p.m. each night, and gates open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, see FastFridays.com or call (530) 878-7223.
