A ‘friendly’ is a game or event which does not award any points for a championship of any kind and is usually put together for the benefit of a sport’s fans. In the race we are focusing on here, the two chief combatants were simply racing for entertainment value – and some bragging rights for the next year. At the season finale of the Fast Fridays motorcycle speedway meet, held at Auburn’s Gold Country Fairgrounds in California on 29 October, the US versus the World goodwill classic provided some fantastic racing with some of the best in the world. The fans even braved a forecast which predicted some serious moisture and nasty winds in order to experience the competition first-hand.
Racing for the World team were Martin Smolinski and Tobias Kroner, both from Germany, Patrick Hougaard and Kenneth Hansen, both from Denmark, and Thomasz Bajerski riding for Poland. American Greg Hooten was invited to fill in the sixth spot on the World team. Three of those riders have been to this event previously, Smolinski two
times and Bajerski and Hansen were making their second appearances. For the American team, 2010 AMA National Speedway Champion Billy Janniro, Tommy Hedden and Bart Bast, both from Auburn, Charlie Venegas, Bobby Schwartz, and young rising star and Under 21 Champion Bryce Starks, lined up against the global competition.
The riders linked up in pairs and charged ahead in 18 heat events where they earned points for their finishing order, as with most Speedway racing. Those points were then totaled at the end of the event and the winner became very clear. The American team took top honors with a 60 point showing, and the World team came out with 48 points. Of course, this Speedway event has absolutely no bearing on anything, but the winners did get to take home trophies. And, the fans, riders and even staff had a fantastic evening of fun while watching some of the best Speedway racers in the world duel on the track at the Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway. The 2011 event will be scheduled very soon…
