An invert draw of 16, which applied to all five classes of the
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, provided an evening full of excitement on
Saturday, July 21 at the Madera Speedway.Madera Speedway Media Release for July 21, 2007
By Dale J Bosowski
Ross Strmiska Captures First Late Model Win at Madera Speedway
An invert draw of 16, which applied to all five classes of the
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, provided an evening full of excitement on
Saturday, July 21 at the Madera Speedway.
With the fastest qualifiers starting near the rear of the 19-car Western Late Model 100-lap feature, the action was intense from the opening lap drop of the green flag.
Although he qualified only 16th, Ricky Thompson of Clovis used his pole position to grab the race lead through the first 29 laps before finally succumbing to the hard charging Mike Beeler of Modesto. Beeler remained in control of the top spot for the next 63 laps while the rest of the field feverishly shuffled and reshuffled behind him.
Ross Strmiska, the 21-year-old third generation driver out of Stockton, lined up beside Beeler on two occasions following yellow cautions late in the race, but was unable to get the best of Beeler on each occasion.
Strmiska continued to lurk right behind Beeler looking for any opportunity to make a move on the leader and he finally got his chance on lap 92 when the leaders encountered some back markers. With the daring of youth on his side, Strmiska made a dramatic plunge underneath Beeler to take the lead coming out of turn four as the crowd roared its approval.
"I tried to set him up and he hesitated just a bit getting on the gas and I got a run on him," explained Strmiska after the race. "I knew that this was the perfect time to try so I dove under him and it worked out."
Once in the lead, Strmiska would not be denied as he triumphantly took the checkered flag for the first time ever in a late model.
"Oh man, this feels good. I have wanted to do this all my life," said Strmiska in between hugs from his grandfather Ron Strmiska Sr. and father Ron Junior. "I donβ??t have enough experience yet to be in victory lane every time out, but they say the first one is the hardest so I hope there are more of these to come."
Beeler would hold on to finish in a bittersweet second and Stocktonβ??s Greg Potts captured third place.
"It is a little frustrating to finish second, but it was my fault for not making a decision on that lapped traffic," said Beeler. "I blinked for just a second and that was enough for Ross to get by me. It was still an enjoyable race though."
Stocktonβ??s Donny Darter once again looked almost invincible as he cruised to his eighth win in nine starts this season in the American Limited Stock Car (ALSC) division.
After colliding with another car at the start of the ALSC feature three weeks ago, which also featured a full field invert, Darter kept his distance at the back of the pack in the early stages of this Saturdayβ??s 50-lap race until the 13-car field sorted itself out. Darter started his crusade for the top spot on lap four and grabbed the top spot five laps later by diving under Modestoβ??s Dennis Saunders Jr. on the back stretch. Saunders hung on for second place and Atwaterβ??s Jason Aguirre completed the top three.
"I donβ??t mind starting in the back. It is not great for me, but it is great for the fans and I think we should do a full invert every week," said Darter, who is planning to sell his ALSC car and moving into the late model ranks in 2008. "The last time out we got in a crash at the start so tonight I knew we had a fast car so I laid back until things settle down a bit."
Darter took fast qualifying time and the dash, but missed perfection when he came home behind Aguirre in his heat race. Dennis Saunders Jr. took the checkered in the other ALSC heat race.
Sacramentoβ??s Randy Fellman used his pole position to the maximum advantage by going wire-to-wire for his first career victory in the Legends of the Pacific 35-lap feature.
While Fellman stayed on the point, the remainder of the huge 24-car field looked and sounded like a stirred up waspβ??s nest as they sliced and diced for position behind him. Orangevaleβ??s Frankie Marks pushed Fellman hard near the end of the race, but fell just short of catching him and settled for second place ahead of Mackena Bell of Carson City, NV.
"I lost my brakes with about 15 laps to go. Frankie had me worried, but I just hung on," said the ecstatic Fellman. "I am so happy and excited right now. We will be partying tonight."
Success was wide spread in the evenly matched Legends ranks as Modestoβ??s Kelly Martin, Stocktonβ??s Fred Clement and Dustin Ash, of Las Vegas, scored wins in the heats, Mackena Bell in the dash and Cottonwoodβ??s earned fast time in qualifying.
After running separate heats and dashes, the Toyota Sedans and Modified Super Toyotas (MST) were run in one combined 19-car field for their 20-lap feature. The format provided plenty of thrills and spills throughout the entire race.
Fresnoβ??s Don Smith bested the Stockton son-father team of John McCollum Jr. and
Senior in the Toyota Sedans while Shon Woods, of Madera, outraced Chowchillaβ??s John and Jason Bowersox for the MST victory.
Coming of victories in both the MST dash and heat race, Maderaβ??s Jeff Doran looked to be in control of the MST main until he spun coming out of turn four of lap 11. Doran recovered to salvage fourth place.
Besides his main event victory, Don Smith also captured fast qualifying time and the dash in the Toyota Sedans while John McCollum Jr. and Fresnoβ??s Steve Trusner scored the heat wins.
Miles Humphreys, the 67-year-old grandfather out of Clovis, continued his season long domination of the wild and wooly Toyota Hornet division with a clean sweep of the eveningβ??s qualifying, heat, dash and 20-lap main.
In the Hornet feature, Humphreys worked his way from the back of the nine-car field to take the lead from newcomer CJ Dizney, of Madera, on lap 11. Dizney did not give up, pressing Humphreys to the checkered flag, only to fall about one car length short of pulling off the upset.
"He (Dizney) was doing real well and stayed on my tail," said Humphreys. "I guess I need to try and drive a little harder."
There was plenty of action off the track as well with the First Annual Madera Speedway Hawaiian Beach Party entertaining the fans all night long. The festivities included a Hot Rod and Harley Motorcycle show, the Miller Lite girls, a Hawaiian shirt contest and a dance performance by track officials that cannot be adequately described here.
The fun and excitement will continue with USG Event Night next Saturday, July 28 at Madera Speedway. Highlighting the huge six division NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series program will be a 75 lap, $1,500 to win feature for the Western Late Models in the first of six big "Chase for the Championship" races that will determine the 2007 Madera track champion. Also racing will be the American Limited Stock Cars, Modified Super Toyotas, Grand American Modifieds, 360 Super Modifieds and Toyota/Hornets.
The Madera Speedway is located at the Madera County Fairgrounds just off the west side of Highway 99 at the West Cleveland Avenue exit.
Media Release Results for 7-21-07
Media Relations Dale J Bosowski
Fast Time Harry Belletto (Modesto) 15.149 seconds
Dash - None
Ross Strmiska
Jr. (Stockton)
Mike Beeler
(Modesto)
Greg Potts (Stockton)
Joey Stearns (Stockton)
Trevor Schlundt (Clovis)
Rick Thompson (Clovis)
Dale Kascht (Raymond)
Doug Rocha (Oakdale)
Amy Rotella-Roberts (Fresno)
Carlos Viera (Merced)
Del McIntosh (Madera)
Josh Combs (Sacramento)
Eric Nascimento (Manteca)
Harry Belletto (Modesto)
Kyle Gottula (Modesto)
Glen Cook (Fremont)
Mike David (Modesto)
Mark Holeman (Los Altos)
Chris Monez (Turlock)
American Limited Stock Car (ALSC)
Fast Time Donny Darter (Stockton) 16.154 seconds
Heat 1 8 Laps
Dennis Saunders Jr. (Modesto)
Roger Selsor (Fresno)
Steven Hall (Manteca)
Heat 2 8 Laps
Howard Holden (Clovis)
Chris Hultquist
Donny Darter (Stockton)
Dennis Saunders Jr. (Modesto)
Jason Aguirre (Atwater)
Howard Holden (Clovis)
Garland Tyler (Modesto)
Steven Hall (Manteca)
Roger Selsor (Fresno)
Russell Scarillo (Fresno)
Randy Bayne (Fresno)
Steven Fraser
Sr. (Lodi)
Brandon Dean
Chris Hultquist
Donald Selsor (Fresno)
Fast Time Don Smith (Fresno) 18.231 seconds
Dash 1) Don Smith (Fresno), 2) Stan Hankins (Fresno), 3) John McCollum Jr. (Stockton), 4) Steve Trusner (Fresno)
Heat 1 8 Laps
John McCollum Jr. (Stockton)
Randy Fleming Sr. (Madera)
Justin Kawahata (Clovis)
Ronnie Roberts (Fresno)
Michael Cheeks (Fresno)
Heat 2 8 Laps
John McCollum Jr. (Stockton)
Candee McIntosh (Madera)
Adam Ballesteros (Dos Palos)
Don Smith (Fresno)
Stan Hankins (Fresno)
Don Smith (Fresno)
John McCollum Jr. (Stockton)
John McCollum Sr. (Stockton)
Randy Fleming Sr. (Madera)
Candee McIntosh (Madera)
Steve Trusner (Fresno)
Stan Hankins (Fresno)
Justin Kawahata (Clovis)
Adam Ballesteros (Dos Palos)
Ronnie Roberts (Fresno)
Michael Cheeks (Fresno)
Fast Time Miles Humphreys (Clovis) 19.380 seconds
Dash 1) Miles Humphreys (Clovis), 2) David Lander Jr.(Madera), 3) David Boyko (Fresno), 4) CJ Dizney (Madera)
Miles Humphreys (Clovis)
David Boyko (Fresno)
Dawn Darter (Stockton)
CJ Dizney (Madera)
David Lander Jr. (Madera)
Sue Hannah (Madera)
Jamie Sickler (Clovis)
Sheldon Phillips (Fresno)
Rick Steiz
Miles Humphreys (Clovis)
CJ Dizney (Madera)
David Boyko (Fresno)
Sue Hannah (Madera)
David Lander Jr. (Madera)
Dawn Darter (Stockton)
Sheldon Phillips (Fresno)
Jamie Sickler (Clovis)
Rick Steiz
Fast Time Shon Woods (Madera) 17.093 seconds
Dash 1) Jeff Doran (Madera), 2) John Bowersox (Chowchilla), 3) Shon Woods (Madera), 4) Randy Fleming Jr. (Madera)
Jeff Doran (Madera)
Shon Woods (Madera)
John Bowersox (Chowchilla)
Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla)
Casey Nychal
Chuck Ratcliff
Gene Adams (Fresno)
Shon Woods (Madera)
John Bowersox (Chowchilla)
Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla)
Jeff Doran (Madera)
Chuck Ratcliff
Casey Nychal
Gene Adams (Fresno)
Randy Fleming Jr. (Madera)
Fast Time Derek Copeland 16.954 seconds
Dash 1) Mackena Bell, 2) Zack Kavert, 3) Steve Cantrell, 4) Derek Copeland
Heat 1- 8 Laps
Kelly Martin (Modesto)
Jack Humphrey (American Canyon)
Jessica Walker (San Ramon)
Steve Brown (San Andreas)
Ed Cullom (Ripon)
David Allen (Middleton)
T.J. Garrett (Pleasanton)
Keith Clement (Stockton)
Heat 2 8 Laps
Fred Clement (Stockton)
Randy Fellman (Sacramento)
Mark Blevins (LaGrange)
Matt Scott (Pine Grove)
David Ball (Stockton)
Cody Berger (Tracy)
Ryan Strmiska (Stockton)
Dylan Albiani (Modesto)
Heat 3 8 Laps
Dustin Ash (Las Vegas)
Joel Courage (Carmichael)
Rick Ruzbarsky (San Leandro)
Mackena Bell (Carson City, NV)
Derek Copeland (Cottonwood)
Zack Kavert (Redding)
Frankie Marks (Orangevale)
Steve Cantrell (Ceres)
Randy Fellman (Sacramento)
Frankie Marks (Orangevale)
Mackena Bell (Carson City, NV)
Steve Cantrell (Ceres)
Zack Kavert (Redding)
Joel Courage (Carmichael)
Derek Copeland (Cottonwood)
Fred Clement (Stockton)
Kelly Martin (Modesto)
Cody Berger (Tracy)
Matt Scott (Pine Grove)
Rick Ruzbarsky (San Leandro)
Mark Blevins (LaGrange)
Steve Brown (San Andreas)
Ryan Strmiska (Stockton)
Ed Cullom (Ripon)
Jack Humphrey (American Canyon)
Jessica Walker (San Ramon)
Keith Clement (Stockton)
David Allen (Middleton)
T.J. Garrett (Pleasanton)
David Ball (Stockton)
Dylan Albiani (Modesto)
Dustin Ash (Las Vegas)