HotWood Twin 100-lap Late Model Features at Madera Speedway this Saturday Night
The 2007 racing season at Madera Speedway continues to roll towards its conclusion this Saturday, September 1st with a special HotWood Tri Holiday Series program featuring twin late model 100 lap mains for the regular Western Late Models and the SRL Wild West Shootout touring series.
Highlighting the NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series program will be round #5 of the epic six race Western Late Model �Chase to the Championship� that will determine the 2007 Madera Speedway track champion. This Saturday�s Western Late Model 100-lap feature will pay a whopping $2,000 to the winner!
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo college student Mark Holeman, age 22 of Los Altos, pulled out an exciting victory two Saturdays ago over his rival Ross Strmiska, age 21 of Stockton, to retain the Chase lead over Strmiska by just 11 points. It was Holeman�s fifth win of the year, but only his first since mid June and the victory slowed down, at least temporarily, the hard charging Strmiska who had posted impressive wins in three of the previous four Western Late Model features.
While all eyes are focused on the battle at the top that shows Holeman with 235 points to Strmiska�s 227, several other drivers are still in the championship hunt although they may need the two young drivers at the top to stumble at least once. Trevor Schlundt (190 points), of Clovis, Joey Stearns (178), of Stockton, Harry Belletto (152), of Modesto, David Philpott (145), of Tracy and Chris Monez (142), of Turlock, are all less than 100 points from the championship lead.
This Saturday will mark the third and final Madera Speedway stop of the season for the SRL Wild West Late Models. Veteran drivers and former NASCAR Western Regional Champions Dave Byrd, of San Jose and Jim Pettit II, of Prunedale, picked up Madera victories back on May 26th and June 30th, respectively.
The ten race SRL schedule in 2007 includes stops at Shasta Speedway, Altamont Motorsports Park, Colorado National Speedway and the Bullring in Las Vegas. Following the six SRL races run thus far, Byrd holds a healthy, though hardly insurmountable, lead of 233 to 207 over Modesto�s Steve Belletto while Steve�s younger brother Jeff checks in third with 185 points.
There will be four other NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series divisions competing this Saturday, September 1st as well. The program will also include the American Limited Stock Cars (ALSC), Modified Super Toyotas, Toyota Sedans and the wild and wacky Hornets.
While there is no doubt that Stockton�s Donny Darter will be the ALSC champion in 2007, the big question is whether Darter can run the table these last two races and finish the season with an amazing 14 wins in 15 starts.
Darter has done it all this season. Besides his 12 main event wins, in the previous scheduled ALSC event on August 18th Darter shattered the ALSC track record with a blistering qualifying lap of 16.078 seconds and made his debut in a late model, which he plans to move up to full time in 2008.
In the Toyota Sedan class Stan Hankins, of Fresno, continues to hold a solid 301 to 235 lead over Steve Trusner, also of Fresno, while hometown driver Randy Fleming Sr. lurks in third with 231 points.
It is a similar story in the Modified Super Toyota division where Madera�s Shon �Woody� Woods has a 236 to 209 point lead over Jeff Doran, also of Madera. John Bowersox, of Chowchilla, sits in a close third with 200 points even.
Miles Humphreys, the 67-year-old racing grandfather out of Clovis, remains in firm command of the Hornet division standings, but his dominance has been challenged recently by 16-year-old Madera driver CJ Dizney, who has won three of the last five Hornet mains.
And if over 300 laps of main event racing were not enough, fans attending Madera Speedway this Saturday will have the opportunity to win free concert tickets to the beautiful Ironstone Amphitheatre located on the grounds of Ironstone Vineyards near Murphys. Pairs of tickets will be given away for Vince Gill on September 7, the Doobie Brothers on September 8 and B.B. King on September 9.
For additional information on all Ironstone events visit www.ironstonevinyards.com on the web.
The championship battles are reaching a fevered pitch at Madera so come out to the �Fastest 1/3 in the West� this Saturday, September 1 of Labor Day weekend and fill your need for speed.
Ticket prices for Saturday, September 1 are only $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 65 years of age or older, $18 students, active duty military and juniors age 13-17, $5 for kids age 6-12 and kids 5 years of age and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. A family pack ticket (two adults and up to two kids 12 years old and under) is also available for the bargain price of $55. Adult fans with a sales receipt from any Save Mart Supermarket store receive a $5 discount at the gate on race days. VISA and MasterCard are welcome at window #3.
This Saturday, September 1st the Madera Speedway pit gates will open at 10:00 AM, practice begins at high noon, the grandstands open at 2:00 PM and the first green flag will wave kick off the evening�s racing at approximately 5:00 PM.
Looking ahead, Madera Speedway will go dark on Saturday, September 8 for the county fair and return to action on Saturday, September 15 with the Annual Harvest Classic featuring the Super Modifieds, USAC/CASA Sprints & Midgets, 360 Super Modifieds and the Legends.
The track will go dark again on Saturday, September 22 before returning with the final NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series event of the season with a big program that will include the Western Late Models, American Limited Stock Cars, Modified Super Toyotas, Toyota Sedans, Hornets and Mini Cup.
Madera Speedway will draw the curtains on the 2007 season with the 1st Annual Pumpkin Smash 400 Enduro and Demolition Derby on Saturday, October 20.
The Madera Speedway is located at the Madera County Fairgrounds just off the west side of Highway 99 at the West Cleveland Avenue exit.