(September 1, 2007) You could not blame the late model stock car racing fans in attendance at Madera Speedway on Saturday night, September 1 for thinking that they had died and gone to heaven with a special HotWood Tri-Holiday program that featured twin 50-lap mains for the NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series Western Late Models and a 100-lap race for the SRL Wild West Shootout touring series.

The huge field of 26 Western Late Models that crowded into the pits on Saturday was trimmed down to 20 cars for the twin A Mains with a single 15-lap B Main for the evening’s 10 slowest qualifiers. Fremont’s Glen Cook grabbed the B Main win while Rick Thompson, of Clovis, Tim Spurgeon, of San Ramon and Ernie Cappo, of Clovis, also earned transfer spots into the night’s two feature races.

The invert draw for the Western Late Models put 64-year-old veteran Harry Belletto, of Modesto and Turlock’s Chris Monez on the front row for the first A Main.

Belletto turned into the alpha dog by quickly jumped to the front of the pack and he looked to be on his way to his first win of the season when Rick Thompson blew his engine on lap 23, spilling oil across turn one. Unable to steer in the black ice like conditions, several cars accordioned into each other, including Stockton’s Ross Strmiska, who entered the evening just 11 points in back of Mark Holeman, of Los Altos, in the battle for the 2007 track championship.

The race restarted with 17-year-old Trevor Schlundt, of Clovis, in hot pursuit of Belletto. Schlundt was able to get under Belletto for the lead when another yellow caution flag whipped out on lap 33. Unfortunately, the anticipated age versus youth rematch never materialized when Belletto was forced to limp to the pits with a broken rear suspension just as the when the green flag came back out.

Schlundt cruised on to his second victory of the year while Holeman made a pass underneath of Modesto’s Mike Beeler with one lap to go to grab second place and solidify his season points lead over Strmiska, who was able to return minus most of his left side bodywork, to finish in twelfth.

The second Western Late Model main was nearly a carbon copy of the first race. For the first 20 laps Schlundt tried to chase down Stockton’s Joey Stearns who had grabbed the lead on the opening lap green flag. Schlundt hung on his bumper until the first yellow caution of the race came out on lap 20.

Taking full advantage of his front row birth along side of Stearns on the restart, Schlundt powered into the lead as the rest of the group jostled for position behind him. Holeman and Strmiska were also able to get by Stearns over the next couple of laps, but despite their best efforts, they were never able to get past Schlundt and were forced to settle for the place and show positions behind him.

"We knew it was going to be a tough field tonight, but we really had a strong car for both races," said Schlundt, who started the day third in the standings. "We really helped ourselves tonight in the points, especially against Strmiska."

Holeman’s twin second place finishes strengthened his points lead heading into the season finale in the "Chase for the Championship" on September 29.

"It was a good night overall. After starting twelfth in the first race we were real happy to take second in that one," said Holeman with a big smile. "I gained a little more distance on Ross. Now we just have to wait for the final and we will be ready."

There were no smiles in the Strmiska pit.

"I hit that oil and just slid right into him. It was pretty frustrating and a bad points night for us," said Strmiska. "Luckily, we were able to scrap the car back together and get a third place finish in the second race."

The first 20 laps of the 100-lap SRL Wild West Shootout race resembled a demolition derby as numerous crashes and mechanical failures plagued the 21 car field, former two-time Madera track champion and fan favorite Jim Pettit II, of Prunedale, patiently lay in wait in the middle of the pack. The early race casualties included SRL season points Dave Byrd, of San Jose and Fremont’s Troy Ermish, who started the evening third in the points, in a grinding crash on the front straight.

"We had a great race car tonight, just perfect. I thought had a chance to check out on the field, but we never got the chance," said Byrd in disgust. "The damage is extreme so we have a lot of work to do."

When things finally calmed down Pettit began to weave his way to the front, finally snaring the top spot following a caution restart on lap 59. Pettit then cruised to the checkered flag with Tracy Bolin, of Valley Springs and MK Kanke, of Frazier Park, in tow.

"We were set up for the long haul and kind of just waited early on and took care of the race car," explained Pettit, who also won the June SRL race at Madera. "I have a great team and our experience here really paid off tonight."

After winning the trophy dash earlier in the evening, Modesto’s #30, Steve Belletto, who entered the evening second in the standings, struggled throughout the race and finished a distant ninth. Nevertheless, thanks to Byrd’s woes he picked up valuable championship points and will be well within striking distance of Byrd heading into the SRL finale at Shasta Speedway.

"It was a very eventful night. I am just grateful to pick up some points and bring the car home in one piece," laughed Belletto. "I thought we had something for the leaders, but we picked up a flat."

To no ones surprise Stockton’s Donny Darter continued his total mastery of the American Limited Stock Car (ALSC) division.

Starting from row four in the 12 car race, Darter quickly worked his way up to the front before bolting past Howard Holden, of Clovis, for the lead on lap 6 of the 30-lap race. As Darter rode off into the sunset, Stockton’s Pete Anderson Sr. held off Modesto’s Dennis Saunders Jr. in a spirited battle for second.

Darter, who posted his 13^th win of the season in 14 starts, also earned fast time in qualifying, plus wins in the dash and his heat for another clean sweep of his night’s ALSC activities.

"The officials made us add 75 pounds of weight tonight to try and slow us down," revealed Darter after the race. "It didn’t slow us down any so thank you very much."

The Toyota Sedans and Modified Super Toyotas (MST) were once again run as a single combined 21-car field. The crowded track produced some exciting and intense racing without any major problems.

When the dust settled on the 20-lap feature, MST season points leader Shon "Woody" Woods of Madera and Toyota Sedan points leader Stan Hankins, of Fresno, both extended their leads by taking victories in their respective classes. Stockton’s John McCollum Sr. and Madera’s Randy Fleming Sr. rounded out the top three in the Sedans while Chowchilla’s John Bowersox and Casey Nydahl completed the MST podium.

"That was a fun, exciting race and we are glad to get the win," said Hankins. "I want to thank all the fans for coming out and I hope they had a good time."

Fresno drivers Mike Gardner and Don Smith took the checkered flag in the two Sedan heat races while Hankins captured the trophy dash.

"I always get a funny feeling in my stomach when we have to run with the Sedans because there is always a lot of traffic and passing," stated Woods. "I just wanted to get through it without any problems."

Woods had the MST quick qualifying time of the night and was top dog in the trophy dash, but missed out on a sweep when Chowchilla’s Jason Bowersox seized the win in the heat race.

The full field invert proved to be nothing more than a nuisance to Miles Humphreys, of Clovis and CJ Dizney, of Madera, the night’s top two qualifiers in the wild Hornet division. Both quickly made it to the front of the 10-car field in the 20-lap main and battled it out for the win. The 16-year-old Dizney had a little too much for his 67-year-old rival and cruised to his fourth win of the season in only six starts.

Earlier in the evening Humphreys grabbed the win in the Hornet heat race while Dizney snagged the victory in the dash.

Fast Time – Jeff Belletto (Salida) - 14.650 seconds

Dash – 1) Steve Belletto (Modesto), 2) Jim Pettit (Prunedale), 3) Greg Voight (Goleta), 4) Jeff Belletto (Salida)

Fast Time – Ross Strmiska (Stockton) –15.157 seconds

Dash – None

B Main - 15 Laps

Glen Cook (Fremont)

Rick Thompson (Clovis)

Tim Spurgeon (San Ramon)

Ernie Cappo (Clovis)

Del McIntosh (Madera)

Brian Liles (Dinuba)

Carrie Miller

Ken Ratcliff (Stockton)

Jeff Lee (Fresno)

Danny Guibor (Manteca)

Fast Time – Donny Darter (Stockton) – 16.189 seconds

Dash – 1) Donny Darter (Stockton), 2) Pete Anderson Sr. (Stockton) 3) Brian Vosburg (Stockton), 4) Jason Aguirre (Atwater)

Heat 1 – 8 Laps

Chris Hulquist

Roger Selsor (Fresno)

Larry Pasquale (Fresno)

Dustin Pickett

Russell Scarillo

Heat 2 – 8 Laps

Donny Darter (Stockton)

Pete Anderson Sr. (Stockton)

Dennis Saunders Jr. (Modesto)

Brian Vosburg (Stockton)

Jason Aguirre (Atwater)

Dash – 1) Stan Hankins (Fresno), 2) Don Smith (Fresno), 3) Randy Fleming Sr. (Madera), 4) Steve Trusner (Fresno)

Heat 1 – 6 Laps

Don Smith (Fresno)

John McCollum Jr. (Stockton)

Randy Fleming Sr. (Madera)

Candee McIntosh (Madera)

Stan Hankins (Fresno)

John McCollum Sr. (Stockton)

Steve Trusner (Fresno)

Heat 2 – 6 Laps

Mike Gardner (Fresno)

CJ Dizney (Madera)

Adam Ballesteros (Dos Palos)

Ronnie Roberts (Fresno)

Justin Kawahata (Clovis)

Justin Dukes

Fast Time – Miles Humphreys (Clovis) – 19.225 seconds

Dash – 1) CJ Dizney (Madera), 2) Miles Humphreys (Clovis), 3) Sue Hannah (Madera), 4) Sheldon Phillips (Fresno)

Heat – 6 Laps

Miles Humphreys (Clovis)

CJ Dizney (Madera)

Sheldon Phillips (Fresno)

David Landers Jr. (Madera)

Sue Hannah (Madera)

Don Davey (Clovis)

Kathy Evans (Madera)

Jamie Sickler (Clovis)

Stephanie Doran (Madera)

Fast Time – Shon Woods (Madera) – 17.036 seconds

Dash – 1) Shon Woods (Madera), 2) John Bowersox (Chowchilla), 3) Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla), 4) Casey Nydahl

Heat 1 – 8 Laps

Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla)

John Bowersox (Chowchilla)

Gene Adams (Fresno)

Chuck Ratcliff (Caruthers)

Tom Cook (Madera)

Casey Nydahl

Casey Nydahl