2008 Local Track Articles

Madera Speedway  – August 2, 2008

Dale Bosowski – Media Relations

 

Stearns and Byrd Make Whoopee on
Boots & Bikini Night at Madera Speedway

 

Madera Speedway christened in the dog days of summer on Saturday, August 2nd with the eagerly awaited return of the 2^nd Annual "Boots & Bikini Night!"

 

The big NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series program featured twin 50-lap mains for the Western Late Models that also counted in round #4 of the prestigous HotWood 750 Series. The HotWood 750 Series championship and bonus prize fund is determiend by nine designated Western Late Model races on six dates spread throughout the season at Madera.

 

The six-division program also included the American Limited Stock Cars, Toyota Sedans, Hornets, Modified Super Toyotas and a special Spectator Racing Series event.

 

Madera "Chase for the Championship" points leader Joey Stearns, of Stockton, grabbed the lead in the first Western Late Model feature on the third lap from hometown driver Rick Thompson and never looked back.

 

As Stearns continued to cruise well ahead of the pack, the real action was the fight for second place behind him as Kyle Gottula and Jeff Belletto, both of Modesto, battled side-by-side for the position over several laps at mid race. Belletto was finally able to get the best of their prolonged duel on lap 35.

 

"This is great, especially after all the problems we had last Saturday. My crew worked hard all week to get the car back and here we are," said Stearns. "Those two fighting like that behind me made it a little bit easier. I was able to save the car for the next race so we are in pretty good shape."

 

Third generation driver Ross Strmiska, of Stockton, was making his first start in his own car in almost two months. He did not show any rust as he got past Gottula to finish third. Gottula, with his tires worn, finished a disappointing fifth after also being swallowed up by Monterey’s Dave Byrd on lap 47.

 

"Kyle raced me hard, but clean and I didn’t want to bonsai him. I was happy to finally get by him for second because he kept me low and wore my car down," said Belletto. "Good job by Joey though. I am happy for him."

 

The race was run entirely under green and was completed in a snappy 13 minutes and 13 seconds.

 

About an hour after the race was completed, Gottula’s night got even worse when track officials announced that he would be disqualified for using illegal fuel.

 

It was the same script with a different star in the second half of the Western doubleheader as Byrd moved past Thompson on lap three and stayed there the rest of the way. Byrd staved off repeated challenges by Gottula and Strmiska throughout the second half of the event to capture his third win of the season.

 

"We got caught behind some slower cars in the first race and this time we got into a good position early," explained Byrd. "I had a good car, but so does everyone else. It is really hard to get any kind of an edge out here."

 

Stearns spun on the second lap and was never a factor in the nightcap, eventually finishing a distant seventh. He now holds a five point advantage over Jeff Belletto (900-895) in the updated "Chase for the Championship" standings while Gottula drops to third with 877 points.

 

Last season’s runaway American Limited Stock Car champion Donny Darter, of Stockton, made his first start of the season on Saturday and it was just like old times.

 

The 12-car field jockeyed for position in the opening laps when Stockton’s Thomas Vosburg spun on lap four. When the race went back to green Darter blasted into the lead like he was shot out of cannon and quickly pulled away from the pack.

 

Darter began to slow in the latter stages of the 30-lap race as Dennis Saunders Jr. began to reel him in. Saunders made several attempts to get by Darter, but he was never able to make one stick as Darter barely held on for the win.

 

"It feels good to come out here and get another win," said Darter. "The car has some issues with the front end and it isn’t driving quite right. It took everything I had to hold Saunders off."

 

It was a frustrating loss for Saunders who had been in the same position several times last season when Darter posted an incredible record of 13 victories in 15 starts.

 

"It feels good to be right there in the hunt. I think I had a better car and I probably could have got him if I had a few more laps," said the dejected Saunders. "Just like an old shoe,

I just got kicked again and came in second."

 

Fresno drivers Stan Hankins and Jason Kerns renewed their season long rivalry for the 2008 Toyota Sedan season championship.

 

The two qualified one-two and thus started near the back of the 12- car field due to the invert. Hankins got to the front first, taking the lead from the night’s trophy dash winner Steve Trusner, of Fresno, on lap 15. Kerns was able to snake his way past Trusner a few laps later, but he was never able to mount a serious challenge to Hankins.

 

"That was really some fun racing out there," commented Hankins. "Every car was excellent tonight."

 

Hankins, the defending class champion, now holds a five to four edge in victories and a 290 to 254 lead in the season points over Kerns.

 

Two impressive winning streaks were brought to an end on Saturday in the Hornet and Super Modified Toyota (MST) divisions.

 

With seven straight victories under his belt Miles Humphreys, the 68-year-old racing great grandpa out of Clovis and hometown driver Jeff Dizney exchanged some good natured banter before Saturday’s Hornet main, debating over what was more responsible for Humphreys’ success - the car or driver.

 

To settle the issue, just before the orders were given to fire engines, the two exchanged cars much to the delight of the crowd.

 

Humphreys got the best of it in the early going, racing up to the fifth spot in the 11-car field, while Dizney spun and went to the back of the pack. Dizney rebounded and eventually got by Humphreys after a lengthy side by side fight.

 

Dizney then set his sights on leader David Boyko, of Tollhouse, the only other driver besides Humphreys to win a Hornet main this season. Dizney was able to slip past Boyko on lap 13 and continued on to earn his first win of the season. Boyko was able to keep Humphreys at bay during the closing laps to salvage second place.

 

"I really want to thank Miles for letting me drive his car tonight. It was a lot of fun," said Dizney. "The pressure was really on. I couldn’t let him beat me in my own car."

Humphreys talked about letting someone else drive his winning car.

 

"When he spun out in my car I said ‘Oh no.’ I thought I would have to put his car nto the wall in turn three to get even," chuckled Humphreys. "It is awful hard to climb into someone else’s car without any practice. It takes a few laps to settle in."

 

Things were a little more serious in the MST class where Madera’s Randy Fleming Jr. was going for his seventh consecutive main event win.

 

Fleming struggled to work his way through the nine car starting field led in the early going by Chowchilla’s John Bowersox. Fleming received some help when Bowersox inexplicably lost control and hit the turn one wall just before the mid race point of the 20-lap feature.

 

Fleming then found himself trailing Fresno’s Donnie Large Jr. for the lead as the remaining laps quickly dwindled down. Desperate to get by Large, Fleming punted him into a spin with two laps to go and earned a black flag for rough driving as a consequence of the move.

 

Jason Bowersox, the son of John Bowersox, got the jump over Madera’s CJ Dizney, the son of Hornet winner Jeff Dizney, on the restart to capture the first win of his career.

 

"I am not sure what even happened between those two up front, but it sure played in my favor. I will take it," said Jason Bowersox as his proud father ran up to congratulate him.

 

It was a feral catfight on wheels as the Coors and Miller Brewing trophy girls of Valley Wide Beverages challenged the Madera Speedway beer stand concession gals in a 15-lap Spectator Racing Series shoot out.

 

The event got off to a shaky start when pole-sitter Candice Gama, of the trophy girls, smacked the turn four wall in the pre race warm-up and was unable to continue.

 

Server Melissa Malybacher took advantage of Gama’s absence to blast out to a big early race lead, but fellow server Lacey Palmberg was able to close ground and track her down in the closing laps. Just when it appeared that Malybacher would hold her off, Palmberg made a daring outside move coming out of turn four on the final lap to steal the win from her coworker.

 

Jen Bonshel finished third to give the Madera concession servers a clean sweep of the race.

Following the conclusion of the night’s racing activities, the entertainment moved to the entertainment stage right behind the main grandstand where there was an open entry Bikini Contest, a best kickers boots contest and the locally based Mike Robbins Band performed late into the night.

 

Madera Speedway will be back in action next Saturday, August 9^th with Super Saturday #5. The program will include the powerful 410/360 Supermodifieds, Grand American Modifieds, Legends of the Pacific plus the WSRA Mini Cup and Baby Grands.

 

The Madera Speedway is conveniently located at the Madera County Fairgrounds just off to the west side of Highway 99 at the Cleveland Avenue exit.

 

For more Madera Speedway information visit the track’s website at www.racemadera.com or call the Info/Race Line phone number at (559) 673-RACE and for information on the Madera Speedway Spectator Racing Series program go to www.spectatorracing.com on the web or call (209) 476-8123.

 

 

Madera Speedway

Media Release – Results for 8-2-08

Media Relations – Dale J Bosowski (209) 818-1731

HotWood 750 Series Western Late Models

Fast Time – Jeff Belletto (Modesto) – 15.240 seconds

Dash – None

Main #1 – 50 Laps

Joey Stearns (Stockton)

Jeff Belletto (Modesto)

Ross Strmiska (Stockton)

Dave Byrd (Monterey)

Del McIntosh (Madera)

Rick Thompson (Madera)

Harry Belletto (Modesto)

Donny Darter (Stockton)

Nic Belletto (Modesto)

Kyle Gottula (Modesto) -DQ

Main #2 – 50 Laps

Dave Byrd (Monterey)

Kyle Gottula (Modesto)

Ross Strmiska (Stockton)

Jeff Belletto (Modesto)

Rick Thompson (Madera)

Harry Belletto (Modesto)

Joey Stearns (Stockton)

Del McIntosh (Madera)

Donny Darter (Stockton)

Nic Belletto (Modesto)

American Limited Stock Car

Fast Time -- Jason Aguirre (Atwater) – 16.242 seconds

Dash – Dennis Saunders Jr. (Modesto), Lloyd Bamping (Clovis), Howard Holden (Clovis), Jason Aguirre (Atwater)

Main – 30 Laps

Donny Darter (Stockton)

Dennis Saunders Jr. (Modesto)

Howard Holden (Clovis)

Nic Belletto (Modesto)

Jason Aguirre (Atwater)

Lloyd Bamping (Clovis)

Larry Pasquale (Fresno)

Thomas Vosburg (Stockton)

Garland Tyler (Modesto)

Donald Selsor (Fresno)

Robert Daniels (Lodi)

Manny Gonzalez (Modesto)

Toyota Sedans

Fast Time – Stan Hankins (Fresno) – 18.083 seconds

Dash – Steve Trusner (Fresno), Stan Hankins (Fresno), Justin Dukes (Fresno), Jason Kerns (Fresno)

Main – 20 laps

Stan Hankins (Fresno)

Jason Kerns (Fresno)

Steve Trusner (Fresno)

Jed Gilman (Fresno)

Candee McIntosh (Madera)

John McCollum Sr. (Stockton)

Tim Kammerer (Fresno)

John McCollum Jr. (Stockton)

Justin Dukes (Fresno)

Justin Kawahata (Clovis)

Don Davey (Clovis)

Thomas Geiger (Fresno)

Modified Super Toyotas

Fast Time – Randy Fleming Jr. (Madera) – 16.904 seconds

Dash – John Bowersox (Chowchilla), Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla), CJ Dizney (Madera), Randy Fleming Jr. (Madera)

Main - 20 Laps

Jason Bowersox (Chowchilla)

CJ Dizney (Madera)

Casey Nydahl

Gene Adams (Fresno)

Bobby Hurst (Fresno)

Donnie Large Jr. (Fresno)

Rian Bowman (Madera)

Randy Fleming Jr. (Madera)

John Bowersox (Chowchilla)

Hornets

Dash – Miles Humphreys (Clovis), Jeff Dizney (Madera), David Boyko (Tollhouse), Dawn Darter (Stockton)

Heat 1 - Dawn Darter (Stockton), Miles Humphreys (Clovis), Sheldon Phillips (Fresno), Dillion Jackson (Madera), Theresa Aguirre (Modesto), Jamie Sickler (Clovis)

Heat 2 – David Boyko (Tollhouse), Jeff Dizney (Madera), Nolon Doss IV (Madera), Kathy Evans (Madera), Dan Evans (Madera)

Main – 20 laps

Jeff Dizney (Madera)

David Boyko (Tollhouse)

Miles Humphreys (Clovis)

Dawn Darter (Stockton)

Sheldon Phillips (Fresno)

Dillion Jackson (Madera)

Nolon Doss IV (Madera)

Theresa Aguirre (Modesto)

Dan Evans (Madera)

Jamie Sickler (Clovis)

Kathy Evans (Madera)

Spectator Racing Series

Fast Time – Candice Gama – 19.885 seconds

Main - 15 Laps

Lacey Palmberg

Melissa Malybacher

Jen Bonshel

Rebecca Thomas

Sherene Boni

Candice Gama