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HUDDLESTON AND HAMILTON PREVAIL DURING 51ST HARVEST CLASSIC AT MADERA SPEEDWAY
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (September 28, 2024) – Racing before the largest crowd of the season, Trevor Huddleston and Davey Hamilton shared victory lane at the 51st Harvest Classic at Madera Speedway on Saturday night. Huddleston won the West Coast Stock Car / Motorsports Hall of Fame 150 in a door-banging duel with 2023 ARCA Menards Series West champion Sean Hingorani. Hamilton’s win in the 40-lap Speed Tour Super Modifieds was a dominant one in his first motorsports start of the season.
Huddleston proposed to his longtime girlfriend Nastasia Dodd in victory lane as well at the speedway where they first met.
“What a race! This car…absolutely epic! Race Car Factory, High Point Racing, everybody who made this possible - I can’t thank them enough. Getting these wins isn’t easy,” Huddleston said.
Jaron Giannini of Henderson, Nevada scored the General Tire Pole Award in just his third start in the series over 17 entries. Huddleston worked his way to the inside of Giannini to take the lead by lap eight. 2023 polesitter Eric Nascimento, Jr. slowed to a stop with mechanical woes to end his evening early on lap 25. 2006 NASCAR Southwest Tour champion Rip Michels spun on the restart for the next caution flag.
Fourth-starting Sean Hingorani worked his way up to second by lap 33 with a three quarter of a second gap behind Huddleston. Huddleston’s lead grew to over one full second while Giannini reeled Hingorani back in for second.
2022 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series champion Ethan Nascimento then challenged Giannini for third. Nascimento worked upstairs to the outside of Hingorani briefly by lap 69 for second in a dynamic race among the drivers in second, third, and fourth. The next caution flew on lap 82 when Japanese driver Takuma Koga tangled with Canadian David Smith in turn two. The incident erased a nearly three second lead for Huddleston over the fierce second place battle.
Nascimento slipped back to fourth on the restart and fell into an entertaining scrum with two-time Short Track Shootout winner Kyle Keller.
Loomis’ Jack Wood spun in turn three on lap 102 and was hit hard by Kyle Whisner, requiring a red flag for fluid cleanup. When the red flag was lifted, incoming points leader Tyler Reif of Las Vegas was unavle to re-fire the No. 13 Toyota, forcing him to retire from the race and costing him the points lead over Hingorani.
Ethan Nascimento battled back to third with a three-wide maneuver underneath Giannini with ten laps to go. Wood spun in the fourth turn with five to go, setting up a sprint to the finish. Huddleston and Hingorani went side-by-side over the final two circuits. They banged doors coming to the line and Huddleston grabbed the checkered flag by just half a car length, or a mere .084 seconds on the timing and scoring. Nascimento finished third, followed by 17th-starting Eric Johnson, Jr. in a career-high fourth. Keller earned his third consecutive top-five finish in fifth.
Davey Hamilton won the 40-lap Speed Tour Super Modified feature, racing in tribute to Bill Vukovich II while driving the famed pink No. 98 normally campaigned by his 83-year-old father Ken Hamilton.
Goodyear, Ariz.’s Nathan Byrd led the unlimited winged machines to green with Fresno’s Tim Skoglund, Bobby Dalton of Morgan Hill, Hamilton, and Fresno’s Jim Birges making up an incredibly close five-car pack.
The leaders went two-by-two down the backstretch on lap ten. Hamilton eventually won second place, then soared around the outside of Byrd to lead lap 15.
Birges followed suit a few laps later but the advantage for Hamilton was nearly a straightaway at that stage. Hamilton and Birges each clicked off multiple 12 second laps but the lead grew for Hamilton in lapped traffic to nearly half a lap. Hamilton eventually lapped all but the top-three finishers in the high-speed, non-stop affair.
Hamilton and Birges were followed by Dalton and Byrd. Skoglund was unable to finish with mechanical problems, thrusting ageless wonder Art McCarthy of San Jose into fifth. Tacoma, Wash.’s Randy Anderson locked up both the owner’s title and driver’s title for the 2024 Speed Tour series as well with a sixth-place run.
“First off I want to thank Warren Budell. He owns this car and my dad usually drives it but he has to have a hip replacement,” Hamilton said. “I was just rolling. The brakes were a little tender but the car was handling so good. Madera Speedway been a long time, thank you guys for coming out. Had a lot of wins here, didn’t know if I’d ever get one again. This one is for the Vukovich family.”
Shauna Hogg of Fair Oaks won her second consecutive NCMA Sprint Car feature during a thrilling 25-lap race. Hogg withstood numerous challenges from the “Racing Doctor” David Goodwill of Napa and 10-time USAC Sprint Car champion Tony Hunt for the triumph. Folsom’s Jerry Kobza and Justin Kawahata of Clovis rounded out the top-five.
Madera Speedway serves up another big stock car show on October 19 with the 12th annual Short Track Shootout presented by Mission Foods. The Madera Pro Late Model Series will duel in a 200-lap feature on the one-third mile speedway for $10,000 to win. The event carries over $30,000 in awards. 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models, INEX Legends, and INEX Bandoleros will also have championships on the line.
For more information about the Madera Speedway including how to advertise with a race team on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or call the race office at 209-356-1968.
The 2024 season would not be possible without the support 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Franks Radio, Sunoco Race Fuel, and Sealmaster.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights at 6pm Pacific and 9pm Eastern. Check www.MAVTV.com for program listings.
MATT ERICKSON WITHSTANDS PRESSURE FROM CANCILLA TO PREVAIL IN MADERA PRO LATE MODELS
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (September 14, 2024) – Matt Erickson of La Grange outlasted multiple challenges from 12-year-old Vito Cancilla of Martinez to earn his second Madera Pro Late Model Series powered by Mission Foods feature win of the season on Saturday night. The victory in the MAVTV-televised series came during the penultimate eighth round of the 2024 championship, with Erickson running second in the standings.
His night opened in perfect fashion with fast-time in qualifying on the one-third mile speedway followed by drawing the pole in the redraw.
“After that opening day where we grenade’d (a motor) with a dominant car, this is a lot better,” Erickson said. “Without the help of Eric Nascimento we wouldn’t have got a motor. The 12-year-old over here gave me a run for my money.”
Erickson fired of from the pole for the 80-lap contest with Cancilla taking over third on lap 12. Incoming points leader and defending champion Tyler Herzog of Fresno battled throughout the opening 50-lap segment with Bubba Nascimento for fifth. Will Martyn of Coarsegold spun on lap 20 to bring out a caution. On the restart, Cooper tried to drive outside of Erickson but the paid made slight contact and Erickson held the position.
Cancilla then drove underneath Cooper to nab second place. An additional spin for Martyn on lap 23 allowed Cancilla to restart outside Erickson. Cancilla tried high and low multiple times but was unable to pass Erickson. Erickson led Cancilla, Cooper, rookie Joey Kennealy of Madera, and Herzog at the lap 50 break for adjustments and MAVTV interviews. Trevor Schlundt of Clovis wrapped up the club Late Model division championship at the conclusion of lap 50 as well in the combined race, winning the title on his mom’s birthday.
The second segment saw Yorba Linda’s Nathan Quella and Loomis’ Kenna Mitchell collide in turns one and two. The race stayed green but Mitchell fell to the back of the field. Quella then spun in turn two on lap 54, getting hit hard in the nose by Shaun Reynolds. 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model winner Cam Carraway of Castro Valley and Schlundt also suffered race ending damage.
On the restart, Cancilla continued to jockey with Erickson. A caution flew on lap 70 for Mitchell spinning after side-by-side contact with Mariposa’s Glen Cook. Cancilla threw his No. V5 for Nascimento Motorsports inside of Erickson on multiple occasions over the final ten laps to no avail. Erickson won by a nose over Cancilla with Cooper finishing third. Kennealy and Herzog rounded out the top-five.
Tristan Pena of San Antonio scored his second consecutive 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series 70-lap feature and third of the season after winning a side-by-side battle with points leader Jace Hale of Manteca.
“It feels amazing because we’ve gone through so much adversity this season. This just makes up for it,” Pena said. “It was pretty tough but I knew I could drive in a little deeper than (Hale) could.”
Like Erickson, Pena led qualifying and drew the pole for the feature event. Hayden Stepps and Skyler Schoppe collided on the opening turn to bring out a caution flag. Both continued on. A caution for debuting racer Kourtney Baker, age 13, spinning gave Hale his first shot on the outside of Pena. Hale led lap two before Pena battled back to lead lap three and take the race all the way to its lap 40 schedule race break. Pena led Hale, Cam Carraway, Livermore’s Jacob Ryan, and Schoppe at the break.
When action resumed, Carraway challenged the back bumper of Hale for second. Pena accumulated a 1.096 second lead which evaporated when Stepps spun on lap 55 in the third turn. Hale tried to make the outside work again, but Pena found a way to keep the lead. Tristan Pena darted off to victory followed by Hale, Carraway, Ryan, and a resurgent Stepps in fifth.
13-year-old Taylor Mayhew returned to Madera Speedway and won his first Madera Legends feature in a 30-lap contest. Mayhew had to fend off his father David throughout the race. August winner Colton Page of Bakersfield tagged the backstretch wall at the start and was unable to continue.
The Mayhew and Mayhew show were followed across the checkered flag by their teammate Johnny White. Madera’s CJ Dizney finished fourth while championship contender Eddie Garone of Bakersfield rounded out the top-five.
Madera’s Joseph Holliday had a successful debut in the new Pro Sportsman division, winning qualifying, his heat race, and the main event. Holliday led just the final two laps for the exciting win in the 30-lap event. Finishing second was Steve Schermerhorn of Oakhurst who still managed to wrap up the championship. Brian Taylor finished third.
2023 INEX Bandolero champion Kaine Bettancourt has virtually locked up the 2024 title after winning the 15-lap event. Madera’s Kellen Keller finished second with Andrew Williams in third.
Up next at Madera Speedway is the 51st annual Harvest Classic featuring the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame 150 for the ARCA Menards Series West. The Speed Tour Super Modifieds will also be competing along with NCMA Sprint Cars and Legends of Kearney Bowl. On-track autographs kick off the festivities at 6pm followed by the main event action. Tickets and info will be available this week at www.RaceMadera.com
The 2024 season would not be possible without the support 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Franks Radio, Sunoco Race Fuel, and Sealmaster.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights at 6pm Pacific and 9pm Eastern. Check www.MAVTV.com for program listings.
TYLER HERZOG EARNS SECOND PRO LATE MODEL FEATURE WIN OF 2024 AT MADERA SPEEDWAY
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (August 24, 2024) – 2023 Madera Pro Late Model Series powered by Mission Foods champion Tyler Herzog of Fresno extended his 2024 lead with his second win of the year in Saturday’s round seven at Madera Speedway. Texan Tristan Pena also earned a second win on the season in the MAVTV-televised stock car action.
“I drove him clean the whole first half. Was running him clean and the whole backstretch he was dooring. Going down the front straightaway he doors me there. So I was just done,” Herzog said. “
The initial start of the 80-lap feature saw 2023 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series champion Vito Cancilla drive into the back of Cam Carraway of Castro Valley, with Carraway narrowly missing the wall. On the next attempt at the start, polesitter Shelden Cooper of Clovis restarted on the outside of Glen Cook of Mariposa. Cook took advantage on the bottom to take the lead.
Seventh starting Herzog advanced to third by lap seven. A multi-car crash brought the race to a yellow flag on lap 21. Olivia Manke of Fresno, Troy Ermish of Tracy, and Carlos Vieira crashed in the fourth turn. Vieira suffered heavy damage which ended his evening.
Manke emerged from the pits as the race was restarting. Cooper threaded the needle in a three wide maneuver to soar past Cook to lead lap 22. Herzog then took over second on the outside of Cook as well.
Herzog then dove low on Cooper but was unable to complete the pass. The top-five cars searched high and low on the Madera Speedway with fast-time qualifier Kyle Keller and Matt Erickson battling for third.
Cooper led Herzog, Keller, Erickson, and Cook into the lap 50 break for adjustments and MAVTV interviews. Herzog worked to the inside of Cooper for the lead with the pair making contact down the backstretch. Herzog led lap 53 with Keller knifing inside to lead lap 54. The pair ran side-by-side until Herzog was clear of Keller on lap 56.
Keller used the bottom to trade the second position with Cooper, with Keller solidly in the position on lap 66. Erickson then took third from Cooper on lap 73.
Despite running some of his best laps of the race, Keller was unable to track down Herzog. The 2023 champion topped the 2022 champion with Tyler Herzog in victory lane over Keller. Erickson was third followed by Cooper, and Nathan Quella of Yorba Linda.
San Antonio’s Tristan Pena won his second-career 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series race while points leader Jace Hale extended his points lead over the other drivers in the top-three in the championship.
The 70-lap event kicked off with Cam Carraway of Castro Valley taking the lead on the outside. Carraway then slid wide in turn two, allowing polesitter Jacob Ryan of Livermore to lead lap two.
Ryan and Pena developed a big gap ahead of the battling for third. A caution flew on lap 16 for Mia Wright of Reno spinning. On the restart, Ryan slid which allowed Pena to lead lap 17. Hale drove inside of Pena and took over on lap 18.
Carraway seized third from Ryan on lap 28 as well. The race went into its lap 40 scheduled break two laps early after Wright spun, with Hale leading Pena, Carraway, Ryan, and Skyler Schoppe. Ryan was unable to restart the race with mechanical woes.
On the restart, Pena went outside of Hale for the top spot. A thrilling door banging battle ensued with Hale muscled his way past Pena to lead lap 43 at the stripe. Pena got back to him with his bumper, taking the lead back by the second turn and withstanding an onslaught from Hale to lead lap 44.
Pena drove away for the coveted win followed by Hale, Carraway, Scoppe, and Wright.
Bakersfield’s Colton Page won the 30-lap INEX Legends feature for his second win of the year. Page took the lead from Madera’s Aiden Phillips on lap seven. Wyatt Sansom of Stockton, Bakersfield’s Logan Chambers, Bakersfield’s Eddie Garone, and Phillips were the top-five finishers.
Defending champion Kaine Betancourt won a back-and-forth race with Madera’s Kellen Keller to win the 15-lap INEX Bandolero feature. Andrew Williams finished third.
Tyler Holden held off points leader Steve Schermerhorn to take the 30-lap Pro Sportsman feature. Brian Taylor finished third.
Joseph Holliday won the Mini Super Toyota main event.
Madera Speedway returns to racing on September 14 for round eight of the MAVTV-televised stock car action with Madera Pro Late Model Series powered by Mission Foods, 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series, INEX Legends, INEX Bandoleros, and Mini Super Toyotas competing.
For more information about the Madera Speedway including how to advertise with a race team on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or call the race office at 209-356-1968.
The 2024 season would not be possible without the support 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Franks Radio, Sunoco Race Fuel, and Sealmaster.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights at 6pm Pacific and 9pm Eastern. Check www.MAVTV.com for program listings.
WASHINGTON’S ANDY BROWN TAKES THE FIFTH ANNUAL OLGAS CALIFORNIA DREAM 100
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (August 17, 2024) – Spokane, Washington’s Andy Brown won fast-time, overcame a 20-car inversion, and stormed to victory lane in the MAVTV-televised Olga’s California Dream on Saturday night at Madera Speedway. The fifth annual event attracted over 40 Mini Stock participants to the pit area for the 100-lap grind on the one-third mile speedway.
“This is awesome. I’ve won a couple late model races in the Northwest but this awesome,” Brown said. “Can’t thank everybody enough. I’ve got the best friends and family. I can’t believe it!”
“I was getting tired; I’m not going to lie. It’s pretty good when the car is good like that,” Brown said.
The 20-lap Chad’s Quick Auto C-Main was claimed by Chris Moloso of North Bend, Oregon while the Impel Motorsports B-Main went to Mitchell Mohler of Valley Center, CA.
2023 runner-up Cody Parenteau of Lakeside led the opening lap of the 24-car feature. 2023 winner Drew Crenshaw of Nampa, ID took the lead on lap two. Colton Schultz of Spokane, winner of the fast-dash, went up in smoke for a caution on lap eight.
Joe Flower of Stockton got sideways in front of the pack on the restart but everyone avoided him with the race staying green. Crenshaw led the field into lapped traffic on lap 16. Casey Jeske of Spokane led the Jeske three-car assault when he advanced to second. Jeske then seized the lead on lap 32.
Crenshaw suffered a flat right front tire and lost laps in the infield. Terry Armstrong of Spokane faltered from fourth position. The No. 168 of Mitch Jeske closed in on his son Casey and took the lead on lap 42. A huge fire underneath the hood of Idaho’s Mike Anderson brought out a red flag on lap 44 and brought the race to its scheduled halfway break six laps early. Andy Brown had advanced to fifth by that point.
Casey Jeske retook the lead on lap 46 before a caution for Flower’s car suffering a fire. Justin Carson of Utah and Parenteau tangled in turn one for a caution on lap 49.
Brown started rolling the outside line and took over third on lap 52. Then Mitch Jeske dropped out of the race on lap 56. Brown continued to roll, sweeping past Casey Jeske to lead lap 59. Parenteau and fifth-running Bryce Rupert clashed in turn one to set up a shootout final 28 lap segment for the feature.
Despite a furious challenge from Brad Rhoads of Pasco, Washington, Brown held the lead as they darted in and out of lapped traffic. Brown won by a car length followed by Rhoads, Camron Jeske of Spokane, Gary Cagle of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Rupert.
Chase Hand earned his first career Pro Late Model victory when he led wire-to-wire in the Madera Late Model feature. The event was shortened after several incidents, including a multi-car crash in turn four. Olivia Manke and Matt Erickson collided in the fourth turn, gobbling up over half of the field. Jason Aguirre of Atwater darted to the right to avoid and hit the wall to end his event.
Hand topped Will Martyn of Coarsegold who debuted a new race car to finish second. Trevor Schlundt, Rick Thompson, and birthday boy Loren Kutz rounded out the top-five.
“Super” Steve Schermerhorn dominated all 30-laps of the Pro Sportsman feature ahead of “Wingnut” Brian Taylor and Drew Ries. Schermerhorn extended his points lead as well.
Patrick Geiger won his fifth Mini Super Toyota feature of the season, taking the 30-lap contest. A caution fell on lap 18 for Joseph Holliday going up in smoke on the front stretch and stopping at the start finish line. Geiger and Ryan Reynolds lined up alongside of each other with 12 laps to go. Geiger motored ahead of Reynolds while Reynolds topped Shay Gouldy for second position. Gouldy settled for third.
Madera Speedway races again on Saturday August 24th with the MAVTV-televised Pro Late Model Series powered by Mission Foods and the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series in action for round seven of their championships. INEX Legends, INEX Bandoleros, Pro Sportsman, and Mini Super Toyotas will also be competing.
For more information about the Madera Speedway including how to advertise with a race team on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or call the race office at 209-356-1968.
The 2024 season would not be possible without the support 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Franks Radio, Sunoco Race Fuel, and Sealmaster.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights at 6pm Pacific and 9pm Eastern. Check www.MAVTV.com for program listings.