Race Office 209-356-1968 Track Hot Line 559-673-7223
Madera, Ca. (8-12-18) - Saturday evening Donnie Large Sr. was leading the 360 Super Modified race at the Madera Speedway when on lap 21 while coming down the front straightaway it appeared as though his car broke and lost power, Donnie coasted around turns one and two as the car slowed down and then gently kissed the turn two wall and turned left to slowly come down the track until it stopped against the inside retaining wall after making contact with third place driver Lance... Jackson.
Later that evening we found out we lost Donnie. Reports indicate he was unconscious while entering turn one and likely suffered a medical emergency while in the race car leading the race.
Nobody held more track records at the Madera Speedway than Donnie Large Sr., he also won races in more divisions than anyone else at the speedway. More than a winning driver he was a huge personality that will be badly missed.
The California racing community has been knocked to its knees in recent times losing some of its best driver’s, owners, crew members, fans and officials our sport has ever known. The big race track in the sky got another great one yesterday.
Out of respect for the family we have withheld comments until this morning, we are heartbroken for Donnie’s family, friends and the racing community that Donnie has been a big part of for a long time. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, we ask all of the racing community for prayers and support for the Large family at this difficult time.
VIEIRA OUTLASTS ROMERO FOR THIRD CAREER PCS WIN
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (August 11, 2018) – A pressure-filled 63 lap green flag run to finish ended with Carlos Vieira taking his third career Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com victory on Saturday night at Madera Speedway. Vieira, of Livingston, CA, outlasted points leader Jason Romero in arguably the closest series event at Madera yet.
Vieira topped a narrow Sunoco Fuels qualifying session by .002 seconds over Romero which saw only .086 seconds across the top-six. The American Racer Tire Dash for a set of tires went a different direction with Galt’s Matt Wendt winning it for the second event in a row.
Wendt led the opening two laps of the 75 feature on the one-third mile before Cole Moore edged forward from the outside to lead lap three. Vieira used the outside himself to nab second from Wendt not long after. John Moore and Matt Scott had a nice side-by-side duel for fourth behind them as well.
Vieira didn’t waste any time attacking Cole Moore using the inside to take the lead on lap seven. The leaders all started to move upstairs on the two-groove race track before things came to a halt on lap 12. A multi-car melee that included defending champion Mike Beeler, Mike Hite, and debutants Jacob Smith and Tyler Herzog blocked the front stretch for a red flag. For the third consecutive PCS event at Madera, Hite was eliminated with crash damage. The other three drivers continued on.
John Moore used the restart to seize third from Wendt while Matt Scott battled side-by-side with Romero for fifth. Ripon’s Mike Ray suffered mechanical problems that bounced him from the race on lap 27.
The Moores continued to battle as John Moore took over third from Cole Moore on lap 34 and went after Vieira for the lead. On lap 37, the top-six cars ran virtually nose-to-tail as the intensity never relented. Romero turned up the wick, passing Scott then getting third from Cole Moore on lap 38. John Moore started to challenge Vieira, with the duo making hard contact in turn four on lap 39. Romero closed down on them from third before the leaders made contact again on lap 46 in turn four.
Romero nosed inside Moore on several occasions for second place before finally clearing Moore on lap 68. The remaining seven laps saw Romero try high and low to get around Vieira, going upstairs in turns one and two with three laps to go to no avail. Carlos Vieira fended off Romero for his third career Pacific Challenge Series victory after a 63 lap green flag run, with John Moore a close third. Cole Moore and Matt Scott rounded out the top-five.
The championship battle sees Romero gain two points on John Moore for a 16 point gap heading into the 2018 championship race on October 13th at All American Speedway in Roseville, CA. The originally scheduled round #7 at Roseville on September 8th has been cancelled and the speedway will instead run a 150 lap special event for their local Late Model division.
For more information on the Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com, visit www.PacificChallengeSeries.com or follow them on Facebook or YouTube
TYLER REIF & BUDDY SHEPHERD LEAD WINNERS AT MADERA FOR SUMMER SPEEDFEST
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (July 28, 2018) – 11 year-old Tyler Reif of Las Vegas, NV won his first career 51FIFTY Energy Drink Jr. Late Model race while Bakersfield’s Buddy Shepherd nabbed $5,000 in the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series during Saturday’s Summer Speedfest at Madera Speedway. A hot night of racing challenged the drivers in the MAVTV-televised racing on the one-third mile speedway.
Round #6 of the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models was a 70 lap race. The redraw of the top-six cars placed defending champion Jesse Love of Menlo Park on the pole but he was passed on the outside by Kayla Eshleman of Fontana who led lap one. Love and Austin Edwards were among early drivers to fall out of the race with mechanical problems, with Love credited with 15th position as the last place car.
A four car incident in turn one ended the debut for Bakersfield’s Zachary Ginn, who also races in the Mini Cups vs. Bandoleros series. Calvin Hegje and Tanner Reif were also gathered up. Two-time 2018 winner Dylan Zampa of Napa started a long battle with Tyler Reif for second on lap 11 and the duo rarely separated throughout much of the event.
Reif cleared Zampa then saw Zampa crawl right up to his rear bumper on lap 20. A spin from Watsonville’s Lilly Mead from seventh place on lap 26 brought out the caution. Issues with the pace truck forced an extended stoppage that ended up being the lap 40 break, 14 laps early.
Tyler Reif nosed inside Eshleman for the lead coming out of the break and took over the top position on lap 32. The caution flew on lap 33 and on the restart Zampa went around Eshleman for second using the outside. Eshleman fought to get the spot back on lap 37. The pair went side-by-side in lapped traffic on lap 45 which sparked a wild crash. Eshleman tagged the left rear of Hailey Liles, sending Liles down the track to hook the rear of Zampa. Zampa hit the front stretch wall head on. Liles spun back down the race track and made contact with Eshleman again at start finish.
Remarkably Zampa was able to make repairs to both ends of his race car to continue on as he tried to close the points gap on Jesse Love. Hegje and Kyler Berry had an incident for another caution on lap 46. Madera’s Joey Iest charged up to third in his debut, before tangling with Eshleman in turn three for a caution on lap 47 that sent both to the rear.
The incident thrust Tanner Reif back into the picture behind his brother Tyler. One additional caution late in the running set up a sprint to the finish that wowed the crowd. With both drivers chasing their first career series wins, the younger Tyler held off Tanner by a nose in a sliding duel to the checkered flag. Zampa managed third to unofficially take the points lead. Eshleman and Hegje rounded out the top-five.
The Summer Speedfest 100 for the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series was a battle to see who could outlast a tough night. Points leader Austin Herzog, age 15 from Clovis, drew the pole position but was overhauled by Military Tribute Night winner Racin Vernon of Bakersfield on lap one.
Two-time series champion Buddy Shepherd went inside Herzog to take second as well. Shepherd reeled in Vernon by lap five and they went side-by-side. The Bakersfield drivers battled until lap nine when Shepherd took the lead. The field hit lapped traffic in the 22 car starting grid by lap 18 with the first caution not falling until lap 25.
Dillon Tucker stalled on the backstretch while both Erickson and Kolby Berry spun on opposite ends of the track. The caution was ruled to be for Tucker with an electrical fire, allowing both spinning cars to get their spots back.
Under caution, oil was found on the track from the rear end of Garland Tyler’s car. Both Tyler and Tucker made repairs and returned after a lengthy red flag. Tyler then spun on his own on the restart and B Main winner Ryan Hart tangled with Jack Wood coming back to the yellow.
Racin Vernon fell backwards on the restart getting passed by both Jason Aguirre and Adam Lemke. He eventually fell back to eighth on lap 35 behind Matt Erickson. The battling for Vernon intensified when he went three wide with Ryan Philpott and Logan Zampa, bouncing off the backstretch wall for a lap 37 caution. Vernon managed to make repairs and continue.
Eighth starting Aguirre made his way around Herzog to take second place on the restart with Shepherd leading Aguirre across the stripe to the lap 50 break.
Coming out of the break for MAVTV interviews and adjustments, Herzog and Aguirre had a big sideways slide down the front stretch that bounced them back to fifth and sixth. Rookies Adam Lemke and Nick Grossi took advantage of all the sliding around within the top-five to move up to second and third behind Shepherd. Carlos Vieira started to join the battling as well moving past Grossi into third on lap 62 bringing 2016 champion Matt Erickson with him. Erickson moved past Vieira for third by lap 71 before a caution on lap 73 when Kolby Berry’s engine expired in turn four.
Lemke and Herzog battled for second place on the restart before a red flag on lap 80 for the most serious crash of the evening. Rookie Christian Roche of Oakdale slid off the wall in turn four and clipped Ripon’s Henk Gaalswyk, with both making significant impact to the wall to end their evenings. Another caution came out when Zampa stopped in turn four on lap 82.
Impending curfew meant the final caution would end the event and gave Herzog and Erickson one more shot at Shepherd. Shepherd pulled away when Vieira and Aguirre had a grinding crash off the front stretch wall to end the race on a lap 87 yellow checkered flag. Shepherd, Herzog, Erickson, Lemke and Dillon Tucker were the top-five at the finish.
The Mini Cups vs. Bandoleros 20 lap main event was also spectacular, but not as much in the Bandolero portion of the race within a race. Bakersfield’s Riley Massey got the job done on that end with a comfortable 7.9 second win to extend her points lead. But the battle that transpired half a track behind her was one of the best of the year.
Mini Cup points leader Kabe McClenny and Napa’s Aaron Thomas battled back and forth for the lead of their class throughout the entire race, doing so in the vicinity of second place Bandolero Hank Hall of Bakersfield. The trio ran three-wide on numerous occasions and darted in and out of lapped traffic. McClenny finally drove away from Thomas in the closing stages of the event to win the Mini Cup portion of the evening yet again. The overall finish saw Massey’s Bandolero followed by McClenny, Thomas, and Aiden Phillips’ Mini Cup. Hall suffered a mechanical problem on the final two laps to soldier home in seventh.
The Modified Super Toyotas started with Dave Lander leading the way before a multi-car spin in turn three closed the field up. Shaun Reynolds took over the lead and did not look back ahead of 2017 champion Bert Stephens, while Lander and Patrick Geiger raced hard for third place. Lander and Geiger wrecked hard coming to the finish line with Geiger flipping across the line. He was uninjured and was credited with fourth behind Lander.
Racing continues at Madera Speedway on August 4th with the Children's Hospital Kids Night - Madera Late Models, Madera Hobby Stocks, F4 Beater Cross, Toyota Sedans, MST, Jr Late Model 30 lap exhibition race, Southwest Tour Truck Series
For more information about Madera Racing on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or www.mavtv.com. For more information on RPM Mortgage and to obtain loan information please visit www.rpmwins.com and for more information about 51FIFTY Energy Drink visit www.51fiftyenergydrink.com
Madera Speedway is presented by major partners RPM Mortgage, 51FIFTY Energy Drink, Nut Up Industries, NICERIDE, iPull-uPull, and Color Fast Industries.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Thursdays at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. PST and is also available on the Lucas Oil Racing TV app.
ERICKSON EARNS THIRD MADERA WIN OF 2018 DURING SPENCER CLASSIC
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (July 1, 2018) – Running a tribute hood on his #42 Late Model, Matt Erickson won his third RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series race of 2018, Saturday, during the “Reverend Ron Spencer Red, White, and Blue Classic” at Madera Speedway. The 80 lap MAVTV-televised race was part of a large evening of patriotic racing in honor of the late track Champlain.
Erickson qualified fastest but had to start sixth after the redraw. That placed Military Tribute Night Winner Racin Vernon on the pole position as he aimed for another patriotic win. The caution flew immediately on the 80 lap feature on lap one, then again on lap eight.
Vernon’s run at the front ended after a lap 22 caution for Henk Gaalswyk spinning. Vernon lost a power steering cap and had a brief fire, but was able to rejoin the field. Erickson took over the lead with Jason Agguire up to second. Erickson’s lead was slowed by a lengthy red flag on lap 28 when Blaine Rocha and Kyle Gottula made contact for fourth. The ensuing melee gathered up Glen Cook and B Main transfer Garland Tyler as well.
Vernon then lost a water line on lap 28 for another cleanup period and another red flag. Jarrett Gilmer suffered what he later described as a possible season ending engine failure on lap 40 that ended up beckoning the race’s scheduled break as well.
Teams made repairs and adjustments and the top-three were interviewed for MAVTV before racing continued on the blistering night. A multi-car pileup occurred coming out of the break with rookie Christian Roche spinning. Gaalswyk and David Lewellen both made heavy contact with Roche to end their evenings.
After a lap 53 caution for Vernon spinning, the race went green to the finish with Erickson topping Agguire, incoming points leader Austin Herzog, Adam Lemke for a career best fourth, and Ryan Hart. The championship battle between Herzog and Erickson has closed considerably with the $5,000 to win feature on July 28th looming large. Four-time Modified Super Toyota champion Kevin Thompson won the $500 B Main event for the Pro Late Models as well.
2017 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series champion Jesse Love IV earned his third win of the season as well to extend his points lead. Love was one of many drivers who had a close relationship with Spencer. Love qualified second behind six-time series winner Austin Herzog. Herzog also grabbed the pole in the redraw. Second starting Tyler Reif of Las Vegas, NV took over the lead from the get go while Love marched forward from his fifth starting spot.
Herzog retired to the pits on lap 22 with mechanical woes allowing Love to assume second place. Love then took over the lead on lap 28. Dylan Zampa, a two-time winner this year, took over second on lap 42.
The race was a special 50 lap race with no scheduled breaks and Love went on for a strong 1.4 second victory over Zampa. Tanner Reif took third from his brother Tyler late in the going with Kayla Eshleman fifth after starting eighth.
Riley Massey of Bakersfield won her second Mini Cup vs. Bandoleros race, taking both the Bandolero main event and the overall win in the 20 lap race also televised for MAVTV. Bakersfield’s Kale McClenny returned to his winning ways by taking the Mini Cup portion of the event and finishing a scant .334 seconds behind Massey at the checkered flag The Mini Cup of Aaron Thomas, Zachary Ginn’s Bando, and Aiden Phillips’ Mini Cup rounded out the top-five.
Both the Modified Super Toyotas and Toyota Sedans staged extra-distance 48 lap features as part of the special festivities. Jason Lawton led on three different occasions to take the Toyota Sedan main event in a narrow win over Barrett Sugden. Greg Tyler, Jillaun Holden, and Thomas Magray made up the rest of the top-five.
Ryan Reynolds took the lead from his brother Shaun Reynolds and never looked back for the Modified Super Toyota victory. Dave Lander, Bert Stephens, and Zachary Cook finished out the top-five.
Racing continues at Madera Speedway on July 7th with the Gerhardt Classic 100 Lap Three wide start BCRA Midget Race, the Western Winged Super Sprint Series for $800 to start, USAC Western US Midgets, CSS/360 Super Modifieds, Vintage BCRA, and Legends of Kearney Bowl.
For more information about Madera Racing on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or www.mavtv.com. For more information on RPM Mortgage and to obtain loan information please visit www.rpmwins.com and for more information about 51FIFTY Energy Drink visit www.51fiftyenergydrink.com
Madera Speedway is presented by major partners RPM Mortgage, 51FIFTY Energy Drink, Nut Up Industries, NICERIDE, iPull-uPull, and Color Fast Industries.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Thursdays re-runs of the 2017 season every week. The show airs at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. PST and is also available on the Lucas Oil Racing TV app. New 2018 episodes will begin airing June 7th.
Madera Speedway 2018 Schedule Celebrating 47 years of Racing!
July 7th - Gerhardt Classic 100 Lap Three wide start BCRA Midget Race, The Western Winged Super Sprint Series, USAC Western US Midgets, CSS/360 Super Modifieds, Vintage BCRA, Legends of Kearney Bowl
July 14th - Madera Late Models, Madera Hobby Stocks, MST, Toyota Sedans, and the Jr, Late Model 30 lap exhibition race
July 21st - Closed
July 28th - Summer Speed Fest $5,000 to win Race #6 of the MAVTV televised RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series 100 laps (split 50’s), Race #6 of the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series 80 laps (50 laps then a break, then 30 laps), MSTs, Mini Cup vs Bandoleros Series
August 4th - Children's Hospital Kids Night - Madera Late Models, Madera Hobby Stocks, F4 Beater Cross, Toyota Sedans, MST, Jr Late Model 30 lap exhibition race, Southwest Tour Truck Series
August 11th - PCS Super Late Model Series (Pacific Challenge Series), Madera Hobby Stocks, CSS/360 Super Modifieds, USAC HPD Midgets, MST, Legends of the Pacific, F4 Beater Cross
August 18th - Closed
August 25th - Race # 7 of the MAVTV Televised $2,000 to win RPM Mortgage Pro Model Series 80 laps (50 then 30), Race #7 of the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series 80 laps (50 laps then a break, then 30 laps), Mini Cup vs Bandoleros Series , Legends of the Pacific, Toyota Sedans
September 1st - Hampton Inn and Suites Night at the Speedway, Madera Late Models, Madera Hobby Stocks, MST's, Toyota Sedans, F4 Beater Cross, and the Jr, Late Model 30 lap exhibition race
September 8th - Closed for the Madera Fair
September 14th - 46th Annual Harvest Classic Night #1 presented by ($5 Ticket Night!) for everyone on night one. Madera Late Models, Madera Hobby Stocks, F4 Beater Cross , MST, Toyota Sedans, USAC Western Midgets and Modified Truck Pulls!
September 15th - 46th Annual Harvest Classic presented by Midland Tractor and John Deere! The Western Winged Super Sprint Series, BCRA Midgets, USAC Western Midgets, NCMA Sprints, CSS/360 Super Modifieds, Legends of Kearney Bowl, California Hard Tops, Plus the Blown, Injected multi engine Pulling Tractors!
September 22nd - Race #8 of the MAVTV televised $2,000 to win RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series 80 laps (50 laps then 30), Race #8 of the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series 80 laps (50 laps then a break, the 30 laps), MST, Toyota Sedans, Mini Cup vs Bandoleros Series
September 29th – Spears SRL Southwest Tour 125, the USAC Western Midgets, CSS/360 Super Modifieds, Legends of the Pacific, Madera Hobby Stocks, and the Legends of Kearney Bowl
October 5th -Practice for the RPM Mortgage Short Track "Best of the West" $10,000.00 to win Shootout Event open to Lucas Oil Modifieds, Late Models, Jr. Late Models, and the Mini Cup vs Bandoleros Series
October 6th - 150 Lap $10,000.00 to WIN “NUT UP SHORT TRACK SHOOTOUT” for the MAVTV televised RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series 150 laps! (race #9 of the televised championship), Lucas Oil Modifieds 75 lap TV race! Race #9 of the 80 lap 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series and the Mini Cup vs Bandoleros Series
October 13th - Closed, NO RACES /
October 20th - 11th Annual iPull-uPull Pumpkin Smash Halloween Bash and Blow Up and Monster Trucks!, Madera Hobby Stocks, MST's, Toyota Sedans, $2,000 to Win 200 lap Enduro, the Extreme Barrel Racing Series, a Trick or Treat thru the Pits and on Track PUMPKIN SMASH for the KIDS!
October 27th - Closed
November 10th - 2018 Championship Awards Banquet
2018 Copyright Short Track Management, LLC
1850 W. Cleveland Ave
Madera, CA. 93637