SATURDAY’S MADERA SUMMER SPEEDFEST FEATURES $5000 MADERA PRO LATE MODEL RACE

MADERA, CALIFORNIA (July 17, 2024) – Madera Speedway hosts its biggest race of the summer on Saturday night July 20th with the $5,000 to win Madera Summer SpeedFest 100 for the Pro Late Model Series presented by Mission Foods. MAVTV-televised 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models, INEX Legends, and INEX Bandoleros are also scheduled at the fastest one-third mile in the west. Photo by Ethan Smith

Saturday’s race schedule will be on a summer schedule for comfort of the race fans and the race teams. Each division will stage a single practice session at 5pm followed immediately by time trials and heat races for the INEX divisions. Opening Ceremonies are slated for approx. 7pm with all four features to follow. Race fans can enjoy covered grandstands and plenty of ice cold beverages will be for sale as well.

All tickets will be sold at the track ticket booth. Adult tickets are just $20, seniors are $15, youth ages 6-12 are $10 and kids five and under are free. Meet me at Madera! Race fans can “Join” www.YouTube.com/ShortTrackTV for $19.99 per month for a members-only live stream as well.

Fresno’s Tyler Herzog increased his points lead in the 2024 Madera Pro Late Model Series after claiming the Ron Spencer Red, White, and Blue Classic in June. The defending series champion now enjoys a 28-point lead in the series. 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series champion Vito Cancilla, age 12, remains well within striking distance from second in the standings.

The tale of the tape shows Cancilla with two wins while Herzog has one win, after five rounds of competition. Herzog’s consistency has been his strength, with two thirds and two seconds as well. Herzog has consistently earned top-five bonus points at the halfway break each night as well. He has only earned one qualifying point however.

Round four winner Matt Erickson of La Grange is third in the standings and just 31-points out of the lead. He has earned 13 qualifying points, the most of any driver within the top-five in the championship. Shelden Cooper of Clovis, winner of round two, is fourth in the standings followed by the series’ leading rookie Joey Kennealy of Madera. Kennealy’s teammate Nathan Quella has earned two fast-time awards and a best finish of third this year as a rookie in the division.

Atwater’s Jason Aguirre, Coarsegold’s Shaun Reynolds, Rick Thompson of Fresno, and Ryan Reynolds round out the top-ten in the standings.

Jace “The Hammer” Hale of Manteca has turned up the wick on the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series with back-to-back victories. The series for drivers ages 10-16 years old opened with four different winners in four races before Hale was able to pull off the two-fer.

Livermore’s Jacob Ryan trails Hale by just 17 markers thanks to three third-place finishes, a victory, and three fast-times in time trials. Cam Carraway of Castro Valley and San Antonio’s Tristan Pena also have wins this season. Carraway is just 21 points out of the lead and Pena is within arm’s length at 27 points behind.

A tight fight has developed for fifth in the series with Clovis’ Skyler Schoppe leading Oakdale’s Hayden Stepps by only nine points in that battle. The 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series races for 70-laps with a 40-lap opening segment, a Mission Foods break for adjustments and interviews, and a 30-lap run to the finish.

Bakersfield’s “Fast” Eddie Garone has leapt ahead of the pack in the inaugural INEX Legends championship at Madera. Garone leads fellow Bakersfield pilot Colton Page by 26-points. Madera’s CJ Dizney, Manteca’s Colton Hale, and Kyle Labrie of Easton. The INEX Legends will compete in a 30-lap feature.

2023 INEX Bandolero champion Kaine Betancourt remains atop the standings for Madera’s youngest racers. Betancourt opened up the year with three consecutive wins then Las Vegas’ Kellen Keller took over in round four after the pair tangled. Betancourt wrestled victory lane back in his favor in round five during the Ron Spencer Classic.

Racing action kicks off on Friday night with the pit gates opening at 3pm. Practice runs from 5pm to 8pm. Pit gates open at 3pm on Saturday with the drivers meeting at 4:30pm and practice at 5pm. Opening Ceremonies are slated for approx. 7pm with all four features to follow.

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 of Mission Foods, 51FIFTY LTM, Lunkerdaddy Fishing Lures, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Sealmaster, Frank’s Radio, and Sunoco Race Fuel.

Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights in primetime at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern. Check www.MAVTV.com for program listings.