HAILIE DEEGAN RETURNS TO MADERA SPEEDWAY AND TAKES 53RD HARVEST CLASSIC ARCA VICTORY
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (September 26, 2026) – Hailie Deegan made her return to Madera Speedway for the first time since 2017 count, using a green-white-checkered finish to grab the Madera 150 for the ARCA Menards Series, West at the 53rd annual Mission Foods Harvest Classic. The strongest ARCA West and Super Modified fields in decades at the one-third mile speedway played to one of its best crowds as well. Photo by Diego Alvarado
An emotional Deegan celebrated through tears in victory lane.
“I can’t believe we did it. I felt like last race (at Roseville) I was in the position and didn’t capitalize on it enough. I told myself if we were in a position, I’m going to do everything possible to win this race because we had the car to do it,” Deegan said. “I’m tearing up right now. It’s been a long time since I’ve won a race. Everyone that has still believed in me – it’s been super hard. To see everyone still supporting me these days, it doesn’t go unseen. Thank you guys.”
Trevor Huddleston won the pole and jumped ahead of the pack at the start. Race action picked in the second half of the 150-lap race when Kern winner Mason Massey challenged for the lead. Massey made a three wide maneuver to take the top spot in lapped traffic on lap 78. Massey then collided with Idaho’s Ian Wood, sending Wood spinning into the turn one wall for a caution on lap 81 with Huddleston retaking the lead.
Madera’s Robbie Kennealy and Washington’s Eric Johnson, Jr. challenged Deegan for fourth on the ensuing restart. Loomis’ Kenna Mitchell was relegated back to seventh as well.
Deegan made moves in traffic, driving around the outside of Phoenix, Ariz.’s Mia Lovell to take third. A restart changed the complexion of the race. Deegan tagged the rear of her teammate Massey into turn one, sending him spinning and thrusting Deegan into second position.
A caution flew on lap 142 for Josiah Reaume coming to a stop in turn two. Deegan was unable to complete a pass on Huddleston for the lead on the restart, however. Her race for the win looked over until a collision behind them, when Lovell and Johnson collided in turn three.
The incident set up an overtime, green-white-checkered finish. After leading the entire race, Huddleston tried to hold the lead from the top line. Deegan stayed alongside of him into the final set of corners and muscled her up way up the hill to accept the flag for her fourth career ARCA Menards Series, West win. Huddleston finished second while Mitchell stormed back to finish third in the Central Coast Racing Ford. Kennealy finished fourth while Massey drove to a strong fifth place in a comeback drive.
An outstanding 16 Speed Tour Super Modifieds took on the Madera Speedway with 2025 series champion Bobby Dalton of Morgan Hill taming the high-speed 40-lap feature. Dalton started on the pole after the invert but Kelseyville’s Darin Snider took the lead at the start. Dalton then used a restart to drive around the outside of Snider to take the lead on lap nine. Snider and Fresno’s Tim Skoglund had a furious race for second throughout the event. The drivers in positions two through seven raced nearly nose to tail while Dalton accumulated a 5.9 second lead. The advantage was nullified for a caution when Folsom’s Jerry Kobza slowed to a stop in turn two.
Dalton went back to work in accumulating a sizeable lead, driving to a 6.9 second cushion at the checkered flag. Snider fended off Skoglund for second while Frankie Volz Jr of Spokane Washington finished fourth. Davey Hamilton rounded out the top-five.
Austin Carter of Clovis won the 30-lap season finale for the Quick Change Liquid Energy NCMA Sprint Cars while Tony Hunt used a second place drive to win the 2026 championship. Hunt drove around the outside of championship rival Shauna Hogg on lap 13 to clinch the title. Carter used an outside pass of his own to take the race lead from Eric Humphries on lap 15. Hunt clawed towards Humphries and overhauled him on the final lap. Carter claimed victory over Hunt, Humphries, Davey Hamilton, and Hogg.
Cole Brown of Ukiah won the INEX Legends 30-lap feature. Patrick Geiger recovered from an earlier spin to finish second while Chowchilla’s Kenzie Brown ran third in her Madera debut.
Madera Speedway hosts the 150-lap, $15,000 to win Short Track Shootout for Mission Pro Late Models on October 10. Each 50 lap segment pays $5,000 to win. Entry information can be found at www.racemadera.com
The 2026 season would not be possible without the support 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Franks Radio, and Sunoco Race Fuel.
Madera Racing on RACER Network airs Monday nights.
