MADERA SPEEDWAY HOSTS THE $5K TO WIN SUMMER SPEEDFEST ON JULY 22

MADERA, CALIFORNIA (July 18, 2023) – Lunkerdaddy Pro Late Models will battle at Madera Speedway for a $5,000 pay day on Saturday July 22 with the Summer SpeedFest. The MAVTV-televised spectacle at the fastest one-third mile in the west features 100 laps of Pro Late Model competition plus the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series, INEX Legends Tour, and INEX Bandoleros. Photo by Ethan Smith

All tickets will be sold at the track ticket booth. Adult tickets are $25, seniors are $20, youth ages 6-12 are $15 and kids five and under are free. Race fans can “Join” www.YouTube.com/ShortTrackTV for $19.99 per month for a members-only live stream as well. Racing action will be on a later schedule due to forecasted high temperatures. Grandstands open at 5:30pm with opening ceremonies at 6:30pm. Madera Speedway will have plenty of cold drinks for sale along with a covered main grandstand for fans to enjoy.

Fresno’s Tyler Herzog has been on a roll at the speedway heading into Saturday’s 100-lap contest. He claimed the Reverend Ron Spencer Red, White, and Blue Classic on June 24 to extend his championship lead. He followed that with a victory last Saturday night in non-televised Madera Late Model competition. Herzog looks to join an illustrious list of SpeedFest winners which includes series champions Buddy Shepherd and Jadan Walbridge.

Eagle, Idaho’s Jacob Smith is hot on Herzog’s trail with a victory during May’s Military Tribute Night and a fourth-place finish at the Ron Spencer Classic. Smith is just 17-points behind Herzog heading into round six of the nine-race championship.

Robbie Kennealy of Madera continues a strong rookie season in Pro Late Model racing while tied for third in the standings with Clovis’ Shelden Cooper. Kennealy ranks third on the strength of a season opening win, which also paid $5,000 to win. Kennealy aims to add another $5,000 pay day on Saturday. Cooper outfoxed Smith for third position in the last round of the series and remains in the title hunt.

Loomis’ Kenna Mitchell has suffered bad luck on several occasions that prevented potential wins or top-five finishes. Her strong runs have still yielded fifth in the standings as well. 2021 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model champion Brody Armtrout of Smartsville, 2022 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model champion Ethan Nascimento of Manteca, Mike Hensley of Bass Lake, Matt Erickson of La Grange, and Rick Thompson of Fresno round out the top-ten.

Saturday’s SpeedFest opens with a 50-lap segment followed by a break for MAVTV interviews and adjustments. A 50-lap race to the finish will follow.

A historic run is underway in the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series where 11 year-old Vito Cancilla of Martinez has won four of the first five races of the campaign, leading over 250 laps and going five-for-five in fast-times as well.

Cancilla’s dominance has only been dampened by a nearly equally impressive run by Chase Hand of Wilton, who has finished second in all five rounds this year. Cancilla’s advantage over Hand is a scant 12-points as a result. Bakersfield’s Taylor Mayhew is the other victor this year with the 12-year-old rookie ranking third in the standings and 47-points behind. The race for fourth in the championship is a tight one between numerous drivers with Cam Carraway of Castro Valley, Joey Kennealy of Madera, Bryson Brown of Las Vegas, and Tristan Pena of San Antonio, Texas all within 15-points of each other.

The battle for supremacy amongst the field of talented drivers ages 10-16 years old continues Saturday in a 70-lap contest. They will race for 40-laps before the scheduled Mission Racing Style Tortilla Chips halfway break. A 30-lap race to the finish determines the winner.

INEX Legends Tour Series returns to Madera Speedway for another 40-lap race. The series has presented record fields throughout the year, including a 42-car turnout at Roseville in May followed by 35-cars at Madera in June. Jeremy Doss rose to the moment on both occasions, becoming the only repeat winner of the year in the series in the process.

Jr. Late Model champion Ethan Nascimento and Madera Bandolero champion Logan Chambers of Bakersfield are the other winners this year for the INEX Legends Tour Series across the west.

Series regular contenders such as 2022 champion Cody Winchel of Sebastopol, Brendan Ruzbarsky of Tracy, and Kayci Phillips of Stockton will be hungry for a win in Saturday night’s 40-lap nightcap.

Kaine Betancourt continues to lead the INEX Bandolero standings with a 20-lap race scheduled. Andrew Williams, Tayler Mitchell, Brandon Glick, and Braxton Garcia have also competed this year.

Action gets underway on Friday with practice from 6pm until 9pm with pit gates opening at 4pm. On Saturday, pit gates open at 3:30pm. Each division will have a short practice session that doubles as qualifying, beginning at 5:30pm. Opening ceremonies are set for 6:30pm with a full program of four main events 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 2023 season would not be possible without the support of Lunkerdaddy Fishing Lures, 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, and Sunoco Race Fuel.

Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights in primetime at 5:00pm Pacific and 8:00pm Eastern.

2023 MADERA MAVTV LATE MODEL SCHEDULE

March 18 – $5,000-to-win

April 8

April 29

May 20 – Vukovich Classic

June 24 – Reverend Ron Spencer Red, White Blue Classic

July 22 – $5,000-to-win Summer SpeedFest

August 26

September 16

October 7 – $10,000-to-win Short Track Shootout