GOTTULA ON FIRE IN HOTWOOD 750 SERIES AT MADERA SPEEDWAY

There was action a plenty at Madera Speedway on Saturday May 31st as the Western Late Models went wheel to wheel in twin 75-lap HotWood 750 Series features. The NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series program also included the American Limited Stock Cars, Modified Super Toyotas, Toyota Sedans, Spectator Racing Series, Hornets plus the Western Racing Association Vintage Sprints and Midgets.

The twin HotWood 750 Series races were originally scheduled for Saturday May 24th, but bad weather forced track officials to adjust the program and limit the Western Late Models (WLM) to a single race and reschedule the twin HotWood races for this Saturday.

The impressive WLM field that assembled at Madera on Saturday included defending Flashco SRL Southwest Tour champion Dave Byrd, of San Jose and defending NASCAR Camping World West Series champion Mike David, of Modesto.

The evening started ominously for WLM point’s leader and fast qualifier Kyle Gottula who grimaced as he drew an invert of ten that would apply to all mains on Saturday.

Rick Thompson, of Clovis, started the first of the two HotWood features from the pole and used it to full advantage by taking the early race lead. Despite his best efforts Thompson eventually succumbed to a hard charging Byrd on lap 13.

Byrd was able to fend off numerous challenges by Kyle Gottula, age 21 of Modesto and Ross Strmiska, age 22 of Stockton, two of Madera’s fabulous "Young Guns" throughout the middle of the race. Gottula was finally able to get the best of Byrd on a restart following a caution to take the lead on a lap 45.

The veteran valiantly tried to fight back, but youth was served as Byrd best efforts went in vain and he was forced to settle for second place. Modesto’s Jeff Belletto, Strmiska and Stockton’s Joey Stearns completed the top five.

It looked as though Byrd would return the favor in the nightcap when he jumped into the lead at the wave of the opening race green flag and stayed put there for the next 72 laps. Harry Belletto, the 65-year-old racing legend, mounted an early challenge to Byrd, but he slowly faded, eventually finishing sixth.

Meanwhile Gottula, who once again worked his way to the front from his number 10 starting spot, finally snaked his way to the front and planted his car on Byrd’s tailpipe. Showing a maturity well beyond his years, Gottula was able to just get the nose of his car underneath of Byrd, then used a backmarker as a pick to take the lead and a doubleheader sweep. Strmiska, Jeff Belletto and Lodi’s Chris Hinkle rounded out the top five.

"We are racing with a lot of confidence right now. It seems like we are always in the right place at the right time lately," proclaimed Gottula, who earned $3,000 for his night’s work. "What a night to beat Byrd twice. He is just about the best in the business."

Byrd, who has seen it all, took the two brutal losses in stride.

"It was a good night for us. We made some chassis changes and we did not have a great car," said a gracious Byrd. "We had an opportunity to win and get a little bit better finish than we really deserved, but Kyle was better tonight."

Several drivers played tag team with the lead in the opening laps of the American Limited Stock Car (ALSC) 50-lap main before Modesto’s Dennis Saunders Jr. took command of the top spot on lap 15.

Saunders never had time to relax as he soon had his mirrors filled with the #41 car of division points leader Howard Holden of Clovis. For the remainder of the race Holden stayed glued to Saunder’s bumper, but the leader never wavered to deservedly earn his first ever ALSC career victory. Trophy dash winner Brian Vosburg finished in third to complete the podium.

"We have had a lot of hard luck and this was a long time coming. We didn’t have any breakdowns for a change and this sure feels good," exclaimed Saunders. "He (Holden) has the fastest car out here right now and I thought that he would come around me at any time."

Holden, who was in quest of his fourth win this year, was satisfied with his runner up finish.

"I could stay right with Dennis and ride with him, but the only way I was going to get by was for him to make a mistake or get stuck in traffic and he didn’t," explained Holden. "He has a awesome car on long runs and I was begging for a yellow, but we ran the last forty something laps under green."

The night’s 10-car invert put defending division champion Miles Humphreys, of Clovis, to the back in the nine-car starting Hornet field, but it only took the 67-year-old granddad six laps to grab the lead in the 20-lap Hornet feature. Humphreys cruised to the finish for his second win of the season ahead of young Dillion Jackson, of Madera and Stockton’s Dawn Darter who earned her first ever checkered flag by taking the trophy dash earlier in the evening.

"It is a lot of fun racing and helping these kids out here, but I think I have been helping them too much because they have been cleaning my clock lately," joked Humphreys. "I put on some new tires this week and it made a big difference tonight."

It took only seven laps for Fresno’s Jason Kerns to come from the back to the front of the 12-car Toyota Sedan starting field. Once Kerns got to the front no one was going to catch him as he cruised to the checkered flag well ahead of Steve Trusner and defending class champion Stan Hankins for an all Fresno podium.

I was pleased to be able to get up front with that invert," said Kerns. "Everyone kept it clean and everyone was real racy out there tonight."

Kerns also set fast qualifying time for the Sedans, but Hankins nipped him in the trophy dash to spoil his sweep.

There was simply no stopping hometown ace Randy Fleming Jr. as he rolled to his third consecutive victory of the season in the Modified Super Toyota 20-lap main. Fleming took the lead on lap nine after a hard fought four-way battle with defending class champion Shon "Woody" Woods of Madera, Chowchilla’s John Bowersox and Fresno rookie Donnie Large Jr. before leaving the field behind.

"I knew we had a good car early, but starting in the back you never know what can happen," said Fleming with his little sister Destiny standing by his side. "I thought it might get a little dicey, but everyone was really good tonight."

The Western Racing Association Vintage Midgets and Sprints took to the track for two exciting exhibition races that gave the crowd a taste of a by-gone era of motorsports.

Unfortunately Whittier ’s Steve Enright rolled his Offy powered Midget in a frightening accident and was transported to a local hospital via ambulance. To everyone’s relief it was later announced that Enright sustained a separated shoulder and several abrasions, but no life threatening injuries and would soon be released from the hospital.

Madera Speedway returns to action next Saturday evening, June 7th, with National Craftsman Truck Night. This great NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series program will feature the Western Late Models in a 50-lap, $1000 to win main, ALSC, Modified Super Toyotas, Toyota Sedans, Spectator Racing Series and the wild & whacky Hornets. It will also be Moo Moo & Skirt Night in which anyone wearing a moo moo skirt can get in for only five bucks.

The Madera Speedway is conveniently located at the Madera County Fairgrounds just off to the west side of Highway 99 at the Cleveland Avenue exit.