MADERA, California — Saturday, May 9, 2009 was the date for the 32nd annual Vukovich Memorial Classic at Madera Speedway. This race was originally set to honor two time Indy 500 winner Bill Vukovich. After the death of Vukovich’s grandson, Billy Vukovich III in 1990, it was expanded to honor both Indy veterans. Billy III was a many time winner at Madera in Supermodifieds as well as an Indy Rookie of the Year. The 2009 version featured the Bay Cities Racing Association / United States Auto Club Midgets and the Supermodified Racing Association / Madera Speedway 360 Supermodifieds as the feature divisions. Also on the bill but not covered in this article were the Legends of the Pacific, USAC Ford Focus Midgets, and the Northern California Modified Association Sprint Cars.
After two practice sessions for each division and much complaining by all of the open wheel classes of a very loose race track, Kody Swanson took the number 11 Midget out for two quick laps and bettered his own track qualifying record with a lap at 13.728 seconds on the 1/3 mile banking. Garrett Hanson (70) was second fast at 13.894, followed by Levis Roberts (2) at 13.939, Tanner Swanson (88) at 13.961, and Alex Bowman(21) at 14.019.
Next up were the SMRA Supermodifieds. Jeff Russell (85) set fast time at 12.677 seconds, followed by A.J. Russell (7) at 12.723, Jim Birges (89) at 12.724, Troy Regier (98) at 12.728, and Bobby Dalton(36) at 12.920. The Supers were not without some drama on the track as Dalton arrived just before qualifications having just installed the engine Friday evening and Jim Birges was back in the car after breaking his left ankle and crushing three vertebrae in his back four weeks ago, the day after winning the SMRA opener at Madera. Birges had back surgery on May 4th to repair the vertebrae.
The Madera 360 Supermodifieds were paced by David Tuey (6) at 13.355 seconds with Lance Tatro (72) at 13.459, Kenny Kinchen (5) at 13.602, Lance Jackson (18) at 13.645, and Willie Northammer(15) at 13.997 rounding out the top five.
Both Supermodified groups ran trophy dashes with the 360’s lining up with Lance Jackson on the pole followed by Kenny Kinchen, Lance Tatro, and David Tuey. At the drop of the green, Kinchen took to the high side to lead over Jackson, Tatro, and a rapidly slowing Tuey who headed for the pits after a single lap. Kinchen pulled out a slight lead on Jackson as Tatro began his attack. Tatro took second on the final circuit of the four lapper to make the finish Kinchen, Tatro, and Jackson. Tuey headed to the pits with fuel delivery problems.
The SMRA Dash lined up with Bobby Dalton on the pole, flanked by Troy Regier. They were followed by Jim Birges and A.J. Russell. Dalton immediately headed to the pits to find two broken radius rod bolts. This put Regier and Birges on the front row. The two went side by side into one with Birges having the advantage at the line when the yellow flew for flying air filters being shed by the 7 car. Russell headed for the pits. On the restart, the two remaining cars went side by side with Birges maintaining the lead. Birges finally drooped down in front of Regier on lap four and got nailed in the rear going into turn three. Birges spun and Regier slipped by to take the yellow and checkers. However, track officials awarded the win to Birges, penalizing Regier for the bump and run.
The Midgets lined up their first Heat race with David Prickett (15) and Alex Schutte (12) on the front row. They were pursued by Scott Pierovich (35), Alex Bowman (21), Levi Roberts(2), and Kody Swanson (11).On the start, Schutte and Bowman took to the outside ahead of Pricket, Pierovich, and Swanson. On the second lap, Swanson took third and Roberts jumped to fifth. A lap later, Pierovich retook fifth and then passed Prickett for fourth on the fourth circuit. Roberts took fifth on lap five and that was the end of the passing. Schutte won over Bowman, Swanson, Pierovich, and Roberts.
The second Midget Heat included Nick Foster, Jr. (1), Chad Nichols (17), Jerome Rodela (25), Bobby Grewohl (10), Tanner Swanson (88), and Garrett Hanson(70). Again the outside proved fast and Foster jammed everyone up in turn one while Tanner Swanson passed three cars on the high side. Nichols led lap one with Swanson second over Rodela, Grewohl and Foster. Lap two saw Hansen pass both Foster and Grewohl to move to fourth. On lap four, Swanson swept around Nichols for the lead. Hansen displaced Rodela from third on the fifth go-around and that was the show. The younger Swanson brother took the lap eight checkers over Nichols, Hansen, Rodela, and Grewohl.
The 360 Supermodified Heat was paced by Willie Northammer(15) followed by Kyle Vanderpool (1C), Lance Jackson(18), Kenny Kinchen (5), Lance Tatro (72), David Tuey (6), and Larry Hinz(4). This time the inside row worked better as Northammer and Jackson led the first lap over Vanderpool, Kinchen, and Tatro. Tatro took fourth on lap two and Tatro and Kinchen both passed Vanderpool on lap three. Tuey was still having mechanical issues at the back of the field. Lap seven saw Hinz head for the pits and Northammer took the win over Jackson, Tatro, Kinchen, and Vanderpool.
The SMRA Supermodified heat lined up with Pat Whittet (1B) and Lonnie Adamson(13) in the first row. Jim Birges (89), Troy Regier(98), Jeff Russell (85), A.J. Russell (7), and George Greenway (8) rounded out the field. Bobby Dalton (36) scratched as they were still fabricating radius rod mounting hardware after having to drill out the two broken bolts. The green flag saw Adamson and Regier slip by Whittet before he got 1B car gathered up. Lap one was led by Adamson over Regier, A. Russell, Whittet, and Birges. On lap two, Whittet forced Birges high and Jeff Russell slipped past. Meanwhile, Greenway headed
