After a rare weekend off, Madera Speedway returns to action this Saturday, May 23rd with round #1 of the annual Tri Holiday Classic Series, presented by Performance Electrical. Heading Saturday’s card will be the return of the SRL Southwest Tour along with the Western Late Models, American Limited Stock Cars, Modified Super Toyotas and the WSRA Mini-Cup & Baby Grands.
A season high 24 teams are expected to be on hand this Saturday as the SRL Southwest makes its first appearance at the “Fastest 1/3 in the West” since 2007. The $4,000 purse that goes to the winner of the “Performance Electric 110” will be the largest in the history of the SRL Southwest Tour and veteran M.K. Kanke looks like the driver to beat!
After missing the 2008 season due to an accident, Kanke, age 46 of Frazier Park, has returned to the SRL Southwest Tour with a vengeance. Once again driving his familiar red #33 RPM Motorsports Chevrolet, Kanke has posted wins the first two races of the 2009 season held at All American Speedway in Roseville and the Bullring in Las Vegas. Overall in his career, Kanke has posted 24 victories in 219 career starts on the NASCAR Southwest Tour, which ended following the 2006 season, and the SRL Southwest Tour.
Kanke will have plenty of challengers looking to put a quick end to his winning streak including Fremont’s Troy Ermish, 2001 NASCAR Southwest Series champion Craig Raudman of Cottonwood and Prunedale’s Jim Pettit II, the 2008 defending series champion who is expected to be back in action following a very scary incident at Las Vegas in which he suffered smoke inhalation after his car caught fire. Also this Saturday, 2003 NASCAR Southwest Series champion Auggie Vidovich, of Lakeside, will be making his 2009 season debut in a Bob Strandwold owned car.
This Saturday will mark the first of three stops on the 10-race SRL Southwest Tour schedule at Madera this season. The series will also return to headline the remaining two rounds of the 2009 Tri Holiday Classic Series on July 4 and September 5.
Saturday’s Tri Holiday Classic Series program will also feature the NASCAR Whelen All-American Racing Series Western Late Models in Twin-50 lap main events.
Western Late Model points leader Kyle Gottula, of Modesto, had been almost flawless this season until the last race on May 2nd when a crash ended his night prematurely and broke his five race string of top two finishes. Even with that mishap Gottula maintains a healthy 173 to 114 point advantage in the season standings over Roseville’s Eric Schmidt and Manteca’s Jacob Gomes. Stockton’s Ross Strmiska (105), Trevor Schlundt of Clovis (95) and NASCAR Diversity Driver Katie Hagar of Sacramento (85) round out the top six in the current standings.
Modesto’s Dennis Saunders Jr., became the first repeat winner in the always competitive American Limited Stock Car division on May 2nd and in doing so he wrestled away the lead in the season standings by a slim 3 point margin (93 to 90) over Atwater’s Jason Aguirre who will be looking to return the favor this Saturday.
Chowchilla’s John Bowersox continues to hold the lead in the Modified Super Toyota division, but John McCollum Jr. is hot on his tail. The Stockton driver picked up the first two main event victories of his seven year racing career in the last two events to pull within just seven points (88 to 81) over Bowersox.
Rounding out Saturday’s program will be the WSRA Baby Grands and Mini Cups, where the young racing stars of tomorrow hone their driving skills in 2/3 and 1/2 scale replica stock cars.
So come out to the Madera Speedway this Memorial Day weekend for round #1 of the annual Tri Holiday Classic Series, presented by Performance Electrical, this Saturday May 23 for a huge six division card featuring the return of the SRL Southwest Tour, plus a doubleheader for the Western Late Models and four other main events.
Ticket prices for this Saturday’s Tri Holiday Classic Series program are only $20.00 for adults, $18.00 for seniors 65 years of age or older, $15.00 for students, active duty military and juniors age 13-17, $5.00 for kids age 6-12 while kids 5 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. A family pack ticket (two adults and up to two kids 12 years old and under) is also available for the bargain price of $45.00. VISA and MasterCard are welcome at window #3.
On Saturday, May 23, the Madera Speedway pit gates will open at 10:00 AM, the grandstands open at 2:00 PM, heats and dashes will begin at 5:00 PM and the evening’s opening ceremonies will kick off main event racing at approximately 5:40 PM.
There will also be an open practice session at Madera Speedway on Friday, May 22. The pit gates will open at 1:00 PM and the track will be hot from 3:00 to 8:00 PM. Admission is free to the grandstands and the pit concession stands will be open. Pit passes for Saturday’s show will also be sold. For additional information on the test session contact Track Manager Pat Patnaude at (209) 983-1689 (track), (209) 479-0056 (cell), (209) 983-0967 (fax) or email to ppatnaude@racemadera.com.
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. For more Madera Speedway information visit the track’s website at www.racemadera.com or call the Info/Race Line phone number at (559) 673-RACE.
