BIRGES, NICHOLS GRAB TOP SPOTS AT THE POMBO CLASSIC SUPER SATURDAY EVENT AT MADERA SPEEDWAY

The ground pounding SMRA Supermodifieds returned to the “Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West” on Saturday, July 18th for Super Saturday #4, the Pombo Classic, presented by Inside Lines Apparel & Graphics. SMRA driver Jim Birges of Fresno took the checkers in the 50 Lap main event which featured a combined race with Madera ’s 360 Modifieds that produced a large 18 car field.

Coming in second, about one-half a straightaway behind Birges, was A.J. Russell of Clovis . Russell was second in SMRA points coming into the race while Birges was ranked sixth in the point standings.

“I ran out of gas on the back stretch so if the race went another lap A.J. would have taken it,” said Birges after the race.

After three nail-biting side-by-side laps at the midway point of the race, Birges was able to pass Russell on lap 28.

“I think the long yellow [at lap 22] may have taken about 3/10ths of a second off of A.J.’s car,” said Birges. “These things can happen, but if he hadn’t had lost that speed I may never have been able to pass him.”

Birges also has something to celebrate besides a win this weekend, his son is coming back from Afghanistan on August 15th.

Rounding out the top five were Jeff Russell of Boise , ID , current points leader Troy Regier of Dinuba and Bryan Warf also of Boise , ID.

The top three 360 Super Modifieds across the finish line were Madera’s Lance Tatro, Kenny Kinchen of Bakersfield and points leader David Tuey also of Madera.

Tuey and Lance Jackson of Kingsburg got together after crossing the finish line on lap 5 of the second 360 heat. The heat was called at 5 laps. Tuey was able to continue to the main, Jackson was not.

“We were fortunate to take a hit like that and still be able to go on,” said points leader Tuey.

Tuey’s fortune ran out soon after the green flag dropped in the main event.

“During the race we ran out of power steering with thirty laps to go so the car was a bit of a handful,” said Tuey.

The popular open-wheeled racing series also featured the USAC/BCRA Midgets, USAC Focus Midgets, NCMA Sprint Cars and the Legend of the Pacific.

USAC/ BCRA Midget driver, Chad Nichols, of Colma, earned an appreciative round of applause from the Madera crowd as he held off the #88 of Tanner Swanson for 37 laps of the 40 lap main event, taking the checkers and his first win of the season.

“I looked up at the scoreboard on lap seven and saw the #88 was behind me and I knew it was going to be a tough race” said Nichols.

“About five laps after we restarted I lost my brakes so stopping the car was a little more difficult,” said Swanson.

Swanson’s brother Kody was not at the event as the field saw a smaller than normal car count due to a USAC event in Indianapolis .

Tanner and Kody Swanson, the 18 and 21 year old sons of nine-time Madera track champion Mike Swanson, have dominated the Midget action this season at Madera with two victories each.

BCRA points leader, Nick Foster Jr. of San Carlos , finished the race in the third position. Nick Chivello of Manteca and David Prickett of Fresno rounded out the top five. Prickett is currently second in the BCRA point standings, 51 points behind Nick Foster Jr.

USAC’s Ford Focus Midgets put on an impressive display for the crowd as the entire 25 lap event was dominated by close nose-to-tail racing. Clovis ’ Louis Ramos got around Mindy McCord of Billings, MT who had the pole position and led the first nine laps of the event. Ramos took the checkers holding off Madera ’s Cody Gerhardt for the final 26 laps of the race.

Gerhardt was actually able to get around Ramos on a restart on lap 23 but a caution on the restart nullified the pass. Gerhardt currently sits second in Ford Focus points, 42 points behind Atherton’s Nic Romano.

Both McCord and Gerhardt won their respective heats earlier in the afternoon.

The Legends of the Pacific returned to the track for the third time this season, bringing an impressive line up of 16 little hot rods to the “Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West”. Like the Ford Focus race, the Legend action was incredibly close as Rockland ’s Robby Czub hounded Tracy ’s Jeremy Wood for 20 of the 35 laps of the event. Wood took the checkers with Czub in close pursuit.

Czub was the fastest qualifier of the day and Wood won the second heat, one position ahead of Czub. In fact, the top three drivers of the second heat mirrored the top three of the main event with Stanislav Osterlund of Los Gatos rounding out the top three.

Manteca ’s Donnie Darter won the Trophy Dash earlier in the afternoon.

The NCMA Sprints started the show with a 30 lap main event. David Goodwill of Napa put on another impressive performance at the track, notching his third victory of the season at Madera . Goodwill got around the #17 of Morgan Hill ’s Rob Hammond on lap 15 coming out of Turn 4 and held on for the win.

Earlier in the day the finishing order was reversed as Hammond finished ahead of Goodwill for the number one spot in the NCMA Sprints’ second heat. Rounding out the top three was the day’s top qualifier, Pat Arriaz of Manteca .

The Pombo Classic honors racing legend Al Pombo of nearby Fresno . During his extensive racing career, which began in the 1940’s and stretched into 1970’s, Pombo earned more than 500 main event victories, seven NASCAR super-modified titles, and numerous championships at tracks throughout California including the San Jose Speedway, Kearney Bowl and Clovis Speedway.

Next up at Madera Speedway on Saturday, July 25th, the Western Late Models return with 50-laps of door-to-door, fender-pounding excitement. Also on the ticket are the American Limited Stock Cars, Modified Super Toyotas, Hornets, Toyota Sedans, Mini Cup, Baby Grand, and a 200 Lap Enduro. For open wheel racing, the next Super Saturday event is scheduled for August 15th.

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.