MERCED, California — George Lefler is the top dog in the Merced Speedway modified stock car division championship points tally, even though he has never won a feature event. With 40 years of racing under his belt, the veteran driver from Denair, Calif. is mister consistency - racing and finishing in the top ten, week after week.
With the season winding down, one would think Lefler would be counting points, setting his sight on the title. Instead, he’s calm, with a relaxed attitude.
“It sure would be nice to be modified champion,” he said. “I don’t think about that, though. I just try to finish every race as far up as I can. Where we land, we land - at the end of the season.”
Lefler began his Central California stock car racing career way back in 1970. He grabbed one “Super Stock” championship in route to driving in the region’s top division - the modifieds.
“I saved up and bought my own modified,” Lefler said. “I’m out there learning to go faster every week.”
By day, Lefler manages sand and gravel for local company Calaveras Materials.
Sunday night, he chases the fastest cars at the speedway, and is seeing himself now becoming one of the chased.
“I try to make friends, not enemies, when I’m at the track,” he said. “I enjoy good, clean racing.”
Second place Ryan Porter has been sitting out a few races in order to run at big regional events. The same goes for Alex Stanford, who once held a commanding lead after winning four features early in the season. He, too, has been missing from the field as he has been traveling nationally to compete.
The absence of some of the early season top runners has opened the door for more of the field of top-notch competitors to win or advance in the points standings.
Dereck Colvin of Merced has moved up into third, ahead of Stanford, after a win two weeks ago. He is joined in the top ten by Aaron Barnell, Bill Egleston, Robert Fandrey, Chris Shannon and Randy Brown.
The battle for supremacy in the Street Stock division also continues this week as Ricky Thatcher leads his dad, Buddy, in that points battle. Merced’s Josh Strickland is challenging cross-town rival David Coleman in the ‘Four-Banger” class. Merced businessman Mike Hausmann is fighting off Tim Prothro in the Valley Sportsman point standings. Raul Rodriguez, Jr. holds a commanding lead in the Hobby Stocks.
All the divisions of cars will be on hand Sunday, when racing action begins at 5 p.m. Last week’s large field of cars resulted in thrilling competition in all divisions. Non stop racing action gives fans three and a half hours of excitement, with plenty of time to get to bed early for school or work on Monday.
Merced Speedway is located at 900 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way in Merced, Calif.
