Madera California – Saturday night September 24th was one great night of racing, and one great night for friends of the racing community to come together and share in the passion for the sport, but most of all it was a tribute to Mike Roos that I’m proud I was a part of. My good friend Wayne Pearce said it best when he said heaven got a great present this past Christmas day when Mike entered their gates.
"Three-wide racing at Madera! Now this is racing!"
The racing was as good as I’ve ever seen at the Madera Speedway, from the local classes running two wide all night, to the Spears SRL Southwest Tour race and the blistering pace as well as fantastic on track action, it was as good as it gets.
As I’ve gotten older, somehow I’ve grown to appreciate when one of the elder drivers hold the youngsters off, and last night it was the best of the veterans giving the youngsters a lesson as if they were in the classroom.
Madera has been known as a top groove only track when it comes to the superfast tour cars, but Kanke worked the bottom side and drove it like he was racing at different track than every other driver. Mike passed on the bottom, he worked the traffic like he was the conductor of a huge music production, and he drove from lap number 1, to lap 140 as if he already knew he was the winner. Congratulations Mike on being the first winner of the Mike Roos Memorial.
The local drivers were racing as if they were in a job interview for the tour teams, and Elliott Stjerne impressed all of us this year as he came into his own behind the wheel, and he showed the SRL owners and drivers that he is ready for a tour ride as he won the LunkerDaddy Late model main in a real battle with some great talent.
Richard Herzog and Chuck Aguirre showed all of us how it is done with a crowd pleasing wheel to wheel battle in the Hobby Stock main event, Herzog came out on top and took the win. Chuck also drove the #45 late model for Jason Aguirre, and he led the first five laps! I would like to thank Chuck Aguirre for being such a class act, and being such a model of professionalism for the young drivers to learn from.
Kevin Thompson won the MST main, Tyler Johnson won the 4-Banger main, and Del McIntosh won the Toyota Sedan main. All of these drivers had to outrun some very strong talent in their races, and each of them should be very proud of their victories.
I was at the front gate thanking fans when they were leaving the track after the races and I heard so many great comments. I could not help but thinking I hope not only Mike Roos, but many of our other friends we’ve lost and Mike could see the fireworks from the heavens as well as see this great night of racing. This was a model night for short track racing, this was a night to be proud of, this was how racing was meant to be.
Please visit the Spears SRL Southwest Tour website for complete race results, and visit the Madera Speedway website for complete race results in the local divisions.
Our next race is the Pumpkin Smash Bash and Blow up, and my motto for the event is “If it ain’t broke, we will break it”. See you at the Madera Speedway on October 22nd for the season ending spectacular!
