The Supermodifieds returned to Madera Speedway’s Harvest Classic for the SRL’s only appearance at the Central California track this year. The Supermodified Racing League competitors did not disappoint the large crowd. Races were very exciting and full of action from the start of practice through the feature event’s checkered flag. In a race long wheel to wheel battle, Jim Birges collected his second win of the season by a half car length.
Time trials took place with cool track temperatures and gusting winds. These factors kept the speeds down somewhat. Troy Regier(98) and A.J. Foyt IV(1) tied for fast time with 12.49 second laps on the 1/3 mile banking. Jim Birges(32) was third fast at 12.65, followed by A.J. Russell(7) at 12.70 and Ron Burger(89) at 12.86.
The first 8 lap heat race lined up with Willie Northamer(29) on the pole followed by Donnie Large(23), Michael Lewis(40), and Jim Tartaglia(83). The field was rounded out by Bobby Dalton(36), Ron Burger(89), Jim Birges(32), Troy Regier(98), and Fred Kohlmeier. The outside row got the jump at the green and Large led over Tartaglia, Northamer, Lewis, and Regier. Troy grabbed third on lap two. Lewis moved to fourth on lap three and then the leader stalled in turn two bring out the yellow.
Restart order showed Tartaglia inheriting the lead followed by Regier, Lewis, Northamer, Birges, Burger, Dalton and Kohlmeier. At the green, Birges and Burger both passed Northamer. Birges then disposed of Lewis on the white flag lap and Burger grabbed fourth just as the checkers flew. Top finishers were Tartaglia, Regier, Birges, Burger, and Lewis.
Heat number two had Bob Bigiogni(56), Rick Cameron(24), Jeff Russell(85), and Darren Rusconi(66) in the first two rows. The rest of the field consisted of Mike McCann(14), Eric Silsby(96), A.J. Russell(7), and Anthony Foyt(1). Bigiogni and McCann elected to move to the rear of the field to check out mechanical woes and this moved Jeff Russell to the pole with A.J. Russell right behind. At the green, A.J. Russell moved to the lead from the second row followed by J. Russell, Rusconi, Sislby, and Bigiogni. Foyt displaced Bigiogni from the top five on lap two. Foyt then spun coming off turn four with a loose race car. Restart order showed A.J. Russell over Jeff Russell, Rusconi, Silsby, and Bigiogni. Foyt was relegated to the back. However, Anthony had moved up to fifth by lap five and displaced Silsby before the lap eight checkers. Finishing order was A.J. Russell, Jeff Russell, Rusconi, Foyt, and Silsby.
The forty lap feature race lined up with the top eight qualifiers inverted at the front. This placed Mike McCann on the pole followed by Bobby Dalton, Eric Silsby, Ron Burger, A.J. Russell, Jim Birges, Anthony Foyt, and Troy Regier. Behind the invert were Jim Tartaglia, Darren Rusconi, Michael Lewis, Jeff Russell, Donnie Large, Rick Cameron, Willie Northamer, Bob Bigiogni, and Fred Kohlmeier. On push-off, Northamer’s engine refused to fire and he was pushed to the infield. At the drop of the green flag, Foyt buzzed the rear tires coming off four and spun in the front stretch. This resulted in a complete restart.
The restart was very smooth and McCann led the first lap over Dalton, Silsby, Burger, and Birges. The yellow flew on lap 2 when Large pushed up into the turn three wall. The restart order was McCann, Dalton, Silsby, Burger, Birges, A.J. Russell, Regier, Foyt, Tartaglia, Rusconi, J. Russell, Lewis, Bigiogni, Cameron, and Kohlmeier. On the restart, Birges blasted around Burger and Regier passed Russell. Birges grabbed third on lap four and Regier snagged fourth on lap six. The yellow flew again on lap ten when A.J. Russell and Burger tangled in turn four. Burger rejoined the field, but Russell exited on the hook. Restart order was McCann, Dalton, Birges, Regier, Silsby, Foyt, Tartaglia, Rusconi, Jeff Russell, Lewis and Cameron. Bigiogni and Kohlmeier joined Russell in the infield during the yellow.
Again the restart was very smooth and the field moved out quickly. On lap eleven, Foyt passed Silsby and Tartaglia did the same two laps later. On lap twenty, Birges snookered Dalton using the lapped car of Burger for a pick. Regier picked up third a lap later as Dalton was finally passing Burger. Burger then spun on the backstretch on lap twenty three to bring out the last yellow of the night. Restart order was McCann, Birges, Regier, Dalton, Foyt, Tartaglia, Silsby, Rusconi, Russell, and Lewis. Tartaglia squeezed past Foyt on the restart and Anthony returned the favor on lap twenty-five. Lap twenty-six saw Birges wrest the lead from McCann. Regier grabbed second a lap later and the battle was joined. Birges and Regier ran nose to tail and wheel to wheel all the way to the checkers with the crowd standing, stomping and cheering. Dalton nailed down third on lap thirty-six and Foyt moved to fourth on lap thirty-seven. And that was the end of the official passing as Birges and Regier continued to battle at the front. When it was all over, the crowd was limp from cheering. Birges had grabbed his second win of the year to match Regier’s total. Regier, Dalton, Foyt, and McCann rounded out the top five. Tartaglia, Silsby, and Jeff Russell all finished on the lead lap.
The USAC / BCRA Midgets and USAC Ford Focus Midgets ran at the Harvest Classic as well. Even with three open wheel divisions running and problems that included time clock malfunctions and too many yellow hankies waving in the wind, the races were checkered at 10:35 PM and everyone retired to the pits for bench racing and a little brew consumption. The Supers saw some great competition, a popular winner, an impressive visiting fireman, and a whole bunch of satisfied customers. Until the next time, I am the Racing Widow’s Husband.
