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Open-wheel Excitement Returns to Madera Speedway this Saturday

Open-wheel excitement returns to Madera Speedway this Saturday night, August 15th, with Round #5 of Action Equipment Rentals Super Saturday Series, presented by Inside Lines Apparel & Graphics. The open-wheel program will feature SMRA 410 Supermodifieds in a combined feature with Madera’s 360 Modifieds, plus the United States Auto Club (USAC) Sprints and Ford Focus Midgets, Legends of the Pacific and the Northern California Modified Association (NCMA) Sprints.

The winged SMRA 410 Supermodifieds produce upwards of 750 horsepower and can reach speeds in excess of 130 mph at “the Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West”. The pavement rattling 410s will once again run in a combined feature with the 360 Modifieds in a format designed to produce large fields and exciting racing.

SMRA 410 driver Jim Birges of Fresno continued his success at Madera the last time the 410’s visited “the Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West” on July 18th. On that night, Birges nailed his third win of the season, with all three wins coming at Madera Speedway.

Birges got around Clovis’ A.J. Russell on lap 28 of the 50 lap event to secure the victory on July 18th. Russell is currently ranked second in SMRA points with Tony Reiger of Dinuba ranked first.

Birges, despite not having a finishing position worse than fourth place this season, is currently ranked sixth in SMRA points after missing three races earlier in the year.

Joining the 410’s on Saturday night will be Madera’s own 360 Supermodifieds. David Tuey of Madera currently holds the 360 points lead. In the last Super Saturday event on July 18th, Tuey was the third 360 across the finish line. Both Lance Tatro of Madera and Bakersfield’s Kenny Kinchen bested Tuey, coming in first and second place respectively that evening.

The popular USAC Sprints and Ford Focus Midgets will make another Super Saturday appearance at “the Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West” on Action Equipment Rentals night this Saturday.

Tanner and Kody Swanson, the 18 and 21 year old sons of nine-time Madera track champion Mike Swanson, have dominated the USAC Western Sprint division this season with two victories each in six races.

Tanner Swanson currently holds the points lead in the USAC Western Sprint division, 23 points ahead of JoJo Helberg. Helberg of Rohnert Park won the sole Sprint race at Madera this year on April 4th.

Both the 410/360 Supermodifieds and USAC Sprints will be running 50 laps on Saturday evening.

The United States Auto Club will also be bringing their Ford Focus Midgets to Madera Speedway for a 25 lap event. Clovis’ Louis Ramos secured his first Ford Focus Midget win of the season at the last Madera event on July 18th. Jeff Oleen and Michael J. Lewis have also had Ford Focus wins at Madera this season.

Oleen currently sits third in Ford Focus points, with Nick Romano, of Atherton, holding the top spot, 25 points ahead of Madera’s Cody Gerhardt.

The Legends of the Pacific will return to the track for the fourth time this season. The Legends of the Pacific are known for bringing an impressive line up of little hot rods to “the Fastest 1/3 Mile in the West”. Their last appearance at the track saw a car count of 16 Legends. Tracy’s Jeremy Wood took the checkers in the 35 lap event followed closely by Rockland’s Robby Czub.

Rounding out the show will be a 30 lapper from the NCMA Sprint car series. NCMA Sprint driver David Goodwill of Napa seems to have Madera figured out – having notched three wins this season. Goodwill’s latest victory came on the July 18th, Super Saturday #4, show, presented by Inside Lines Apparel & Graphics.

Ticket prices for Saturday, August 15th, are only $25.00 for adults, $23.00 for seniors 65 years of age or older, $20.00 for active duty military, students 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 just $55.00. VISA and MasterCard are welcome at window #3.

Fans can also receive a $5 discount off an adult ticket via email for this Saturday’s program by joining the Madera Speedway Fan Club and filling out the form available on the Madera Speedway website at www.racemadera.com. Fans who sign up will receive their discount plus other special items for future events.

On Saturday, August 15th, the Madera Speedway pit gates will swing open at 12:30 AM, the grandstands open at 4:00 PM, heats and dashes begin at 5:30 PM and the evening’s opening ceremonies will kick off main event racing at approximately 7:00 PM.

Please Note: there will be a Test ‘n Tune session on Friday the 14th of August 2009. The pits will open for sign in at 3:00 p.m. The track will be hot from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pit concessions will be open.

Pit Passes for Saturday the 15th will be sold during the Test ‘n Tune at the Pit Concessions patio starting at 7:00 pm. To register please do one of the following: call

209-479-0056 (cell), 209-983-1689 (office), 209-983-0967 (fax) or [email protected] (email).

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.

Looks like a good show. Don't often do asphalt, but saw supermods here once and they were awesome. Would like to drop in to Frankies bar, friend of Chafin's, to see how she is doing, but don't know where it is. Any clues?

I went to several of these shows in the late 90's. Back then it was the supers with usac/bcra midgets. It was always a great night of open wheel racing.

"Would like to drop in to Frankies bar, friend of Chafin's, to see how she is doing, but don't know where it is. Any clues?"

Not sure if this is the place your refering to http://national.citysearch.com/profile/789495/madera_ca/frankie_s.html

Frankie's
224 E Yosemite Ave
Madera, CA 93638
Tel: (559) 674-8894

Jeff Kristensen

Thanks Jeff. Be an extra $10 in your pay envelope when I see you LOL

http://www.racemadera.com/default.htm

If Jimmy would promote like this there would be more fannies in the seats at Ventura!

Good grief! Chowchilla on the 22nd, winged 360s, Bandit sprints, spec sprints. Gotta make this show. Guess I'll be seeing a lot of old 99. http://www.racechowchilla.com/

Bear in mind that the SMRL rarely draws more than a dozen 410 winged supers anymore and that the Western asphalt sprints usually run about 20 cars tops.

I don't know what the 360 supers or Focus midgets pull at Madera. Anyone else know?

This is not Oswego where they run 25 to 28 big block supers and 30 to 35 junior supers every Saturday night.

Nevertheless, supers are supers, and they are =very= fast. Saw them run a show at Irwindale the first year that track was open. The asphalt sprints lapped the track at 99 mph. The supers lapped it at 124. Also saw them reel off 11-second laps at El Cajon a few years before they closed that pancake.

Take your neck braces.

When I was there in April, they had about a half dozen 410 supers, they combined the main with the 360s which also had about a half dozen. From the press release, it sounds like this will be a combined show too.

Still, even with the small car count, the racing was good. Chalk me up on the side of quality over quantity any day.