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POMBO CLASSIC THIS SATURDAY AT MADERA SPEEDWAY
JUNE 16, 2008 --- The Pombo Classic returns to Madera Speedway this Saturday night, July 19th with round #4 of the popular Super Saturday Series. The program will feature a tripleheader of main events for the combined 410 and 360 Supermodifieds, Bay Area Racing Association (BCRA) Midgets, and Western Late Models. Also racing on the huge six-division card will be the Legends of the Pacific, American Limited Stock Cars (ALSC) and the Spectator Racing Series.
This special event 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 San Jose Speedway, Kearney Bowl and Clovis Speedway.
The winged SMRA 410 Supermodifieds are lean, mean, open-wheeled racing machines that produce upwards of 750 horsepower and can reach speeds in excess of 130 mph at Madera. The pavement shaking 410s will once again run in a combined feature with the 360 Supermodifieds in a format designed to produce large fields and exciting racing.
Dinuba’s Troy Regier, with more than 70 career SMRA Supermodified victories on his resume, has picked up two Super Saturday wins this season while veteran Jeff Russell of Boise, ID, in Super Saturday #2, the 31st Vukovich Classic, on May 10th. Regier holds a slim 98 to 97 point lead over Russell in the Madera Supermodified standings while Russell turns the tables and holds a 913 to 882 edge over Regier in the SMRA points.
Once again the two leaders are expecting to face off against a host of worthy challengers from throughout the Western United States including Bryan Warf of Meridian, ID, Whitey Janssen of Dayton, NV, Bobby Dalton of San Martin, Martin McKeefery of Milpitas as well as local pilots Ernie Coppo of Clovis, plus Jim Birges, David Prickett and Kenny White, all of Fresno.
The Madera 360 Supermodified standings could not be any tighter. Bakersfield’s David Tuey holds a three point (109 to 106) lead over defending series champion Lance Tatro of Madera while Madera’s Kenny Kinchen (98) and Fresno’s Donnie Large (72) sit right behind them.
The ultra competitive BCRA Midgets, which compete on both asphalt and dirt, have produced different winners in the previous three Super Saturday events this season. North Carolina’s Sane Hmiel, a former NASCAR Busch and Craftsman Truck driver, got the victory in Super Saturday #1 on April 5th, Dallen McKinney, of Clovis, took home the first place trophy on May 10th and Manteca’s Marco DeGeorge earned the top of the podium on June 14th.
The latest BCRA standings have Visalia’s Scott Nail holding a 791 to 764 advantage over San Jose’s Nick Foster Jr. while the legendary Floyd Alvis, age 73-year-old of San Carlos, continues his quest for his eighth series championship with 698 points in third.
Phase II of the Western Late Models battle for the 2008 Madera track championship begins this Saturday as the “Race for the Chase” gets underway. The standings have been reset for the top 20 drivers from the first half of the season with Kyle Gottula, age 21 of Modesto, on top of the pack at 830 points. The remainder of the top five includes Stockton’s hard charging Joey Stearns (820), Modesto’s Jeff Belletto (810), Clovis’ Trevor Schlundt (800) plus Ross Strmiska and rookie Vito Ranuio, both of Stockton, who are tied for fifth with 770 points.
Stearns and Gottula are ranked third and fourth in the latest NASCAR Whelen All American Racing Series standings for California. Ranuio is lodged in the 10th position in the state rankings and Schlundt holds down the 17th spot. Stearns and Gottula are also in the top 25 in the NASCAR national standings.
Even thought the “Young Guns” control the top of the Western standings, veterans such as Harry Belletto, age 65 of Modesto, and Dave Byrd, age 50 of Monterey, have hardly taken a back seat to them as was proven in the twin 75-lap HotWood 750 Series features for the Westerns on July 4th. The ageless pair had the crowd on their feet all evening when Byrd held off a flock of drivers to win the first half of the late model doubleheader and Belletto posted an impressive wire-to-wire victory in the nightcap.
Anytime the Legends of the Pacific are racing on the program fans know they will be in for some wild and exciting action. The series has produced three different Super Saturday winners with Pine Grove’s Matt Scott, Rocklin’s Robby Czub and Anderson’s Micah Parner all having made the trip to victory lane this season.
Stockton’s Howard Holden continued his strong 2008 campaign in the American Limited Stock Car division by picking up his fifth win of the year on July 4th to stretch his lead out to 57 points over Modesto’s Dennis Saunders Jr. in the season standings at 368 to 311.
Ticket prices for the Saturday, June 14 program are only $25.00 for adults, $23.00 for seniors 65 years of age or older, $20.00 for students, active duty military 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.
Madera Speedway pit gates will open for registration and entry this Saturday at 10:00 AM, the grandstands open at 2:00 PM, trophy dashes will commence at 5:00 PM and the evening’s opening ceremonies will kick off main event racing at approximately 6:45 PM.
An open practice is scheduled for Friday, July 18th. The track will be hot from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Call (209) 983-1689 or (209) 479-9956 or contract track manager Pat Patnaude at [email protected] for more details.
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 call the Info/Race Line phone number at (559) 673-RACE and for information on the Madera Speedway Spectator Racing Series program call (209) 476-8123.
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