SRL Southwest tour returns to speedway
Madera Speedway’s busy stretch of major Late Model races continues tonight with the second appearance of 2018 for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series.
The USAC Western US Midgets, CSS 360 Super Modifieds, Legends of Kearney Bowl, Legends of the Pacific, and Madera Hobby Stocks will also compete tonight with more than 300 laps of competition will take place on the speedway’s one-third mile asphalt oval.
Jeremy Doss, the 2013 and 2014 SRL championship runner-up, is aiming for his first series crown and leads the championship into Madera. Doss used a last lap pass to win the season opener at Madera, and added another victory in May at Las Vegas. Doss has podiums in five out of six starts this year and his Madera resume includes two Pacific Challenge Series wins as well.
Eric Schmidt ranks second in the standings and last won at Madera in 2006. He went on to win the championship that season, meaning a win on Saturday could be a harbinger of things to come. Ricky Schlick, Carlos Vieira, and Jeff Bischofberger round out the top five in the points. All three are still in search of a win in 2018.
Adam Lemke, the current Rookie of the Year points leader in the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model Series at Madera, will make his debut in the series. More than 20 cars are expected to compete in the 125-lap feature presented by 51FIFTY Energy Drink.
Lemke will also be busy with the USAC Western US Midgets, where he leads the points after a dominating season during their eight visits to the speedway. The resurgent 360 Super Modifieds are fresh off of the Donnie Large Memorial during the Harvest Classic, where Eric Humphries darted to victory. Steve Schermerhorn has already clinched the Madera Hobby Stock championship with two rounds to go in the competitive division.
The traveling Legends of the Pacific routinely average 15-20 entrants per visit at Madera with Saturday marking their sixth and final run of the season.
Pit gates swing open at 11:30 a.m., followed by practices at 1:30 p.m. Time trials and heat races for the local divisions will follow, along with the 360 Super Modified main event and SRL Southwest Tour qualifying, before opening ceremonies officially take place at 7 p.m. The SRL Southwest Tour 125 presented by 51FIFTY Energy Drink is slated to go green at approx. 9 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors, $10 for youth ages 6-12, and kids five and under are free.
The Madera Speedway is busy preparing for the Nut Up Industries Short Track Shootout on Oct. 6, which will pay $10,000 to win the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Model feature. Pre-entry is available now at www.RaceMadera.com
Madera Speedway is presented by major partners RPM Mortgage, 51FIFTY Energy Drink, Nut Up Industries, NICERIDE, iPull-uPull, and Color Fast Industries.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Thursdays re-runs of the 2017 season every week. The show airs at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and is also available on the Lucas Oil Racing TV app.
