Modifieds and Hobby Stocks return to speedway

The busy summer at Madera Speedway continues tonight with the North State Modified Series and North State Hobby Stock Challenge on the track. The speedway will also play host to Madera Late Models, Legends of the Pacific, Southwest Tour Trucks, Modified Super Toyota, Toyota Sedans, and a Jr. Late Model exhibition race.

This full plate of racing excitement will be served for $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military, $7 for youth ages 6-12, and kids five and under are free.

The North State Modifieds thrilled fans during their first appearance in April with Randy Houston taking the 60-lap victory from the 10th starting position. Finishing second was former series champion Jason Philpot , who finds himself mired in fourth in the championship. Cameron Austin leads the championship with two second and two third place finishes this year. Stockton winner Robbie Knittel is the leading rookie and ranks second in the standings ahead of Darrin Sullivan and Philpott. Terry Deal rounds out the top-five.

Saturday’s co-main event is the Madera/North State Hobby Stock Challenge. Round No. 1 of the series produced a great battle for the lead between Madera’s champion drivers Howard Holden and Steve Schermerhorn. Schermerhorn won last weekend’s Madera Hobby Stock event by an entire lap and looks primed to ride that momentum into Saturday.

The Madera Late Model division is the non-televised half of the stock car schedule at the speedway, but produces much of the same high level competition as the Nut Up Pro Late Models do on MAVTV. Tyler Herzog leads the series with two wins and two second place finishes while his cousin Austin Herzog leads the overall combined standings between Madera Late Model and Pro Late Model. Both Herzogs are expected in action tonight. The balance of the top-five for the Madera LM includes Henk Gaalswyk, Jr., Del McIntosh, Eloy Bazan, and Elliott Stjerne.

Ryan and Shaun Reynolds continue to lead the Modified Super Toyota standings with a 25-lap main event scheduled. Toyota Sedans will also compete for 25 laps with Jason Lawton at the top of the hill. Touring divisions for the Southwest Tour Trucks and Legends of Pacific will also be competing. Ronnie Davis is the most recent SWTT winner at Madera while Bakersfield’s Colton Page won the most recent LoP race.

Tonight’s program begins with pit gates opening at 11:00. Practices run from 1-2:30 p.m. with qualifying and heat races to follow. The first set of features starts at 5:15 p.m. before opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. The North State Hobby Stocks, Late Models, and North State Modifieds are among the races that will compete after opening ceremonies are completed.

For information about Madera Racing on MAVTV, visit www.racemadera.com or www.mavtv.com.

Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Thursdays every week. The show airs at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. PST and is also available on the Lucas Oil Racing TV app. The first round of the 2019 51FIFTY Energy Drink Jr. Late Model Series airs on June 20.