Summer Speed Fest set for speedway
Jason Wedehase/Madera Speedway
Austin Herzog will try to extendhis lead in the Nut Up Pro Late Model Series on Saturday at the Madera Speedway at the Summer Speed Fest.
Stock car racing’s mid-summer classic continues with the $5,000-to-win Summer Speed Fest for the Nut Up Pro Late Models.
The 100-lap race serves as round six of the MAVTV-televised championship and will be joined by a 70-lap 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model race, the Mini Cups vs. Bandoleros, and the Legends of the Pacific on Saturday.
Ticket information can be found at: http://racemadera.com/ticket-info.html with online sales available through MyRacePass. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate. Race fans can also view the live streaming coverage on Short Track TV on YouTube beginning at 6 p.m.
The Nut Up Pro Late Models have seen five different winners this season with Carlos Vieira, Eric Nascimento, Austin Herzog, Matt Erickson, and Tyler Herzog claiming victories.
The 2019 champion Austin Herzog leads his cousin, Tyler Herzog, in the 2021 Nut Up Pro Late Model championship by 23 points. Madera’s winningest Late Model driver Erickson has accumulated three podium finishes, including a victory on Military Tribute Night, to advance to third in the standings. Erickson was also the highest Late Model finisher in the latest action in the Madera club Late Model division. Erickson has only earned one qualifying point this season and seven Mission Racing Style Tortilla Chips halfway break points.
Austin Herzog has earned a combined 28 qualifying and halfway points, with that 20-point difference comprising most of the 30-point gap between them.
Jadan Walbridge led qualifying during the Ron Spencer Red, White, and Blue Classic and added 32 laps led at the front of the pack. Walbridge is fourth in the standings and is looking for the biggest win of his young career. Jason Aguirre is also aiming for his first MAVTV victory this weekend from fifth in the championship. Kyle Keller qualified second during the Ron Spencer race as well and is seventh in the standings. 2020 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model champion Bradley Erickson, Kabe McClenny and Glen Cook round out the top 10.
Saturday’s 100-lap affair will be split over a pair of 50-lap segments to decide the Summer Speed Fest winner.
The 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series championship has intensified with the emergence of Brody Armtrout. He has won back-to-back races to place pressure on points leader Jacob Smith and second-place driver Barrett Polhemus. Smith leads Polhemus by 25-points, while Armtrout is just one point behind in third. Ethan Nascimento rounds out a potent top four, just 27 points out of the lead.
Armtrout led the final 42 laps of round five on the way to his second victory of the year. Smith has two wins on the year and two fast-times. Polhemus has been the model of consistency with two second-place finishes and four top-fives. Brody Moore rounds out the top five in the series.
Saturday’s 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series race is another 70-lap battle with a 40-lap opening segment and a 30-lap run to the finish.
Logan Chambers has won four of the five Bandolero races at Madera in 2021 while also barnstorming across the west to add additional Bando trophies. Chambers enjoys a 23-point cushion over Joey Kennealy in the championship with Caden Cordova in third. Sam Wedehase has a six-point lead in the Mini Cup portion of the combined division, trading wins back-and-forth with Kellen Keller. The youngest drivers at Madera Speedway will race a in a combined 20-lap event.
The touring Legends of the Pacific return to Madera Speedway for a 35-lap feature that is a make up for a cancelation in June from extreme heat. An outstanding 27 cars competed on April 24 with Josh Gross earning the win. Luis Tyrrell won the feature on March 27 over a 24 car starting field.
On Saturday, pit gates open at noon with practice at 2 p.m. Qualifying hits the track at 3:45 p.m., followed by heat races. Short Track TV goes live at 6 p.m. with four features to follow.
For information about Madera Speedway, visit www.RaceMadera.com The 2021 season would not be possible without the support of Nut Up Industries, 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, and Sunoco Race Fuel.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights at 4 p.m. The second round of the Nut Up Pro Late Models airs on Aug. 2.
