Doss claims lucrative victory at speedway
Courtesy of Jason Wedehase/Madera Speedway
Jeremy Doss surges ahead of the pack to win the first round of the Race 2B Drug Free Big3 Late Model Series race Saturday at the Madera Speedway.
Jeremy Doss added another major event trophy to his growing collection by grabbing $5,000 while winning the Race 2B Drug Free Big3 at Madera Speedway.
Doss outfoxed multi-time NASCAR California State Champion Trevor Huddleston and two-time Nut Up Pro Late Model Champion Buddy Shepherd for the victory Saturday night in the first round of the Big3 series.
The event served as round three of the Nut Up Pro Late Model Series, as well, and was streamed live for free to race fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic closing the grandstands. The event will be telecast later this fall on MAV-TV.
The initial start of the 100-lap feature saw a multi-car skirmish into turn one. On the next attempt, 2019 Nut Up Pro Late Model champion Austin Herzog led the opening lap. Shepherd went around the outside of Logan Zampa to take third on lap eight. Doss clamped down on Herzog and looked inside for the lead on the front stretch on lap 14. Doss took over the top spot on lap 15.
Shepherd then attacked Herzog, with the pair running side-by-side before contact into turn one on lap 18. Both Shepherd and Huddleston passed Herzog as a result. Herzog eventually drifted to seventh in front of Racin Vernon.
A caution flew on lap 38 for Michael Mitchell and Shelden Cooper making contact in turn four. On the restart, Shepherd and Huddleston had contact on the front stretch but managed to keep going. Ross Strmiska and Logan Zampa went side-by-side for fourth with Dylan Zampa also entering the discussion for the position.
The Zampa cars made contact coming to the halfway break, with Logan spinning one lap early with 49 laps officially scored complete.
Doss picked the inside on the restart out of the break for MAVTV interviews and adjustments. The decision went in Huddleston’s favor with the Irwindale champion charging past Shepherd in turn two to lead lap 50. Huddleston’s teammate, Dean Thompson, emerged on the restart in fifth after starting ninth.
Mtichell’s night ended with a hard crash that involved Holley Hollan on lap 65. Vernon retired to the pits with a broken rear end, as well. Huddleston, despite taking the lead on the outside, picked the inside for the upcoming restart. Doss took advantage to drive past Huddleston in an identical maneuver.
Huddleston fell into a great battle with Shepherd that went back-and-forth on several occasions. Huddleston and Shepherd even made contact on lap 83, but Shepherd drove away.
Shepherd ran his best lap of the main event on lap 87, but it was too little too late as Doss claimed the $5,000 Race 2B Drug Free Big3 100-lap feature win. Shepherd, Huddleston, Ross Strmiska, and Carlos Vieira rounded out the top-five.
The 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series featured a first-time winner who also became the new points leader. Fourteen-year-old Bradley Erickson claimed fast-time and the 70-lap main event win over a field of 20 drivers ages 10-16 years old.
An all-female front row saw Holly Clark lead Kercie Jung after lap one. Jung found herself mired back in fifth early after getting hung out on the top.
Erickson started to challenge Clark for the lead before a caution flew. Incoming points leader Seth Wise had contact with Jody Moen with Wise suffering some front-end damage.
Wise continued on while Erickson started outside Clark on the restart. Erickson used the top to his advantage to take the lead. Erickson picked the outside on each successive restart, while Jung took over third from Jake Bollman on lap 23. Jung then inherited second when Clark slid into turn one on lap 30. A lap later, Cody Kiemele’s night ended in a hard crash on the backstretch.
An incident involving Clark and Bollman brought out the scheduled break a lap early on lap 39.
On the restart, a repaired Seth Wise led a train of cars past Jadan Walbridge who ended up falling from third to sixth.
Erickson used the outside throughout three additional restarts to maintain the lead over Jung en route to the victory. Jung equalled a series best finish for a female competitor with her second place effort. Wise, Kabe McClenny and Cole Brown rounded out the top-five.
Bradley Erickson’s 11-year-old brother, Jeffrey, won his third Bandolero main event of the 2020 season. Wyatt Sansom managed to take the lead on several occasions during the caution-filled 30-lap feature. Erickson clawed back to Sansom within a lap or two on each try, however, making the final pass for the lead on lap 14.
Joey Kennealy rounded out the top-three in the Bandoleros while the Mini Cup race within a race saw Rebecca Dubie win her third consecutive event as well.
The speedway will be in action Saturday night with the Children’s Hospital Kids Night featuring Madera Late Models, Toyota Sedans, Hobby Stocks, MST, Southwest Tour Truck Series, Legends of Kearney Bowl and the CVMS Invasion.
For information about Madera Speedway, visit www.RaceMadera.com The 2020 season would not be possible without the support of Nut Up Industries, 51FIFTY LTM, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, and Sunoco Race Fuel.
