2019 MADERA SPEEDWAY SEASON BEGINS SATURDAY WITH LARGE FIELD OF MAVTV LATE MODELS

MADERA, CALIFORNIA (March 5, 2019) – Madera Speedway’s fifth season of MAVTV-televised Late Model action begins Saturday night, as drivers get ready to lay the wood for nine race championship campaigns in the Nut Up Pro Late Model Series and 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series. Saturday’s Madera Speed Fest includes the Pro Late Models battling for 100 laps and $5,000 to win, while the Jr. Late Models will race for 70 laps. Mini Cups vs. Bandoleros and Modified Super Toyotas round out the card on the one-third mile asphalt oval.

A very healthy field of competitors are expected to try to challenge Matt Erickson in the Pro Late Models in 2019. Erickson opened his 2018 championship campaign by winning the $5,000 season opener and followed it with three more victories to add to his extensive Madera resume.

Six-time Jr. Late Model winner Austin Herzog of Clovis scored three fast-times and a pair of runner-up finishes to finish second in the championship. Garland Tyler and Ryan Hart were third and fourth in the standings. Rounding out the top-five of 2018 was Racin Vernon of Bakersfield who won twice and added two fast-times as well. Vernon is one of many drivers utilizing a new car with an Outlaw-style body this season.

2018 Jr. Late Model runner-up Dylan Zampa, 14, will advance to the Pro Late Model series to compete alongside his older brother Logan Zampa, winner of the $10,000 Short Track Shootout last season. Both drivers are utilizing new Outlaw Late Model style bodies on their machines.

USAC’s all-time winningest female Toni Briedinger will begin a full-time Pro Late Model campaign hailing out of Hillsborough, CA for Naake-Klauer Motorsports as well.

A bevy of drivers will be part of the substantial field on Saturday night, with two-time series champion Buddy Shepherd, three-time PCS winner Carlos Vieira, Madera race winners Rick Thompson and Blaine Rocha, Madera Late Model champion Jason Aguirre, Altamont champion Ryan Philpott, Nut Up Industries teammates Ross Strmiska and Christian Roche, and many others expected to compete.

Visiting drivers set to appear include 2009 Roseville and 2018 PCS champion Jason Romero and nearly half a dozen Orange Show Speedway regulars including champions Linny White, Parker Malone, and Barry Karr.

With two-time 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model champion Jesse Love graduating into touring Late Models, Sprint Cars, and Midgets in 2019, the championship battle is wide-open this season. Several drivers appear poised to fill the gap with Las Vegas brothers Tyler and Tanner Reif among the returning crop. The older Tanner Reif narrowly missed out on the championship on the strength of a victory in August. Tyler finished fourth in the standings with a photo-finish win in July over his older brother. The victory made him the youngest winner in series history.

The rookie crop of Jr. Late Model drivers will include Portland, OR’s Jadan Walbridge from Outlaw Kart racing, Bandolero and Legends standouts Kercie Jung and Seth Wise from Bakersfield, Yakima, WA’s Patrick Mullins, and off-road champion Jake Bollman. Bollman will take over the #38 season vacated by Love.

Returning drivers to the division include fifth in 2018 points Kabe McClenny, inaugural season winner Austin Edwards, Madera’s Joey Iest, San Jose’s Jay Juleson, Lilly Mead, and Olivia Manke.

The Mini Cup vs. Bandolero drivers will face off with a new crop of drivers from a variety of backgrounds looking to knock Bakersfield’s Riley Massey off her championship pedestal. Several Mini Cup teams have moved into the more powerful Bandolero cars, adding to the intrigue. The youngest drivers at Madera Speedway compete in a 20 lap feature on Saturday.

Modified Super Toyotas continue to be anchored by the twin bothers of Shaun and Ryan Reynolds. They look to continue that momentum in Saturday’s opener with 30 laps on tap for the main event.

Action gets started on Friday evening with practice from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday’s program begins with pit gates opening at 11:00 a.m. Practices run from 1:00 – 2:45 p.m. with qualifying and heat races to follow. The first set of main events starts at 5:15 p.m. including the Mini Cup feature and the Late Model B Main. Opening ceremonies are at 6:00 p.m.

Tickets for this great night of racing are just $15 for adults, $13 for seniors, $7 for youth ages 6-12, and kids five and under are free!

For more information about Madera Racing on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or www.mavtv.com. For more information on Nut Up Industries please visit www.nutupindustries.com and for more information about 51FIFTY Energy Drink visit www.51fiftyenergydrink.com

Madera Speedway is presented by major partners Nut Up Industries, 51FIFTY Energy Drink, iPull-uPull, and Color Fast Industries. Contingency sponsors include Five Star Bodies, Maita Motorsports, McAllister Precision Marketing, and StopTech Brakes.

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. 2018 episodes will continue airing until the late spring, when 2019 episodes will hit the airwaves.