FOURTH NIGHT OF MAVTV-TELEVISED LATE MODEL ACTION UP NEXT FOR MADERA SPEEDWAY
MADERA, CALIFORNIA (May 14, 2024) – Exciting championship battles in both the Pro Late Model Series presented by Mission Foods and the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series continue Saturday night during the fourth MAVTV-televised races of the season at Madera Speedway. INEX Legends and INEX Bandoleros also will compete in championship points races this weekend. Photo by Ethan Smith
The fastest one-third mile in the west has enjoyed parity and close finishes in all of its stock car shows this year. All tickets will be sold at the track ticket booth. Adult tickets are just $20, seniors are $15, youth ages 6-12 are $10 and kids five and under are free. Opening ceremonies are slated for 6pm. Meet me at Madera! Race fans can “Join” www.YouTube.com/ShortTrackTV for $19.99 per month for a members-only live stream as well.
Fresno’s Tyler Herzog and Martinez’ Vito Cancilla find themselves in the throws of a “race of champions” for Pro Late Model supremacy. 2023 Pro Late Model champion Herzog leads 2023 Jr. Late Model champion Cancilla by just three markers. Herzog has scored a second-place finish plus two third place efforts this year and has challenged for the win in all three attempts. Cancilla, age 12, has visited victory lane twice and had a come from behind seventh place finish in round two as well.
Clovis’ Shelden Cooper won round two and ranks third in the championship. La Grange’s Matt Erickson led the entire first half of the season opener and challenged Cooper for the win in round two as well. Erickson has landed fourth in the standings.
A hard-charging season for Ryan Reynolds of Coarsegold has him ranked fifth in the championship followed by San Francisco’s Henry Barton. Barton has equaled Herzog’s total of ten halfway break points through the first three races but has hit snags in his bid for a debut series victory. Rookie contender Joey Kennealy of Madera, Modesto’s Jason Aguirre, Shaun Reynolds of Coarsegold, and veteran Rick Thompson of Fresno round out the top-ten in the standings.
An 80-lap feature is on deck with a 50-lap opening segment followed by a break for adjustments and MAVTV interviews. A 30-lap sprint to the finish will determine the winner.
The 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model championship battle for drivers ages 10-16 years old is a close one as well, with Manteca’s Jace Hale leading Castro Valley’s Cam Carraway by only five points.
Three different drivers have scored wins in 2024, each winning their first career triumph in the series. Carraway swept around the outside to win round one before Tristan Pena of San Antonio won round two. Jacob Ryan of Livermore has two fast-times and emerged victories in an intense round three as well.
Hale has not seen the checkered flag first but has been within the top-two drivers at the lap 40 break in all three events. His second-place finish on April 6 is his season’s best and enough to preserve the championship lead over Carraway. Ryan, Pena, and Clovis’ Skyler Schoppe round out the top-five heading into Saturday’s 70-lap feature.
The inaugural INEX Legends championship at Madera Speedway is led by a Madera driver with CJ Dizney using finishes of second and third to lead the way. Bakersfield’s “Fast” Eddie Garone, Clayton Travels, round two winner Brenden Ruzbarsky, and Colton Hale of Manteca round out the top-five. INEX Legends will race for 30-laps on Saturday.
Kaine Bettancourt has won all three INEX Bandolero races this season to lead the championship ahead of Andrew Williams and Kellen Keller with a 15-lap feature this Saturday night!
For more information about the Madera Speedway including how to advertise with a race team on MAVTV please visit www.racemadera.com or call the race office at 209-356-1968.
The 2024 season would not be possible without the support 51FIFTY LTM, Mission Foods, 805 Beer, Race 2B Drug Free, Competition Carburetion, Hoosier Tires, Franks Radio, Sunoco Race Fuel, and Sealmaster.
Madera Racing on MAVTV airs Monday nights at 6pm Pacific and 9pm Eastern. Check www.MAVTV.com for program listings.