Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Penultimate Round Of MAVTV Late Model Action At Madera On Saturday

Buddy Shepherd (#22) and Logan Zampa (#92) lead the RPM Mortgage Late Model points
(Photo Courtesy Jason Wedehase)

MADERA, CALIFORNIA (September 20, 2017) – Madera Speedway’s MAVTV-televised Late Model championships are nearing the finishline with Round #7 of eight set for this Saturday night. RPM Mortgage Pro Late Models race for $2,000 to win and 100 laps along with 51FIFTY Energy Drink Jr. Late Models for 75 laps. Toyota Sedans and Modified Super Toyotas will also be competing on the fastest one-third mile in the west.

Bakersfield’s Buddy Shepherd holds a narrow one point lead in the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Models despite missing the August race. His closest rival, Napa’s Logan Zampa, scored a fast-time and a fifth place finish on August 26th in round #6. The duo have four wins and six fast-times between them. The only other winners this year were Matt Erickson in the $5,000 to win season opener in March and August winner Jeremy Doss of Upperlake, CA. Erickson is the winningest driver in Madera Late Model history and recently won the track’s non-televised Madera Late Model championship. Doss is the winningest driver in the touring PCS Super Late Model series.

While the gap between Zampa and Shepherd is only one marker, Dillon Tucker is not far behind with only 29 points in arrears of first. Modesto’s Garland Tyler and Erickson round out a top-five all separated by just 36 points. Any of the five are still very much mathematically in the hunt for the series championship.

Saturday’s race is expected to draw a large turnout as the final tuneup before October 7th and the $10,000 to win Short Track Shootout. The Short Track Shootout also serves as the championship race for the division.

Jesse Love IV of Menlo Park scored his fourth win of the year in the 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models in August and is riding that wave into Saturday’s 75 lapper. If Love can win, he’d tie Austin Herzog with five career wins in the series for drivers ages 10-16. Love leads the points and paced his teammate Adam Lemke of Hollister across the stripe last month.

Redwood Valley’s Kolby Berry has set fast-time in five of the six races but is still in search of his first victory. He will work on visiting victory lane coming from second in the points. 12 year-old Austin Edwards of Mentone has worked his way up to third, just ten points ahead of Las Vegas’ Kyle Keller. Hailie Deegan missed the last event but is expected for the final two races as a tune-up for bigger plans in 2018. Deegan is also winless but has two podiums good enough for fifth in the points. She is closely followed by Jesse Burks who finished a career-best third in August.

Bert Stephens leads the Modified Super Toyota points with ten top-two finishes. Mike Marley has led the Toyota Sedan points for most of the year and has eight top-two finishes including a streak of four in a row. Both divisions will run 25 lap main events this weekend.

An open practice kicks off the weekend on Friday before a full day of action on Saturday. Friday practice runs from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. On Saturday, pit gates open at 11:30 a.m. with practice from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Qualifying will follow with B Mains and Heat Races beginning at 5:15 p.m. Opening ceremonies and main events will follow at approx. 6 p.m.

Tickets for this great night of racing are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military, $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 about RPM Mortgage and to obtain loan information please visit www.rpmwins.com and for more information about 51FIFTY Energy Drink visit www.51fiftyenergydrink.com

Madera Racing on MAVTV airs again Thursday September 21st with coverage of the fifth round of the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Models from July 29th. The broadcast beings at 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific. Madera Speedway racing is also available on the LucasOilRacing.TV app