Sunday, March 19, 2017

Vieira Outlasts Romero For First Career PCS Win At Madera



MADERA, CALIFORNIA (March 18, 2017) - Carlos Vieira scored his first career PCS victory, as the Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com opened up its season Saturday night at Madera Speedway for the Smokey Hanoian 75. Vieira led the final 56 laps of competition but not without late company from fast time qualifier Jason Romero.

"It feels awesome," Vieira said. "The car was solid man. The outside line - I felt pretty confident with it. That first restart I chose the bottom and that was a big mistake."

"Man I was doing everything this car had," Romero said. "I needed another maybe 25 more laps. My front brakes were gone. I was putting rear into it, making it cut."

Romero opened the afternoon with a 14.428 second lap to lead qualifying but it was Granite Bay's Cole Moore, the 2015 Rookie of the Year, winning the American Racer Tire Dash for the pole and a set of tires.

15 PCS Super Late Models roared to the green flag on the one-third mile speedway with outside polesitter Vieira using the outside line to take the early lead. Side by side racing was the name of game during an intense lead battle between Vieira and Moore. The first caution came on lap six when Chris Scribner stopped on the front stretch with fuel pump issues.

Vieira chose the inside for the following restart which proved to be to Moore's favor as he led lap seven by a nose before Vieira edged back to lead lap eight. Moore finally cleared Vieira on lap nine. The next caution flag proved crucial as Romero spun down the backstretch after a mix up with defending series champion Jeremy Doss. Both drivers had to restart at the rear.

Moore selected the outside on the restart and that decision not only propelled him to the lead but allowed his father John to roll into third and Ryan Philpott to roll the top into fifth. Philpott's strong performance expired on lap 14 with mechanical problems.

Vieira crawled back onto Moore and the duo went side-by-side again on lap 15. The caution flew on lap 16 when rookie Jack Wood spun on the front stretch. Moore again picked the outside but Vieira showed he had the right stuff as he took over the lead on lap 19.

Travis Milburn fended off Doss in an entertaining battle for fourth before Doss surrendered to the pits with problems on lap 35. Romero found himself mired in traffic battling Tracy Bolin and 2016 Rookie of the Year Matt Wendt just outside the top-five.

Wood and Danny Malfatti had a collision in turn four for the next caution on lap 34. Romero jumped forward on the following restart to pass John Moore for fourth. Milburn too fell out of the race on lap 43 with mechanical woes and that set the stage for Romero to take third and move towards the leaders.

Romero and Moore staged a thrilling side-by-side affair that gave Vieira the chance to pull his cushion to nearly three seconds. By the time Romero got away on lap 61, he ran both of his fastest laps of the race in open traffic to claw at Vieira. Vieira stayed tough in late lapped traffic for a .487 second victory - three car lengths - in the satisfying victory.

Cole Moore crossed the stripe third but was penalized for an RPM infraction in post race inspection. John Moore assumes third ahead of 2014 champion Mike Beeler and Bolin. Rookie Alexander Mead drove from 14th to seventh to earn the Penney Racing Supply Hard Charger in his series debut.

The 2017 Pacific Challenge Series presented by PenneyLawyers.com continues Saturday April 15th at All American Speedway in Roseville, CA. For more information on the Pacific Challenge Series, visit www.PacificChallengeSeries.com or follow them on Facebook or YouTube

The Pacific Challenge Series is presented by: Penney Racing Supply, Penney & Associates, American Racer Tires, Law Talk, Compact-It, Northwest Compactors, Naake Suspension, Sunoco Fuels, Five Star Bodies, BrakeOMeter, Lefthander Chassis, ARP Bodies, Joes Racing Products, Bassett Wheels, Frank's Radio, WrapStar Pro, and Blakesley Sports Media. All PCS Super Late Models race ABC Bodies or Muscle Car bodies on American Racer Tires with Sunoco Racing Fuel.

2017 Pacific Challenge Series Schedule
Subject to change

March 18th - Madera Speedway (Madera, CA) Winner: Carlos Vieira

April 15th - All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)

May 6th - Shasta Speedway (Anderson, CA)

May 20th - Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, CA)

June 17th - All American Speedway (Roseville, CA)

July 1st - Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, CA) Ron Strmiska Memorial

July 29th - Ukiah Speedway (Ukiah, CA)

August 12th - Madera Speedway (Madera, CA)

September 2nd - Stockton 99 Speedway (Stockton, CA)

October 14th - All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) *2017 Championship Finale* w/ North State Modified Series & NASCAR K&N Pro Series, West)

Pacific Challenge Series Round 1: Madera Speedway results
Finish Car Driver Hometown Sponsors
1 51 Carlos Vieira Livingston, CA 51FIFTY Energy Drink
2 8 Jason Romero Cameron Park, CA Folsom Lake Asphalt
3 27 John Moore Granite Bay, CA JM Environmental
4 6 Mike Beeler Modesto, CA Beeler Industries
5 11j Tracy Bolin Valley Springs, CA Bolin Builders
6 1 Matthew Wendt Galt, CA Cali Style Customs
7 32 Alexander Mead Watsonville, CA Mead Performance
8 70 Mike Hite Elk Grove, CA Storage for Less
9 20m Cole Moore Granite Bay, CA JM Racing
10 19 Jack Wood Loomis, CA Cooks Collision
11 55 Danny Malfatti Hayward, CA Malfatti Motorsports
12 18 Travis Milburn Eagle, ID Cooks Collision
13 75 Jeremy Doss Upperlake, CA S&S Sports Enterprises
14 52 Ryan Philpott Tracy, CA Hacienda Pool Products
15 5 Chris Scribner Loomis, CA Quick Quack Car Wash

Sunoco Fuels Fast Time: #8 Jason Romero 14.428
American Racer Dash: #20 Cole Moore
Penney Racing Supply Hard Charger: #32 Alexander Mead
Lap leaders: #51 Carlos Vieira 1-6, #20 Cole Moore 7, #51 Carlos Vieira 8, #20 Cole Moore 9-18, #51 Carlos Vieira 19-75