Photo Courtesy Jason Wedehase

Via Madera Speedway PR

MADERA, CALIFORNIA (August 22, 2017) – The sixth night of MAVTV-televised Late Model racing at Madera Speedway hits the track on Saturday night with the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Models 100 and 51FIFTY Energy Drink Jr. Late Models 75 ready for action. Joined by Legends of the Pacific, Mini Cups, and Modified Super Toyotas, nearly 300 laps of competition is on tap on the fastest one-third mile in the west.

The RPM Mortgage Pro Late Models will be competing for $2,000 to win and perhaps in their most wide-open field of the season. 2015 champion Buddy Shepherd of Bakersfield, the current points leader, will be absent to compete in a K&N West Series event. With Shepherd out, arguably the driver to watch will be Upperlake, CA's Jeremy Doss. Doss, a two-time Pacific Challenge Series champion, will make his first points paying start at Madera after showing impressive lap times in testing last October. The 19-time PCS race winner is also a four-time SRL Southwest Tour winner and 2013 SRL Rookie of the Year.

June 17th winner Logan Zampa of Napa is second in series points and trails Shepherd by 47 markers. With a 46.8 point average over the course of the season, Zampa has a strong chance to take over the points lead. Zampa finished 14th to open the year but has followed that with a win, two seconds, and a third place. Trailing Zampa by just nine points is Modesto's Garland Tyler. Tyler has not yet won a feature in the series but has two seconds and two thirds on his resume this year.

Fourth in the standings is Madera Ranchos' Dillon Tucker with a third place finish in the season opener as his highlight. 2016 champion and winningest driver Matt Erickson ranks fifth on the strength of the season opening win. Erickson has not finished better than fourth since then, however. Sixth in the standings is Austin Herzog with five career 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model wins. Twice Herzog has run in the top-five late in a race only to finish deeper in the pack. Ryan Hart, Howard Holden, Glen Cook, and former track champion Rick Thompson make up the rest of the top-ten.

The 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models has been dominated by 12 year-old Jesse Love IV of Menlo Park. Love opened the year with three consecutive wins before a third place finish in June. He finished seventh in July after a mix-up with race leader Kolby Berry. The two hiccups have not stopped Love from commanding an impressive 45 point lead over teammate Hailie Deegan. Berry is third in the order on the strength of four fast-times in the five races so far. April 2016 winner Austin Edwards is fourth overall.

Eric Nascimento, Jr. claimed the July 29th race and also finished in the top-five with the Pacific Challenge Series at Madera two weeks ago. The 16 year-old has moved up to fifth in the Jr. Late Model standings.

Two out of state female drivers will compete with the series with North Carolina Legends standout Gracie Trotter driving in place of Deegan in the #88 Toyota-backed entry this weekend. Vermont's Peyton Lanphear is expected to make her second start in the series, driving for Nascimento Motorsports this time around.

The popular Legends of the Pacific will return for the fourth time this year. The Legends have not had a repeat winner in 2017 at the speedway with Luis Tyrrell winning most recently in July. A 35 lap main event is scheduled.

Las Vegas' Tyler Reif has been impressive in his rookie Mini Cup campaign and will look to extend his winning streak to four in their 20 lap main event. Stockton's Joey Stearns gave Reif a strong challenge in July that thrilled the crowd.

The Modified Super Toyotas are led by Zachary Cook who also competes in the Late Model division on a part-time basis. Cook leads Dave Lander by just five points with fellow Late Model rookie Patrick Geiger in third. MSTs are scheduled for a 25 lap main event.

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 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Qualifying will follow with B Mains and Heat Races beginning at 5 p.m. Opening ceremonies and main events will follow at approx. 5:30 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 August 24th with coverage of the fourth round of the RPM Mortgage Pro Late Models from June 17th. The broadcast beings at 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific. Madera Speedway racing is also available on the LucasOilRacing.TV app